Vicotnik wrote:I would try mounting the HR-03 the other way and remove a few PCI covers, then tape up unwanted intake holes to create some airflow over the cooler. Might lower the temps a bit.

That wouldn't be a bad idea, but my Raptor would really suffer from the lack of airflow.

Then I'd try mounting a slowly rotating fan to circulate air into the card slots area. There are brackets for this and probably some ideas on how to make one yourself on this forum. I realise that those heatpipes might get in the way but perhaps the fan doesn't have to blow directly over the heatsi...

The simplest and most effective solution I can see is to simply move your graphics card to another pci-e slot and mount a silent fan on your 8800. Note that you may not be able to run the card at 16X pci-e however it's been shown that the difference isn't all that significant. I had thought about t...

Recently, while playing AOE3, my 8800GT has been artifacting and locking up. Since it is summer, I'm fairly certain that heat has played a role in this. I've used ATITool to measure my temperatures, and the GPU shoots up to 80+ while gaming. Below is a picture of my current configuration: http://img...

As a follow-up to mcoleg's post, I'd recommend you to read the PSU section. It will really open your eyes on how much power your PC actually draws.

PSU: Yes, I am positive. Read here and here . I can also add to that my own experiences if need be, but there is a huge misconception among gamers and PC builders of how much power a desktop gaming computer really draws. Those power calculators are BS. According to one of them, my system needs 500 w...

If you want your system to be decently quiet, the first thing I would ditch is the PSU. PC P&C supplies are not known for silence, but rather their rock solid stability. For the system you specify, a Corsair 520HX would be more than adequate. Secondly, you have a choice: 8800GTX or Antec Solo. The G...

AMD's AM2 processors have the memory controller integrated into the CPU, so it's not the motherboard that decides what kind of memory the system can support; it's the CPU. As far as I know, AM2 processors don't support ECC memory. Your best bet is probably an Intel processor with a 975X board for EC...

The 150GB Raptors are noisy without a doubt, but the 74 and 36GB versions are a completely different story. When I built a computer for a friend using a 150GB Raptor for the first time, there was this irritating whine coming from it and I thought there might've been something wrong with the motor. S...

I've owned the 7200.9 and I still have a couple of WD740GDs in service and one ADFD in my Core 2 rig. I would rate seek noise level from highest to lowest in this order: 7200.9 > ADFD Raptor > GD Raptor. Idle noise is identical or near identical for all drives. They are inaudible until your ear is l...

I also recommend the Solo. They are fine cases - I have two. There are two 92mm intake fans and one 120mm rear exhaust. Airflow should be no problem. In addition, I also recommend that you drop the PSU to the HX520 since your system requires nowhere near 300 watts of power under full load unless, of...

I was cooling a C2D E6700 passively with the same heatsink in the same case with only 2 fans in the entire system: a Corsair PSU and an undervolted Nexus as exhaust. Hope this answers your question.

My vote also goes to Corsair. I own two of them and was even considering a third. These are the best power supplies I have ever owned.

Looks good. I wouldn't change a thing.

Not only is the U120 the same height as the U120X, but I'm using the U120X in a Solo myself.

For a similar price, you could get the Corsair 520HX which is a much better choice and is still way more than you'll need.

Edit: Sorry, I just noticed you already bought it, but 650 watts is overkill. There is more than enough current in that PSU for your system.

Yes, the combination will work. I used to use the exact same configuration on a P4 Northwood system.

I'm using an eVGA 7950GT 512MB with an HR-03 passive. Idle is about 51C and I haven't measured load temps yet.

The rear fan is 120mm and the front two are 92mm. The P150/Solo only comes with one rear 120mm fan - an Antec Tri-Cool. While it is quiet enough for some, I find it is still audible even at low. A 2.5" drive is quieter than 3.5" in general, but keep in mind that 2.5" drives are usually slower also. ...

Wow, thanks a lot for clearing that up. I knew his numbers were fishy.

Max Slowik wrote: And when you take a look at their performance under extreme overclocking and all that, they are less stable than their competitors. There are plenty of other companies who have better warranties, too.

Since when do Intel boards allow overclocking (excluding 975X)?

Intel DG965RY or DG965WH. Can't beat the stability of Intel boards and they are passively cooled.

I had a little argument with Jarred Walton at Anandtech in the comments section of this article. He says his XPS 720 H2C measured close to 800 watts from the outlet with a Kill-A-Watt device, but I seriously think he pulled that number out of his ass. What do you guys think?

It's 36 for a Raptor as well.

I didn't run TAT for the full hour and ran it for half an hour instead. The temps seemed to stabilize at about 80C and 78C for cores 0 and 1, respectively. The U120X uses the same clips that the U120 uses to attach a fan and, yes, a Nexus must be modified to use the clips. HD temp is 56C according t...

Alright, I need to go to sleep soon, but I will run TAT tomorrow until the temperature stabilizes and post the results.

Unclear as to whether the question is to replace the rear fan or add another somewhere. I've sampled both fans mentioned and at the same rpm with the Nexus being "quiet", the motor noise (ticks) can be heard from the Scythe 800. The Scythe 1600 seems to have a better (lack of) sound undervolted but...

I have a U120X passively on an E6700 in a Solo right now. It works, but under full load using Intel's TAT, temps approach 75C. Idle is about 50C. However, the only 2 fans in my system are an undervolted Nexus for exhaust, and the stock fan in my Corsair PSU. When I had the stock Antec exhaust fan se...

I am currently running a C2D E6700 passively with a U120X. My temp. at idle is about 50C and at load, using Intel's TAT for about 10 minutes, is about 70C. The only sources of airflow are an undervolted 120mm Nexus rear exhaust and the fan on the Corsair PSU. Would these temps. affect the longevity ...

Just because a card consumes 15 watts less than another does not necessarily mean the lower power card will output less heat. Heat output is a measure of the card's efficiency at using the power. A 100% efficient card that consumes 150 watts will output no heat while a 50% efficient card that consum...