Have you decided on enclosure yet?

 

Corsair 650D or Graphite 600T both are wide enough to accommodate the D-14.  I see the Phanteks  TC14PE competes well and very slightly outperforms the D14 for cooling, not a relevant difference though.  I wonder how tall it is and how its mounting system is.   I saw this on Noctua's website that was slightly troubling:

 

• Is the cooler compatible with the Intel LGA2011 socket and Asus X-socket™?
  The cooler doesn’t come with LGA2011 mounting hardware out of the box, but it can be upgraded to support LGA2011 via the NM-I2011 mounting kit.

Whereas w/ the Phanteks it appears it is compatible out of the box:

 

Do I really need to use the SoliSku?
Yes, this bracket is designed especially for the Intel LGA 1366/1155/1156/775/2011 socket motherboards. It is designed to protect and prevent any bending to the motherboard when pressure or weight is put on the motherboard.

650D is a great choice Noel. This was the case I was seriously considering a while ago. I decided to stick to the case I have now in the end.

 

 

 

I saw this on Noctua's website that was slightly troubling:

 

• Is the cooler compatible with the Intel LGA2011 socket and Asus X-socket™?
  The cooler doesn’t come with LGA2011 mounting hardware out of the box, but it can be upgraded to support LGA2011 via the NM-I2011 mounting kit.

Whereas w/ the Phanteks it appears it is compatible out of the box:

 

Mounting kits are nothing to worry about Noel.

 

My Noctua was originally fitted to my old i7 920 system. When I built my 3770K system, I too had to order a Noctua mounting kit. It was just a different bracket, no big deal, same Noctua quality.

 

 

The Phanteks  TC14PE is slightly larger than the D14, with thicker heat pies.

 

It beats the D14 by a mere 1-2 degrees under load. So not much in it.

 

The mounting system is very similar to Noctua’s but not as good. See below...

 

http://www.kitguru.net/components/henry-butt/phanteks-ph-tc14pe-vs-noctua-nh-d14-cpu-cooler-review/6/

 

Pros

• Supreme cooling performance
• Good build quality
• Different colour options

Cons

• Expensive cooler
• Mounting system could be better
• Needs better instructions and presentation to make you feel you got good value

 

 

 

For an alternative to the D14, I would look at the Thermalright Silver Arrow...

 

http://www.thermalright.com/html/products/cpu_cooler/silverArrow_sb-e.html

 

Same performance as the D14, but slightly better acoustics.

 

Or, if you want better performance than the D14 but don't care about noise, go for the Silver Arrow Extreme...

 

http://www.thermalright.com/html/products/cpu_cooler/silverArrow_sb-e_extreme.html

Had the same thing happen to me a few years ago.  I wish I had known about the IPA trick back then as I lost the MB, Video Card and Ram.  On air now and would probably never go back to water cooling although I think the all in one systems like the H100's are much safer than the old system I had where all the hoses were tied together manually.

I still think that it would be possible for manufacturers to seal the joints so that water leaks were pretty much impossible.

 

Trouble is, all of the closed-loop water cooler systems available are pretty much the same design. All manufactured by CoolIT Systems or Asetec. 

 

Lets hope the Silverstone design is a step in the right direction.  

 

 

I still think that it would be possible for manufacturers to seal the joints so that water leaks were pretty much impossible.

 

Won't touch one of these until they have be engineered and manufactured to be...fail-proof...period...! 

 

 

650D is a great choice Noel. This was the case I was seriously considering a while ago. I decided to stick to the case I have now in the end.

 

I'm now looking at either the P9X79-E WS or Rampage IV Extreme, both of which are not ATX but are SSI CEB & E-ATX as you pointed out.  Unfortunately the 650D isn't compatible w/ those.  So looking now at this case from FractalDesign, which I have to check and make sure is not too tall for where it will sit--I think it's fine but will make sure:

 

Fractal Design Define XL R2 FD-CA-DEF-XL-R2-BL Black Pearl Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case

It's E-ATX compatible unlike the 650D (or so it appears) and so is CEB compatible.  Not too keen on a dry (hehe) weight of 36 lbs, but I can't see how extra space can hurt--I don't move my case unless I have to repair something and having all that room should make air flow & cable routing fabulous.  Plus, the opening close to opposite the NH-DH14 I can connect my A/C unit directly to send very cool air if needed.  I will have some heat-producing components (o'clocked SB-E hexacore & GTX Titan).   I do like the simplicity and elegance of both the 650D and this case.  If I go back to an ATX case (2nd choice was P9X79 Pro but that is quite an old model though like by quite a few folks) then I will def go w/ the 650D.

 

 

both of which are not ATX but are SSI CEB & E-ATX as you pointed out.

