# Cooler Master Elite M-ITX Case Owners Club



## HuwSharpe

This is the Cooler Master Elite M-ITX Case Owners club, the Elite M-ITX series includes;



Spoiler: Cooler Master Elite 100



     


Spoiler: Specifications




An ultra slim chassis accommodates both micro-ATX and mini-ITX motherboards
Multi-device support
Excellently cooled slim enclosure to support up to 65W CPU
Passive mini-ITX case with silent constructional design
Flex ATX 150W with Active PFC included
Front I/O panel for easy access (including USB 2.0 x 2 and HD audio)
Product Sheet | Manual





Spoiler: Reviews




ProClockers: Cooler Master Elite 100 Review






Spoiler: Compatible CPU Coolers



*Air*

*Water*

Please let us know if you are using a cooler that is not listed here, thank you.








Spoiler: Cooler Master Elite 110



       


Spoiler: Specifications




The mini-ITX case with front mesh panel and vents on the top and side panels for better airflow
One 120mm fan in the front (included) and Two 80mm fan on the side (optional)
Dual Super Speed USB 3.0
Supports a 120mm radiator in the front
Supports standard length ATX PSU up to 180mm
Supports graphic card length up to 210mm
Ample storage - up to 3 HDDs / 4 SSDs
Product Sheet | Manual





Spoiler: Compatible CPU Coolers



*Air*

*Water*

Please let us know if you are using a cooler that is not listed here, thank you.








Spoiler: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced



      


Spoiler: Specifications




Unprecedented airflow for a Mini-ITX case
1/3 the size of a standard case
Supports standard length ATX PSUs with innovative rear mount
Supports ultra high-end VGA's (HD7990/GTX690)
Stylish aluminum front panel
USB 3.0 Super Speed Support
Features a full Size 5.25" drive bay
Supports up to 3 x 3.5" / 4 x 2.5" HDD/SSD (converted from two 3.5" HDD bays)
Product Sheet | Manual





Spoiler: Reviews




AnandTech: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced Review






Spoiler: Compatible CPU Coolers



*Air*

*Water*

Please let us know if you are using a cooler that is not listed here, thank you.





Spoiler: Notes




According to a Cooler Master rep the front panel from a Elite 130 can be fitted to an Elite 120 Advanced: Link









Spoiler: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced White



     


Spoiler: Specifications




Unprecedented airflow for a Mini-ITX case
1/3 the size of a standard case
Supports standard length ATX PSUs with innovative rear mount
Supports ultra high-end VGA's (HD7990/GTX690)
Stylish aluminum front panel
USB 3.0 Super Speed Support
Features a full Size 5.25" drive bay
Supports up to 3 x 3.5" / 4 x 2.5" HDD/SSD (converted from two 3.5" HDD bays)






Spoiler: Reviews




AnandTech: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced Review






Spoiler: Compatible CPU Coolers



*Air*

*Water*

Please let us know if you are using a cooler that is not listed here, thank you.





Spoiler: Notes




Only the front and lid of the white revision are in fact white, the internal frame is the exact same frame used in the standard black revision.









Spoiler: Cooler Master Elite 130



       


Spoiler: Specifications




Unprecedented airflow for a Mini-ITX case with front mesh panel and vents on the top and side panels
Dual Super Speed USB 3.0
Supports a 120mm radiator in the front
Supports standard length ATX PSU
Supports ultra high-end graphics card up to 343mm / 13.5 inch, such as AMD HD7990 and NVIDIA GTX690
Ample storage - up to 1 ODD / 3 HDDs / 5 SSDs
Product Sheet | Manual





Spoiler: Reviews




bit-tech: Cooler Master Elite 130 Review






Spoiler: Compatible CPU Coolers



*Air*

*Water*
Corsair H80 (HuwSharpe)
Cooler Master Seidon 120m (rizmo)

Please let us know if you are using a cooler that is not listed here, thank you.





Spoiler: Notes




Some images feature a grommet above the PCI slots at the rear of the case, this seems to have been a development idea that was not introduced to the final product.









Spoiler: Cooler Master Elite 110, 120, 130 Size Comparison







To join the owners club simply post a photo of your Elite M-ITX case and request "ADD ME" stating the name of your build.



Spoiler: Cooler Master Elite M-ITX Case Owners List




Elite 130 - HuwSharpe: ENCOM Recon
Elite 130 - jonralf: Nice Tiny Rig (NTR)
Elite 130 - Kriss941: AN602 - Thermonuclear
Elite 130 - AwdDude: DevilRig
Elite 120 - Kurokidan: Karasu-mini
Elite 120 - Marcos Viegas: Mini Box
Elite 110 - Liquored: Elite 110
Elite 110 - schubaltz: Fragbox
Elite 110 - Ndfeb: PartyBox






Spoiler: The best of the Elite M-ITX customisations



 



*NOTICE:* Please refrain from posting large photos and use thumbnails instead and if quoting a post please use the spoiler feature. Thank you.

.


----------



## Ikea1

Cool, now we have a club. I will delete the one that i created and this will be the official club


----------



## HuwSharpe

A note to anyone planning on replacing the feet on the Elite 130, the feet mounting holes are roughly 7mm in diameter, i suspect the 110 is the same and possibly the 120. The stock feet are easily removed and on my Elite 130 have been replaced with Pulse Modding Aluminium Case Feet, though the holes needed widening slightly to do this.



Replacing the feet makes the case feel so much sturdier, previously when pressing the power button the whole case would slide back on the desk due to the cheap plastic of the stock feet. Ideally i may have liked to have repositioned the position of the feet, but doing so would have been more trouble than it would be worth.


----------



## bluedevil

In like flynn.








I will post up some pics later.


----------



## Marcos Viegas

That's my Build "Mini Box":

















And all the worklog: http://www.overclock.net/t/1343967/mini-box-cooler-master-elite-120-advanced


----------



## rizmo

Woah that's awesome! Do you find yourself scratching the floor or table with those case feet?


----------



## HuwSharpe

They are some serious feet =)

As cases get smaller cable management certainly gets trickier, really i need a new fully modular PSU, but for now i shall have to make do. Here's a few photos of the build thus far and my attempts to manage the cables.

  

*Edit:* Internal cold cathodes added, though only the front ones are controlled by the Bitfienix Recon, for now.


----------



## rizmo

Ah man your cable management is super clean. I've yet to clean mine up, I was in a rush to just start playing Battlefield 4 so I just threw it all in there. Here are some pics of my setup:

I feel like the only thing missing from these cases are built in/optional fan filters. I ended up buying some Demciflex filters to keep the dust out. The filters are magnetic and stick easily to the case. I'll admit it's not exactly the most aesthetically pleasing look with those fan filters just stuck on there but the case is out of sight most of the time anyway.

You can buy the filters here:

http://www.demcifilter.com/c211/ELITE-130-MINI-ITX.aspx


----------



## Cakewalk_S

I just chop shopped my cm elite 120 case last night. I couldn't deal with try yo have a water cooling build and also not being able to see my rig... It was also much louder than I expected... Back to atx mid for my Christmas gift! It was a fun case while it lasted! Quite a challenge!


----------



## Marcos Viegas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rizmo*
> 
> Woah that's awesome! Do you find yourself scratching the floor or table with those case feet?


Thanks manm, your project is awesome too









These feet, on true are Spykes from Viablue, and it have a feet protection to not scratch the surface and suppress the vibrations.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Spoiler: Originally Posted by rizmo



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rizmo*
> 
> You can buy the filters here:
> 
> http://www.demcifilter.com/c211/ELITE-130-MINI-ITX.aspx






Thanks for the link, i wasn't aware that accessory existed. From the thumbnail i actually thought you had given your case the distressed look =)

I notice you have all the fans as intakes, creating positive pressure, while this does mean maximum fresh air and dust are drawn into the case it also means there is no where for the hot air to go. Just a thought and personal opinion. I haven't tested the difference between positive and negative pressure with this case yet, though i have tried a 140mm fan on the hard drive tray as a side intake and found it only reduced the motherboard temperature by 1 degree while under load.


----------



## Slade Surfer

Here's a teaser pic of my Modified Cooler Master Elite 120. Still work in progress. will be water cooled.

Parts:

Elite 120
Swiftech Helix 140mm fan
Ek Coolstream Rad xtc-140
Asus Z77 deluxe itx motherboard
2 x Samsung SSD Drives
Silverstone 650w PSU

Will Post more pics once I get all my parts. My goal is to have the cleanest elite 120 build since I have windows all over.









Shortening the Psu Cables and Sleeving it.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Spoiler: Originally Posted by Slade Surfer



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Slade Surfer*
> 
> Will Post more pics once I get all my parts. My goal is to have the cleanest elite 120 build since I have windows all over.






I look forward to seeing that. I do wonder if Cooler Master will follow Bitfienix sales model for spares and after market products, such as replacement front panels and lids, or lids with windows. I also wonder if there are any plans for an Elite 130 in white.


----------



## 808Murasame

Thanks for the invite! I too have a Cooler Master Elite 130 set up for HTPC and portable gaming!

Great tip for the replacement of the feet. I need to get that done. I also use Demciflex filters as well because we have a cat. I hated the front mesh filter so I took apart the front grill and replaced the mesh with the DemciFlex mesh and it's much nicer.

Next year I want to revamp my mobo, CPU and GPU to better stuff.


----------



## rizmo

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Slade Surfer*
> 
> Here's a teaser pic of my Modified Cooler Master Elite 120. Still work in progress. will be water cooled.
> 
> Parts:
> 
> Elite 120
> Swiftech Helix 140mm fan
> Ek Coolstream Rad xtc-140
> Asus Z77 deluxe itx motherboard
> 2 x Samsung SSD Drives
> Silverstone 650w PSU
> 
> Will Post more pics once I get all my parts. My goal is to have the cleanest elite 120 build since I have windows all over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shortening the Psu Cables and Sleeving it.






That's lookin' pretty good man. Great job! But question: Where did you find instructions to shorten the PSU cables? I've been thinking about doing this to my own Corsair RM 650 instead of shelling out money for a short cable PSU kit.


----------



## rizmo

That is an excellent question, I never thought about that. I just figured the only real place at this point, where the hot air can be exhausted is through the side of the case, not the video card side but the other side beside the CPU. Did you take internal case temperatures or component temperatures?


----------



## HuwSharpe

Spoiler: Originally Posted by rizmo



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rizmo*
> 
> That is an excellent question, I never thought about that. I just figured the only real place at this point, where the hot air can be exhausted is through the side of the case, not the video card side but the other side beside the CPU. Did you take internal case temperatures or component temperatures?






The only temperature experiments i have done with this case is with a 140mm fan, side mounted on the removable hard drive tray, which with my set up proved having a fan there was pointless, in either orientation. However, over the years i have had many cases from full ATX towers to the Shuttle XPC's and in my experience it has always been better to focus on extracting the internal hot air, rather than simply pumping more air in. With there been vests down either side there is an amply supply of air if needed to be drawn in, for both the graphics and the radiator at the front if installed.

Under full load, i have not seen my CPU exceed 39 degrees, which currently at stock speeds isn't bad, but i will be pushing for the 5 GHz again soon and may need to remove the SSD from the floor of the frame so as to install another fan to the radiator in addition to the one that is already there. This will likely be a 38mm deep super fan, which will need connecting to its own kill switch so that it is only turned on when the other fan is at full speed, because if it isn't then the power from the 38mm deep fan will in fact spin the other 25mm deep fan up and potentially send a current back down the 25mm deep fan cable, seen it happen. However, do not fan stack unless you know what you are doing!

And just a reminder;
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> *NOTICE:* Please refrain from posting large photos and use thumbnails instead and if quoting a post please use the spoiler feature. Thank you.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Spoiler: Originally Posted by max789



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *max789*
> 
> Hi
> 
> Does anyone know whether a Silverstone FF123 fan can be attached to the front of the Elite 130's stock 120mm fan?
> 
> http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=393
> 
> Thanks.






If i am correct in saying you mean the Silverstone fan filter, then yes i believe that will fit without issue.


----------



## max789

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> 
> If i am correct in saying you mean the Silverstone fan filter, then yes i believe that will fit without issue.


Thanks for your feedback. Yes, I did mean the fan filter (not fan).


----------



## HuwSharpe

Just an update on my fan stacking tests; i have just tried placing a SanAce 38mm deep, 120mm diameter fan in front of the existing Phanteks fan on the Corsair H80 as shown in the image below.

 

Now bare in mind the CPU is currently overclocked at 4.2GHz and under load the temperature drops from 38°C to 29°C (in under 6minutes!) when the SanAce fan is switched on. I suspect this will be improved upon if the SanAce fan was placed behind the Phanteks 120, in direct contact with the radiator and will test this at some point.

You might be thinking why use the Phanteks fan at all, well the SanAce fans i am using are industrial and have two speeds, stop and full power and at full power are far from quiet. For 24/7 use i want the system to be relativity quiet, but on the odd occasion when pushing the overclock and when leaving the system on doing mass video encoding i want the system to be kept as cool as possible. Having the fans stacked means i have the option for both and can simply turn on the SanAce fan when required. There is one draw back to using fan stacking for this purpose, as when the SanAce fan is not switched on, it in fact reduces airflow and causes temperatures to increase, however, only tests will show by how much.

Note fan stacking is typically not used for this reason and there is a lot of science behind fan stacking, if you are thinking of doing it read up on it first, you should not fan stack unless you are sure what you are doing. If i switch on the SanAce fan when the Phanteks is off or on a low speed the speed of the air from the SanAce will cause the Phanteks to spin, which could send a current back down the cable and for that reason never connect fan to the motherboard when fan stacking.


----------



## rizmo

HuwSharpe, did you shorten your 20 pin mobo power connector? Because that looks very well fitted heheh. Great job on that cable management.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rizmo*
> 
> HuwSharpe, did you shorten your 20 pin mobo power connector? Because that looks very well fitted heheh. Great job on that cable management.


No, i wish it was that short. It is actually curled up down the side of the power supply between the it and the graphics card. It is not ideal as it is applying a bit of pressure on the graphics card, but it will suffice for now.


----------



## Scotty99

Will the h80i fit in here in push/pull? Also can you mount a larger fan in the spot where the factory installed 80mm fan is placed? (120 or 140).

Thanks.


----------



## Awussy

sdfg


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scotty99*
> 
> Will the h80i fit in here in push/pull? Also can you mount a larger fan in the spot where the factory installed 80mm fan is placed? (120 or 140).
> 
> Thanks.


If you are referring to the Elite 130 then you will not have a problem installing a H80i cooler, though i am somewhat confused by the mention of using a larger fan than the "_factory installed 80mm_", as the Elite 110, 120 and 130 all have 120mm?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Awussy*
> 
> In the 130 case, I have the H80i with 2 120mm Cougar fans in push/pull. The tab that sticks out from the bottom of the drive bay for mounting a SSD will get in the way if you try to install the radiator with the fan already attached, so I suggest you attach the inside fan after the radiator is mounted to the front fan.
> 
> Below is a picture showing the tab and how the fan was mounted just fine.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Thanks for sharing that, i have the H80 and had no trouble installing it with fans mounted on both sides, i believe it as not so hard if you install it from the right instead of the left side, if you get what i mean.

*To all readers:* If you own one of the M-ITX Elite range please let us know what coolers you are using with which Elite case, so i can update the club info, and join the owners club by simply posting a photo of your Elite M-ITX case and request "ADD ME" stating the name of your build. Thanks.


----------



## Scotty99

Thanks, and i was talking about the pre-installed 80mm fan in the right rear of the elite 130 (as you are looking at the case from front). I was wondering if there were mounting points near that area to install a 120/140 if i removed the 80mm.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scotty99*
> 
> Thanks, and i was talking about the pre-installed 80mm fan in the right rear of the elite 130 (as you are looking at the case from front). I was wondering if there were mounting points near that area to install a 120/140 if i removed the 80mm.


Sorry i forgot about that one, i removed it myself as it was too loud for my liking, plus it was of little to no benefit in my case, due to my motherboard. Unfortunately you will unlikely be able to replace it as the proximity of the PSU is what restricts it. However, if you are not using the hard drive rack then there are mounting holes on it which does allow you to connect a 120/140mm fan. Whilst this doesn't blow directly onto the motherboard like the 80mm fan does, it does draw air in from the side, though in my experience also is of little benefit, just one degree under load.


----------



## Scotty99

Cool beans, thx for reply. If i do get the case i will use it anyways to get the pressurized effect for dust (i would also order the demciflex filter kit for this case). And in fact now that i think about it, you could use the HDD rack fan as an intake and setup the H80i as an exhaust.


----------



## Awussy

asdf


----------



## rizmo

I'm using a Cooler Master Seidon 120m in my Elite 130. It fit perfectly, go figure heheh.

http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-liquid-cooler/seidon-120m/

Anyone have a list of confirmed Air-based coolers that have been confirmed to fit in the 130 and 120?


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rizmo*
> 
> Anyone have a list of confirmed Air-based coolers that have been confirmed to fit in the 130 and 120?


Trying to add such info to the first post, if anyone cares to share their cooler for their Cooler Master Elite M-ITX. Please check to make sure your cooler isn't already listed in the relevant section before posting.


----------



## rizmo

Oh, and for those of you guys interested. A while back I was looking to see if the CM Elite 110 was on sale. It's now on Newegg for $49.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119299

I think this would serve nicely as a steam box case. Oh, and it loos like you can in fact mount a 120mm radiator in front similar to the CM 130. What do you guys think?


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rizmo*
> 
> Oh, and for those of you guys interested. A while back I was looking to see if the CM Elite 110 was on sale. It's now on Newegg for $49.99
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119299
> 
> I think this would serve nicely as a steam box case. Oh, and it loos like you can in fact mount a 120mm radiator in front similar to the CM 130. What do you guys think?


I think it is a nice case, very small an compact. I would have been tempted myself if i didn't already own a PSU and GPU that really would not have fitted in it, hence my purchase of the Elite 130. Still not Elte 110 owner on here though.


----------



## xxvolwarexx

Hey everyone! New on this whole forum. I'm planning on buying the CM Elite 130 and I have a few questions. First of which, is the top air vent offset? It doesn't look equally balanced when you do a top down or similar view on it (just want to know before I order it). THANKS!


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxvolwarexx*
> 
> Hey everyone! New on this whole forum. I'm planning on buying the CM Elite 130 and I have a few questions. First of which, is the top air vent offset? It doesn't look equally balanced when you do a top down or similar view on it (just want to know before I order it). THANKS!


The air vent itself is not offset, and sits perfectly central on the case id. However, inside the case the PSU is off set slightly to one side, to accommodate for the graphics card, so if you have the PSU as an intake is is not perfectly aligned with the vent, but is pretty close. If you want anymore information just ask.


----------



## majin662

will try to post pics and join later but for my 120 advanced i just built over holiday I am using stock intel fan. Thermals are not super stellar but they're also not melting anything or causing me any problems. My 2700k not oc'd but what looks to be almost constantly turbo'd to 3.9-ish peaks at 65-70c during prime95. Again, not stellar but for stock fan, tight space , etc I am not too worried about that.

Doesn't go above 55-60 during intense gaming so not so bad overall even at stock cooling. Could always take out the HDD cage to make room for an AIO but even then that front panel on the 120 doesn't seem to be very air flow friendly anyway. Can anyone confirm deny with temps on a 120 and an AIO water cooler?

Looking to upgrade though to the 130 in the very near future and plan on doing the 120xl from coolermaster. Probably will just keep the 120 advanced and build me a pure desktop web surfer or HTPC and keep the 130 as my portable "steam-box" for gaming.


----------



## kbza22

Hello! I need some help
Do you know if the MSI GTX 780 Lightning fits in the CM Elite 130? I doubt both the width and the height of the VGA.

Thanks!!!

Sorry my english


----------



## majin662

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kbza22*
> 
> Hello! I need some help
> Do you know if the MSI GTX 780 Lightning fits in the CM Elite 130? I doubt both the width and the height of the VGA.
> 
> Thanks!!!
> 
> Sorry my english


going by both MSI's official specs and Coolermaster's it should be able to support that card. Unless I'm mistaken.


----------



## kbza22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *majin662*
> 
> going by both MSI's official specs and Coolermaster's it should be able to support that card. Unless I'm mistaken.


In theory yes, but the detail that worries me more is that the lightning version occupies a little more than two slots. Will may not allow me to close the case?



What do you think about it?


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kbza22*
> 
> In theory yes, but the detail that worries me more is that the lightning version occupies a little more than two slots. Will may not allow me to close the case?
> 
> 
> 
> What do you think about it?


I will have a measure up for you ASAP.


----------



## J0tar0Kjo

Hi there, may i ask you to measure the real height of 130 without feet?

Because i have a 20cm space, i fear it won't fit in but i hope it will without feet

Thank You

J0tar0Kjo


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *J0tar0Kjo*
> 
> Hi there, may i ask you to measure the real height of 130 without feet?
> 
> Because i have a 20cm space, i fear it won't fit in but i hope it will without feet


You know it may just fit, but will have a measure this evening, apologies for the delay, been busy.


----------



## J0tar0Kjo

thanks mate, don't worry i'm not in a hurry.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kbza22*
> 
> In theory yes, but the detail that worries me more is that the lightning version occupies a little more than two slots. Will may not allow me to close the case?
> 
> 
> What do you think about it?


After looking closer at the case i do not believe that graphics card will fit, it would literally be 1 or 2mm to tight, sorry.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *J0tar0Kjo*
> 
> Hi there, may i ask you to measure the real height of 130 without feet?
> 
> Because i have a 20cm space, i fear it won't fit in but i hope it will without feet


I measure the case without feet to be 193mm high, even if i'm off bt 1 or 2mm you should still be within your 200mm space.


