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Jason M.

Jason M.

Joined on 03/18/07

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Most Favorable Review

Impressive Build Quality and Presence

Fractal Design Torrent E-ATX Black Solid High-Airflow Mid Tower Computer Case
Fractal Design Torrent E-ATX Black Solid High-Airflow Mid Tower Computer Case

Pros: - Enormous case with epic presence - Massive front grill and massive fans - Tight seams and attention paid to the small details - Matte black finish - Premium build quality and packaging

Cons: - Front grill and bezel are plastic

Overall Review: I am stunned by the aesthetics of this case. It has clean lines, a massive front grill, small details like the gray bezel surrounding the power button, a honey comb rear grill, a chamfered edge metal front logo plate and a ton of space. This case is enormous! I was taken aback with the sheer size of it. For scale, I uploaded a photo of it sitting next to my old Dell XPS tower and it absolutely dwarfs it! I decided to forgo the glass panel as flashy RGB is not my style and I think it looks so aggressive without it. This case has serious presence sitting on my desk. The front grill is plastic which is to be expected, along with the surrounding bezel. The paint however is a matte black which I love. Every seam is very tight, you can tell this is a premium case. The Fractal packaging was delightfully thoughtful with a fun logo pattern adorning the inside of the box and good graphic design on the parts boxes & manual. It's Apple-level of detail, very impressive. I'm extremely happy with my purchase, looking forward to building my Intel Adler Lake machine in it this weekend. Feb 12th, 2022 Followup: Installed everything and this case just simply shines. Cable management is a breeze thanks to built-in velcro cable ties. Love the PSU container, plenty of room for excess wiring that remains completely hidden. This case is really silent too. At idle it's whisper-quiet. Construction is built to last, very heavy duty and satisfying to build in. Highly recommended.

Good, cheap memory

OCZ Platinum 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P16002GK
OCZ Platinum 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P16002GK

Pros: Good memory, I've overclocked mine stable @ 1780MHz.

Cons: It's not 1600 default, it's actually 1333MHz default. Overclocking is necessary in order to attain actual speed rating.

Overall Review: Good for the money, just wish it was actually 1600MHz but it's stable @ 1780 so I'm not complaining.

Good Overclocker

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 - Core 2 Duo Wolfdale Dual-Core 3.0 GHz LGA 775 65W None Integrated Graphics Processor - BX80570E8400
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 - Core 2 Duo Wolfdale Dual-Core 3.0 GHz LGA 775 65W None Integrated Graphics Processor - BX80570E8400

Pros: Good overclocking CPU, was able to get mine up to 4GHz on a XFX 790i Ultra board. I've even read that others have had success with this chip stable @ 4.5GHz!

Cons: None. Zip. It's Intel!

Lightweight and Robust

LIAN LI PC-A05B Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
LIAN LI PC-A05B Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Pros: Fantastic build quality, the aluminum is top-notch. Minimalist exterior design and brushed black finish are fantastic to feel and see. Very lightweight. Interior is neatly appointed with a unique component placement setup that works in spite of it's size. Quick hard drive install/removal with rubber grommets that silence rattles. High quality hardware for installation.

Cons: Ventilation is less than ideal for use in enthusiast systems. My dual-GeForce 8800GT SLI system quickly brought this case to a steamy cooking temperature. Though the aluminum radiates heat very rapidly, the fans could use a boost as they just barely move air in and out of the case. Lack of high-volume vents also hinder it's performance.

Overall Review: Great for a basic desktop computer, just save your gaming hardware for a more ventilated case.

Quiet and Seemless

CORSAIR TX Series CMPSU-750TX 750 W ATX12V v2.3 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Compatible with New 4th Gen CPU Certified Haswell Ready
CORSAIR TX Series CMPSU-750TX 750 W ATX12V v2.3 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Compatible with New 4th Gen CPU Certified Haswell Ready

Pros: This power supply rocks! It operates at very low decibels and the large fan cools the unit quite efficiently. The construction of the unit is very high quality, with muted matte-black finish and orange decals which distinguish it from overly-flashy PSUs. Black-wrapped wiring looks professional and adds to the high-quality factor of the unit. Comes with plenty of connectors for all your devices. Highly recommended!

Cons: Not much can be brought against this PSU. It excels in almost every field a 750w supply should. My only complaint would be the abundance of wires. This presents a problem inside smaller enclosures as the excess connections tend to get in the way and bunch up in all the wrong places. Neat-freaks beware. However, for those with larger cases, this should not be a problem.

Overall Review: This would be close to a perfect PSU if only Corsair had made the connectors modular, other than that, buy this is power supply!

A Great Cooler

ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED 110mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler
ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED 110mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler

Pros: Best CPU cooler I have ever owned. Whisper quiet and cool to the touch under most circumstances. Copper design is very attractive and it's dominating size makes it really intimidating to your competition.

Cons: Rather tall when fitted to most motherboards. Watch you're case size, the width should probably be 7 inches or larger to allow for enough clearance.