 

Noel, have you considered the Coolermaster Haf X? Great case, excellent air flow, and it's E-ATX.

 

Depends if you like the looks though, some don't.

 

http://www.coolermaster.com/product/Detail/case/full-tower/haf-x.html

 

If you don't mind spending some money, there's the Cosmos 11. Mind-blowing case.

 

http://www.coolermaster.com/product/Detail/case/full-tower/cosmos-2.html

I looked at the HaF X and wasn't fond of the looks--tend to like conservative, elegant over something that looks like it belongs in Terminator-Rise of the Machines!  However--it looks like a very effective case, it's lighter and a little smaller, so will definitely consider it.  Thanks!

 

Opinions on the two mainboards I mentioned?  I appreciate your expertise & practicality ;o)

 

 

I looked at the HaF X and wasn't fond of the looks--tend to like conservative, elegant over something that looks like it belongs in Terminator-Rise of the Machines!

 

Yes me too, I can't stand these juvenile designs, I much prefer minimalist enclosures.

 

I have seen the Haf x in a store though, although it was the smaller XM version, and it didn't look as bad as I was expecting.

 

 

P9X79-E WS or Rampage IV Extreme

 

The Dr Power utility looks interesting.

 

Ranpage looks fantastic, I believe it's been around a little longer than the P9X79 hasn't it? If so, perhaps the BIOS is a bit more mature, issues fixed etc. Couldn't find a review for the P9X79-E WS.

 

Personally. after several builds, I always buy Asus, love their motherboards.

 

That's all can say really, I don't do much research unless I'm about to build. 

 

 

Ranpage looks fantastic, I believe it's been around a little longer than the P9X79 hasn't it? If so, perhaps the BIOS is a bit more mature, issues fixed etc. Couldn't find a review for the P9X79-E WS.

 

I liked what I saw w/ the HaF X case in that the intake over the CPU is perfect to accept the 4" flex-hose from my A/C unit in case we need extra cooling beyond the D14 if desired--it's a 6-core CPU and cranks out some heat I'm sure when o'clocked.  I really see very little practical difference between SB-E and what IB-E will offer, but the good part is w/ the X79 socket 2011 board I can alway pick up an IB-E when the SB-E dies prematurely from modest abuse.  Really looking forward to assembly!  I hope I get lucky and don't have problems w/ parts.   My 5 y/o brand new PC Power & Cooling 750W PSS is fine as it turns out:  60Amp 12v rail, peak output of 825W (never be needed w/ these parts) and an 8-pin PCI-e connector for the Titan.
 

Having nothing much more than good commercial reviews and user reviews from Newegg & Amazon, I opted for the little brother of that motherboard, the P9X79 WS.  This one gets the best looking user reviews of all of the ASUS X79 boards except the big brother and it's really way way more capacity than the plain, non-E, WS version.

 

I pulled the trigger two days ago and ordered the following--THANKS Martin for your help!  The G.Skill ram is low profile and will fit under the D14.  This is the most expensive build ever for me, but I am NOT inclined to upgrade often any more.  In reality, it is essentially the same cost as my first PC when corrected for inflation since it contained the Sony CRT:

 

Intel Pentium 486 33Mhz (!)

Sony 4x CDR-drive (it was ...$400!!!!!)

Win 3.1

Top of the line 19" Sony CRT ($1600!!)

120Mb HDD! x 1

FDDs

Oooh--8Mb of ram! (it was around $400 too!!)

Sound Blaster Audio

 

This above system cost around $3200 way back when.  Here's what's coming within a day or so:

 

 

1 x ($569.99) Intel Core i7-3930K Sandy Bridge-E 3.2GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 2011 130W Six-Core Desktop Processor BX80619i73930K

$569.99

1 x ($379.99) ASUS P9X79 WS LGA 2011 Intel X79 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 SSI CEB Intel Motherboard with USB BIOS

$379.99

1 x ($349.99) SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD500BW 2.5" 500GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

$349.99

1 x ($299.99) G.SKILL Ares Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2400 (PC3 19200) Desktop Memory Model F3-2400C11Q-32GAB

$299.99

1 x ($139.99) Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit - OEM

$139.99

1 x ($89.99) Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 140mm and 120mm SSO CPU Cooler

$89.99

1 x ($19.99) ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM

$19.99

1 x ($14.99) Microsoft 4YH-00005 Black 3 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB or PS/2 Wired Optical 800 dpi Mouse

$14.99

1 x ($7.99) Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G - OEM - OEM

1 x ($17.99) KeyTronic E06101U2 Black 104 Normal Keys USB Wired Standard Keyboard

1 x ($209.99) COOLER MASTER HAF X Blue Edition RC-942-KKN3 Black Steel / Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case with Black Interior and Four Blue LED Fans-1x 140mm rear fan, 1x 200mm top fan, 1x 200mm side fan, and 1x 230mm front fan

$209.99

1 x ($-42.00) DISCOUNT

EVGA GeForce GTX TITAN 6GB GDDR5 384bit, Dual-Link DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI,DP, SLI Ready Graphics Card

Nice system Noel.

