Birthday Present To Myself

[Scart]

I've been itching to build my first good computer so I can start to get into overclocking and maybe a bit of modding. And with my 18th birthday coming up, any excuse is a good excuse!

So what do you guys think of this:

Mobo: Asus Maximus Formula
CPU: Intel Q6600
RAM: OCZ Reaper Hpc Edition PC2-8500 DDR2-1066 2x2GB
Power Supply: Corsair HX620 620 Watt modular
Water Cooling: Swiftech h20-220 apex ultra+ kit which includes:

• APOGEE GT cpu block
• MCX30 chipset block
• MCX60 vga block + ramsinks
• MCP655 pump rated at 1200 L/H
• MCRES-Micro Reservoir
• MCR220 QP radiator
• 7/16 tubing and tube coils

Other bits for water cooling:

• D-TEK Customs 1/2" G1/4 chrome high flow barb fittings
• Feser One UV Black Non-Conductive coolant
• Polypropylene T and Danger Den Delrin Fillport for drainage T-line
• Pts Petra GEL-STUFF 3" by 3" pump vibration absorption block
• Arctic Cooling MX-2 thermal compound

Case: Gigabyte 3D Aurora 570 with a few changes:

• Cutting out the fan grills and using 3 120mm Noctua NF-P12 fans for front intake and back exhaust onto the radiator
• Cutting a fan hole in the acrylic side panel and mounting a 120mm Cooler Master Neon Blue led fan
• Cutting a top blow hole and mounting a 120mm Thermaltake A2329 Silent CAT exhaust fan
• Vitruvian Man fan grills for the side and top fans
• Hopefully figuring out a way to get more airflow through the hdd cage *HELP APPRECIATED*
• I wanted to add a bottom intake, but it doesn't look like there's enough room for adequate air intake.

Total Cost: About $1600 including tax and whatnot.

So thats what I'm thinking for the most part. I still might go with the more basic water cooling kit and then buy the northbridge block separate, since I'm not gunna upgrade my graphics card just yet and there isn't too much point in oc-ing my 1900 xt and by the time i do upgrade, the gpu block might not be compatable. Might swap the cpu for one of the 45 nm quads when they come out later this month depending on how they perform.

Now I just need to find someone to buy my current machine, and if I'm lucky, won't need the hard drive and dvd drive so I won't have to buy new ones.

So what do you guys think? Suggestions, ideas, and tips greatly appreciated.

[llama_egg]

Finally, someone else who's modding the Aurora, I am no longer alone! XD

Very nice! Though if your thinking about going with a GPU block later on, you might want a 3 fan rad to help handle the temps, unless you plan to have a second loop (which would be tight in that case). Also, am I seeing a T-line AND a res, unless you plan to have the loop going in more then one direction you won't need both.

As for the HDD cage, that's a tough one that I'm still trying to figure out. Once you begin hitting 3+ HDD's, pretty much no air is getting through it. As for a bottom intake, if your planning to mod the case a bit, why not raise it and throw one there? Just throwing out ideas.

[miggs78]

I like the idea that ^^llama gave.. Don't worry bro, I have one of those too, just haven't time to mod it, I did mod the older version I had..

So the point that was mentioned, maybe you could try and drill through, so you can remove the cage.. Cut the top part, the one thats in btw the 2x3.5" and the HDD cage, once you cut the metal piece in btw the two, you could put case fan some how blowing air towards the hdd.. and raise the cage.. drill another hole at the bottom, put another fan from the outside and put another fan down there blowing towards the hdd.. Just an idea..

By the way, whatever you do please picture it, and if you do mod the hdd cage, please let me know.. I have 6 I squeezed in, I need serious cooling lol..

Good Luck

[Scart]

I was going to set up the T-line as the low point in my loop, and use it for draining. But I'm new to all this so if you know a better way let me know.

And I found one work in progress mod of the case:
[Project]3D Aurora 570 - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net
I'm itching to see what he's gunna do.

And for raising the case, I have absolutely no idea how I would go about doing that. I'll have to ponder on it.

[Scart]

So I'm a little uneasy about the power supply, and I'm not sure if i should go up to the 620 watt version.

[llama_egg]

Originally Posted by Scart

So I'm a little uneasy about the power supply, and I'm not sure if i should go up to the 620 watt version.

While I'm not PSU expert, with what your running right now, the one you picked out should work, saying that, once you go to a heavier card you would probably want a heavier duty one.

Holy crap they raped that case o_O

[Mr. Cipher]

Although this is not 100% accurate (these things never are) the power calculator here can give you a rough idea whether or not your 520 is going to have a rough time. Probably won't, but I chose its little bigger brother the 620 because it was only $15 more.

PC Village has it for $125 after MIR ($10 more than the 520 at NCIX, for example).

This is a nice birthday gift. I envy the overclocking you are going to be doing on the maximus. With a max fsb > 500mhz, you are going to have a blast.

That being said, the x38 does not offer much more than the p35 cannot do in many of the reviews I have read, and if you want to save some $$ to put towards a GPU you may want to go with a p35 chipset. Something to consider, unless you plan on using sli/crossfire, then the x38 really pulls ahead.

You can probably sell your old rig here, just do not forget to follow the selling rules!

[miggs78]

Man that really looks like a case mod now, he's not just cutting the stuff, he actually took the whole case apart, part by part individually..

I like his ideas, I might do that with my old Gigabyte Aurora case I have.. the original one..

Good Luck with yours Scart

[Scart]

Yeah...so after reviewing my fiscal situation and upcoming events, I think I may have to hold off on my dream machine for a little while.

I may instead just buy a decent mobo and cpu cooler and try and oc my amd athalon 64 x2 4200+

Anyone have tips or suggestions for mobo, cooler, and ocing the 4200+ (its not black edition, so may not go that well.)