CPU + Motherboard + RAM + Cooler Advice

[jackjack]

I'll mention it again to him.

I think he said VM only uses or supports four cores.


Edit: if he went for the Phenom, which motherboard would you recommend? I can only see one ATX with onboard graphics - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/asus-...cs-on-board-at

Phenom option
Processor : amd-phenom-ii-x4-965-black-edition
CPU Cooler : coolermaster-hyper-212
Mobo : asus-m5a88-v-evo-amd-880g
RAM : 16gb-(2x8gb)-corsair-ddr3-vengeance-jet-black
Total under £300

Hope it helps

[amjedm]

Many thanks for all the advice everyone

Phenom option
Processor : amd-phenom-ii-x4-965-black-edition
CPU Cooler : coolermaster-hyper-212
Mobo : asus-m5a88-v-evo-amd-880g
RAM : 16gb-(2x8gb)-corsair-ddr3-vengeance-jet-black
Total under £300

Hope it helps

Thank you but I'm going to go with Cat-The-Fifth's suggestions including the Phenom II X6 1045T. My brother has agreed to the CPU and other stuff.


Only issue now is the RAM - looks a bit tall to me so I'm wondering if there will be issues with the cooler/fan when using four sticks (if he upgrades)? Any advice please?

[jackjack]

Many thanks for all the advice everyone



Thank you but I'm going to go with Cat-The-Fifth's suggestions including the Phenom II X6 1045T. My brother has agreed to the CPU and other stuff.


Only issue now is the RAM - looks a bit tall to me so I'm wondering if there will be issues with the cooler/fan when using four sticks (if he upgrades)? Any advice please?

RAM with low Heatsink
1. 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair DDR3 XMS3 (1600) £88.99 Inc VAT
2. Corsair Memory XMS3 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 PC3-10666 (1333) £81.82 Inc VAT

for under £300 budget.. this is looks like suit you
Processor : amd-phenom-ii-x6-1045t
CPU Cooler : coolermaster-hyper-212
Mobo : asus-m5a88-m-amd-880g
RAM : 16gb-(2x8gb)-corsair-ddr3-xms3-(1600) low hs
Hope you like it

[Pob255]

If he likes his old freezer 64 pro (I take it it's the Pro version http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/cp...er-64-pro.html ) then you can easily reuse that on a new motherboard as AMD has kept the same mounting system since AM2
You'll want to get some new thermal paste http://www.scan.co.uk/products/arcti...-paste-4g-tube
Scrape the worst of the old thermal paste off the base of the cooler, then can use isopropanol and cotton buds to clean it fully eg http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ISOPROPANO...item1e68dbf065 or some neat grain spirit eg vodka

It might get a bit noisy when maxing out all the cores but any 80/92mm fan based cooler will
I'd not bother with the original coolermaster hyper it wasn't that good although it does have one thing going for it in the it mounts front-to-back orientation on socket AM where as most will mount up-to-down

PS what case is it? how wide? many cheap basic cases will not be able to fit a tower cooler which uses a 120mm fan.

[amjedm]

RAM with low Heatsink
1. 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair DDR3 XMS3 (1600) £88.99 Inc VAT
2. Corsair Memory XMS3 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 PC3-10666 (1333) £81.82 Inc VAT

for under £300 budget.. this is looks like suit you
Processor : amd-phenom-ii-x6-1045t
CPU Cooler : coolermaster-hyper-212
Mobo : asus-m5a88-m-amd-880g
RAM : 16gb-(2x8gb)-corsair-ddr3-xms3-(1600) low hs
Hope you like it

I'm going for the RAM and CPU, will stick with the motherboard Cat has recommended along with the Nvidia GPU but thank you for the help

If he likes his old freezer 64 pro (I take it it's the Pro version http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/cp...er-64-pro.html ) then you can easily reuse that on a new motherboard as AMD has kept the same mounting system since AM2
You'll want to get some new thermal paste http://www.scan.co.uk/products/arcti...-paste-4g-tube
Scrape the worst of the old thermal paste off the base of the cooler, then can use isopropanol and cotton buds to clean it fully eg http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ISOPROPANO...item1e68dbf065 or some neat grain spirit eg vodka

It might get a bit noisy when maxing out all the cores but any 80/92mm fan based cooler will
I'd not bother with the original coolermaster hyper it wasn't that good although it does have one thing going for it in the it mounts front-to-back orientation on socket AM where as most will mount up-to-down

PS what case is it? how wide? many cheap basic cases will not be able to fit a tower cooler which uses a 120mm fan.

He does like the 64 Pro (yep, it's a Pro) but I think he wants (or I've recommended he leave that system as it is). I've got the cleaning stuff - Isoproanol alcohol, TIM remover, some decent (Arctic MX paste), even lint free tissues but will opt for a new cooler.

I was going to give the 212 a miss as I believe (from the reviews) the 212+ was better.

Short list for cooler includes the following

Gelid Tranquillo v2
Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO - but pre-order
Coolermaster Hyper 412S
Alpenfohn Brocken CPAF-005 - I like this but it's a bit old

I'm thinking of downgrading from my Fractal Core 3000 and moving to an Ace Ecco 250 Toolless Micro-ATX. Core 3000 will go to my brother - not sure how impressed he will be when comparing to the very good build quality of the Antec NSK 4000 he currently uses

Edit: Max cooler height in the Core 3000 is 160. Evo 212 and Freezer Pro 13 are 159, 412S is 160, Brocken is 157, Tranquillo 153

Edit 2: Freezer Pro 13 off the list as you can only mount upwards on an AMD system

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I would check this webpage for special offers:

http://www.scan.co.uk/todayonly/index.aspx

Edit!!