----------



## geoff05

Hello everyone! especially at huwsharpe, thanks for the invite, just wanna ask how do I join the club?









here is my sidepanel mod on an elite 130, not mine really, hope you enjoy!





in the future, im planning on owning an elite 120, dont have a mobo yet.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoff05*
> 
> just wanna ask how do I join the club?


Look a professional window mod there, though i am curious how it effects airflow and temperatures? I hope Cooler Master release a windowed lid, perhaps with ventilation holes in the perspex, defiantly on the GPU side, but i am not holding my breath. To join the clue;

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> To join the owners club simply post a photo of your Elite M-ITX case and request "ADD ME" stating the name of your build.


----------



## geoff05

thanks, HuwSharpe, no ventilation on the gpu side is my concern also, but that whats the owner wants







, he wants a clean panel on both sides,I wish cooler master considers placing the vents near the middle in their future cases, so that if someone mods their cases like putting acrylic panels would be much easier, btw Im requesting you to ADD ME on the lists. thanks:thumb:


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoff05*
> 
> Im requesting you to ADD ME on the lists.


Should i put you down with as a Elite 130 owner? What was the name of the build?


----------



## geoff05

ok, ill ask first the owner what name he wants for his case. thanks


----------



## Liquored

*Cooler Master Elite 110*

CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken x40
Thermal Compound: Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra Thermal Interface Material
Thermal Compound: Xigmatek Freezing Point G4718 4g Thermal Paste
Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Impact
Memory: Kingston HyperX Beast 2400 16GB (2x8) @ 1600
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
Video Card: Asus GTX 760 DirectCUII
Case: Cooler Master Elite 110 ITX Case
Case Fan: Noctua NF-S12A PWM 120mm Fan
Power Supply: Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply

ELITE 110 Build:

pictures:







































The Elite 110 and 130 Cases - 130 build still in progress...same parts except full liquid cooled and an EVGA GTX 780ti OC


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Liquored*
> 
> *Cooler Master Elite 110*
> 
> CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
> CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken x40
> Thermal Compound: Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra Thermal Interface Material
> Thermal Compound: Xigmatek Freezing Point G4718 4g Thermal Paste
> Motherboard: Asus Maximus VI Impact
> Memory: Kingston HyperX Beast 2400 16GB (2x8) @ 1600
> Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
> Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
> Video Card: Asus GTX 760 DirectCUII
> Case: Cooler Master Elite 110 ITX Case
> Case Fan: Noctua NF-S12A PWM 120mm Fan
> Power Supply: Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply


Welcome Liquored, thanks for the detailed post, i have added you to the owners list. Great build by the way. I actually wanted to get the Elite 110 but didn't have the cash for a new "small" graphics card, so had to get the Elite 130, which is still a great case, but the Elite 110 is amazing, especially when packed with high end gear as yours is.


----------



## Liquored

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Welcome Liquored, thanks for the detailed post, i have added you to the owners list. Great build by the way. I actually wanted to get the Elite 110 but didn't have the cash for a new "small" graphics card, so had to get the Elite 130, which is still a great case, but the Elite 110 is amazing, especially when packed with high end gear as yours is.


I'm real happy with how it turned out. @ 2560x1440 the 760 Asus card does well. a constant 70-85 FPS with max settings except AA and v-sync off. not really needed at that resolution and I'm not experiencing tearing on the 60hz Qnix.

The 130 had the 110 parts installed with the EVGA 780ti OC and it would do 120 hz @ 120 FPS with AA on. this is with SWTOR.

Crysis 2 works at 40 FPS with the ti, 30 with the 760 whereas Crysis 3 steps up to 60 and 40 respectively

many worry about heat. yes these cases can get hot, ensure you have enough ventilation.the kracken cooler is 140mm though much thinner than the 120mm kuhler. i have better case air flow with the kracken but temps are 5C higher on the CPU. case wise its a bit cooler to the touch. sounds strange but im ok with that since overall the system is cooler. (i have dry fitment pics I'll load up later)

the 130 is getting the full liquid cooling setup. I'm waiting on the correct pump for the resivour and the GPU block. then the fun begins with the acryllic tubing. I was hoping to use 2 rads but ran out of space. one for the cpu and one for the gpu to maximize cooling and force a lot of air through the case. this case gets much warmer than the 110. mostly due to the video cards.

these 2 builds are going on during my off time while deployed. cant wait to really test them out when i return home.

oh the 130 build will get a delid and lapping job on the CPU when i return home.


----------



## J0tar0Kjo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> I measure the case without feet to be 193mm high, even if i'm off bt 1 or 2mm you should still be within your 200mm space.


thanks mate, do you think that psu will suffer without proper topside airflow?


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *J0tar0Kjo*
> 
> thanks mate, do you think that psu will suffer without proper topside airflow?


If i were you and installing the case in such a tight space i would have the PSU drawing air from inside the case, as even though the air will be warmer it will be greater throughput. Just my opinion.


----------



## rizmo

Oh woah you can fit AIO liquid cooling in the Elite 110? How tough was the cable routing with the AIO cooler? And also, bear with me here, but as awesome as that 110 looks, I can't help but feel.... "Awww it's adorable, but still badass at the same time."


----------



## Liquored

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rizmo*
> 
> Oh woah you can fit AIO liquid cooling in the Elite 110? How tough was the cable routing with the AIO cooler? And also, bear with me here, but as awesome as that 110 looks, I can't help but feel.... "Awww it's adorable, but still badass at the same time."


http://www.overclock.net/t/1459773/cooler-master-elite-110-case-build-log



*Looking down, I dont have room for a push pull config with the 140mm AIO or the 120mm AOI.
Cables on the PSU got in the way. If you had a shorter PSU, then you could add a puller fan on a narrow radiator.



Here you can see how I routed the bezel cables next to the GPU. Also at the left corner of the radiator you can see the wifi antenna cables,
I put them out the front of the bezel with the antenna stuck to the bottom of the case. hidden while still getting a good signal.
better than keeping it inside the case.



NZXT Kracken AIO and how I routed the lines to maximize the airflow from the rad fan.



140mm rad from the back of the case.



140mm Fan does not fit. It hits the front bezel switch. Here the 120mm Pusher fan is installed.



Here you can see how I routed the non-modular Motherboard power cables from the PSU.
Routed up and tucked above the PSU then back down the outside of the case and under the AIO lines.



Power cables routed around the AIO lines to keep the inside of the case free for better airflow.



Looking down with the PSU installed.





ASUS 760 DirectCU II just fits without touching the front of the case. Plus you can see the USB cables and
such from the bezel coming in just behind the GPU board. I made a big loop so stay clear of everything to the board.
Also helps to have that slack when I take the bezel off to clean the filter. Filter is the entire face of the bezel.



Cables to the SSD and such are stuffed between the HDD mount above the PSU. Keeps the rest of the case open.
*

hope this helps explain how I ran everything with heat disipation in mind. The Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 620
does a great job pulling air out of the case. Whereas the Corsair RM650 didnt due to its fan only coming on when the PSU gets warm.
the Elite130 case got the Corsair PSU since its fully water cooled. That is in work at this time. Just need to route the acryllic lines.

Temps:

CPU- 38 at idle
GPU- 46 at idle

After playing SWTOR for an hour @ 2560x1440 110hz with FPS= mid 80's max settings ingame with AA and VSync OFF and max settings for GPU and VSync OFF

CPU- 52 ingame
GPU- 83 ingame


----------



## Liquored

ok finally got the Elite 130 build wrapped up. i have a leak but its minor and will fix when i return home...ELITE 130 Buildlog]

Elite 130 Buildlog

on to the teaser pics:





]



]





*ELITE 110 Buildlog*

Also built a Cooler Master Elite 110 case. similar parts, different GPU, PSU, and Cooling method. AIO vs full custom loop


----------



## HuwSharpe

Thanks for sharing your Elite 130 photos Liquored, but anychance you could edit your post and resize them, they are huge! Just thinking of the views with slower broadband and myself on my mobile.

I assume you had to make the cuts at the front to accomodate the rather large raditaor? Looks good by the way, some creative ways of mountsing drives =)


----------



## Liquored

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Thanks for sharing your Elite 130 photos Liquored, but anychance you could edit your post and resize them, they are huge! Just thinking of the views with slower broadband and myself on my mobile.
> 
> I assume you had to make the cuts at the front to accomodate the rather large raditaor? Looks good by the way, some creative ways of mountsing drives =)


fixed. sorry about that.

you are correct the front of the case had accomodated a 120mm fan that was recessed in the front of the case. the fan was flush with the front of the case. i cut those tabs off so the 140mm radiator would be tight up against the front of the case. plus it allowed more room behind the radiator for the fan and pump assembly.
the case comes with that HDD mount bracket. there isnt room for both drives. so did what i could to allow space between them and the cooling fittings and tubes and cable routing. I cant count how many times it was in and out during dry fitment tests.

cables look bad but they all up and out of the way. i may rp them out and cut them to length to clean up the look. but once set-up noone will see them so it really doesnt matter. there's plenty of room for airflow as is.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Liquored*
> 
> fixed. sorry about that.
> 
> you are correct the front of the case had accomodated a 120mm fan that was recessed in the front of the case. the fan was flush with the front of the case. i cut those tabs off so the 140mm radiator would be tight up against the front of the case. plus it allowed more room behind the radiator for the fan and pump assembly.
> the case comes with that HDD mount bracket. there isnt room for both drives. so did what i could to allow space between them and the cooling fittings and tubes and cable routing. I cant count how many times it was in and out during dry fitment tests.
> 
> cables look bad but they all up and out of the way. i may rp them out and cut them to length to clean up the look. but once set-up noone will see them so it really doesnt matter. there's plenty of room for airflow as is.


Thanks for that. Looks like you have certainly put some thought and hours into that build. I don't have anywhere near the amount of hardware in mine as you do but even i am struggling to find homes for all my drives.


----------



## jonralf

hi, new here
gonna buy the 130 case when i have the money, few months later i guess.

here's the list of equipment i gonna use

CPU : Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1230 v2 (or i7 if got extra money or i5 if got money issue)
Cooler : Corsair H60
MB : AsRock B85M-ITX
RAM : Team Elite 4gb (in current system, definitely will upgrade if got the money)
GPU : Sapphire HD7770 (in current system, planning upgrade to 280x or 270x)
Case : CM Elite 130
PSU : CM Silent Pro M2 620W (in current system)
Storage : WD 1TB Caviar Green (planning to add ssd, if got money lol)

what do you think? i think the ram is too little









btw i've seen a lot of AiO watercooler configuration, mostly put it as intake on the front, but there are who put is as exhaust (fan pushing air out to the front of the case). i wonder if there are any major differences? i'm thinking of making the H60 in the front pushing out the air, then the side hdd bracket putting a 120mm intake fan. psu also act as exhaust, so total will be 2 exhaust with 1 intake.
i know there are no issue with the watercooler as intake and psu as the only exhaust, but my place is hot, the room temperature here is nearly 30c everyday (i'm on the equator). so any opinions?

thanks and pardon me for my bad english


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jonralf*
> 
> here's the list of equipment i gonna use
> 
> CPU : Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1230 v2 (or i7 if got extra money or i5 if got money issue)
> Cooler : Corsair H60
> MB : AsRock B85M-ITX
> RAM : Team Elite 4gb (in current system, definitely will upgrade if got the money)
> GPU : Sapphire HD7770 (in current system, planning upgrade to 280x or 270x)
> Case : CM Elite 130
> PSU : CM Silent Pro M2 620W (in current system)
> Storage : WD 1TB Caviar Green (planning to add ssd, if got money lol)
> 
> what do you think? i think the ram is too little


Spec's are nothing my friend without a stated purpose. I am sure for most things such a system would be fine.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jonralf*
> 
> i've seen a lot of AiO watercooler configuration, mostly put it as intake on the front, but there are who put is as exhaust (fan pushing air out to the front of the case). i wonder if there are any major differences?


I think the front fan is intended for an intake, but i prefer to use it as an exhaust myself.



I find this results in less dust collecting indide the case and inproves air circulation, in my setup.


----------



## Liquored

Ran up the Elite 130 build lastnight.

Unigine Heaven for an hour @ 2560x1440 110Hz and default settings.
GPU temp max was 47C but usually ran at 42-43C

I will spin it up again after work and perform more tests.


----------



## Caldito

Here You Have my Build

I have some photos on the build log thread that will try to move here

Please let me know any hints/ideas for the build if you have done anything similar.

Thanks

CPU:1 x Intel Core i7-4770K Haswell 3.5GHz LGA 1150 84W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics BX80646I74770K http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116901
Motherboard: 1 x ASUS MAXIMUS VI IMPACT LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132039
Memory:1 x CORSAIR Vengeance LP 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233367
GPU: 1 x EVGA SuperClocked 02G-P4-2765-KR GeForce GTX 760 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support w/ EVGA ACX Cooler http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130932
SSD:1 x SAMSUNG 840 Pro Series MZ-7PD256BW 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147193
HDD:2 x Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 ST3000DM001 3TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148844
ODD:1 x Panasonic UJ260, UJ-260 6x Blu-ray Burner 8x DVD Burner Player SATA Laptop Drive http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BRF4O7M/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item
Memory:1 x Koutech IO-RCM630 Multi-in-1 USB 3.0 SuperSpeed Front Panel Internal Card Reader with USB 3.0 Port (3.5") http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820162030
Adapter:1 x Chenbro 1x ODD Bay to 1x Slim ODD Bay and 1x Internal 3.5-Inch HDD/FDD Bay Cage SK41202 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004D3SKBQ/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item
Adapter:1 x StarTech SLSATAADAP Female Slimline SATA to SATA Adapter with Power http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200470
Case:1 x Cooler Master Elite 130 - Mini-ITX Computer Case with Mesh Front Panel and Water Cooling Support http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DRA4F06/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item
Power Supply:1 x SeaSonic G Series SSR-550RM 550W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151119
TPM: Asus TPM Module http://www.amazon.com/Asus-Accessory-FW3-19-Module-BitLocker/dp/B0085E4WQQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393695561&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+tpm
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 120XL - PC CPU Liquid Water Cooling System, Push-Pull Kit with 120mm Radiator and 2 Fans http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Seidon-120XL-Push-Pull/dp/B00B20OYUE/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Old Cooling Solution

CPU Cooler:1 x Prolimatech PRO-SAM17 Samuel 17 CPU Cooler http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835242009
CPU Fan:1 x GELID Solutions FN-PX12-15 120mm Case cooler http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426015
Case Fan:1 x GELID Solutions FN-PX12-15 120mm Case cooler http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426015

Some Comments of the Build

1) Thanks the the comments read in the forum i was able to create a build that did not have any conflict.
2) For Air Cooling the Prolimatech Samuel 17 Fits EXACTLY the Maximus VI Impact, there is no conflict, however the Sound Card is very close to the Cooler shen you connect the HD Audio cable to the front of the CASE, the Clearance between the CPU fan and the PSU is about 5 millimeters however with the PSU in a Air pull configuration keeps the CPU quite cool for the space on the case.
3) With Water Cooling the Coolermaster Seidon 120XL Works Great, it reduced the Load temperature by 30C from the air cooling Setup even with only one the fans installed (like a 120M).
5) Mounted 1 HDD on the Case floor mount, the other HDD on the side mount and the SSD in the mount below the 5.25 bay
6) The Chenbro 5.25 to Slim ODD + 3.5 bay adapter is excellent and offers an nice alternative for a Slim ODD + Memory reader in a 5.25 bay.
7) Installed Windows 8.1 Pro and debian in the SSD. 200 GB for Windows and 50 for debian. UEFI works excellent. TIP: Use a USB 2.0 port for installing Windows 8.1 (an 3.0 will keep asking for drivers on the disk detection phase).
8) The HDDs are running on RAID1 Configuration for redundancy.
9) SATA RAID mode + UEFI allow to configure the RAID from within the BIOS Setup
10) Air Cooling Temperature is 32 C in idle and 75C overclocked 3.9 GHz with prime95 running after 30 minutes.
Liquid Cooling Temperature is 30 C in idle and 48C overclocked 3.9 GHz with prime95 running after 30 minutes.
Liquid Cooling Temperature is 40 C in idle and 59C over clocked 4.2 GHz with prime95 running after 30 minutes.
11) Windows 8.1 boots in less than 10 seconds.
12) Installed ASUS TPM 1.2 module to able to encrypt the volumes.
13) Cable manamegent is a little hard, specially after noticing that i will not be able to change the PSU mobo cable because the PSU is partially modular.
14) The Built is VERY silent, you almost cannot hear the FANs running. The CPU Gelid runs at 800 RPM in idle.


----------



## fma965

Hey guys i am thinking about buying the Cooler Master 110, However it claims cards up to 210mm, well my card is according to saphhire 210mm but it also has the connector on the end not the top, can any one confirm whether this will fit or not. Thanks.

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?pid=1499

Thanks again.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fma965*
> 
> Hey guys i am thinking about buying the Cooler Master 110, However it claims cards up to 210mm, well my card is according to saphhire 210mm but it also has the connector on the end not the top, can any one confirm whether this will fit or not. Thanks.
> 
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?pid=1499
> 
> Thanks again.


I would say not im afraid. Shame. The length of my graphics card was the reason for having to get the Elite 130.


----------



## DustDevil

I just almost finished my build on the Cooler Master 130 Elite. I had a CM 120 Elite a year ago or so but my modding the front panel failed. So I opted for a M-ATX route with a Silverstone PS07 (black). I decided I needed a smaller system so looked into the CM 130 and 110. I didn't want to have to change all my components so the 110 was out since I had an eVga 670 4GB 9.5-10" card. I picked up a new eVga Z77 Stinger board off fleabay. Here is my build list:

CPU: Intel 3570K 3.4ghz @ 4.5ghz
Cooler: Antec 920 AIO
Fans: 2 x Corsair SP 120mm in Push/Pull
Motheboard: eVga Z77 "Stinger"
Memory: GSkill F3-1600C9D-16GSR DDR3 1600mhz 9-9-9-24 1.5v
GPU: eVga Nvidia 670 GTX 4GB
Case: CM 130 Elite
Power Supply: Corsair AX 850 850watts modular
Storage: WD 1TB "Green"
Storage: Samsung 840 250GB
ODD: Lite-ON lightscribe drive

I had to nip the SSD tab mounts under the ODD drive bay. Will post some pictures when I get some custom PSU cables done from moddiy I would do it myself but I am a disabled veteran and my hands shake too much to hold tools for very long.


----------



## fma965

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> I would say not im afraid. Shame. The length of my graphics card was the reason for having to get the Elite 130.


Hmm well thanks however i was hoping for some one who actually owned one to confirm the actual maximum width,


----------



## bluedevil

GPU question, what's better in a CM elite 120, blower or twin fan? Currently looking at a r9 280x 3gb or a GTX 770 4gb.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> GPU question, what's better in a CM elite 120, blower or twin fan? Currently looking at a r9 280x 3gb or a GTX 770 4gb.


Out of curiosity, what is a "blower"?


----------



## Blue Dragon

blower = reference style


I would recommend the 770 and 'the mod'


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blue Dragon*
> 
> blower = reference style
> 
> 
> I would recommend the 770 and 'the mod'


Not really interested in doing the mod. I am just contemplating the blower style or open air style for a CM 120 ELITE. I have A H60 on my CPU and my PSU is sucking system air out. So I guess if I got a open air 290/780 the PSU would be strained more with more heat.


----------



## dropper

I recently assembled two Elite 130 systems for my kids, using some of their old stuff and mostly new stuff:

Cooler Master Elite 130
Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WiFi
Intel Core i5-4440 Haswell 3.1GHz (3.3GHz Turbo)
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1600 F3-12800CL8D-8GBXM
Galaxy 57NKH3HS4GXK GeForce GTX 570 GC Edition (existing)
COOLER MASTER Silent Pro M600 (existing)
CORSAIR Hydro Series H50
750GB HDD (Existing)

Cooler Master Elite 130
Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WiFi
Intel Core i5-4440 Haswell 3.1GHz (3.3GHz Turbo)
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1600 F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL (existing)
EVGA 01G-P3-1556-KR GeForce GTX 550 Ti (existing)
CORSAIR CXM series CX500M
Corsair H50 (Original larger style pump, existing)
1TB HDD (Existing)

A couple of notes:

The old style H50 is a tight fit. Fortunately, the Corsair PSU gave enough clearance, length-wise, for the tubes to come straight out of the top. The pump is only has a small gap between it and the PSU. The new style H50 is much shorter and has rotatable fittings, so it went in without a hitch.

If you are looking for feet to keep the cases from sliding around, I picked up some vinyl bumpers at Home Depot. They are SKU 158724, 1/2in (13mm), Everbilt brand, pack of 16. They were less then $3 and fit (inside the base of the original feet) and work perfectly.

The modular PSUs are a must for these cases.

Keith


----------



## buffnerd

Anyone having luck sourcing z77 motherboards? I have a 3570K and would like to put my gear into this case.


----------



## DustDevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *buffnerd*
> 
> Anyone having luck sourcing z77 motherboards? I have a 3570K and would like to put my gear into this case.


I picked mine up new off fleabay......it was a eVGA Z77 stinger board but I have seen some MSI and ASUS Z77 MITX motherboards.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *buffnerd*
> 
> Anyone having luck sourcing z77 motherboards? I have a 3570K and would like to put my gear into this case.


There are plenty of Z77 boards out there, are you having difficulty finding something particualr?


----------



## buffnerd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *buffnerd*
> 
> Anyone having luck sourcing z77 motherboards? I have a 3570K and would like to put my gear into this case.
> 
> 
> 
> There are plenty of Z77 boards out there, are you having difficulty finding something particualr?
Click to expand...