 

You should get a reasonable overclock from the 3930K, I'd guess at least 4.5.

 

Have a friend on another forum with the HAF X, he tells me the airflow is phenomenal, I'm sure you will be very satisfied.

 

I'd be giggling like a school girl with all that nice kit on the way.

 

:good:

 

 

I'd be giggling like a school girl with all that nice kit on the way.

 

Well, near as I can tell since SB improvements for FSX have really been pretty modest by most accounts--except for those who like to try to convince you that it was going from 4.5 to 4.8Ghz that made all the difference in the world for them.  As I've been saying I'm putting this system together for XPlane 64 as well.  If I can get a stable 4.2Ghz w/o undo voltage requirements I'll be quite satisfied.   I have to read the data sheet for SB-E 3930K to see what the real voltage issues are. I've heard 1.4v is the absolute max, but I am disinclined to run a CPU at absolute max voltage having fried an expensive X processor w/ just short periods of volts at the absolute max.  I'm glad I can pick up IB-E if or when my 3930K degrades from the overclock.  Do you know on the fan opposite the CPU/HSF on the side panel in the HaF X full tower case which direction the air is flowing by default?  I'm guessing it's designed to feed the HSF w/ outside air.  Does that sound correct to you?  If so, it will be easy to route my thru-the-wall A/C air flow directly to it w/ the 4" flex ducting I use and get down to 5 degrees C air at that take which from what I'm reading isn't a bad idea w/ SB-E.

The side panel fan is blowing in Noel. That's the orientation for most side panel fans. Primarily intended to feed air in towards the graphics card. All fans can be turned round to suit your needs anyway.

Not usually required to be honest. However, as you have said before, you do live in a part of the world where ambient temps are an issue. My friend told me he has is fans in the HAF turned right down, as the airflow is way more than required.

Despite the 200mm fan blowing in from the side, you are still talking about a somewhat negative case pressure, so optimal for cooling. I'm not a fan of positive case pressure, better for reducing dust ingestion, but not good for efficient cooling. Balanced case pressure I don't have any issues with. A subject that's frequently the catalyst for heated debates on forums.

What do you think of the new Corsair Air 540 Noel?

I must say I'm tempted.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPjcMaK1IMc

 

Cube case, with the PSU and optical drives in the chamber behind the MB tray.
 

 

 

What do you think of the new Corsair Air 540 Noel?

 

I looked at that recently and, without actually measuring, assumed it was too wide for where I need to keep it, plus it looks like intake is from the ends so wouldn't work as well for where my A/C box is.  Lots of room and airflow looks great though.  I think the HaF X does indeed look like a great case and it fits well where I need it to be.  Good to know about the airflow blowing in thru the side panel fan--perfect!  I already have the 4" ducting coming from the A/C unit so I can just add a female circular adapter to the exterior side panel over the fan to attach the ducting to.  I can also direct outside air (w/o the a/c compressor running) thru the A/C unit as well, which works well during the cool half of the year here.  In fact, setting it up this way allows outside air to passively be sucked thru the system which is perfect.   It is protected from rain of course and since the unit is about 3 feet off of the exterior ground, which is just clean 1" minus rounded rock pebbles.  Plus, routing thru the unit and ducting helps keeps bad stuff from getting into the box.  Since I'm not too demanding of high over clocks, I may as you are suggesting not really need this added cooling beyond the NH-D14 especially w/ ducting to outside the house, so that's great too.  Yummy can't wait!  I'll be tickled if I can get to 4.2Ghz w/o crazy voltage.  I think my Vcore tolerance is maybe 1.32v.  Hope my PSS can handle it.  The PSS calculator certainly says it does.  It is rated 750W continuous w/ a 60A 12v single rail, peak output of 875W or something like that.  I have a UPS that displays watts used so it will be easy to see what's happening.

It's PSU [power supply unit] Noel, not PSS. Unless that's an abbreviation I've not come across. :smile:

 

Are you in Arizona, or somewhere like that?

 

We in the UK regard it as hot when the temperature's above 70. We don't fully appreciate the extreme temperatures some of you guys have to contend with.

 

We also tend to be unaware of the measures that need to be taken in hot climates. Like wrought iron doors to prevent warping, stone tiles on the floor rather than carpet or wood, etc.