Need a cool and very silent HTPC case

julioposa2 · Post by **julioposa2** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:25 am

Hi all,

Could you please recommend a good HTPC case for microATX/ATX that can fit a 158 mm height heat sink (like the Noctua NH-U12P SE2 for example) and one or two ATI HD 5770 GPUs?

I was thinking in Luxa2 LM200 that can fit perfectly that hardware, but I have read in this forum that it does not dissipate the heat very well and is a bit noisy, so I have discarded it. I need the case to be almost dead silent.

The maximum depth of the box should be 430 mm and the height 240 mm (Don't have a limit in width). Otherwise it won't fit in my furniture.

My hardware specs are the following:
Core i5 750
GIGABYTE GA-P55M-UD2
Mushkin Performance HP3-12800 DDR3 1600 4GB 2x2GB i5 Edition
Shappire ATI Radeon HD 5770
500 GB MAESTRO DE SISTEMA SATA2 WESTERN DIGITAL 7200 16MB ? --> Maybe it's not silent enough?
Noctua NH-U12P SE2 ?

I don't plan to overclock the system, I'd rather prefer to mount another ATI in CrossFireX mode in the future if I need more GPU power for games.

I don't know if I really need a heat sink of that size for cooling the CPU, as I'm not overclocking it, maybe it's enough with the stock cooler (only if it's dead silent when idle).

Thank you very much in advance.

jhhoffma · Post by **jhhoffma** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:13 am

You want silent Crossfire in an HTPC case? Good luck.

However, it really looks like you're building a gaming machine that connects to an HDTV.

Really, you're best option is an Antec Fusion Max, but it's 2cm deeper than your requirements. Most likely, if your furniture has a backing to it, you'll have a hard time getting anything but much smaller cases in there since the cables coming out the back will take up some room, as well. If your furniture does have a back to it, either remove it entirely or cut it away as much as possible as a system like the one you are proposing will need as much free airflow as possible. Otherwise, the hot air will just build up in the enclosure.

You're likely going to have to make a sacrifice somewhere. Either in the build hardware or the location you are placing the system.

xan_user · Post by **xan_user** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:27 am

saying "fit in the furniture" makes me think you be fighting for decent air flow on this build.
are there any other heat producing components in this piece of furniture?

a picture is worth a billion bytes of text.. :/

wcrvieira · Post by **wcrvieira** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:17 am

If you want silence and a cool system forget about CrossFireX or SLI.
Unless you use two passive cooled GPUs and have a very decent airflow in the case... The ATI 5770 passive is coming soon so you might try and search there.

Concerning the furniture, I don't recommend putting a PC inside a "drawer". I did that once and even though the system ran quieter (the wood muffled the SPL) it ran hotter 'cause air had a hard time leaving the case.

julioposa2 · Post by **julioposa2** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:25 am

Thank you very much for your responses.

The drawer is 475 mm depth, 340 mm height and 1200 mm wide. Of course, I will take the machine out of the drawer for gaming so it does not get burned on the first round.
It will be inside of the drawer (with the front door opened) only while playing music and movies.

I'm considering the crossfire option, but will not mount it at the first instance. In any case, I don't mind about noise while gaming, only when idle or listening to music and watching movies. Will mounting a second GPU in crossfire make the machine to become noisy when it's idle or playing music/movies?

Thanks again.

Best

Magilla · Post by **Magilla** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:44 am

jhhoffma wrote:Really, you're best option is an Antec Fusion Max.

Assuming you can get one that doesn't have a broken/faulty LCD. I've had 7 and haven't managed it yet! So good luck with that!

julioposa2 · Post by **julioposa2** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:54 am

Thank you again, but it seems that the heatsink in the specs won't fit in that box. In this case I would need a low profile or leave the stock cooler.

Compared to the Silverstone GD04, and assuming I will have to go for a low profile cooler, which one is better considering noise and ventilation?

Best

wcrvieira · Post by **wcrvieira** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:56 am

julioposa2 wrote:Will mounting a second GPU in crossfire make the machine to become noisy when it's idle or playing music/movies?

Thanks again.

Best

All the time!
With a second card both will be very tightly close to each other which will lead to less air being drawn in their coolers. So the top card will have to rev the fan faster to keep cooler.
Also, for games crossfire/sli isn't the best option as even though drivers are getting better in that department, still ain't optimal and there are problems in scaling and others...

If you choose to create a CF system with both 5770 passive the cooler problem is gone, but you still have to produce a fair decent amount of airflow to cool the passive heatsinks.

julioposa2 · Post by **julioposa2** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:40 am

OK, you have convinced me.
I have discarded the Crossfire option, so I will go for a single 5770.

What about the heat sink and the cases GD04 vs Max?

Thanks

boost · Post by **boost** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:51 pm

The optical drive in the Silverstone GD04 can interfere with larger cpu coolers. Link to a japanese site, but the pictures speak for themselves.
http://pc.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/news/2 ... -601013800
The Antec Fusion Remote Max fits a Scythe Orochi, most other big coolers should also fit.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article890-page5.html
The Antec Fusion Remote Max is your best bet.

julioposa2 · Post by **julioposa2** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 7:50 pm

Thank you very much, boost.

I'm not going to install any 5.25'' optical drive. Could I remove that bay for gaining more space in the GD04 box?

Thanks again.

julioposa2 · Post by **julioposa2** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:44 am

Hey, and what about Antec Mini P180?

This looks like a great case and it seems that the 168 mm heat sink will fit in it without problems.
I don't care about LCD and for the remote, I would get a gyration, that I think is better than any iMon.

This case would fit in my drawer if I put it sideways (which is better for heavy cpu coolers).

Is this a better alternative to the Remote Max?

Thanks

Magilla · Post by **Magilla** » Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:17 am

boost wrote:The Antec Fusion Remote Max fits a Scythe Orochi, most other big coolers should also fit.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article890-page5.html
The Antec Fusion Remote Max is your best bet.

Avoid the Fusion Max, they all have faults with overbright LCDs.

At the very least you should view one before you buy. All the ones I've had were so bright it distracted from the TV, and had to be removed.

Never seen one that bears any resemblance to any of the promotional pictures. Most reviews simply ignore the terrible LCD and make no mention of it.

julioposa2 · Post by **julioposa2** » Mon Nov 16, 2009 7:13 am

Thank you.

I think I will go for the Mini P180 and buy a gyration remote. This case seems to be more future proof for hardware updates and hard gaming and I don't care about LCD's.

Best