The asus p8z77-i seems to be the way to go. Would like to find they for a reasonable price bit that's just getting picky I guess


----------



## icandy

Thought I'd show off my build at some point, I guess now is the time. Currently ordering dust filters and a NF-F12 for the rad
Specs:
AMD Athlon 750k @ 4.40GHz (1.44v)
8gb G.Skill 1866Mhz
MSI Radeon 7870MHz (1250MHz core, 1300MHz memory)
Rosewill Hive 550w
Cooler Master Seidon 120v
WD Blue 1tb
SanDisk ReadyCache 32gb SSD
Gigabyte GA-F2A88XN-WIFI (beast of a lil' board)
^ This proves that console peasants have no excuse and that cheap can be sexy (550$)










candy for PCPartpicker


----------



## jonralf

finally finished my cuddly elite 130 build

Specs:
Intel® Core™ i7-3770
2 x 4gb Corsair Vengeance LP
Asrock B75M-ITX
Corsair H60
Sapphire HD7850
Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 620W
1TB Seagate SSHD
1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue



the 4 pin of the front fan is extend to the max since the 4 pin header at the mobo is at the back, between I/O panel and cpu



the 24pin and cpu cable is not the same flat type, really hard to route them ending up like this


cheapskate mode of installing the dust filter, only using duct tape









this rig if mainly for gaming, i7 is kinda overkill but i got it cheaply, the same price as cheapest i5 around


----------



## HuwSharpe

Do any of you guys need adding to the owners club list? What about you jonralf? If so is your build seriously known as "Cudley" lol.


----------



## jonralf

ah yes, please do. The name should be Nice Tiny Rig (NTR)

any anime fan will get this


----------



## JMatzelle303

Which one should i get the 130 elite or 120 white looking for good cooling for the new haswell refresh i5 and a 770 with the new as rock z97 its


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JMatzelle303*
> 
> Which one should i get the 130 elite or 120 white looking for good cooling for the new haswell refresh i5 and a 770 with the new as rock z97 its


Iraspective of the intal compontents i personally believe the Elite 130 is the better case of the two, simply because the took the Elite 120 and improved upon it for the Elite 130.

The Elite 130 is actually slightly smaller than its predecessor, being a couple of centimetres shorter and nearly 3cm less deep, and is 200g lighter as a result.

The biggest difference is the fact that the Elite 130 has a full mesh front panel, which allows for greater airflow. Staying on the topic of cooling, it ships with one 120mmx25mm front fan, which can be removed to make way for a 120mm water cooling radiator, and one 80x15mm side fan.

Most reviews on the Elite 130 mention the improvments over the Elite 120. Hope that helps.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akafreak*
> 
> does the thermaltake water 3.0 pro fit in this case?


Looking at the spec's i would say yes this cooler would fit in the Elite 130, the radiator would of course need to be mounted with the hoses on the side, but that should not be an issue.


----------



## schubaltz

Just recently I was able to fit in a Sapphire R9-270 inside the Elite 110 itx despite being 18mm longer than Coolermaster spec limit. 210mm is just playing safe on CM's part.







covered the mesh with my spare carbon fiber sticker. As good as the mesh is temp wise, the accumulated dust is just unbearable. And i didn't notice much difference on the temps before vs after.

Here's my specs btw:

A8-5600k on stock cooling and stock speed
MSI A75IA-E53 ITX
2x4GB G.Skill Trident X @ 2133mhz c11
Sapphire R9-270 Dual-X @1030/1450
WD Caviar Blue 500GB
Coolermaster Thunder M 520w
Coolermaster Elite 110 ITX


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *schubaltz*
> 
> Just recently I was able to fit in a Sapphire R9-270 inside the Elite 110 itx despite being 18mm longer than Coolermaster spec limit. 210mm is just playing safe on CM's part.


Nice build and thanks for the info. Do you want ading to the owners list? If so what is the name of your build?


----------



## Marcos Viegas

Someone can help me to discover the maximum width of a GPU in the case, don't the size, but the width, because i have a GTX 780 Lightning and i will to put them in Elite 130.

Thanks


----------



## Blue Dragon

2 1/2 inches from PSU to lip...
Only thing that can get in way would be heatsink but I think its down enough not to interfere with GPU reactor. At most, u could take plastic cover off if its a tight squeeze.


----------



## schubaltz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Nice build and thanks for the info. Do you want ading to the owners list? If so what is the name of your build?


thanks! yes please







name is Fragbox


----------



## Marcos Viegas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blue Dragon*
> 
> 
> 2 1/2 inches from PSU to lip...
> Only thing that can get in way would be heatsink but I think its down enough not to interfere with GPU reactor. At most, u could take plastic cover off if its a tight squeeze.


Thanks!

I will cut the side... like my old project...


----------



## Blue Dragon

Newegg as 780 lightning as 2.02 inches, if accurate u should be able to squeeze her up in there if you have a small wb instead of stock hs


----------



## JMatzelle303

Is the Elite 130 a good cooling case if i go water cooling i mean looking to do the new haswell i5 when it comes out in may with a gtx 770

Also what color are the power led and hdd activity led?


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JMatzelle303*
> 
> Is the Elite 130 a good cooling case if i go water cooling i mean looking to do the new haswell i5 when it comes out in may with a gtx 770
> 
> Also what color are the power led and hdd activity led?


leds on my 130 and the 120 advanced are both blue


----------



## JMatzelle303

Are both of them Blue i know u said the Power LED is but what is the HDD Activity led ?

Looking to do a black blue and gold color rick with the Silverstone PSU and ASRock Z97 its board and all that

Also how many 3.5" hdd can u fit in the case?


----------



## Blue Dragon

both are blue.

think it's set up to hold 4 (or maybe 3- 3.5's or 4- 2.5's) don't most ITX boards only have 4 sata slots? if so, you would have to sacrifice the PCIE slot for a controller card.

never been a big fan of lots of HDDS, I always just get external ones so they don't have to power on every time I boot my PC and would take forever with the virus scans... I use ext. and nas drives when I need to archive.


----------



## JMatzelle303

I honestly think I'm going to get the Corsair 450D i just saw the new EVGA FTW board and looks amazing


----------



## akafreak

Hello everyone, sorry to bother you again. So these are my specs of proposed rig -

i5 4670k
Gigabyte Z87n wifi
Seasonic s12g 550
elite 130
ripjaws x 4gb 1600MHz
wd blue 1 tb
Sapphire R7 250 1 GB DDR5
Intel stock cooler

Now I was thinking of disabling 2 of the 4 cores of my cpu to keep it cool until I get an AIO water cooler. I tried to do this on my laptop with i5 430m but the plan backfired. It did turn off 1 of the two cores but the remaining one always ran at max clocks even at idle. Thus it increased my temperature rather than reducing it. Has anyone tried this successfully on their rigs. Please do reply.

Also, I was wondering whether a UPS will be required or not. Where I live, the power sometimes goes off once/twice a day along with voltage fluctuations while going off for the last few milliseconds. I do not care about saving my work but I do care about the components of my rig. Should a UPS be on my purchase list or can I forego it? I can get either a UPS now or an AIO Water cooler or maybe both but that will be stretching my budget more than I want it to.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## jonralf

Why need to disable te cores? It's not like the air flow in the case is super bad.

I think it's better to get a modular kr semi modular power supply as less cluttered case will provide better air flow


----------



## akafreak

Yeah, I wish I could get a modular psu but gold rated and modular psu are expensive and I don't want to downgrade to bronze rated ones. As for disabling the cores, I will mainly old games like Stalker series and i think they will run pretty fine on 2 cores. So for lowering the temps in summer, I was thinking of doing it. On a side note, does a psu provide voltage protection?


----------



## Marcos Viegas

New acquiring and future casemod:


----------



## Anusha

Phenom doesn't look much bigger than a 130 even though it has a 50% more footprint (or a belly print LOL)


----------



## Blue Dragon

ended up picking up two open box R9-290's. first was a toasted Gigabyte reference card, second one (returned first...) is an Asus 290 OC DCUII. Monster sized card... a lot bigger PCB and shroud than the reference card.

both cards fit, the Asus is a PITA to get out - the 8 and 6 pin plugs are blocked by 130 frame.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



gigabyte

Asus

single arrow pointing at the backplate, it actually touches the drive bay, but doesn't interfere with the card. the other two are pointing at the 8 and 6 pin plugs. the clips face upwards in pic, or away from you if you are looking at the front (shroud) of the the card.


ASUS - R9290 - DC2OC - 4GD5



having problems with gpu usage on the Asus but will take that to the 290 thread. just figured I'd share the fitment of these cards to anyone interested. might be able to compare to other aftermarket cards if you can get the dimensions.


----------



## Anusha

Wouldn't this case require a GPU with a blower wryle cooler bcause there aren't exhaust fans in it? Or are you using the PSU to exhaust hot air out of the case?


----------



## Blue Dragon

I'd prefer the old blower type, but it actually works quite well, and my rad for cpu is in front so not much to heat up but the board and ram. the little cutie fan that come in it does well enough keeping the air moving. did try to use PSU as exhaust but the thermaltake doesn't fit that way due to the grill. forget exact #'s but sure my board temps didn't get above 35C.

side note- that first funky looking fan is "hybrid-blower" type fan that Asus says expels more heat out the back that other aftermarket air coolers...







the gigabyte wouldn't stay up long enough for me to compare it to that one.


----------



## Fletcherea

Finally finished my elite 110 build, had a couple extra bucks and got a new h60, and that sff 450 silverstone psu(it's sooo tiny, I "knew" the size measurements, but when
you actually put it up to a regular psu omg, its tiny!). Modular is a must now, even if you use all the cables being able to pre install them is aaaamaaazing. In my rampage of disassemble/reassemble
I totally forgot to take some pics, I might rip her open this weekend and get a few. Really happy with it, it's pretty much the smallest, and the "fastest" pc I've ever put together


----------



## noobee

How is it to work in that case and have you checked any temps? I'm comparing this case to the SG05. I was curious how they compare but I couldn't find any articles comparing those two.
I read a review on it and a simple configuration with 2 SSDs and a H60 cooler is probably what I'd use. It doesn't seem like there is much room for low profile coolers so one would only have a few choices if going air?
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2014/04/09/cooler_master_elite_110_miniitx_case_review/1#.U3Xi__6VvMU

I'd use one of Silverstone's SFX PSU modular versions so I am not too concerned about that part. However, I didn't care for the 'PSU portion' jutting out the back but that's only a minor negative. Maybe they'll make an Elite 115 version without that?


----------



## crystaal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *noobee*
> 
> How is it to work in that case and have you checked any temps? I'm comparing this case to the SG05. I was curious how they compare but I couldn't find any articles comparing those two.
> I read a review on it and a simple configuration with 2 SSDs and a H60 cooler is probably what I'd use. It doesn't seem like there is much room for low profile coolers so one would only have a few choices if going air?
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2014/04/09/cooler_master_elite_110_miniitx_case_review/1#.U3Xi__6VvMU
> 
> I'd use one of Silverstone's SFX PSU modular versions so I am not too concerned about that part. However, I didn't care for the 'PSU portion' jutting out the back but that's only a minor negative. Maybe they'll make an Elite 115 version without that?


The PSU jutting out actually frees up a lot of space in front to store excess psu cables, I have 2 3.5' drives installed on the top rack so I can't store away any excess cables there. I even double sided taped a spare portable hdd that I had lying around onto the front of the psu.


----------



## noobee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crystaal*
> 
> The PSU jutting out actually frees up a lot of space in front to store excess psu cables, I have 2 3.5' drives installed on the top rack so I can't store away any excess cables there. I even double sided taped a spare portable hdd that I had lying around onto the front of the psu.


Hehehe... ah, yes, the tape/velcro job to the PSU - seems like a popular solution around here.









I was hoping to only use 1 or 2 SSDs and this case has that metal bracket that fits on the side to mount them? But, that was one of the methods I was considering if I need a 2nd SSD and go with the SG05.

"The PSU jutting out actually frees up a lot of space in front to store excess psu cables: -> That's good. It's probably my main concern building in a m-itx case - how to manage the cables. I like room so I am still contemplating which SFX PSU. It will HAVE TO BE modular so unless some co. comes out with one, it'll probably be one of the Silverstone ones. In one review for this case, there doesn't seem to be much room underneath the PSU so the jutting out probably helps with that, too.


----------



## noobee

A question: Is there any potential problems with a SFX PSU (e.g. Silverstone ST45SF-G) and if you use an AIO cooler? I haven't read of any but I was wondering about the PSU being right over top of the cpu but I guess the small form factor power supplies are way shorter than ATX so it shouldn't interfere with where the hoses have to go?

I am sure there are some restrictions with air cooler heights but that is understandable. Even though they are shorter, there is still a restriction with air cooler heights in mot of these itx cases - especially ones in which one of the components like a power supply are mounted over some portion of the motherboard.


----------



## dropper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *noobee*
> 
> A question: Is there any potential problems with a SFX PSU (e.g. Silverstone ST45SF-G) and if you use an AIO cooler? I haven't read of any but I was wondering about the PSU being right over top of the cpu but I guess the small form factor power supplies are way shorter than ATX so it shouldn't interfere with where the hoses have to go?
> 
> I am sure there are some restrictions with air cooler heights but that is understandable. Even though they are shorter, there is still a restriction with air cooler heights in mot of these itx cases - especially ones in which one of the components like a power supply are mounted over some portion of the motherboard.


The vertical room will not change with the SFX PSU, except in the space where it is shorter, or course. As I had mentioned in my earlier message about by dual builds, I have both an old and a new H50 AIO coolers. The old one nearly touches the PSU, due to its height and the new ones are about 1/2 of that. Even with that, only about 2/3rds of the cooler is covered by a Corsair CX500M PSU. Most of the fan is not blocked and the water hoses are unobstructed. I will take some pictures of the setups when I get a chance.

Keith


----------



## jonralf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *noobee*
> 
> A question: Is there any potential problems with a SFX PSU (e.g. Silverstone ST45SF-G) and if you use an AIO cooler? I haven't read of any but I was wondering about the PSU being right over top of the cpu but I guess the small form factor power supplies are way shorter than ATX so it shouldn't interfere with where the hoses have to go?
> 
> I am sure there are some restrictions with air cooler heights but that is understandable. Even though they are shorter, there is still a restriction with air cooler heights in mot of these itx cases - especially ones in which one of the components like a power supply are mounted over some portion of the motherboard.


you can refer to post #78 and #79 for icandy's and my build for the height clearance for cpu cooler. icandy uses CM Seidon wc and mine is a Corsair H60.


----------



## txborn512

Mailman just dropped off the 3 TB Vegas Duo's (2 80mm, 1 120mm) waiting on the rest from UPS' 2:30-6pm window today...

update: 7.6 out of a 7.9 all done


----------



## Kriss941

Hi!
I'm soon going to join the PC Gaming Master Race and I'll be doing my first build in the Elite 130 ;D Case is already on it's way as well as some other parts so soon I'll be doing the build and finally leave that old PS3 behind!
Regarding the case I'm a little curious as to what kind of distance it's between the "holes" on the side







just thinking it might be possible to mount some 120mm or 140mm fans there with some minor mods ;D

Anyway here's how my rig looks atm:

- Cooler Master Elite 130 (ordered)
- Cooler Master G650M
- MSI Z87I AC
- Intel Core i5 4670K (ordered)
- Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro (ordered)
- Kingston HyperX Beast 2400MHz (2x4GB)
- Sapphire R9 270X Toxic
- Adata Premier Pro SP900 128GB (ordered)
- WD Scorpio Blue 750GB (from dead laptop)

Some parts may change as prices change but for now this is the plan ;D
Not sure about a name for the build yet but I'm thinking something radioactive, radiation, toxic related ;D
might end up doing a window mod to show of that sexy GPU, but only if I can make up some other ventilation holes to the GPU ;D


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Hi!
> I'm soon going to join the PC Gaming Master Race and I'll be doing my first build in the Elite 130 ;D Case is already on it's way as well as some other parts so soon I'll be doing the build and finally leave that old PS3 behind!
> Regarding the case I'm a little curious as to what kind of distance it's between the "holes" on the side
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just thinking it might be possible to mount some 120mm or 140mm fans there with some minor mods...
> 
> ...might end up doing a window mod to show of that sexy GPU, but only if I can make up some other ventilation holes to the GPU ;D


Welcome to the club and to the world of PC gaming.

With regaurd mounting extra fans to the sides, they would have to be external, which i have seen several people do, as there is not enough room inside for such, other than the one mounting point where mount a 120/140mm fan, if you dont want a hard drive there.

Window mods are nice, but in the Elite 130 you are right to assume you would want ventilation holes. Even with an unmodified lid i often hear my GPU spinning up to full RPM, hungry for more air, so would be relectant to do anything that further ristricts air flow, though a nice bit of water cooling would resolve that =)

Well, look forward to seeing a photo of your build.


----------



## Kriss941

Thanks for the answer, but do you think low profile fans would work?
If I ever do a window mod I'll make sure I have negative air pressure in my case so that it'll pull in the air from ventilation holes on the GPU side ;D think that for a window mod I'd try to make some sort of mesh above and under the window and with the negative air pressure cool air would passively be sucked in through the mesh to the GPU ;D
Not sure if I'll actually do that mod, but that's the plan if I ever do it








also I think my case will arrive today so I'll be able to do measurements myself ;D
Just picked up the AIO CPU cooler and the SSD yesterday also soon going to have enough money to buy the rest of the parts!

Also thought that with the 270X toxic inside "Vault 13" would be an appropriate name ;D not sure yet but for now that has the top spot on the list ;D


----------



## Vario

So few Elite White owners...

Heres my Elite 120 White
























CPU: Intel i5 2550k
MOBO: AsRock Z77E-ITX
VGA: XFX DD 7850 2GB
RAM: Samsung 30nm 2x4GB
HDD: WD Caviar Blue 1TB
PSU: Silverstone 500w ST50F-P
AIO CPU Cooler: Asetek
Cooling fan: Single Koolance 120x38 FAN-12038HBK in pull on the 120 rad and a small single fan controller
Case: CM Elite 120 Advanced White with removed HDD cage

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Thanks for the answer, but do you think low profile fans would work?
> If I ever do a window mod I'll make sure I have negative air pressure in my case so that it'll pull in the air from ventilation holes on the GPU side ;D


Just run a very powerful fan in the front and the sides will just exhaust out from the positive pressure, you don't need really need side fans. I am cooling entire itx rig with one fan on a tiny controller. (FAN-12038HBK). These cases work really well with an AIO watercooler cpu loop.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Thanks for the answer, but do you think low profile fans would work?


Afraid not friend. On the side there are two points for installing fans, one can be used to mount a 120/140mm fan or a hard drive, the other is a low profile 60mm fan.



This obviously is due to the very compact size of the case, but half the fn is finding ways to make it work for your setup. Good luck.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Just run a very powerful fan in the front and the sides will just exhaust out from the positive pressure, you don't need really need side fans. I am cooling entire itx rig with one fan on a tiny controller. (FAN-12038HBK). These cases work really well with an AIO watercooler cpu loop.


I'll be running a thermaltake water 2.0 in push/pull as a front intake, but I'd like to have some fans helping the PSU move all the hot air away from the motherboard


----------



## Vario

Just gotta cram a ton of air in front and it will find its way out lol (positive pressure)


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I'll be running a thermaltake water 2.0 in push/pull as a front intake, but I'd like to have some fans helping the PSU move all the hot air away from the motherboard


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Just gotta cram a ton of air in front and it will find its way out lol (positive pressure)


I have found it best to have the fans pulling air from inside the case and pushing out of the front, when using a 120mm radiator. As can be seen in the picture below i have tired some extreme pushing.



120 | RAD | 120 | 38mm 120mm


----------



## Kriss941

That's why I wanted to mount some fans exhausting through the side panel ;D so I could remove the hot air and rather have negative air pressure making sure fresh air is sucked into the case as the air coming through the radiator will be warm








But without any major mods I'm thinking that I'll use the front as an intake with the push/pull water 2.0 pro and have the 120mm case fan that comes with the case as exhaust on the hard drive bracket... also I'll have the PSU draw air from inside the case and have the small fan also as an exhaust ;D


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> I have found it best to have the fans pulling air from inside the case and pushing out of the front, when using a 120mm radiator. As can be seen in the picture below i have tired some extreme pushing.
> 
> 
> 
> 120 | RAD | 120 | 38mm 120mm


Heres mine:

Filter | Radiator | 120x38mm Fan (pulling in)

Front outside








Radiator and 120x38









This shows the tiny fan controller which is a must for this large fan. I usually run it at 3/4 setting.









Wires are very tightly managed but they are unbound in these photos because otherwise its hard to expand components to show the inside.

No need for push pull, just PULL when you have a big fan... the elite 120 has a low flow front grill so having that front space in front empty instead of a fan is beneficial. I actually chucked the little side fan and turned the stock fan into a shroud for my other computer. The small side fan doesn't really do anything except take up space that could be used for sata cables.


----------



## Kriss941

All the parts I've gotten so far! also I just got my first salary from my new (first) job! I can actually afford the rest of my PC right now! but my parents owe me a fair amount of money as well so I'll wait until I get that! maybe I'll get a R9 280X toxic! and upgrade to a Z97 motherboard (assuming they work with haswell) ;D
Basically I need 3600 NOK (yes I'm Norwegian) to finish my build, With the money I have and the money my parents owe me I have 3500 NOK, but now with the salary I suddenly have 5850 NOK ! me so happy!


