Portable build

[chrestomanci]

Can anyone recommend a decent cooler which will fit in the case? I found a maximum size for the sg03 once but now I can't find it again.
Also, can anyone recommend the best, nearest to silent 120mm fans for me to put in the front? The current one is a tad loud.

I am using a stock Intel cooler, You will have trouble finding a better one that fits has it has to be relatively low profile. The maximum height is 75mm. There are no width restrictions other than what ever is imposed by your motherboard, but I think you will struggle to find anything that will perform much better considering the very confined space it has to operate in. If I where you, I would concentrate on maximizing the airflow through the case so that the internal temperature is as low as possible. That way for the same temperature delta between the case and CPU temperature, the CPU will be cooler.

[holy god of nil]

I'm reckoning that between a quieter/more efficient cooler (that scythe looks excellent), two decent fans on the front and some serious thought into cable organisation I can have it doing better. I'm almost tempted to see what happens if I reverse the fans so they blow out the front, the air being drawn over the cpu would definately be cooler.

[Pob255]

max height 75mm? no problem
Scythe Shuriken
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Scyth...M2-AM2plus-940
only 64mm tall with the fan, 58mm without fan

Or the flower design Zalmann
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Zalma...eatpipe-Cooler

You may even be able to get on of the all-in-one water coolers in there, but they are not cheap.
eg the new one from corsair
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Corsa...AMD-CPU-Cooler

[chrestomanci]

I'm reckoning that between a quieter/more efficient cooler (that scythe looks excellent), two decent fans on the front and some serious thought into cable organisation I can have it doing better. I'm almost tempted to see what happens if I reverse the fans so they blow out the front, the air being drawn over the cpu would definately be cooler.

Cable management is important, it is something I could have done better.

I would not recommend that you reverse the fans, because if you do, you won't get the benefit of the dust filters on the front panel, so your CPU cooler will get clogged with dust more quickly. You will also get a hot draft blowing at you if you put the case on a desk.

[holy god of nil]

Thanks Pob. Yeah chresto, I doubt I'll actually reverse the fans, don't much fancy trying to plug in my ipod to the front usb and singing my eyebrows
I'm no good at cable management I have to admit, I need to look for some how to articles or something.

[chrestomanci]

I'm no good at cable management I have to admit, I need to look for some how to articles or something.

Couple of tips:

• Use zip ties or twist ties to group cables together and attach them to the chasis
• If there are any ribbon cables, try running them behind the motherboard

[holy god of nil]

Figured I'd put it in here rather than starting a new thread, although I guess it's not really hardware...
Anyway, currently the only OS I have to install on this build is windows 7 RC, however it has occurred to me that by installing this and using it as a main OS I'm eventually guaranteed to lose all my settings/installs etc, particularly as there seems to be no facility to upgrade in win 7 (in europe)? Am I correct here?

[chrestomanci]

Figured I'd put it in here rather than starting a new thread, although I guess it's not really hardware...
Anyway, currently the only OS I have to install on this build is windows 7 RC, however it has occurred to me that by installing this and using it as a main OS I'm eventually guaranteed to lose all my settings/installs etc, particularly as there seems to be no facility to upgrade in win 7 (in europe)? Am I correct here?

Microsoft have announced that there will be no 'upgrade' from Vista to windows 7 that preserves settings, so either way, you are unlikely to have a painless upgrade that preserves everything.

If I where you, I would install windows 7, because there is nothing to loose, and you may be able to use a settings transfer wizard to move some of your settings, or microsoft may take pity on the beta testers and give them a way to feed in the the product code from a full verson, and convert the time bombed beta into a normal install.

[chrestomanci]

Resurrecting the thread, but I thought people would be interested.

After reading people's suggestions about how to improve the cooling on a Silverstone SG03, I brought some upgrades to improve the cooling on mine. I replaced the stock intel cooler with a Zalaman CNPS8700 NT and replaced the two 120mm front fans with a pair of Sunon Denki ones that shift 83cfm each instead of around 20cfm with my old ones.

Before the upgrade, my idle CPU temp was 75-80 C, after 39-43 C. Even under load It is not getting above 70 C, so big improvement.

Bear in mind that when I had the system apart I also removed a 2 year accumulation of dust, and re-routed a ribbon cable that was obstructing airflow, so other people might not see such a dramatic improvement.

[Pob255]

Epp! with two of thoes high air flow fans in it it must sound like a jet engine.

[chrestomanci]

Epp! with two of thoes high air flow fans in it it must sound like a jet engine.

It is louder than before, but not that loud.

I did notice that the motherboard fan header is 4 pin, so If it gets to loud I should be able to use a PWM fan as at least one one of the case fans.

[ajones]

I went for multiple quiet fans in my uATX system, and use Mechanno like angle brackets on the front corner mobo posts to secure additional fans at the front of the case, blowing over both sides of the mobo to the rear. Changed the perspex screens to the wire mesh you get with fibre-glass packs, replaced the main 12cm exhaust fan with a Noctua one.

Gaffer tape is great for cable management in a small case - I routed all the cables to the front then gaffered them all down! Really nasty when you need to remove them - sticky as hell, but does free up so much space in the case!

[DeludedGuy]

What way do you guys have the PSU facing in your SG03?

[chrestomanci]

What way do you guys have the PSU facing in your SG03?

Mine has the fan facing outward so it draws air in through the side grille and not from inside the case.

Modern PSUs don't need much airflow to cool them (they can run quite hot safely), so they will not usefully contribute to system ventilation.