Antec NSK 2400 vs 3300

ericc · Post by **ericc** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 10:18 am

Hello,

I'd like to build a HTPC. I have already decided to go with AM2/micro-ATX. I will start with a Sempron 300+ (62W nominal TDP) and will later upgrade to a X2 EE when the price becomes more reasonable. I have no constraint due to the cabinet since I will use a little table with the screen above and the regular hifi components stacked under the table. I can then use a desktop or a tower PC.

One problem is that I do not succeed in choosing between NSK 2400 and NSK 3300. What is your opinion then and why?

Thanks!

autoboy · Post by **autoboy** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:09 pm

I have both. They are both very good cases. Neither one is totally silent out of the box. The power supplies are a little louder than the S-12 series but since you are new to the site they will most likely be much quieter than anything you have had before.

3300

advantages:
full size tower heatsinks fit.
m-atx tower
very compact - short and small depth
2 5-1/4 drives will fit but not recomended

Disadvantages:
power supply SFX and cannot be replaced easily
single 120mm fan - not really a disadvantage unless you want to overclock
fitting 2 harddrives can be difficult and takes a 5 1/4 slot
drives run warmer
Wide for such a small case
2 5-1/4 drives will fit but not recomended

2400

advantages:
2 120mm fans
fits easily with A/V equipment
ATX power supply so you can put any psu you want
2 harddrives easy and well cooled
good cable management

Disadvantages:
large for a m-atx case
must have space on both sides for airflow
cannot rest on its side
cannot use full size tower heatsinks.

Personally, I was not impressed with the drive situation for the nsk3300. It really limits you. The bottom disk takes a pci slot while the top takes a 5 1/4 slot. Also, 2 5 1/4 drives would starve the power supply of air. I was not able to use my ninja because the power supply cables got in the way. I still love the case, but, except for a minimalist system, it is not the best choice.

The ATX power supply and the elegant drive tray points me towards the nsk2400 unless you have to rest it on its side.

ericc · Post by **ericc** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 3:09 am

Thanks a lot!

What do you mean by "elegant drive tray" for the 2400?

Also, do you think I can stack an amp and regular CD player on top of the 2400? (as it seems a bad idea to put the NSK 2400 above the amp since it is a "kind-of" A-class amp and then rather warm)

vg30et · Post by **vg30et** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:30 am

ericc wrote:Also, do you think I can stack an amp and regular CD player on top of the 2400? (as it seems a bad idea to put the NSK 2400 above the amp since it is a "kind-of" A-class amp and then rather warm)

The NSK2400 has an intake vent on top which is supposed to direct air over the video card/motherboard components. It may restrict airflow to your case or cause it to suck in some warm air from the amp.

The Nvidia dualtv card in my nsk2400 gets quite warm so I try to leave the top vents as open as possible. You may be able to get away with it if you have different components.

rm19 · Post by **rm19** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:28 am

I have the cousin to the NSK2400, the Antec Fusion and can say it's the best case I've ever owned after a Coolermaster Cavalier, Antec 1650TXB(?) and P150. I can say it's also the quietest and coolest running case I've had (CPU: 29C idle, 41C load) and this is with a fanless video card, slow spinning CPU fan and only a single Nexus exhaust fan. The hard drives run at 45C and 39C and my Antec Neo HE 550 power supply runs damn near silent and should never ramp up since it's in it's own chamber.

I have my amplifier sitting on top of it with about an inch of clearance and the the video card runs just as cool (52C idle, 72C load) as if there was nothing up there. I say cool because the Nvidia throttles at 130C!

Here's a big pic of my case:
http://mac.podzone.net/silentpc/IMG_0966s.jpg

ericc · Post by **ericc** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:44 am

It seems that the NSK2400 is the winner here...

Thanks all!

rm19 · Post by **rm19** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 3:03 pm

ericc wrote:It seems that the NSK2400 is the winner here...

Thanks all!

One caveat about this case. I installed my ATi X1900XTX with Zalman VF-900 @ 5V (idled at 56C), but when I fired up a 3D game, temperatures shot up almost immediately and the ATi protection kicked me out of the game since it hit 105C!

Don't know if the stock ATi fan that blows the heated air out the back of the case would have fared better, but it seems my particular parts combo did not work well in this case. Also my Gigabyte 7600GT's heatpipe could not clear the case top so I punched out the metal to make it fit. Just make sure your card's cooler doesn't have anything protruding much past the card.

autoboy · Post by **autoboy** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:30 pm

rm19 wrote:
ericc wrote:It seems that the NSK2400 is the winner here...

Thanks all!
One caveat about this case. I installed my ATi X1900XTX with Zalman VF-900 @ 5V (idled at 56C), but when I fired up a 3D game, temperatures shot up almost immediately and the ATi protection kicked me out of the game since it hit 105C!

Don't know if the stock ATi fan that blows the heated air out the back of the case would have fared better, but it seems my particular parts combo did not work well in this case. Also my Gigabyte 7600GT's heatpipe could not clear the case top so I punched out the metal to make it fit. Just make sure your card's cooler doesn't have anything protruding much past the card.

Did you open the pci slot cover to allow more cool air? A x1900xtx is a very very hot card. Most cards would not have a problem.