----------



## Vario

Cool you will like the Elite, they are a very easy chassis to build in, however I suggest installing the watercooler's radiator and fan in the case first and have the hosing and block hanging out, then attach the block to the CPU/mobo and then install the motherboard in the case. Then install the HDDs and the VGA. You can install the power supply after the motherboard but just sort of slide it in and out as needed to get the wires how you like it. Its hard to get the wiring to look good but as long as its tucked on the sides and top so it doesn't hinder the airflow from the front to the back you will do fine.


----------



## aderbalnunes

My old little project =p


----------



## Vario

Anyone notice their motherboard bend around the PCI-E? I think its due to how the graphics card screws in but my motherboard is bent there, and a few Elite 1xx builds have the same thing.


----------



## aderbalnunes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Anyone notice their motherboard bend around the PCI-E? I think its due to how the graphics card screws in but my motherboard is bent there, and a few Elite 1xx builds have the same thing.


I think the motherboard "warped" when I screwed the block the water cooler


----------



## Kriss941

Finally got the Case today! Allready mounted the Radiator, SSD and HDD into the case and done som cable managing ;D


----------



## Dark

An older Elite build with a 7990. Really love the Elites...


----------



## Kriss941

The 7990 is such a good looking card! shame that it's so expensive and hard to come by


----------



## Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> The 7990 is such a good looking card! shame that it's so expensive and hard to come by


Not any more! With gpu mining declining amd cards (including the 7990) are plummeting in price.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dark*
> 
> Not any more! With gpu mining declining amd cards (including the 7990) are plummeting in price.


Here in Norway you can't even find the 7990 in stores, if you want one you have to buy a used one


----------



## Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Here in Norway you can't even find the 7990 in stores, if you want one you have to buy a used one


That's no different here (with the exception of a few rare cases where folks still have some boxed up), they are no longer sold new in the retail market.


----------



## jonralf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dark*
> 
> An older Elite build with a 7990. Really love the Elites...


wow, just like the one in CM Elite 130 product page picture


----------



## Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jonralf*
> 
> wow, just like the one in CM Elite 130 product page picture
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/2043260/width/350/height/700












Mine didn't come with those nifty looking blue and red arrows though


----------



## Kriss941

How do you guys have the AIO hooked up to the motherboard? I'm thinking that I'll have the fans running of the CPU fan header and have the pump going full speed all the time







any experiences or tips?


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> How do you guys have the AIO hooked up to the motherboard? I'm thinking that I'll have the fans running of the CPU fan header and have the pump going full speed all the time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> any experiences or tips?


This is what you need. http://www.coolerguys.com/840556098614.html?productid=840556098614&channelid=FROOG&gclid=CjkKEQjwqsCcBRDt7_Gts5a91YYBEiQAm-wYEZS1j3scvz5yCD5WxYNsjd95_Uq8svKc1J3ZqeBYqeDw_wcB

I will be running two AIOs when I get done. Still thinking about combining them too....


----------



## Vario

I am running the pump tachometer on the mainboard cpu header (so the computer sees a cpu fan, reports the pump speed), the aio's pump runs on molex, and the 120x38 fan runs off of a PCI slot style fan controller which runs on molex.


----------



## Kriss941

Just got an idea for my case! what do you think? (excuse my bad paint skills) and try to imagine it behind the mesh and dust filter ;D


----------



## Dark

Not a bad idea!


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Just got an idea for my case! what do you think? (excuse my bad paint skills) and try to imagine it behind the mesh and dust filter ;D


Looks good, gonna do the same with my 120 elite.


----------



## akafreak

Hey, anyone having any problem with their USB 3 front ports? In my case, the upper USB 3.0 port seems to be loose or something. Whenever I plug a device into that port, it works fine for some time then gets disconnected and then it is recognized again. This keeps on going continuously until I remove the device. The bottom port and USB 2.0 are fine. I also feel that the usb cable isn't gripped properly by that port. Any solutions anyone.
Thank you in advance.


----------



## Dark

I would check the header connection on the board and on the back of the front panel pcb.


----------



## Kriss941

Hey guys! just sat down and did some sketching ;D This is what I came up with for a Window mod on the elite 130 (will probably work for 120 as well)

The window on this is the same length as the existing ventilation and 12cm tall which will be just about the perfect size for most GPU's out there. Air to the GPU is provided throug the mesh along the top and side of the window and though it'll still restrict airflow I think this would be one of the best solutions for a window mod on this case ;D Also on the sketch you can see how I'd imagine it looking with something like the XFX R9 280X ;D
Also the fans are a little to large... they represent how 100mm fans would look, not 90mm like those on the xfx card...

Please give any feedback on what you think about this... do you think it would work without restricting the GPU too much?


----------



## Vario

Just make sure you can take the roof on and off. You really don't need much cooling on these things though.


----------



## Kriss941

What I'm most worried about is that if you mount the window on the inside of the panel it will probably just leave about 0.5 cm between the window and the GPU... which will most likely have a large impact on cooling performance








another option would be to just do a cut-out for the window, drill some holes around the cut-out and use some risers to make the window sit about 1cm outside of the case ;D if you get what I mean


----------



## Vario

You could run Scythe Slip Stream Slim fans 120x12 and a radiator grill like this:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/20816/ex-rad-614/Phobya_Dual_240_Radiator_Grill_-_Stripes_-_Black_Powder_Coat.html
or
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/6975/ffa-30/Bitspower_Mesh_Radgard_240_Dual_120mm_Radiator_Filter_Grill_-_Stainless_Steel_Silver_BP-CDRG240STSL-MS.html#blank

etc

You probably don't even need fans the VGA sits close to the side panel so just having a cut out with some kind of grill will allow the VGA's fans to pull in outside air.


----------



## Kriss941

yeah, but then you won't have the window for the GPU anymore, though those would be great on the other side of the case!


----------



## Kriss941

This is sort of how I imagine you can do a window mod on the 130 without restricting airflow ;D if you see how he used risers to lift the glass over the intake and exhaust ;D


----------



## Vario

I have two black Phobya Rad Grills lying around and an extra Elite 120 shell (white). I might try combining this. Theres no internal space for the fans but it would look pretty cool. Fans on the outside would be lame though.

edit: well I mocked it up stenciled the outline and I'll cut it tomorrow or the next day. It should look pretty awesome though I am not sure if I'll bother with fans on it, maybe the thin scythes. Theres really no space.
slim fans:
http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/case-fan/xtraflo-120-slim/
http://www.scythe-eu.com/en/products/fans/slip-stream-120-mm-slim.html

edit2: cut the holes out but scuffed up the paint while I was cutting. It doesn't look great, the mandrel chuck of the dremel rubbed through the protective tape layers into the case paint, so I am going to give up.







At least I had two shells.


----------



## Kriss941

Update!
Just picked up my RAM at the post office! damn so sexy! also doesn't hurt that it's 2400MHz, which will come in handy when overclocking my CPU as increases in CPU speed reduces the speed of the RAM on the Haswell platform







Also picked up my PSU yesterday, Should be good enough to power my R9 280X Tri-X from Sapphire that was ordered yesterday (basically a 280X Toxic without the factory overclock) ;D


Now all I'm missing is the motherboard and the OS and we should be up and running!
PC Gaming Master Race! Here I come!


----------



## bluedevil

Did a little modding this morning...in preparation for my CM 120 Elite case mod....


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Update!
> Just picked up my RAM at the post office! damn so sexy! also doesn't hurt that it's 2400MHz, which will come in handy when overclocking my CPU as increases in CPU speed reduces the speed of the RAM on the Haswell platform
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also picked up my PSU yesterday, Should be good enough to power my R9 280X Tri-X from Sapphire that was ordered yesterday (basically a 280X Toxic without the factory overclock) ;D
> 
> 
> Now all I'm missing is the motherboard and the OS and we should be up and running!
> PC Gaming Master Race! Here I come!


Nice! Welcome to the master race! haha


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Did a little modding this morning...in preparation for my CM 120 Elite case mod....


Are you going to do a window mod on the case? I mean so that you can show off that awesome sleeving ;D
sometimes I feel like I HAVE to do a window mod... at least on the GPU side to show of that sexy beast I'll be putting in there


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Are you going to do a window mod on the case? I mean so that you can show off that awesome sleeving ;D
> sometimes I feel like I HAVE to do a window mod... at least on the GPU side to show of that sexy beast I'll be putting in there


I suppose I could add that on the list.







b But it wont be no "window".


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> I suppose I could add that on the list.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> b But it wont be no "window".


Well good luck ;D also post some pictures from the modding process, would love to see what you come up with ;D


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Well good luck ;D also post some pictures from the modding process, would love to see what you come up with ;D


I will....just ordered some HAF 922 case feet for the Elite 120.







Should work out nicely.


----------



## Kriss941

Just picked up my beast of a GPU! Now I need a motherboard to put this baby in ;D


----------



## Kriss941

What kind of overclocks are you guys getting in this case? and how are your fans set up? Right now I have it set up so I have a radiator pulling air in through the front and the PSU will have the fan down over the motherboard to create a windtunnel over the motherboard, but what I'm worried about is that I'll might end up creating a own "zone" for the GPU which might get really hot as it not a blower style card... I'm most worried about thermals in the case when it comes to overclocking as well so I'd say I'll be happy if I get something like a 4.2GHz overclock on my CPU and I would like to push the R9 280X to 7 Gbps on the memory and around 1100 MHz on the GPU ;D The Card itself should be more than capable of pushing maybe 1300MHz, but again, worried about the overall thermals in my case... Any experiences or suggestions?
I've been thinking about maybe getting some dust filters and have all fans as exhaust and create as negative air pressure as possible


----------



## jonralf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> What kind of overclocks are you guys getting in this case? and how are your fans set up? Right now I have it set up so I have a radiator pulling air in through the front and the PSU will have the fan down over the motherboard to create a windtunnel over the motherboard, but what I'm worried about is that I'll might end up creating a own "zone" for the GPU which might get really hot as it not a blower style card... I'm most worried about thermals in the case when it comes to overclocking as well so I'd say I'll be happy if I get something like a 4.2GHz overclock on my CPU and I would like to push the R9 280X to 7 Gbps on the memory and around 1100 MHz on the GPU ;D The Card itself should be more than capable of pushing maybe 1300MHz, but again, worried about the overall thermals in my case... Any experiences or suggestions?
> I've been thinking about maybe getting some dust filters and have all fans as exhaust and create as negative air pressure as possible


i have the same airflow setting like you, radiator in front as intake, psu suck out the hot air on top of the motherboard.

in my experience, the reference type cooler aka blower type is bad compared to the open cooling type
previously i've used reference amd hd7770 and i got the gpu 88c max. and then i used sapphire hd7850 dual-x cooler, never reach 80c, top is around 78c. i believe the psu did help pull out the hot air from gpu in open cooling type while the reference type only needed it own airflow inside the card to blow out the hot air. mind that my room temperature is over 30c

didn't have the chance with overclock as i'm using non-K i7. but i think should be fine, if you're worried, just change your radiator fan to more powerful one, or make push-pull configuration. i believe positive pressure is better


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jonralf*
> 
> i have the same airflow setting like you, radiator in front as intake, psu suck out the hot air on top of the motherboard.
> 
> in my experience, the reference type cooler aka blower type is bad compared to the open cooling type
> previously i've used reference amd hd7770 and i got the gpu 88c max. and then i used sapphire hd7850 dual-x cooler, never reach 80c, top is around 78c. i believe the psu did help pull out the hot air from gpu in open cooling type while the reference type only needed it own airflow inside the card to blow out the hot air. mind that my room temperature is over 30c
> 
> didn't have the chance with overclock as i'm using non-K i7. but i think should be fine, if you're worried, just change your radiator fan to more powerful one, or make push-pull configuration. i believe positive pressure is better


I have a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro Radiator in the front so it is a double thick 120mm radiator with fans running in push/pull, the CPU is a i5 4670K, PSU is a Cooler Master V650S and the GPU is a Sapphire Tri-X R9 280X ;D
So I guess I should be good then








If I ever feel like I get too high temps I guess I can swap out the stock radiator fans for some of those new industrial noctua fans ;D


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> What kind of overclocks are you guys getting in this case? and how are your fans set up? Right now I have it set up so I have a radiator pulling air in through the front and the PSU will have the fan down over the motherboard to create a windtunnel over the motherboard, but what I'm worried about is that I'll might end up creating a own "zone" for the GPU which might get really hot as it not a blower style card... I'm most worried about thermals in the case when it comes to overclocking as well so I'd say I'll be happy if I get something like a 4.2GHz overclock on my CPU and I would like to push the R9 280X to 7 Gbps on the memory and around 1100 MHz on the GPU ;D The Card itself should be more than capable of pushing maybe 1300MHz, but again, worried about the overall thermals in my case... Any experiences or suggestions?
> I've been thinking about maybe getting some dust filters and have all fans as exhaust and create as negative air pressure as possible


I have a dual fan open card and the same layout as you describe with no temperature problems at all. I have run 1150mhz on my VGA, 2133 ram, and 4.6 on my i5 within this case for a couple days, heat wasn't a problem. Right now I have everything clocked to stock.


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I have a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro Radiator in the front so it is a double thick 120mm radiator with fans running in push/pull, the CPU is a i5 4670K, PSU is a Cooler Master V650S and the GPU is a Sapphire Tri-X R9 280X ;D
> So I guess I should be good then
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I ever feel like I get too high temps I guess I can swap out the stock radiator fans for some of those new industrial noctua fans ;D


Swap it out for dual 120x25 or a single 120x38 Delta or San Ace instead, the industrial Noctua is a joke compared to these.

edit: My apologies for the double post


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> I have a dual fan open card and the same layout as you describe with no temperature problems at all. I have run 1150mhz on my VGA, 2133 ram, and 4.6 on my i5 within this case for a couple days, heat wasn't a problem. Right now I have everything clocked to stock.


Well then I guess I'll be all good ;D Maybe try to get a good 4.4GHz overclock on my i5, but on the other side 4.2GHz would be a good "summer OC" ;D


----------



## obababoy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> I have a dual fan open card and the same layout as you describe with no temperature problems at all. I have run 1150mhz on my VGA, 2133 ram, and 4.6 on my i5 within this case for a couple days, heat wasn't a problem. Right now I have everything clocked to stock.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I have a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro Radiator in the front so it is a double thick 120mm radiator with fans running in push/pull, the CPU is a i5 4670K, PSU is a Cooler Master V650S and the GPU is a Sapphire Tri-X R9 280X ;D
> So I guess I should be good then
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I ever feel like I get too high temps I guess I can swap out the stock radiator fans for some of those new industrial noctua fans ;D


What are you guys getting for temps? I have the ASUS R9 290 DCU2 which I know isnt the coolest of R9's but I am hitting 85+ on the GPU with stock clocks while playing games. Furmark hits 90c. I have been brain storming on ideas for this case(Elite 130 and don't mind hacking it up a bit but I want a somewhat clean look, other wise id just leave the top off. Heres my cramped setup:

http://pcpartpicker.com/b/wvTWGX

I was thinking of adding the 2 extra cougar fans I have and a controller like the NZXT Sentry Mesh Fan Controller and have then exhaust out of the right side of the case. I currently removed the 80mm intake fan on that side and the little cage thing.

I also might cut some slits in the top of the cover to air it out more.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *obababoy*
> 
> What are you guys getting for temps? I have the ASUS R9 290 DCU2 which I know isnt the coolest of R9's but I am hitting 85+ on the GPU with stock clocks while playing games. Furmark hits 90c. I have been brain storming on ideas for this case(Elite 130 and don't mind hacking it up a bit but I want a somewhat clean look, other wise id just leave the top off. Heres my cramped setup:
> 
> http://pcpartpicker.com/b/wvTWGX
> 
> I was thinking of adding the 2 extra cougar fans I have and a controller like the NZXT Sentry Mesh Fan Controller and have then exhaust out of the right side of the case. I currently removed the 80mm intake fan on that side and the little cage thing.
> 
> I also might cut some slits in the top of the cover to air it out more.


I think you should consider setting up your fans for negative air pressure... with some minor mods (drilling 4 holes basically) you could fit two 120mm slim fans as exhaust along the right hand side of the case if you install these two fans you should be able to keep the front as an intake and still have negative air pressure in the case which will passively help the GPU draw in fresh air from outside of the case... the way you have it you have a positive air pressure which means air is passively exhausting out of the case on the GPU side meaning the air pressure is fighting the GPU intake and the GPU ends up just recycling the hot air... atleast that's what I think might be happening to you... try to just use all your existing fans as exhaust first to see if it helps, then you can buy a couple of slim fans as I mentioned earlier and have them as exhaust on the right side...


----------



## obababoy

Crap never though of that! Will try it this afternoon and report back. Yeah I added one of the three cougars I own to the otherside of the AIO cooler on the front and it did absolutely nothing temp wise on the GPU. CPU cooled off more lol but at 54c full load im not worried about that hahaha.


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *obababoy*
> 
> What are you guys getting for temps? I have the ASUS R9 290 DCU2 which I know isnt the coolest of R9's but I am hitting 85+ on the GPU with stock clocks while playing games. Furmark hits 90c. I have been brain storming on ideas for this case(Elite 130 and don't mind hacking it up a bit but I want a somewhat clean look, other wise id just leave the top off. Heres my cramped setup:
> 
> http://pcpartpicker.com/b/wvTWGX
> 
> I was thinking of adding the 2 extra cougar fans I have and a controller like the NZXT Sentry Mesh Fan Controller and have then exhaust out of the right side of the case. I currently removed the 80mm intake fan on that side and the little cage thing.
> 
> I also might cut some slits in the top of the cover to air it out more.


lay card down and look good at the heatsink. My first ASUS R9 290 DCUII was good on temps, even in my elite 130 case. but my second card was over 10 degrees hotter with same benches, etc... turns out one of the stand-offs for the heatsink wasn't screwed all the way down. I never tested it after that because I did the red mod on the card but I'm sure that's why I was getting such different temps than my first card. before I took it apart I could squeeze the shroud and move it one way and my temps would drop by about 5 degrees

you can see my before/after temps for catzilla 1080p here-http://www.overclock.net/t/1203636/official-amd-ati-gpu-mod-club-aka-the-red-mod/2360#post_22421067
here's something you can compare with free version of catzilla
single r9-290 catzilla 576p:


BTW- make sure you have switch on card moved to performance mode and probably should adjust the fan profile in asus tweak


----------



## obababoy

So, after some fiddling around with my cougar fans I found a better solution to my heat. As you can see in the attachment my fan speed is at 42% which is right before it starts getting annoying. I tried placing the fans inside on the right side of the case and exhausting out but it didn't manage to change temps much. Placing them on the video card side dropped the temps by about 10c! The picture below shows an overclock but right now at stock clock it is sitting at 77c at the core and VRM1/2 is 83c and 80c respectively.

So Im wondering if I should cut 2 120mm holes for these fans and hook them up inside instead of my ghetto solution? When pressed against the grate they do get louder. They hover about 1cm off the side of the case by themselves.

@Blue Dragon, Just to be on the safe side I will check this to make sure everything is seated correctly. Do you happen to remember what temps you were getting on the GPU in your Elite 130 with good card?

Temps.jpg 793k .jpg file


20140617_171105.jpg 3572k .jpg file


EDIT: Apparently I cut off the video card overclock but it was as follows:
GPU: 1115
GPUmV 1300
Memory 5800
Power Target 150
Fan Speed 42%


----------



## obababoy

On the other hand the R9 290 Vapor X is only $435 right now on newegg...Only problem is they dont have a return policy if it doesnt work for me. If I open it im done.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *obababoy*
> 
> So, after some fiddling around with my cougar fans I found a better solution to my heat. As you can see in the attachment my fan speed is at 42% which is right before it starts getting annoying. I tried placing the fans inside on the right side of the case and exhausting out but it didn't manage to change temps much. Placing them on the video card side dropped the temps by about 10c! The picture below shows an overclock but right now at stock clock it is sitting at 77c at the core and VRM1/2 is 83c and 80c respectively.
> 
> So Im wondering if I should cut 2 120mm holes for these fans and hook them up inside instead of my ghetto solution? When pressed against the grate they do get louder. They hover about 1cm off the side of the case by themselves.
> 
> @Blue Dragon, Just to be on the safe side I will check this to make sure everything is seated correctly. Do you happen to remember what temps you were getting on the GPU in your Elite 130 with good card?
> 
> Temps.jpg 793k .jpg file
> 
> 
> 20140617_171105.jpg 3572k .jpg file
> 
> 
> EDIT: Apparently I cut off the video card overclock but it was as follows:
> GPU: 1115
> GPUmV 1300
> Memory 5800
> Power Target 150
> Fan Speed 42%


You could mount the fans on the other side as exhaust as well and get pretty much the same result ;D


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *obababoy*
> 
> So, after some fiddling around with my cougar fans I found a better solution to my heat. As you can see in the attachment my fan speed is at 42% which is right before it starts getting annoying. I tried placing the fans inside on the right side of the case and exhausting out but it didn't manage to change temps much. Placing them on the video card side dropped the temps by about 10c! The picture below shows an overclock but right now at stock clock it is sitting at 77c at the core and VRM1/2 is 83c and 80c respectively.
> 
> So Im wondering if I should cut 2 120mm holes for these fans and hook them up inside instead of my ghetto solution? When pressed against the grate they do get louder. They hover about 1cm off the side of the case by themselves.
> 
> @Blue Dragon, Just to be on the safe side I will check this to make sure everything is seated correctly. Do you happen to remember what temps you were getting on the GPU in your Elite 130 with good card?
> 
> Temps.jpg 793k .jpg file
> 
> 
> 20140617_171105.jpg 3572k .jpg file
> 
> 
> EDIT: Apparently I cut off the video card overclock but it was as follows:
> GPU: 1115
> GPUmV 1300
> Memory 5800
> Power Target 150
> Fan Speed 42%


I looked around, but can't find my pics. I know I tested a few benches before moving it into my HAF box... will dig some more.
if I had to guess, i'd say around 85- because my second was throttling at 95...