Has the OP considered this mATX case:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/aeroc...r-case-w-o-psu

[amjedm]

I would check this webpage for special offers:

http://www.scan.co.uk/todayonly/index.aspx

Edit!!

Has the OP considered this mATX case:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/aeroc...r-case-w-o-psu

About to order the RAM as it's over £6 off on Today Only

The Aerocool case - noooooooooooooooooo, I'll have to have a read about that one, I wanted the Ecco as it's positive pressure - 2 front 120mm fans, plus one rear

[amjedm]

Nice case the Aerocool but I think it's not for me - too much mesh and I'd like to move to a quieter case from the Fractal.

I've made my own modu vent type blocks which I'm using on the top and side in the Fractal. I can't do this with the Aerocool, especially the side as there is a window there - unless you know how I could do it without messing up the look?

Plus I'd like 2 front 120mm fans - I suppose I could use the top and the front as intakes (like the Silverstone positive pressure)?

[Pob255]

The Ecco uses the removable vertical bars to hold the hard drives on, like the fractal design core 1000
You'll not be able to use the rear bar with a large cpu cooler and the front bar can cause issues with very long graphics cards. a shorter card or a card with power connectors at the back not the side will be fine.
I think it' a great solution to make the case shorter but be aware that it does have it's down sides.

If you give him your 3000 then there wouldn't be any issues with the cooler facing upwards, you'll be blowing the air up and out the top vent, put a fan or two in the roof to help it and it'll be just as good as chucking the air out the back, maybe better as you'll have two extraction fans and convection will help draw the air up and out too.

both the Gelid Tranquillo v2 and Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO can be mounted in ether direction on AM2-3 (the Coolermaster Hyper 412S is the same as the 212 EVO it's just got nickel plated heat pipes and top most fin to make it look shiny)
The Alpenfohn Brocken can only be mounted vertically.

It's a bit more expensive but have you looked at the silverstone precision PS07b http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...icro-atx-black or TJ08e http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...usb-30-w-o-psu they both use the same internal frame, the layout is a little odd at first glance but if you take the time to look at it it does make a lot of sense
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buPdEMRZx10
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/chassi...n-series-ps07/

modu vent type blocks

what???

[amjedm]

The Ecco uses the removable vertical bars to hold the hard drives on, like the fractal design core 1000
You'll not be able to use the rear bar with a large cpu cooler and the front bar can cause issues with very long graphics cards. a shorter card or a card with power connectors at the back not the side will be fine.
I think it' a great solution to make the case shorter but be aware that it does have it's down sides.

If you give him your 3000 then there wouldn't be any issues with the cooler facing upwards, you'll be blowing the air up and out the top vent, put a fan or two in the roof to help it and it'll be just as good as chucking the air out the back, maybe better as you'll have two extraction fans and convection will help draw the air up and out too.

both the Gelid Tranquillo v2 and Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO can be mounted in ether direction on AM2-3 (the Coolermaster Hyper 412S is the same as the 212 EVO it's just got nickel plated heat pipes and top most fin to make it look shiny)
The Alpenfohn Brocken can only be mounted vertically.

It's a bit more expensive but have you looked at the silverstone precision PS07b http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...icro-atx-black or TJ08e http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...usb-30-w-o-psu they both use the same internal frame, the layout is a little odd at first glance but if you take the time to look at it it does make a lot of sense
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buPdEMRZx10
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/chassi...n-series-ps07/

what???

I've only got one HD in the current setup so I wouldn't be using the rear bar. As long as the horizontal bar (which the vertical bars attach to) doesn't interfere with the CPU cooler, I don't mind giving it a go. Current GPU is only short/low spec...

I'm trying to keep his machine as quiet as possible so the less fans plus open grills, the better , he mentioned several times how quiet the other one I built for him was

Thank you for the advice on the coolers - much appreciated. I didn't know the difference between the 412s and the 212 Evo .

I hear the Coolermaster coolers are a pain to fit so currently the Gelid is first choice, plus 212 Evo out of stock...

I've looked at the TJ08e and the PS07 previously but I think they're a bit expensive especially as I keep changing my case.. (was even thinking of building my own wood case but I can't hammer a nail in straight so this could take months if not years... )

I used to have the very good Coolermaster Elite 340 but sold that and moved to the Fractal but it's too big IMO for a single HD plus M-ATX motherboard setup that I have.

Edit: sorry forgot about modu vents. these are what Fractal supply in the R3 and the Define Mini to block off the fan spaces if you're not going to attach a fan. They have the foam dampening so block noise from the fan grills.

[Pob255]

I've not had any major issue with the coolermaster mounting system, you just have to remember that the screws are not round but D shaped, as long as you have them aligned correctly they slot through easily.
put the case on it's side, or mount the cooler outside the case, so you can just stand the cooler on the cpu and get the cross bracket correctly aligned before screwing it down.
The only fiddly bit was the wire clips and these have been replaced in the EVO version with a simple snap on plastic clips.

One thing to say is that it does feel a bit lose on intel systems (I added a washer to help increase the pressure) but mounts tighter on amd systems (no need for the washer)

[amjedm]

Not having much luck with the items guys (at Scan)

212 Evo - cooler out of stock
Phenom x6 1045t - out of stock
Motherboard - out of stock

Tempted to order the GPU (Palit Nvidia) just in case it goes out of stock

RAM - already ordered from Scan.