Joined on 04/10/05
Good Looking Case, Few Issues
Pros: Nice looking case with a solid build. A surprising amount of space allowing for AIO liquid CPU cooling (2 fans in a push pull!) and a full size PSU. Reminiscent of the NeXT Cube.
Cons: 1. Very little support documentation in the box or online. 2. No instructions for optical drive mounting. 3. HOT HOT HOT! Minimal air flow and venting. I have an ASUS EAH6850 that cooks the outside of this case and raises the temps at least 8-10C... Could use a few more side venting areas on the GPU case wall at least. I currently remove the outer shell if I game
Overall Review: ASUS EAH6850 SeaSonic X650 Plextor M5P 256GB (Primary) SAMSUNG 470 128GB (storage) Intel i5-2500 G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB Corsair H75 ASUS P8H61-I R2.0 Win 8.1 Antec ISK600 Antec Formula 7
DOA
Pros: Will update when new board arrives.
Cons: Board was DOA. First Intel board I have ever purchased. I RMA'd it and will update this when the new one arrives. Not sure I like that newegg is charging me for for return shipping. That adds 10% to the cost of this board plus 2 weeks in turnaround.
Excellent replacement for stock cooling
Pros: Easy to install and keeps temps within a reasonable range. Silent! I found this cooler to be an excellent replacement for a loud/dying fan on my GeForce 9800gt. I didn't take note of my temps before, but I am running 57c low and 100c under extreme load (FurMark running at 1024 x 768 = 2650 score). Crysis hits mid 70's for a realistic mark. The radiator is wide, but no longer than the card and it only takes up 2 bays, so no mods needed. Follow the instructions for installing the extra heatsinks on the ram. This is clearly stated in the instructions and worked perfectly.
Cons: Instructions could be updated. There was no indication I needed to use the provided spacers for the heatsink to sit properly with the card. Some very minor bending of the copper was in order to get the mounting plate to sit properly.
Overall Review: I was looking for a quiet alternative and found it at a reasonable price. I basically disassembled the card down to the board which helped with the install. If you want to drop the temps, pick up the fan kit.
Excellent MoBo for $
Pros: Great intermediate board for "shade tree" builders. Bios updates were a breeze without having to find an old floppy to update. SATA, 775... I would purchase again.
Cons: Lacking pci in the slot department. Requires bios updates to get the Ram working in all slots.
Overall Review: Antec solo case, Intel dual core 6750 over clocked to 3, 3.5 gb G.Skill ram, geforce 8400 gs, 1TB, dual boot XP & Vista all running together at about 38 degrees. Fun toy for a $700 build.