----------



## Vario

Temps with everything stock I get ~50*C on the I5 2550k (Asetek 120mm AIO) and ~70*C on the 7850 (repasted) with a ~24*C ambient.


----------



## jonralf

upgraded my gpu to sapphire 280x vapor-x tri-x


feel really accomplished feeling now that the gpu extend all the way









plug and play, run unigine valley benchmark, gpu reach top 76c with room temp over 33c
cpu temp is barely 70c full load too

done building the pc, probably wont touch the inside of it for some time, but who knows?


----------



## obababoy

Jonralf, is your vapor x slightly larger than 2 slots like the 290s?


----------



## jonralf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *obababoy*
> 
> Jonralf, is your vapor x slightly larger than 2 slots like the 290s?


nope, this vapor-x tri-x is pure 2slotted card. unlike the vapor-x only 280x which is 2.5slot
looking into sapphire's website, 290 vapor-x is 2.5 slot


----------



## Kriss941

Finally found a name for my build! AN602: Thermonuclear!


edit: Also if anyone have the editing skills to make this design into a template that I could just print out and use to mask of and spary paint it onto my case that would be amazing ;D and for anyone wondering AN602 is the name for the tsar bomba which is a thermonuclear weapon and the largest bomb ever detonated...


----------



## Vario

I need to take my cooler apart and repaste, I think NTH1 loses potency over time. Maybe it pumps out and gets too thin. I have some X23 to replace it. Sadly I'd have to completely remove everything because I need access to the back bracket. I am thinking about making a metal hatch over the back of the cpu socket so I can access it without removing everything.


----------



## Kriss941

OMG!!! The Hype Is REAL!!! Just ordered some more stuff... now only thing I'm missing is the keyboard... any suggestions? would like a ten keyless mechanical and "affordable" keyboard... atm I've got my eye on the Vengeance K65 ;D
Here's my rig and setup so far ;D
- Cooler Master Elite 130
- Cooler Master V650S
- Asus Z97I-Plus
- Intel Core i5 4670K
- Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro
- Kingston HyperX Beast 2400MHz (2x4GB)
- Sapphire Tri-X R9 280X
- Adata Premier Pro SP900 128GB
- Western Digital Scorpio Blue 750GB (might upgrade but would like to stick with the 2.5" size)
- Windows 8.1 64bit OEM

Peripherals:
- Samsung S24D590PLX
- Logitech G35
- Roccat Kone Pure Optical
- Steelseries QcK+


----------



## Kriss941

Now I have the PC all put together! think I did quite well with the cable management and it ended up quite clean ;D





Now there's only one thing that worries me a little... the front IO connectors, but after a quick check with my dad (who works as a electrician or whatever it's called) I think it's all good ;D Extremely satisfied with the result and how it all turned out... also just want to make sure I'm correct on this one... It doesn't matter which SATA ports on the motherboard you use? Because I used nr.3 and 4 to achieve a slightly tidier cable run ;D


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jonralf*
> 
> upgraded my gpu to sapphire 280x vapor-x tri-x
> 
> 
> feel really accomplished feeling now that the gpu extend all the way
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> plug and play, run unigine valley benchmark, gpu reach top 76c with room temp over 33c
> cpu temp is barely 70c full load too
> 
> done building the pc, probably wont touch the inside of it for some time, but who knows?


I know that feeling ;D I just built my PC today and the Sapphire Tri-X R9 280X looks amazing in there! It's a really tight fit though, the backplate on my GPU is right up against the optical bay and I think I have like maybe a couple of millimeters between the card and the side panel ;P Looks amazing though and the vents on the side panel is almost a perfect size for the GPU's 3 fans ;D


----------



## Badesh

Hey there, i just found out about this Forum/Thread.

I built my own little gaming machine a year back, started with an elite 120











Asrock B75m-ITX
Antec 620
Bequiet E9 CM 480W
Asus Radeon 7870
8GB Kingston HyperX @1.5v
and a Xeon 1230v2

Sound is outsourced to an asus xonar u7 usb soundcard
Storage is mounted in front with a crucial 120gb ssd and a Western Digital Green 3.5"

So far so good. A few month ago i dediced to upgrade to the elite 130 because of the better airflow. i didn't expect it to be that much louder because of the intake noise.

Also, i was satisfied with my antec for it's first year. it was dead silent. after a year it startet to produce the loudest noise, now humming together with my front intake :\

I am not really satisfied but i like the size too much to switch to another case. i already got some inspiration for better optimization. right now, I'm curious how it performs if i use the front fan to blow out the heat.

I don't have a new photo of the 130 because i didn't attach the LEDs yet. Also it was my first sleeve job and i didn't expect the cables to be that inflexible after doing so, so it looks kinda weird.


----------



## obababoy

How are your Temps with the Sapphire tri x 280? I got the 290 vapor and it is hugggge. Barely fits. I'll have to bend mesh side a bit to keep turbulence down.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *obababoy*
> 
> How are your Temps with the Sapphire tri x 280? I got the 290 vapor and it is hugggge. Barely fits. I'll have to bend mesh side a bit to keep turbulence down.


Well to be honest I can't tell anything about the temps yet as I haven't gotten around to install the OS, Drivers etc... To be more specific I'm still waiting for my keyboard to arrive so I can actually do stuff in the bios







We only have laptops in the house and not a single keyboard lol







But While I'm waiting for the keyboard I'm building a Desk for my room so I can actually have a place for my gaming setup








Only things that have not arrived yet is the monitor, mouse pad and the keyboard







I had to basically squeeze my USB3 cables to fit the GPU though, but I think it has enough clearance from the side panel









Edit: WOW, when reading this I can clearly see that I have problem with ending sentences with one of these


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Now I have the PC all put together! think I did quite well with the cable management and it ended up quite clean ;D
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now there's only one thing that worries me a little... the front IO connectors, but after a quick check with my dad (who works as a electrician or whatever it's called) I think it's all good ;D Extremely satisfied with the result and how it all turned out... also just want to make sure I'm correct on this one... It doesn't matter which SATA ports on the motherboard you use? Because I used nr.3 and 4 to achieve a slightly tidier cable run ;D


Sata ports matter so you need to make sure you are using Sata III 6gb/s instead of 3gb/s for your faster devices such as SSDs.
As far as the mechanical HDD, if you do upgrade get a desktop drive thats 7200 and more cache (like 64 mb) instead of 5400 8mb like that laptop drive you have now.

A good choice would be a WD Caviar Black or Blue, or a Seagate Barracuda 7200


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Sata ports matter so you need to make sure you are using Sata III 6gb/s instead of 3gb/s for your faster devices such as SSDs.
> As far as the mechanical HDD, if you do upgrade get something thats 7200 and more cache (like 64 mb) instead of 5400 8mb like that laptop drive.


As far as I know all four ports on the Asus Z97I-Plus is SATA III so it should be good ;D


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> As far as I know all four ports on the Asus Z97I-Plus is SATA III so it should be good ;D


Once you get the OS installed (and your KB of course) overclock that cpu


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Once you get the OS installed (and your KB of course) overclock that cpu


Will do, but I think I should overclock the GPU first... atleast get it to the factory OC for the Toxic model ;D
It has the same cooler so I can't see why I would have any problems doing that... then when that's done I guess I'll try to get my CPU running at somewhere between 4.2 and 4.5GHz ;D


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Will do, but I think I should overclock the GPU first... atleast get it to the factory OC for the Toxic model ;D
> It has the same cooler so I can't see why I would have any problems doing that... then when that's done I guess I'll try to get my CPU running at somewhere between 4.2 and 4.5GHz ;D


CPU overclocking is easier, you can get it as high as you can get it, just keep temps under 80 for 24/7 and voltage under 1.3v, might as well see how high you can clock it. You might get much higher than 4.2 to 4.5, its luck. Its easier because you can run a barrage of stability tests that can usually catch any instability. Try Aida64's stress test. Prime 95, Intel Burn Test are also good. Since you are building in a small box you should overclock with offset to keep the heat and power consumption down when you aren't using it.
Remember to enable the XMP profile for your ram to get it running at the 2400 speed.
GPU is a bit more difficult, keep the temperatures in a reasonable range (80 and below ... I think with that card, lower is always better with anything) and watch for artifacts. I really don't recommend using Furmark as a test, instead play intense games with it.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> CPU overclocking is easier, you can get it as high as you can get it, just keep temps under 80 for 24/7 and voltage under 1.3v, might as well see how high you can clock it. You might get much higher than 4.2 to 4.5, its luck. Its easier because you can run a barrage of stability tests that can usually catch any instability. Try Aida64's stress test. Prime 95, Intel Burn Test are also good. Since you are building in a small box you should overclock with offset to keep the heat and power consumption down when you aren't using it.
> Remember to enable the XMP profile for your ram to get it running at the 2400 speed.
> GPU is a bit more difficult, keep the temperatures in a reasonable range (80 and below ... I think with that card, lower is always better with anything) and watch for artifacts. I really don't recommend using Furmark as a test, instead play intense games with it.


Thanks for the tips! btw do you know if my RAM will run at 2400MHz because I've heard that when you overclock a haswell CPU the RAM speed goes down...


----------



## Kriss941

quick question about installing drivers... you don't need to install every driver up to this point ? You just need the latest driver, right?


----------



## obababoy

People get confused about ram. As ram frequency goes up so does the timings. For gaming there is a sweet spot around 1866mhz. At that speed you can go aggressive on the timings and it will be quicker then just hitting 2400mhz.

And just install the latest driver.


----------



## obababoy

When you over clock your cpu the ram speed gets changed so you will need to play with it a bit. Get cpu to a frequency you want. Run stability tests on it then worry about ram.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *obababoy*
> 
> People get confused about ram. As ram frequency goes up so does the timings. For gaming there is a sweet spot around 1866mhz. At that speed you can go aggressive on the timings and it will be quicker then just hitting 2400mhz.
> 
> And just install the latest driver.


Thanks ! And I know that for gaming the latency and speed pretty much cancels each other out so it doesn't really matter, but I heard something about RAM speed decreasing when overclocking the CPU on haswell based systems... that's why I didn't want to go with 1600MHz RAM as it would maybe end up running at something like 1333MHz instead of 1600 after I overclocked the CPU. So I went with some of the best RAM I could get (HyperX Beast 2400MHz, think it's CL11) and it wasn't really any more expensive than the other options around the 1600 and 1866 area


----------



## obababoy

Gotcha. Yeah I went with 1866 Cas 9 ram and my cpu is oc to 4.3. I even tightened up the timings more and have not had issues running at that speed cpu


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Thanks ! And I know that for gaming the latency and speed pretty much cancels each other out so it doesn't really matter, but I heard something about RAM speed decreasing when overclocking the CPU on haswell based systems... that's why I didn't want to go with 1600MHz RAM as it would maybe end up running at something like 1333MHz instead of 1600 after I overclocked the CPU. So I went with some of the best RAM I could get (HyperX Beast 2400MHz, think it's CL11) and it wasn't really any more expensive than the other options around the 1600 and 1866 area


Just go into the bios options (use your motherboard's manual) and select 2400 ram speed. Haswell wants faster frequency not timings.


----------



## minimii

Just bought a CM 110 case... I have an i5-4570 CPU and 750 Ti SC GPU. The case is small, but since the CPU isn't OC'd, do you think I'll be fine with the stock cooler? Or do I need a different cooler (air or water)


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *minimii*
> 
> Just bought a CM 110 case... I have an i5-4570 CPU and 750 Ti SC GPU. The case is small, but since the CPU isn't OC'd, do you think I'll be fine with the stock cooler? Or do I need a different cooler (air or water)


can use hwinfo 64 to monitor temps, if you keep the case clean and don't OC then you should be fine with stock.


----------



## bluedevil

Maybe I will get a better result here, gonna order a new SSD. Crucial MX100 256GB or Samsung EVO 250GB?


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Maybe I will get a better result here, gonna order a new SSD. Crucial MX100 256GB or Samsung EVO 250GB?


hard to say, both are top brands... I use OCZ so no exp. with either.
but found this-
http://techreport.com/review/26532/crucial-mx100-solid-state-drive-reviewed/2


----------



## AwdDude

Add Me, Elite 130 named DevilRig

Hi guys first post here, I have been out of the computer building scene for a while, but recently got back into it.
I have a total of 4 x Elite 130 rigs in my house. 2 of them are used for my xenserver hypervisors, the other 2 are worksations for me and my wife. Here is the list:

Name: xen1
Proc: AMD AM1 Kabini 3850 Sempron
Mobo: ASRock AM1B-ITX
Ram: 8GB G. Skill (2 x 4GB) 1600MHz
HDD: 500GB WD BLue
OS: XenServer 6.2

Name: xen2
Proc: AMD AM1 Kabini 3850 Sempron
Mobo: ASRock AM1B-ITX
Ram: 8GB G. Skill (2 x 4GB) 1600MHz
HDD: 500GB WD BLue
OS: XenServer 6.2

Name: WeePC
Proc: AMD AM1 Kabini 3850 Sempron
Mobo: ASRock AM1B-ITX
Ram: Corsair 4GB (2 x 2GB)1600MHz
HDD: Kingston v300 SSD 120GB
OS: Win 8.1 Pro

And last but certainly not least my personal beast
Name: DevilRig
Proc: Intel i7-4790K
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z97N-WIFI
Ram: Corsair 4GB (2 x 2GB) 1866MHz
HDD: OCZ Vertex 3 SSD 120GB
OS: Win 8.1 Pro

For the moment im running onboard graphics and havent gotten to mess around with overclocking yet, im still waiting on my Corsair h80i. Here are some pics of DevilRig:




Also since my board come with WiFi it has a little magnetic antenna that sits ontop of the case. Since the case is mostly metal and is grounded its basically a faraday cage so mounting the antenna inside the case wont really work that well. Has anyone figured out a cool way to integrate a wifi antenna into the case?

Also has anyone removed the drive bay cage?


----------



## thinkingbeyondthesquare

Has anyone tried shoe-horning a 200mm cas fan along the right hand side (from looking at the front) - possibly needing to remove the verticle hard drive support. The idea being that a slow rotating fan, even one that is probably only able to blow out 65% of its area due to not that many holes in the case side, may be able to make a good draw (blow out fan) pulling the warmer GPU air across the case and out.

Any thoughts on if it would a) Fit and b) actually do as Im thinking it may.

Would love to hear thoughts/experiences as i will be soon making the plunge on a 130

Cheers

Mark


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AwdDude*
> 
> Add Me, Elite 130 named DevilRig
> 
> Hi guys first post here, I have been out of the computer building scene for a while, but recently got back into it.
> I have a total of 4 x Elite 130 rigs in my house. 2 of them are used for my xenserver hypervisors, the other 2 are worksations for me and my wife. Here is the list:
> 
> Name: xen1
> Proc: AMD AM1 Kabini 3850 Sempron
> Mobo: ASRock AM1B-ITX
> Ram: 8GB G. Skill (2 x 4GB) 1600MHz
> HDD: 500GB WD BLue
> OS: XenServer 6.2
> 
> Name: xen2
> Proc: AMD AM1 Kabini 3850 Sempron
> Mobo: ASRock AM1B-ITX
> Ram: 8GB G. Skill (2 x 4GB) 1600MHz
> HDD: 500GB WD BLue
> OS: XenServer 6.2
> 
> Name: WeePC
> Proc: AMD AM1 Kabini 3850 Sempron
> Mobo: ASRock AM1B-ITX
> Ram: Corsair 4GB (2 x 2GB)1600MHz
> HDD: Kingston v300 SSD 120GB
> OS: Win 8.1 Pro
> 
> And last but certainly not least my personal beast
> Name: DevilRig
> Proc: Intel i5-4690K
> Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z97N-WIFI
> Ram: Corsair 4GB (2 x 2GB) 1866MHz
> HDD: Kingston v300 SSD 120GB
> OS: Win 8.1 Pro
> 
> For the moment im running onboard graphics and havent gotten to mess around with overclocking yet, im still waiting on my Corsair h80i. Here are some pics of DevilRig:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also since my board come with WiFi it has a little magnetic antenna that sits ontop of the case. Since the case is mostly metal and is grounded its basically a faraday cage so mounting the antenna inside the case wont really work that well. Has anyone figured out a cool way to integrate a wifi antenna into the case?
> 
> Also has anyone removed the drive bay cage?


I have removed the drive cage to get a fan and wc loop inside my 120. I used a drill to remove the rivets. Then you just pull it out. To reinstall, re-rivet it with a rivet gun or use a screw+nut.
I have also put the antenna inside my case before but I had inconsistent connections so I now run it outside. Maybe try running the screw on "stick" antennas that you find on a router or pci-e wifi card rather than the thin gauge wire ones and just have the "ears" external on the back of the case.


----------



## AwdDude

Ok so latest news on my build. I decided to take advantage of microcenter's return policy and upgrade to the i7-4790k. Also the kingston v300 SSD's are cheap for a reason, they cant even break 200MB per second on a sata3 connection. so i swapped with my laptop which has an older but still awesome OCZ Vertex 3. my laptop only has sata2 anyways so it cant really utilize the faster drive. I updated my original post to reflect the new hardware.

Ok so now its time for CPU cooling at first i was set on getting the Corsair H80i but doing some research i came accross the Zalman LQ320 which has a 48mm deep rad compared to the 38mm of the H80i.

Has anyone been able to stuff the LQ320 in their elite 130? is there anything that would prevent me from using it for my setup?


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AwdDude*
> 
> Ok so latest news on my build. I decided to take advantage of microcenter's return policy and upgrade to the i7-4790k. Also the kingston v300 SSD's are cheap for a reason, they cant even break 200MB per second on a sata3 connection. so i swapped with my laptop which has an older but still awesome OCZ Vertex 3. my laptop only has sata2 anyways so it cant really utilize the faster drive. I updated my original post to reflect the new hardware.
> 
> Ok so now its time for CPU cooling at first i was set on getting the Corsair H80i but doing some research i came accross the Zalman LQ320 which has a 48mm deep rad compared to the 38mm of the H80i.
> 
> Has anyone been able to stuff the LQ320 in their elite 130? is there anything that would prevent me from using it for my setup?


if it's like the antec 920 kulher then it will fit. as long as the length and height are the same as the other 120 rads, then the width won't really matter.


----------



## Kylearan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Maybe I will get a better result here, gonna order a new SSD. Crucial MX100 256GB or Samsung EVO 250GB?


I realize it's a week now since you wrote this (and this is my first post), but if you're sticking with the 250/256GB arena, you'll get better performance from the EVO, but a better price with the Crucial. If you're willing to bump the Crucial to 512GB, however, the performance becomes comparable.. I just picked up a 512GB myself for just over $200 earlier this week, roughly $0.39/GB.

As for replying to this thread in general, I ordered my Cooler Master Elite 130 last week and am waiting for the components to slowly trickle in. Found this thread last night. Dual purpose system: gaming and HTPC. My first build since the days of Morrowind, and I definitely bought things out of sequence.. but water under the bridge now, here's what's coming:

Case: Cooler Master Elite 130
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC
CPU: Intel Core i-5 4590 3.3 GHz Quad-Core
CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydro Series H60
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked
PSU: Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular
Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB SSD
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600
Optical: Asus DRW-21B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer

I also have some 3.5" SATA drives laying around, will probably put just one of them in for some storage and possibly partition it to backup the boot drive.

Have no idea whether I'll need a cooler or not.. but I had some credit to burn at Overstock, so it wound up being $16. The ASRock H97M was on sale at Micro Center and had a little rebate, making it the 'buy' over other boards. And while I'd love to OC someday, figured my first build in over a decade should be simple and stable. The CPU was also on sale for $159, so I couldn't pass that up. The PSU - I'm pretty sure I bought that first (oops).. seems like a good performer, but I've read it docked for poor acoustics. The GPU was on sale as well with a rebate, and I burned credit at Best Buy to pick up the Memory for about $25 (would have gone G.Skill if I hadn't). The DVD/CD writer is more to dodge any annoyances up front and may not be in the system very long.. we'll see.

My primary concern is going to be noise.. but there isn't much I can do on that end until I build it, I don't think. I highly doubt I'm going to have any heat issues, especially with the cooler, but better fans may come into play...that 80mm fan in the 130.. I haven't heard one good thing about it and am wondering what I should do, when the time comes. Remove it, replace it, put in a better fan? Will a 25mm fit? I've seen some solutions that are more than I'll likely need in this build.. guess I'll find out when everything finally gets here and I boot her up.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kylearan*
> 
> I realize it's a week now since you wrote this (and this is my first post), but if you're sticking with the 250/256GB arena, you'll get better performance from the EVO, but a better price with the Crucial. If you're willing to bump the Crucial to 512GB, however, the performance becomes comparable.. I just picked up a 512GB myself for just over $200 earlier this week, roughly $0.39/GB.
> 
> As for replying to this thread in general, I ordered my Cooler Master Elite 130 last week and am waiting for the components to slowly trickle in. Found this thread last night. Dual purpose system: gaming and HTPC. My first build since the days of Morrowind, and I definitely bought things out of sequence.. but water under the bridge now, here's what's coming:
> 
> Case: Cooler Master Elite 130
> Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC
> CPU: Intel Core i-5 4590 3.3 GHz Quad-Core
> CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydro Series H60
> Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked
> PSU: Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular
> Storage: Crucial MX100 512GB SSD
> Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600
> Optical: Asus DRW-21B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer
> 
> I also have some 3.5" SATA drives laying around, will probably put just one of them in for some storage and possibly partition it to backup the boot drive.
> 
> Have no idea whether I'll need a cooler or not.. but I had some credit to burn at Overstock, so it wound up being $16. The ASRock H97M was on sale at Micro Center and had a little rebate, making it the 'buy' over other boards. And while I'd love to OC someday, figured my first build in over a decade should be simple and stable. The CPU was also on sale for $159, so I couldn't pass that up. The PSU - I'm pretty sure I bought that first (oops).. seems like a good performer, but I've read it docked for poor acoustics. The GPU was on sale as well with a rebate, and I burned credit at Best Buy to pick up the Memory for about $25 (would have gone G.Skill if I hadn't). The DVD/CD writer is more to dodge any annoyances up front and may not be in the system very long.. we'll see.
> 
> My primary concern is going to be noise.. but there isn't much I can do on that end until I build it, I don't think. I highly doubt I'm going to have any heat issues, especially with the cooler, but better fans may come into play...that 80mm fan in the 130.. I haven't heard one good thing about it and am wondering what I should do, when the time comes. Remove it, replace it, put in a better fan? Will a 25mm fit? I've seen some solutions that are more than I'll likely need in this build.. guess I'll find out when everything finally gets here and I boot her up.


I ended up letting sales get the best of me as well







One of the first components I ordered was the CPU cooler which is a thermaltake water 2.0 Pro ;D I found it on sale for about 50% less than what I would have to pay for a H60 so I felt like I couldn't pass that up as I didn't want the stock cooler anyways...
My plan before this was to not overclock and go with the i5 4570, but as I bought a double thick 120mm AIO with two fans in push/pull and performance that beats the H100 (non i) I felt like not getting a K CPU would be a waste of potential so I bought a 4670K and ended up with the Asus Z97i-Plus







Basically going a bit over my budget, but the PC works great ;D running the CPU at 4.2GHz and it barely touches 70C with Prime95 torture test







while not even running the fans and pump at 100%


----------



## Kriss941

Also I've been thinking of several cooling solutions for the case and what I see as the best cooling mods would be to use two slim 120mm fans as exhaust on the right hand side of the case... by just drilling 4 holes you should be able to mount both fans to the "side panel". also I have considered drilling out a hole for a 120mm fan at the top of the case, clearance may vary, but for me I could mount it there and have just a small part of the fan going over into the 5.25 bay which would also provide some extra airflow for my HDD and SSD up in there ;D also thinking about doing a window mod... will probably go check some prices and stuff on acrylic glass tomorrow ;D


----------



## AwdDude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I ended up letting sales get the best of me as well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of the first components I ordered was the CPU cooler which is a thermaltake water 2.0 Pro ;D I found it on sale for about 50% less than what I would have to pay for a H60 so I felt like I couldn't pass that up as I didn't want the stock cooler anyways...
> My plan before this was to not overclock and go with the i5 4570, but as I bought a double thick 120mm AIO with two fans in push/pull and performance that beats the H100 (non i) I felt like not getting a K CPU would be a waste of potential so I bought a 4670K and ended up with the Asus Z97i-Plus
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Basically going a bit over my budget, but the PC works great ;D running the CPU at 4.2GHz and it barely touches 70C with Prime95 torture test
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> while not even running the fans and pump at 100%


Man, i feel what you are saying about a "Budget Build turning into a monster rig. My initial proposal for my build was going to be an AMD Kabini build, as i already have 3 others built with kabini processors using this case. But then i started looking at the alternatives, thinking "Well for only $x more i can upgrade to an AMD A8 processor, then "well for only $x more i can upgrade to an FX processor. oh but wait no one makes a mini itx mother board for the fx processors, ok lets look at the A10's. "Wow these are really powerful i should be able to make a really sweet system out of one of these".

The turning point from budget build to all out monster happend around the time i thought "man AMD CPU's are soo much cheaper than Intel's.....oh look at microcenter they have crazy low prices on intel CPU's, and $40 off if i buy the motherboard at the same time???"

First i bought the new Devils Canyon i5-4690k, for $200 plus $40 off with a motherboard bundle. Well my friends at work kept telling me how nice it is to have an i7 for running Virtual Machines, more cores even hyper threaded ones make running multiple VM's at the same time more responsive. I was also looking into overclocking my i5 thinking i could equal or surpass the i7 with a water cooling unit like the H80i. but i realized the h80i costs around $90 and for $80 i could just get the i7. Well as it turns out micro center has a kick ass return policy for processors so i took the i5 back and got an i7-4790k. It scores a 1240 passmark, the i5 only got 8400. Granted 8400 is nothing to scoff at but i only had to spend $80 to get almost 50% more processing power, and i can still try to overclock the i7 to get alittle more if i want to.

Today i just picked up a nice Dell 22inch IPS monitor for it, I was using some old 15inch monitors I had in the attic until i could find a good deal on something. I almost got the h80i too but i im going to be out of town all next week on business so i should atleast wait till i get back.

I need to find a good graphics card for this thing, just like everything else in the build i started out saying i would just use on board graphics, but we all know how that goes. im thinking something like the 270x or 280x, if i find a good deal i might get the graphics card before the water cooling. we shall see.


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AwdDude*
> 
> Man, i feel what you are saying about a "Budget Build turning into a monster rig. My initial proposal for my build was going to be an AMD Kabini build, as i already have 3 others built with kabini processors using this case. But then i started looking at the alternatives, thinking "Well for only $x more i can upgrade to an AMD A8 processor, then "well for only $x more i can upgrade to an FX processor. oh but wait no one makes a mini itx mother board for the fx processors, ok lets look at the A10's. "Wow these are really powerful i should be able to make a really sweet system out of one of these".
> 
> The turning point from budget build to all out monster happend around the time i thought "man AMD CPU's are soo much cheaper than Intel's.....oh look at microcenter they have crazy low prices on intel CPU's, and $40 off if i buy the motherboard at the same time???"
> 
> First i bought the new Devils Canyon i5-4690k, for $200 plus $40 off with a motherboard bundle. Well my friends at work kept telling me how nice it is to have an i7 for running Virtual Machines, more cores even hyper threaded ones make running multiple VM's at the same time more responsive. I was also looking into overclocking my i5 thinking i could equal or surpass the i7 with a water cooling unit like the H80i. but i realized the h80i costs around $90 and for $80 i could just get the i7. Well as it turns out micro center has a kick ass return policy for processors so i took the i5 back and got an i7-4790k. It scores a 1240 passmark, the i5 only got 8400. Granted 8400 is nothing to scoff at but i only had to spend $80 to get almost 50% more processing power, and i can still try to overclock the i7 to get alittle more if i want to.
> 
> Today i just picked up a nice Dell 22inch IPS monitor for it, I was using some old 15inch monitors I had in the attic until i could find a good deal on something. I almost got the h80i too but i im going to be out of town all next week on business so i should atleast wait till i get back.
> 
> I need to find a good graphics card for this thing, just like everything else in the build i started out saying i would just use on board graphics, but we all know how that goes. im thinking something like the 270x or 280x, if i find a good deal i might get the graphics card before the water cooling. we shall see.


With all that processing power don't you need more RAM too? I would think that's the main bottleneck (you only have 4 GB listed in your sig rig), but I'm not that much into VMs - Just thinking to set up a VM you also have to allocate some ram to that VM, right?

Anyway I would like to say hi to all! I just built my wife a computer over the past two days in a 110 Elite. Will post pictures when I get from work. WOW that case is a ***** for full length PSU + cables - but all I had was a spare AX850







Not even sporting a GPU which would make it a lot worse.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> With all that processing power don't you need more RAM too? I would think that's the main bottleneck (you only have 4 GB listed in your sig rig), but I'm not that much into VMs - Just thinking to set up a VM you also have to allocate some ram to that VM, right?
> 
> Anyway I would like to say hi to all! I just built my wife a computer over the past two days in a 110 Elite. Will post pictures when I get from work. WOW that case is a ***** for full length PSU + cables - but all I had was a spare AX850
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not even sporting a GPU which would make it a lot worse.


Haha! AX850 and you're not even using a GPU... You're lucky corsair makes great PSU's because you're probably loosing effeciancy as the PSU is the most effecient between 20% and 100% and that system is probably drawing like 10% from the PSU


----------



## AwdDude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> With all that processing power don't you need more RAM too? I would think that's the main bottleneck (you only have 4 GB listed in your sig rig), but I'm not that much into VMs - Just thinking to set up a VM you also have to allocate some ram to that VM, right?
> 
> Anyway I would like to say hi to all! I just built my wife a computer over the past two days in a 110 Elite. Will post pictures when I get from work. WOW that case is a ***** for full length PSU + cables - but all I had was a spare AX850
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not even sporting a GPU which would make it a lot worse.


You are absolutely right about needing more ram, 4GB is enough to run windows 8.1 and just about anything i want to run for the time being, but when i get more serious with VM's i'll need to get as much as possible. I got this ram for free its just a place holder until i can upgrade. For now i will just have to rely on my AMD Kabini Xenserver cluster for my VM labs.

I seriously considered getting the elite 110. But figured I should get the 130 incase i decide to get a massive GPU. plus cable management is easier on the 130


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Haha! AX850 and you're not even using a GPU... You're lucky corsair makes great PSU's because you're probably loosing effeciancy as the PSU is the most effecient between 20% and 100% and that system is probably drawing like 10% from the PSU


Yeah it's quite ridiculous but all I had and no reason for it to collect dust and spend money on a new one







At least it's also fully modular, but you are very right about efficiency. I don't have any of that sort









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AwdDude*
> 
> You are absolutely right about needing more ram, 4GB is enough to run windows 8.1 and just about anything i want to run for the time being, but when i get more serious with VM's i'll need to get as much as possible. I got this ram for free its just a place holder until i can upgrade. For now i will just have to rely on my AMD Kabini Xenserver cluster for my VM labs.
> 
> I seriously considered getting the elite 110. But figured I should get the 130 incase i decide to get a massive GPU. plus cable management is easier on the 130


I wouldn't recommend the 110 for anything more than super simple facebook PCs It is a tight fit and the options for mounting drives and cooling are worse than expected. It does do the job of being small on the desk admirably though.

And on the note- here's a few pics for documentation:


No I didn't clean up the desk yet It's somewhat dusty and I stripped down an old full tower for the PSU and CPU. It was a "take leftovers and put it to use" project, partly to keep her from complaining about the money I spend putting WC on my own machine. Picked 8GB because the alternative was to put some old 2x2gb HyperX 1333Mhz sticks in, so now it's future proof and upgrade ready.Those other RAM can go into a future even-more-cheap-ass project.

Specs:
110 Elite
i5-2500K - Stock fan goodness!
Asus P8H61-I LX R2.0 (Yikes! No USB 3.0 - oh well... It was cheap)
8GB Crucial Balistics 1600Mhz random cheap-ish stick.
Enermax 140mm fan I had spare after switching to Noctua in my own rig.
Corsair AX 850 - POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!!!!!


----------



## jacqg

If anyone cares it seems like the dimensions of the 2 Tri-X cards are as follows:

308(L)X113(W)X41(H) mm Size. = 280x
305(L)X113(W)X38(H) mm Size. = 290/290 OC

Will be buying a Tri-X 290 sometime next week to try to fit in this case!!! Kriss941 was able to fit a 280x on his build so maybe... a 290 would fit as well.

Also please add me, this is my build:


http://imgur.com/eglPy


Specs in a Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced
i5-4670K
Corsair H60
Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI Mini ITX
Kingston HyperX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600
Sandisk Extreme 120GB
Seagate Barracuda Green 2TB 3.5" 5900RPM
Sapphire Dual-X Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card
Rosewill Hive 650W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular


----------



## bluedevil

A little treat....


----------



## Anusha

guys what's the best AIO water cooling unit you can fit in the Elite 130?
I also have a couple of HDDs and a SSD to mount.


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jacqg*
> 
> If anyone cares it seems like the dimensions of the 2 Tri-X cards are as follows:
> 
> 308(L)X113(W)X41(H) mm Size. = 280x
> 305(L)X113(W)X38(H) mm Size. = 290/290 OC
> 
> Will be buying a Tri-X 290 sometime next week to try to fit in this case!!! Kriss941 was able to fit a 280x on his build so maybe... a 290 would fit as well.
> 
> Also please add me, this is my build:
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/eglPy
> 
> 
> Specs in a Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced
> i5-4670K
> Corsair H60
> Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI Mini ITX
> Kingston HyperX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600
> Sandisk Extreme 120GB
> Seagate Barracuda Green 2TB 3.5" 5900RPM
> Sapphire Dual-X Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card
> Rosewill Hive 650W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular


nice build







how is the noise? the 7950 would be the loudest (fans) in it right? are they 100% on fan usage?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anusha*
> 
> guys what's the best AIO water cooling unit you can fit in the Elite 130?
> I also have a couple of HDDs and a SSD to mount.


case can be modded to fit larger, but think the easiest AIO to put in without modding would most likely be a thicker 120mm rad like the Antec 920, seidon 120xl, etc..


----------



## AwdDude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anusha*
> 
> guys what's the best AIO water cooling unit you can fit in the Elite 130?
> I also have a couple of HDDs and a SSD to mount.


I spent alot of time looking into the biggest baddest AIO water cooling system i could fit in the elite 130. As far as biggest radiator the LQ320 seems to be the top contender coming in at 52MM deep. I was very close to ordering that system but i ended up getting the h80i, still a thick radiator at 38-39mm (standard seems to be 25mm) but its got built-in corsair link to control the fans and even has a useful LED indicator.

Just for fun check out this radiator, I cant see why it wouldn't fit in the elite 130. the only issue is that it wouldn't be an AIO: Monsta


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blue Dragon*
> 
> nice build
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> how is the noise? the 7950 would be the loudest (fans) in it right? are they 100% on fan usage?
> 
> case can be modded to fit larger, but think the easiest AIO to put in without modding would most likely be a thicker 120mm rad like the Antec 920, seidon 120xl, etc..


I put in a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro and that's a double thick radiator as well... only problem I had was that I had to bend away the SSD mount under the 3.25" bay in order to fit the second fan and have it running in Push/pull ;D


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AwdDude*
> 
> I spent alot of time looking into the biggest baddest AIO water cooling system i could fit in the elite 130. As far as biggest radiator the LQ320 seems to be the top contender coming in at 52MM deep. I was very close to ordering that system but i ended up getting the h80i, still a thick radiator at 38-39mm (standard seems to be 25mm) but its got built-in corsair link to control the fans and even has a useful LED indicator.
> 
> Just for fun check out this radiator, I cant see why it wouldn't fit in the elite 130. the only issue is that it wouldn't be an AIO: Monsta


should be possible... I'm a little unsure about push/pull, but if you got that one you could remove the 5.25" bay, put a res and pump combo between the rad and the mobo and it should be good to go... As push/pull might be a little tight you could go with one of the new noctua fans and get insane results!


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jacqg*
> 
> If anyone cares it seems like the dimensions of the 2 Tri-X cards are as follows:
> 
> 308(L)X113(W)X41(H) mm Size. = 280x
> 305(L)X113(W)X38(H) mm Size. = 290/290 OC
> 
> Will be buying a Tri-X 290 sometime next week to try to fit in this case!!! Kriss941 was able to fit a 280x on his build so maybe... a 290 would fit as well.
> 
> Also please add me, this is my build:
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/eglPy
> 
> 
> Specs in a Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced
> i5-4670K
> Corsair H60
> Gigabyte GA-Z87N-WIFI Mini ITX
> Kingston HyperX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600
> Sandisk Extreme 120GB
> Seagate Barracuda Green 2TB 3.5" 5900RPM
> Sapphire Dual-X Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card
> Rosewill Hive 650W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular


I have to tell you that getting the card in there was a tight fit! I had to get it in on an angle as the backplate was hitting the 5.25" bay







now it sits basically right under the edge of the bay... Without the backplate it would have fit easily so that's basically the only dimension of the card that gave me some struggles ;D


----------



## Kriss941

Guys I think it's time... Time for this page to see some nice mods again... been a while since somebody last modified their elite 130 and postet pictures, but now it shall happens once more! I have decided that I will do a window mod on my 130 and I checked what a piece of acrylic glass would cost me...

I will cut out a 31 x 13.5cm opening in the case side panel, drill four mounting holes (will actually leave the bottom row of "mesh" intact and use two of those holes to mount...). The window itself will be a 33 x 16.5 cm tinted piece of acrylic and it will be mounted to the case using 7-10mm spacers (not quite sure on the length yet) ;D

I'm excited as hell to do this and hope that I won't **** up... I will post pictures of the process once finished or as I go, but before I start I need to make sure I have the tools needed and also I have to wait for my salary to come







so it will probably happen sometime mid next month


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Guys I think it's time... Time for this page to see some nice mods again... been a while since somebody last modified their elite 130 and postet pictures, but now it shall happens once more! I have decided that I will do a window mod on my 130 and I checked what a piece of acrylic glass would cost me...
> 
> I will cut out a 31 x 13.5cm opening in the case side panel, drill four mounting holes (will actually leave the bottom row of "mesh" intact and use two of those holes to mount...). The window itself will be a 33 x 16.5 cm tinted piece of acrylic and it will be mounted to the case using 7-10mm spacers (not quite sure on the length yet) ;D
> 
> I'm excited as hell to do this and hope that I won't **** up... I will post pictures of the process once finished or as I go, but before I start I need to make sure I have the tools needed and also I have to wait for my salary to come
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> so it will probably happen sometime mid next month


I will take up the challenge and look to do a window mod, if possible, in the 110 WifeyBox.

Looking forward to see your work!


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> I will take up the challenge and look to do a window mod, if possible, in the 110 WifeyBox.
> 
> Looking forward to see your work!


Allready started the mod today as I had nothing else to to







the cut-out for the window is completed and it looks quite good even with just the cut-out and no glass







pictures will be coming up tomorrow/today evening when I get back from work ;D But I have to say it looks quite awesome allready!


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Allready started the mod today as I had nothing else to to
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the cut-out for the window is completed and it looks quite good even with just the cut-out and no glass
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> pictures will be coming up tomorrow/today evening when I get back from work ;D But I have to say it looks quite awesome allready!


Great! Looking forward to see it!

I got to the stage of telling my wife that I would do it... "But it finally works!?" was her response. (I used a vertex 3 as boot drive and it had not been firmware updated to fix the issues those drives had once they came to market, so I had massive problems getting it to boot to begin with).

Anyway hope to get around to it within a few weeks. With 2 kids and only an apartment it's hard to find time or space for the dremel. Alternative is to bring the case to work where we have a workshop, but that is closed due to summer holiday.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> Great! Looking forward to see it!
> 
> I got to the stage of telling my wife that I would do it... "But it finally works!?" was her response. (I used a vertex 3 as boot drive and it had not been firmware updated to fix the issues those drives had once they came to market, so I had massive problems getting it to boot to begin with).
> 
> Anyway hope to get around to it within a few weeks. With 2 kids and only an apartment it's hard to find time or space for the dremel. Alternative is to bring the case to work where we have a workshop, but that is closed due to summer holiday.


well here's the first pictures of the mod in progress












Unfortunately I'm broke at the moment so I'll have to wait for a while before I'll be able to finnish the project...
Also I expanded the mod a bit, because as I was painting the edges of the cut I found this grey metallic paint laing around so I started off with using that on the PSU "dust" filter







then I thought, this will look amazing on the mesh at the front of the case so I painted that as well ;D hopefully It'll look good and it should make my whole setup look more unified as my mouse is black and grey, my keyboard is in aliminum (black and grey) and my monitor has grey accents as well ;D Pictures of the result will come up pretty soon ;D


----------



## celes7ial

Wasted my 130 while cutting a hole for the 120mm fan on the top (wrong tools), but love this case, so instead of buying Node 304, bought 130 again.

If someone had an opportunity to test 130 with NexXxos Monsta 120x1, I would be glad to see some answers here:
- will it fit?
- will it alone keep my i5 4690 & r9 280x (gpu only) cool on dual 1500 rpm noiseblockers?
- is dual Zalman LQ-310/315 pumps, which I'm using as waterblocks on my cpu and gpu, be enough to make a right flow?
Thanks for your help in advance.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *celes7ial*
> 
> Wasted my 130 while cutting a hole for the 120mm fan on the top (wrong tools), but love this case, so instead of buying Node 304, bought 130 again.
> 
> If someone had an opportunity to test 130 with NexXxos Monsta 120x1, I would be glad to see some answers here:
> - will it fit?
> - will it alone keep my i5 4690 & r9 280x (gpu only) cool on dual 1500 rpm noiseblockers?
> - is dual Zalman LQ-310/315 pumps, which I'm using as waterblocks on my cpu and gpu, be enough to make a right flow?
> Thanks for your help in advance.


I'm by no means a watercooling expert, but you should be able to fit that radiator in there... worst case scenario is that you'll have to remove the 5.25" bay to make it fit... but I think it would work without doing that. also Push/pull might be a little tricky, so maybe invest in some of the nice new noctua fans and run it in just pull or push?


----------



## Kriss941

Here's a quick picture of how the front panel turned out ;D


----------



## 345309

hi guys, i have question for owners Cooler Master Elite 130.

i plan buy this case for cpu "pentium g3258 retail box"
my question is when i use standart fan what is in retail box pentium g3258 isnt problem with space?
i mean between: motherboard with cpu with stock coller AND psu

i try find on net stock coller size what is in pentium g3258 retail box but without result :/

i want buy:
* Intel Pentium G3258
(i have in planbuy in future maybe cooler master seidon 120m but this only when i in future buy cpu from new generation,
so i want now use with g3258 only stock cooler)
* Crucial 8GB DDR3 1600MHz CL9 Ballistix Sport / Crucial 8GB KIT DDR3 1600MHz CL9 Ballistix Sport
(maybe only one 8gb and not two 4gb for future upgrade on 16gb)
* GIGABYTE Z97N-WIFI
* Cooler Master Elite 130
* EVGA GeForce GTX750
* Seasonic G Series 450W


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PepeCZ*
> 
> hi guys, i have question for owners Cooler Master Elite 130.
> 
> i plan buy this case for cpu "pentium g3258 retail box"
> my question is when i use standart fan what is in retail box pentium g3258 isnt problem with space?
> i mean between: motherboard with cpu with stock coller AND psu
> 
> i try find on net stock coller size what is in pentium g3258 retail box but without result :/
> 
> i want buy:
> * Intel Pentium G3258
> (i have in planbuy in future maybe cooler master seidon 120m but this only when i in future buy cpu from new generation,
> so i want now use with g3258 only stock cooler)
> * Crucial 8GB DDR3 1600MHz CL9 Ballistix Sport / Crucial 8GB KIT DDR3 1600MHz CL9 Ballistix Sport
> (maybe only one 8gb and not two 4gb for future upgrade on 16gb)
> * GIGABYTE Z97N-WIFI
> * Cooler Master Elite 130
> * EVGA GeForce GTX750
> * Seasonic G Series 450W


I have a Pentium G3430 in my Elite 130 and the stock cooler for that one fit's fine.


----------



## 345309

hi thanks you for your reply. and you have psu on normal place on top as is maintboard?

small question - i not find on net photo default cooler. please pentium stock fan have size? +-5cm? i try find but without result


----------



## bluedevil

More work done.


----------



## Zebeyo

Woah you sure aren't slacking off - I still haven't even measured up the first cut


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> Woah you sure aren't slacking off - I still haven't even measured up the first cut


I did everything last night.


----------



## Kriss941

I've bben considering to maybe make a fan hole on the top like you did as well ;D did you have any trouble doing it or was it fairly easy?
As I named my build AN602 - Thermonuclear and my GPU is essentially a Toxic 280X I think it would look awesome If I got a orange LED fan and had this http://www.aquatuning.no/luftkjler/viftegrill/16043/phobya-lueftergitter-120mm-biohazard-massive-4mm-alu-black mounted there ;D


----------



## bluedevil

Swapped locations of the 120XL (Now in front) and the 120M (Now in roof) for better fitment. I also refited the GPU block 90 degrees right to have one tube over one tube under. Works better and its less stress on the tubes. Overall I am very happy with the way my rig has turned out.


----------



## Zebeyo

My turn then. Just a few small updates on the WifeyBox as she is out of town so I had to kill time tonight. I still plan to put a window in there, but It's hard to find a proper place because of the meshed sides and top are continuing too close to the edge of the case to easily just replace with a window without risking the fit of the cover on the case. Oh well - she's on a trip until wednesday so I may have time tomorrow with the dremel!









Mods:
Replaced logo LED from blue to red. Super simple mod as the power led has resistor onboard so just cut off the led and solder on a new one.
Added som RGB LED strip. Didn't bother making a controller (working on an integrated arduino controller via USB for LED strip on my own Node 304). I just soldered the +12v and ground of red and blue to a molex connector and BAM - purple/pink light.

Additionally I replaced the 140mm Enermax batwing blade with another Enermax batwing - a 120mm blue led version I had from an old computer. It has built in thermal sensor which - supposedly - it should be able to read and adjust speed accordingly. The sensor is on a small wire, and the measuring part fit perfectly between the fins on the H61 chipset. I doubt it makes a difference, but the fan is pretty quiet, and the lights work well with the red logo to give a gradient like impression of the front from red to purple to blue.

Sorry for ****ty pics.





Unfortunately due to cables sticking out on the back it will most likely be rotated like in the bottom pic, so my glorious work will hardly be visible... On a second thought it does face straight out in the living room though...


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> My turn then. Just a few small updates on the WifeyBox as she is out of town so I had to kill time tonight. I still plan to put a window in there, but It's hard to find a proper place because of the meshed sides and top are continuing too close to the edge of the case to easily just replace with a window without risking the fit of the cover on the case. Oh well - she's on a trip until wednesday so I may have time tomorrow with the dremel!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mods:
> Replaced logo LED from blue to red. Super simple mod as the power led has resistor onboard so just cut off the led and solder on a new one.
> Added som RGB LED strip. Didn't bother making a controller (working on an integrated arduino controller via USB for LED strip on my own Node 304). I just soldered the +12v and ground of red and blue to a molex connector and BAM - purple/pink light.
> 
> Additionally I replaced the 140mm Enermax batwing blade with another Enermax batwing - a 120mm blue led version I had from an old computer. It has built in thermal sensor which - supposedly - it should be able to read and adjust speed accordingly. The sensor is on a small wire, and the measuring part fit perfectly between the fins on the H61 chipset. I doubt it makes a difference, but the fan is pretty quiet, and the lights work well with the red logo to give a gradient like impression of the front from red to purple to blue.
> 
> Sorry for ****ty pics.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unfortunately due to cables sticking out on the back it will most likely be rotated like in the bottom pic, so my glorious work will hardly be visible... On a second thought it does face straight out in the living room though...


Wow that is bright!


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PepeCZ*
> 
> hi thanks you for your reply. and you have psu on normal place on top as is maintboard?
> 
> small question - i not find on net photo default cooler. please pentium stock fan have size? +-5cm? i try find but without result


think it is closer to 8cm it's a Foxconn pbt-gf30-fr fan on my heatsink.


----------



## jacqg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blue Dragon*
> 
> nice build
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> how is the noise? the 7950 would be the loudest (fans) in it right? are they 100% on fan usage?


Sorry took forever to reply but the noise is loud yes. I don't like it either but it'll be replaced with an R9 290 in a week or so. It's shipping as we speak. My biggest gripe about this system is the heat on load. I feel kind of uncomfortable with 35-40C idle and 60-68C on load with the H60 cooler.

Are my temps too hot? Anyone here have good temps on 120mm water coolers? I've been thinking about the H80 but I'm not quite sure what improvement it'll give me to be honest so I'm not sure if I'm gonna redo it again.

Currently using a Corsair H60 with push/pull Cougar Vortex fans.


----------



## GrandpaGus

Build suggestions?
I typically only do medium overclocks but like having the system to support it -- and then start to push it a while before I start contemplating my next build. My last build was around an i5-2500k.

GPU: Is it typically suggested to go with a blower style on the GPU (reference) or does the ACX work pretty well in the CM 130 case?
RAM: Any foreseen problems with the ram or ram height?

I'm looking for a quiet system and looked at other cpu coolers such as the noctua nh-L9I but the Seidon is looking like it'll keep it a lot cooler with close to the same db level.

(pcpartpicker:)
Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core
Cooler Master Seidon 120V 86.2 CFM Liquid
ASRock Z97E-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1150
G.Skill Trident X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2400
Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" SSD
& Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM
EVGA GeForce GTX 780 3GB Superclocked ACX
Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower
EVGA 850W ATX12V / EPS12V

I actually have an old Kingwin mach1 that'll I'll probably try to re-use but think the length due mainly to the type of modular connectors used will be too much.

Feel free to chip in comments on anything else as well.. esp airflow suggestions if relevant.

Thanks!


----------



## jacqg

Might be a bit of a stupid question but how do I go about in removing the gray front panel on the Elite 120? I have no tools, no tool experience either. I'm willing to buy or rent to get the job done. I tried taking out the front panel of the case and running it that way and my temps dropped dramatically low so I'd like to remove the gray part to allow the 120mm fan to get fresh air.

Please help









*edit: Would sidecutters and sandpaper be enough?


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jacqg*
> 
> Might be a bit of a stupid question but how do I go about in removing the gray front panel on the Elite 120? I have no tools, no tool experience either. I'm willing to buy or rent to get the job done. I tried taking out the front panel of the case and running it that way and my temps dropped dramatically low so I'd like to remove the gray part to allow the 120mm fan to get fresh air.
> 
> Please help
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *edit: Would sidecutters and sandpaper be enough?


One word. Dremel.









In short a pair of snips should work fine.


----------



## jacqg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> One word. Dremel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In short a pair of snips should work fine.


I think I'm gonna go with the more economical pliers + sandpaper route, but any idea with the mesh that can be used? Someone used a ModRight mesh Hex that I can't seem to find anymore and I'm not sure about the ones for cars or home depots. :| Are most aluminum mesh sheets bendable? Even the ones for cars?


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jacqg*
> 
> I think I'm gonna go with the more economical pliers + sandpaper route, but any idea with the mesh that can be used? Someone used a ModRight mesh Hex that I can't seem to find anymore and I'm not sure about the ones for cars or home depots. :| Are most aluminum mesh sheets bendable? Even the ones for cars?


This is the stuff I used.









http://www.amazon.com/CCG-Perforated-Grill-Mesh-Sheet/dp/B00F3FJYSQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406148194&sr=8-2&keywords=hex+mesh


----------



## HuwSharpe

Okay so who wants adding to the owners club list? Don't forget to tell us your build name.


----------



## mrtbahgs

Im working on a simple build for my dad to use as a basic home PC for email and web mostly (G3220 with integrated graphics or a 650ti at best). I already ordered and received my Elite 130 and just finalizing some other components to order.

I wanted to ask ahead of time, for a complete air cool setup, is their diagram really the prefered way to go with the PSU drawing in fresh air and exhausitng itself out the back and leaving the rest of the case to have no exhaust fans only the 2 stick intakes? Im not sure if making the small side fan exhaust would do much or if the PSU should have the fan face down, but perhaps its just my shorter experience with building PC's that it seems odd to not try and more evenly balance intake/exhaust flows.

My particular setup might not matter since it probably runs a heck of a lot cooler without any high end components or gaming etc, but I'd like to know the answer to both scenarios I guess just so I can understand it better.

Also whats everyone's experience been with the amount of dust and how quickly it can accumulate with all the mesh? Im wondering If itd be smart to look into the filters since I dont think I want to try and explain to my father how to safely take apart and clean the PC every now and then, but then again I dont want it to fill with dust and clog up. Knowing him, he would just try and vacuum everything out lol.


----------



## HuwSharpe

If i was to use the Elite 130 with an air cooling setup i would position the PSU to draw air in from outside the case, though this would depend somewhat on the type of air cooler used. However, assuming you are using a sock cooler, or a cooler that is pushing air down, you don't want another fan about it pulling air the the way. Just my opinion.


----------



## mrtbahgs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> If i was to use the Elite 130 with an air cooling setup i would position the PSU to draw air in from outside the case, though this would depend somewhat on the type of air cooler used. However, assuming you are using a sock cooler, or a cooler that is pushing air down, you don't want another fan about it pulling air the the way. Just my opinion.


That makes perfect sense, as soon as i read it I felt dumb not imaging what the 2 fans would do to each other, then again Im used to full towers and completely different setups so I'll make it be my excuse.

I love some of the case mods you guys have been doing by the way. Personally I've never been interested because I wouldnt want to potentially damage/ruin a $300 case, but with these smaller or more affordable cases, its something I could see myself trying to tackle at some point.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jacqg*
> 
> Sorry took forever to reply but the noise is loud yes. I don't like it either but it'll be replaced with an R9 290 in a week or so. It's shipping as we speak. My biggest gripe about this system is the heat on load. I feel kind of uncomfortable with 35-40C idle and 60-68C on load with the H60 cooler.
> 
> Are my temps too hot? Anyone here have good temps on 120mm water coolers? I've been thinking about the H80 but I'm not quite sure what improvement it'll give me to be honest so I'm not sure if I'm gonna redo it again.
> 
> Currently using a Corsair H60 with push/pull Cougar Vortex fans.


I have my 4670K clocked at 4.2GHz and it barely touches 70C when running stress tests with my thermaltake water 2.0 Pro... should be able to lower those temps a bit by actually doing the overclocking manually as Asus board tends to give way more voltage than what's actually needed







Voltage is just set to automatic and it goes up to around 1.3 volts... way overkill for 4.2 GHz....


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Okay so who wants adding to the owners club list? Don't forget to tell us your build name.


I'm allready added right? If not my build is called AN602 - Thermonuclear ;D


----------



## Kriss941

Soooooo.... I've been looking all over the place but as Norway is lagging behind the rest of the world (like always) I just can't seem to find any yellow or orange LED strips... I've found the NZXT sleeved one, but I don't have a free PCI slot (obviously) so I don't have anywhere to put it... do you guys have any recommendations and suggestions? I want something that matches the toxic cooler from sapphire


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Soooooo.... I've been looking all over the place but as Norway is lagging behind the rest of the world (like always) I just can't seem to find any yellow or orange LED strips... I've found the NZXT sleeved one, but I don't have a free PCI slot (obviously) so I don't have anywhere to put it... do you guys have any recommendations and suggestions? I want something that matches the toxic cooler from sapphire


So is the problem the connection or the color? I am not completely sure about Norway but in denmark we can order with minimal hassle from www.dx.com and they have tons of regular 12V LED strip. It's piece of cake to convert the connector to Molex.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> So is the problem the connection or the color? I am not completely sure about Norway but in denmark we can order with minimal hassle from www.dx.com and they have tons of regular 12V LED strip. It's piece of cake to convert the connector to Molex.


Problem with the NZXT one is that I would have a loose PCI-e bracket inside my case and also the I would like it if the color was more yellow(ish) than red(ish)







But I'll look on that website and see if I find anything I like ;D


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Problem with the NZXT one is that I would have a loose PCI-e bracket inside my case and also the I would like it if the color was more yellow(ish) than red(ish)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I'll look on that website and see if I find anything I like ;D


Just zip tie the pci-e bracket somewhere.


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Problem with the NZXT one is that I would have a loose PCI-e bracket inside my case and also the I would like it if the color was more yellow(ish) than red(ish)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I'll look on that website and see if I find anything I like ;D


Surely they can be taken apart and the PCB stored in the case somewhere?


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> Surely they can be taken apart and the PCB stored in the case somewhere?


Was considering to try a mod where the PCI-e bracket on the NZXT one became a part of the front IO panel, but I think I'd rather just go with this that I found on DX ;D http://www.dx.com/p/sencart-7-5w-40lm-120-smd-3014-led-yellow-light-waterproof-strip-12v-100cm-312724#.U9S6VPmSwno


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Was considering to try a mod where the PCI-e bracket on the NZXT one became a part of the front IO panel, but I think I'd rather just go with this that I found on DX ;D http://www.dx.com/p/sencart-7-5w-40lm-120-smd-3014-led-yellow-light-waterproof-strip-12v-100cm-312724#.U9S6VPmSwno


Good call - they are excellent due to the fact they come with double sided tape preapplied to the back so very easy to stick anywhere. I did find the waterproof version to be a bit harder to fit since it's thicker (silicone used to make it waterproof is about 3-4 mm thick), but apart from that i really prefer the waterproof versions as it feels more sturdy and durable. And with 12V you just need to throw it in a molex connector and you're good to go!


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> Good call - they are excellent due to the fact they come with double sided tape preapplied to the back so very easy to stick anywhere. I did find the waterproof version to be a bit harder to fit since it's thicker (silicone used to make it waterproof is about 3-4 mm thick), but apart from that i really prefer the waterproof versions as it feels more sturdy and durable. And with 12V you just need to throw it in a molex connector and you're good to go!


Also 1m should be just about the perfect lenght needed to wrap around the whole side of the case ;D Now I just need to find a place where they have smoked acrylic or plexi and my modding adventures will soon be done! Next mod then I guess would be a top mounted exhaust fan with this grill on top ;D http://www.aquatuning.no/luftkjler/viftegrill/16043/phobya-lueftergitter-120mm-biohazard-massive-4mm-alu-black?c=7822


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Also 1m should be just about the perfect lenght needed to wrap around the whole side of the case ;D Now I just need to find a place where they have smoked acrylic or plexi and my modding adventures will soon be done! Next mod then I guess would be a top mounted exhaust fan with this grill on top ;D http://www.aquatuning.no/luftkjler/viftegrill/16043/phobya-lueftergitter-120mm-biohazard-massive-4mm-alu-black?c=7822


Sounds about right. I have a 5050 SMD 60 LED/meter strip and would it around three sides on the front of the 110. Lights up massively through the meshed front and side, so 1m along a window should do wonders!


----------



## Kriss941

Just did a sloppy overclock today... thought that since my motherboard is allready giving way too much voltage then why not take advantage of it... So I just put voltage to 1.25 and bumped up the speed to 4.4GHz and what do you know, it ran just fine!


----------



## mrtbahgs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mrtbahgs*
> 
> Also whats everyone's experience been with the amount of dust and how quickly it can accumulate with all the mesh? Im wondering If itd be smart to look into the filters since I dont think I want to try and explain to my father how to safely take apart and clean the PC every now and then, but then again I dont want it to fill with dust and clog up. Knowing him, he would just try and vacuum everything out lol.


Didn't get a reply to this, can someone comment? I also realize it might be cheaper to do some DIY filter material on the interior of the shell for all intakes. Im just unsure how powerful the stock fans are and if the case likes to draw in dust and pile it up on the inside.


----------



## jacqg

Almost done with mine. Managed to fit a Gigabyte R9 290 Windforce to the build







.

Lol taking out the front plate with just pliers and sandpaper was horrible. I used a car grill to cover the mess, haha. I envy you guys for owning workshops/powertools for your modding







...

I'm just waiting for my blue LED 120mm and Thundergoat will be finished.

The grill was $10 on eBay.


----------



## AwdDude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Okay so who wants adding to the owners club list? Don't forget to tell us your build name.


Add me please, System Name is DevilRig specs are in my signature.


----------



## bluedevil

Why do I want to dump everything in my case except for my 750GB WD and my CM Sedions? I feel the need for new hardware!


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Why do I want to dump everything in my case except for my 750GB WD and my CM Sedions? I feel the need for new hardware!


would a 3770k quench the upgrade thirst? not a bad setup, other than going to i7, moving to haswell isn't going to give you enough performance boost to make it worth it unless you get a golden chip.


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blue Dragon*
> 
> would a 3770k quench the upgrade thirst? not a bad setup, other than going to i7, moving to haswell isn't going to give you enough performance boost to make it worth it unless you get a golden chip.


Maybe, I have it pretty bad.









Just a little bummed since my rig is down atm. I need my 290 back!


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Maybe, I have it pretty bad.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just a little bummed since my rig is down atm. I need my 290 back!


If you want new hardware then why not buy an R9 295X2? should give you pretty much the most powerful m-ITX Gaming PC you can possibly make... ;D


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I'm allready added right? If not my build is called AN602 - Thermonuclear ;D


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AwdDude*
> 
> Add me please, System Name is DevilRig specs are in my signature.


Both added, thanks.


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> If you want new hardware then why not buy an R9 295X2? should give you pretty much the most powerful m-ITX Gaming PC you can possibly make... ;D


Been tempted to, especially with the free Samsung 500GB Evo deal out there....


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Been tempted to, especially with the free Samsung 500GB Evo deal out there....


You could go buy the TitanZ! (everybody points and laugh)


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> You could go buy the TitanZ! (everybody points and laugh)


Not gonna happen.


----------



## mrtbahgs

So i was spending some time today playing with my setup of components and will finalize things tomorrow, but i must say i did have some issues with my SSD location, I guess it was more the way my PSU SATA power cord was oriented, it took me 3 locations before I finally found one that would actually work which ended up being the one under the 5-1/2" ODD bay.

I need some help regarding the sound connection to the MoBo, i guess its the leads from the front of the case. Im used to the manual clearly stating which connection to use, HD Audio or AC 97, but was unable to find the answer, or didnt look in the right place, I just recall it saying to connect the leads for front panel audio here and nothing more detailed. I feel like I have used AC 97 on a past build even though I thought HD Audio was supposed to have replaced it, but cant recall which was used on my other PCs.

Either way, what is the correct connection for the Elite 130 and a MSI B85I MoBo?


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mrtbahgs*
> 
> So i was spending some time today playing with my setup of components and will finalize things tomorrow, but i must say i did have some issues with my SSD location, I guess it was more the way my PSU SATA power cord was oriented, it took me 3 locations before I finally found one that would actually work which ended up being the one under the 5-1/2" ODD bay.
> 
> I need some help regarding the sound connection to the MoBo, i guess its the leads from the front of the case. Im used to the manual clearly stating which connection to use, HD Audio or AC 97, but was unable to find the answer, or didnt look in the right place, I just recall it saying to connect the leads for front panel audio here and nothing more detailed. I feel like I have used AC 97 on a past build even though I thought HD Audio was supposed to have replaced it, but cant recall which was used on my other PCs.
> 
> Either way, what is the correct connection for the Elite 130 and a MSI B85I MoBo?


I'm not a 100% sure, but I think you're supposed to use the HD audio one as your motherboard is fairly new







the AC97 is pretty much outdated and I think the reason you can't find any info on it in the manual is because the HD audio has been the standard for a while now ;D Only reason cases still has the connection is in case you have a really old motherboard (no pun intended) ;D


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I'm not a 100% sure, but I think you're supposed to use the HD audio one as your motherboard is fairly new
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the AC97 is pretty much outdated and I think the reason you can't find any info on it in the manual is because the HD audio has been the standard for a while now ;D Only reason cases still has the connection is in case you have a really old motherboard (no pun intended) ;D


I agree. For instance when I built my wife's computer in the Elite 110 I actually had an H61 motherboard without USB 3.0, but even then it is HD audio onboard.


----------



## Kriss941

Ok so does anybody here have some photo-editing skills here? I made this in Paint and I'll try to spraypaint it on to my case once I'm done with the window mod and I have gotten some lighting installed ;D
Right now I'm using it as my desktop background and it would be awesome to have something a bit more professionally done


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Ok so does anybody here have some photo-editing skills here? I made this in Paint and I'll try to spraypaint it on to my case once I'm done with the window mod and I have gotten some lighting installed ;D
> Right now I'm using it as my desktop background and it would be awesome to have something a bit more professionally done


What do you have in mind? I do have photoshop available but my skills are only mediocre.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> What do you have in mind? I do have photoshop available but my skills are only mediocre.


Nothing special just cleaning up the edges a bit, and maybe adding some cool effects and something in the background







And I'm sure your "mediocre" photoshop skills are better than my paint skills


----------



## mrtbahgs

HD audio is connected now, thanks.

One more question, the front case fan has a 3 pin connector when you remove the molex adapter. I decided to plug it directly into my motherboard's 4pin header.

Will this in the worst case scenario just mean it is running at full speed 24/7 as if connected via molex and best case scenario allow me to run a basic fan profile via the BIOS to be variable speeds, or is it possible it will run 24/7 at some reduced speed based off the BIOS (maybe the minimum set) and not be able to speed up as things get warmer? I just need to know that it at some point will be running full speed whether that be all the time, or only as needed, but if it is possibly going to run at a reduced speed being connected this way, then I will swap back to a molex connection.


----------



## Qrash

I looked up your system's motherboard (MSI B85I minITX) and on the MSI website this motherboard's Overview information (http://us.msi.com/product/mb/B85I.html#hero-overview) indicates that the Command Center offers "Fan Curve Tuning". This indicates that you can customize the fan's behaviour as you wish, including operating at 100% above a certain temperature.

On page 1-24 of the MB's manual is the following information about the Fan Power Connectors:

_These connectors support Smart Fan Control with liner (linear?) mode. The Command Center utility can be installed to automatically control the fan speeds according to the CPU's and system's temperature._


----------



## mrtbahgs

I appreciate that, i will look into them further, what my main question is more in regards to is if a 3pin connection from the fan is enough to allow variable speed and/or if its affected by a 4pin mobo header. I was under the impression it takes 4 pins to allow for variable speeds and 3 is just power, but things may have changed or i was mistaken.


----------



## Qrash

Sorry, I missed that point. I did some more searching and found several threads by owners of MSI motherboards of the same generation as yours. They are having trouble controlling 3-pin fans using the BIOS, Command Center, or SpeedFan. My Asus Maximus V Gene motherboard can control 3-pin fans by voltage control, but apparently this ability is not very common. So, it looks like you need to have 4-pin fans in order to be able to control them.


----------



## mrtbahgs

Alright ya that's what i kind of figured. So now the concern i have is, am i fine leaving it as is, or should i go back to the molex connection which should guarantee it to run at full speed since im not 100% sure it is/will run at max now to keep things cool. Im pretty sure its setup the exact same way now, just the way it gets power is different.

I dont think i have a way to measure case temperatures to see if there is a difference if i go with testing both ways out, would only be able to see CPU and maybe one motherboard sensor.

In the end, for as basic of a build as it is, and i think some mITX cases dont normally even have fans period, maybe its best to just call it good and not worry since everything is up and running.


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mrtbahgs*
> 
> Alright ya that's what i kind of figured. So now the concern i have is, am i fine leaving it as is, or should i go back to the molex connection which should guarantee it to run at full speed since im not 100% sure it is/will run at max now to keep things cool. Im pretty sure its setup the exact same way now, just the way it gets power is different.
> 
> I dont think i have a way to measure case temperatures to see if there is a difference if i go with testing both ways out, would only be able to see CPU and maybe one motherboard sensor.
> 
> In the end, for as basic of a build as it is, and i think some mITX cases dont normally even have fans period, maybe its best to just call it good and not worry since everything is up and running.


I don't think you have to worry about it running full speed - more so about being able to slow it down. the 3 pin provides Gnd, +12V and RPM signal. That's the specification. Some motherboards, as mentioned, can provide variable voltage to slow down the fan, but the spec says 12 volts so it should run at maximum if it cannot be controlled.

Realistically the bios/mobo will control it by it self. You may not be able to program profiles, but it should come with options for silent-medium-maximum settings or so in the bios.

Alternatively a PWM fan (4pin) is not that expensive after all.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Qrash*
> 
> Sorry, I missed that point. I did some more searching and found several threads by owners of MSI motherboards of the same generation as yours. They are having trouble controlling 3-pin fans using the BIOS, Command Center, or SpeedFan. My Asus Maximus V Gene motherboard can control 3-pin fans by voltage control, but apparently this ability is not very common. So, it looks like you need to have 4-pin fans in order to be able to control them.


Yes, Asus is pretty amazing with the fan expert 3







Ihave my 3 pin pump hooked up to a 4 pin fan header (not the cpu one) and I'm able to control the rpm ;D


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Yes, Asus is pretty amazing with the fan expert 3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ihave my 3 pin pump hooked up to a 4 pin fan header (not the cpu one) and I'm able to control the rpm ;D


Wait - you have the whole pump hooked up? doesn't that draw way too much wattage for the mobo headers to take? My pump is PWM based so one cable with RPM + PWM signal to/from mobo and another molex connection for Gnd and +12v.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> Wait - you have the whole pump hooked up? doesn't that draw way too much wattage for the mobo headers to take? My pump is PWM based so one cable with RPM + PWM signal to/from mobo and another molex connection for Gnd and +12v.


My pump has a single 3 pin connector







so I guess it's as safe to have it in one of the chassis fan headers as it is having it in one of the CPU fan headers... I have my two fans connected to the CPU header on the motherboard and the pump to a regular connector as it wouldn't allow me to control them seperately when both fans and pump was connected to CPU fan 1 and 2 ;D


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> My pump has a single 3 pin connector
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> so I guess it's as safe to have it in one of the chassis fan headers as it is having it in one of the CPU fan headers... I have my two fans connected to the CPU header on the motherboard and the pump to a regular connector as it wouldn't allow me to control them seperately when both fans and pump was connected to CPU fan 1 and 2 ;D


Well that's great! If only I had that option. On the other hand since I had to use Molex for pump power I might as well also use it to power an arduino (all this is in my Node 304 btw - not in the wifes Elite 110)


----------



## mrtbahgs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> I don't think you have to worry about it running full speed - more so about being able to slow it down. the 3 pin provides Gnd, +12V and RPM signal. That's the specification. Some motherboards, as mentioned, can provide variable voltage to slow down the fan, but the spec says 12 volts so it should run at maximum if it cannot be controlled.
> 
> Realistically the bios/mobo will control it by it self. You may not be able to program profiles, but it should come with options for silent-medium-maximum settings or so in the bios.
> 
> Alternatively a PWM fan (4pin) is not that expensive after all.


Alright thats good enough for me, in the bios I found a spot regarding the fans and put the case fan on a basic profile of like 60% minimum and then linear increase up to 100% at 70C. I think the lowest minimum setting i could go was 40 or 50% so I guess i can try that and see if the fan speed runs slower once booted in like HWmonitor, but if it doesnt do variable, im perfectly fine with the full speed 24/7 as thats what the Molex connection would do anyway.

Overall its a pretty neat little case that will do well for its purpose and a big change from the Level 10 GT im used to for my gaming rig. Very happy with the Elite 130.


----------



## Jawswing

Just built my parents a new PC out of some old parts.
Had to buy the Elite 130 case.

The CPU is a Intel Celeron G530, so it shouldn't kick out much heat. I've got my old Corsair H60 for the cooling (probably over the top a bit, but it's going to be enclosed inside a wooden cabinet, so anything is better than stock). I flipped the 80mm fan around as an exhaust, and it is extremely loud. Unfortunately the motherboard only has two fan headers, which I'm using for the pump and the H60, so I've no way of controlling the speed. What kind of impact will I have if I just unplug the 80mm fan?

Might not matter once I get the new desk I want to buy, probably won't hear it.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jawswing*
> 
> Just built my parents a new PC out of some old parts.
> Had to buy the Elite 130 case.
> 
> The CPU is a Intel Celeron G530, so it shouldn't kick out much heat. I've got my old Corsair H60 for the cooling (probably over the top a bit, but it's going to be enclosed inside a wooden cabinet, so anything is better than stock). I flipped the 80mm fan around as an exhaust, and it is extremely loud. Unfortunately the motherboard only has two fan headers, which I'm using for the pump and the H60, so I've no way of controlling the speed. What kind of impact will I have if I just unplug the 80mm fan?
> 
> Might not matter once I get the new desk I want to buy, probably won't hear it.


just unplug that fan and toss it away... It really won't matter much for your temps, especially with the parts you have. Though I would be worried about long sessions on that computer as it will be enclosed in a cabinet, as it will just keep recycling the hot air and the temps will just keep rising as you use it...
I have 3 fans in my system which kicks out way more heat than yours will do. I have two fans in push/pull taking air in the front and then I have the PSU faced down so that the PSU fan exhaust out the back... with this setup I can keep a quite good fan profile and I get about 70C on the CPU @4.4GHz during stresstests and about 61-65C on the GPU depnding on what OC I'm running (usually 1100MHz)


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jawswing*
> 
> I flipped the 80mm fan around as an exhaust, and it is extremely loud. Unfortunately the motherboard only has two fan headers, which I'm using for the pump and the H60, so I've no way of controlling the speed. What kind of impact will I have if I just unplug the 80mm fan?


I removed mine on the first day of receiving the case as i found it annoying loud. I did do a few temperature tests and found no real difference in removing it (in my setup at least).


----------



## AwdDude

yeah i took the side fan off, it is useless.


----------



## MrAnon

Hi, first of all, sorry for my bad english.

I would like to know the "real" size of the case Cooler Master Elite 110. (I guess with the 120 and 130 models will be the same)

http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mini-itx-elite-series/elite110/

The specifications says 280mm deep, but the question is, that measure includes the bracket of the power supply out of the box?

how depth is including length of PSU bracket?

*thank you very much*


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrAnon*
> 
> Hi, first of all, sorry for my bad english.
> 
> I would like to know the "real" size of the case Cooler Master Elite 110. (I guess with the 120 and 130 models will be the same)
> 
> http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mini-itx-elite-series/elite110/
> 
> The specifications says 280mm deep, but the question is, that measure includes the bracket of the power supply out of the box?
> 
> how depth is including length of PSU bracket?
> 
> *thank you very much*


I don't know how "big" the 110 is as is quite a bit smaller than the 130, but from what I can see the measurements on their website seem to include the PSU bracket and the front cover... atleast on the 130


----------



## fleetfeather

From this review video, it appears possible to mount both a 120mmAIO on the front of the case and another 120mmAIO on the side HDD bracket.






Could someone confirm this for me?


----------



## mrtbahgs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fleetfeather*
> 
> From this review video, it appears possible to mount both a 120mmAIO on the front of the case and another 120mmAIO on the side HDD bracket.
> 
> Could someone confirm this for me?


I know the product pages have said 120mm radiator for the front and I've seen a few who have done that. With regards to the side HDD bracket, the biggest thing comes down to the thickness of the radiator + one fan because it would be a pretty tight squeeze i believe with that 3.5" drive bay at the top, I don't have mine right here to see if it has full clearance, but i think that would be the main limitation.


----------



## fleetfeather

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mrtbahgs*
> 
> I know the product pages have said 120mm radiator for the front and I've seen a few who have done that. With regards to the side HDD bracket, the biggest thing comes down to the thickness of the radiator + one fan because it would be a pretty tight squeeze i believe with that 3.5" drive bay at the top, I don't have mine right here to see if it has full clearance, but i think that would be the main limitation.


Hmmm, I might have to investigate this a little further. It would be nice if I can avoid drilling out the rivets holding in the optical bay. I guess I'll be able to test for certain when I buy the case.

Even a scythe slim 120mm fan + slim AIO unit should be more than capable of cooling down a GTX _X_60 gpu...

(I'm toying with the idea of a AIO cooled CPU + AIO cooled GPU, in case my train of thought wasn't clear







)


----------



## Kriss941

I was just sitting here and looking at my elite 130 and possible radiator mounts when I suddenly realized how you can make airflow in this case amazing! If you remove the 5.25 bay you can actually fit a 180mm fan at the top of the case! atleast if you have a short PSU like the V650S (140mm)... also I thought that you might be able to use a single 180mm radiator but it wouldn't have worked as the radiator would just hit the GPU... only way to make a 180mm radiator work with the case would be to put the radiator on top outside the case and have the fan inside the case







I think that if done correctly it could look amazing and it would also leave room for another 120mm radiator inside the case, another downside I just thought about though is that you would need a custom mounting bracket so that the radiator will be mounted to the frame of the case and not the cover







;D
So this right here is what I think would be pretty much the best you can fit in the 130...
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16235/ex-rad-409/Alphacool_NexXxoS_Monsta_Single_120mm_Radiator_-_80mm_Thick.html?tl=g30c95s159
If you use that radiator with one of Noctuas industrial grade fans and a pump/res combo you should be able to include both the GPU and the CPU in that one loop... I won't be "amazing" results but considering that radiator has 80mm thickness it should provide about the same surface area as atleast two h80i's from corsair... and with more liquid in the system and a better pumb it should give some really nice numbers!
here's some of the pump/res combos that should fit ;D
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15650/ex-res-354/Alphacool_Repack_Single_525_Acrylic_Reservoir_-_Clear_-_Dual_DC-LT_15166.html?tl=g30c97s152
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14981/ex-pmp-182/Alphacool_DC-LT_Ceramic_12V_DC_Pump_Plexi_Top_Reservoir_-_Installed.html?tl=g30c97s152
If I ever feel like doing a crazy mad upgrade to custom watercooling I'll try out the 180mm + 120mm in the 130 and tell you about my results ;D (doubt I'll ever do it tho...)


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I was just sitting here and looking at my elite 130 and possible radiator mounts when I suddenly realized how you can make airflow in this case amazing! If you remove the 5.25 bay you can actually fit a 180mm fan at the top of the case! atleast if you have a short PSU like the V650S (140mm)... also I thought that you might be able to use a single 180mm radiator but it wouldn't have worked as the radiator would just hit the GPU... only way to make a 180mm radiator work with the case would be to put the radiator on top outside the case and have the fan inside the case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think that if done correctly it could look amazing and it would also leave room for another 120mm radiator inside the case, another downside I just thought about though is that you would need a custom mounting bracket so that the radiator will be mounted to the frame of the case and not the cover
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ;D
> So this right here is what I think would be pretty much the best you can fit in the 130...
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16235/ex-rad-409/Alphacool_NexXxoS_Monsta_Single_120mm_Radiator_-_80mm_Thick.html?tl=g30c95s159
> If you use that radiator with one of Noctuas industrial grade fans and a pump/res combo you should be able to include both the GPU and the CPU in that one loop... I won't be "amazing" results but considering that radiator has 80mm thickness it should provide about the same surface area as atleast two h80i's from corsair... and with more liquid in the system and a better pumb it should give some really nice numbers!
> here's some of the pump/res combos that should fit ;D
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15650/ex-res-354/Alphacool_Repack_Single_525_Acrylic_Reservoir_-_Clear_-_Dual_DC-LT_15166.html?tl=g30c97s152
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14981/ex-pmp-182/Alphacool_DC-LT_Ceramic_12V_DC_Pump_Plexi_Top_Reservoir_-_Installed.html?tl=g30c97s152
> If I ever feel like doing a crazy mad upgrade to custom watercooling I'll try out the 180mm + 120mm in the 130 and tell you about my results ;D (doubt I'll ever do it tho...)


Sounds a bit like how I managed to mount a 140mm rad on the back of my node 304. Had to mount the rad outside as well. And the same issue applies to a rad on top (which the node would be excellent for due to the PUS not being placed the same way as in the 130): Its a full-cover top that has to be taken off as well. If someone comes up with a proper ingenious plan to fit rads in a lid like that I would be sooo happy


----------



## bluedevil

I have 2 AIOs in my 120.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> I have 2 AIOs in my 120.


In or On? =)

I seen a few photos of externally mounted rads but never 2 inside the case, share a photo if so.


----------



## Qrash

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrAnon*
> 
> Hi, first of all, sorry for my bad english.
> 
> I would like to know the "real" size of the case Cooler Master Elite 110. (I guess with the 120 and 130 models will be the same)
> 
> http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mini-itx-elite-series/elite110/
> 
> The specifications says 280mm deep, but the question is, that measure includes the bracket of the power supply out of the box?
> 
> how depth is including length of PSU bracket?
> 
> *thank you very much*


According to page 02 of the Elite 110's Manual (more like a folded sheet!) the power supply bracket extends 27 mm from the rear panel of the case. The same diagram draws the 210 mm dimension for the graphics card as extending from the rear panel to the very front of the case, but this is incorrect, it doesn't go that far to the front. Also, we know from earlier posts that the Asus GTX 760 fits (barely) inside this case. The Asus GTX 760 is 8.6 inches or 218.4 mm in length. So the total length of 280 mm is comprised of 34.6 mm (minus the thickness of the front plate that the fan is attached to) plus 218.4 mm for the interior of the case, and 27 mm out the back for the PSU extension. This seems about right. The front 34 mm (or so) is large enough for a 25 mm thick fan and the inside of the front panel is plastic with support pieces for the exterior grill. I wonder how much usable space is between the grill and the front metal plate?

Hmm, I wonder if we can cut a hole in the front metal plate and have a longer graphics card extend into the front panel space? There's at least 25 mm (fan thickness) of extras card length available there. Could we do that without interfering with the USB and Audio bracket? Maybe relocate the bracket?


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> In or On? =)
> 
> I seen a few photos of externally mounted rads but never 2 inside the case, share a photo if so.


in the case I will take better pictures here later today or tomorrow.


----------



## MrAnon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Qrash*
> 
> According to page 02 of the Elite 110's Manual (more like a folded sheet!) the power supply bracket extends 27 mm from the rear panel of the case. The same diagram draws the 210 mm dimension for the graphics card as extending from the rear panel to the very front of the case, but this is incorrect, it doesn't go that far to the front. Also, we know from earlier posts that the Asus GTX 760 fits (barely) inside this case. The Asus GTX 760 is 8.6 inches or 218.4 mm in length. So the total length of 280 mm is comprised of 34.6 mm (minus the thickness of the front plate that the fan is attached to) plus 218.4 mm for the interior of the case, and 27 mm out the back for the PSU extension. This seems about right. The front 34 mm (or so) is large enough for a 25 mm thick fan and the inside of the front panel is plastic with support pieces for the exterior grill. I wonder how much usable space is between the grill and the front metal plate?
> 
> Hmm, I wonder if we can cut a hole in the front metal plate and have a longer graphics card extend into the front panel space? There's at least 25 mm (fan thickness) of extras card length available there. Could we do that without interfering with the USB and Audio bracket? Maybe relocate the bracket?


hi, thank you very much for your answer

I had looked at the manual, but did not have enough zoom and I did not realize these measures.

regards

anyway, emailed cooler master and have already answered me:
Quote:


> The length from the Elite 110 included the PSU bracket = 280mm.
> When you have any other question feel free to contact us again.
> Have a nice day!
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Michiel Bos
> Cooler Master


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> Sounds a bit like how I managed to mount a 140mm rad on the back of my node 304. Had to mount the rad outside as well. And the same issue applies to a rad on top (which the node would be excellent for due to the PUS not being placed the same way as in the 130): Its a full-cover top that has to be taken off as well. If someone comes up with a proper ingenious plan to fit rads in a lid like that I would be sooo happy


What you could do would be to mount the radiator to the frame on the inside and have the fan mounted to the top panel and not have the fan and radiator actually screwed together... It would still require a custom mounting bracket, but it would work and you'd be able to remove the cover by just unplugging the fan connector ;D biggest downside to me would be that I think Fans on the outside of the case looks straight out ugly, so you would also need some sort of a custom shroud...


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> Sounds about right. I have a 5050 SMD 60 LED/meter strip and would it around three sides on the front of the 110. Lights up massively through the meshed front and side, so 1m along a window should do wonders!


Since you obviously have some experience with this would you mind just telling me how I should hook the LED strip up to the molex connector and/or send me a link with a tutorial?


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Since you obviously have some experience with this would you mind just telling me how I should hook the LED strip up to the molex connector and/or send me a link with a tutorial?


Sure, though from the looks of the link you posted previously it seems to have 3 wires? In that case I probably need a closeup pic of the wiring when you get it fro DX. If it is just 2 wires (red and black probably) you find the +12v on the molex (see pinout below) and connect it to red, and connect the black to ground (one of the middle wires). You can connect by soledring or by adding crimps and molex headers directly on the wires. Since you're getting into this I suspect you are not completely new to modding, but even then it is a very simple mod - particularly if you have some molex adapter or similar wiring with molex connector you can solder it onto. Let me know if you have further questions


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> Sure, though from the looks of the link you posted previously it seems to have 3 wires? In that case I probably need a closeup pic of the wiring when you get it fro DX. If it is just 2 wires (red and black probably) you find the +12v on the molex (see pinout below) and connect it to red, and connect the black to ground (one of the middle wires). You can connect by soledring or by adding crimps and molex headers directly on the wires. Since you're getting into this I suspect you are not completely new to modding, but even then it is a very simple mod - particularly if you have some molex adapter or similar wiring with molex connector you can solder it onto. Let me know if you have further questions


So then I'll need some tools to make this work it seems ;D and yes I'm new to modding... actually quite new to PC in general... Built my first ever gaming PC about 2 months ago or so and since then I've done some mods... I've cut out an opening for a window mod and I've done some painting on it, though the paint wouldn't stick properly so I'll probably end up sanding it down and repainting the whole thing ;D Today I got my salary so I ordered some smoked plexiglass, some U-Channel, the LED strip, a 120mm fan grill and a aerocool DS 120mm fan ;D going to do a 120mm exhaust on the top of the case ;D
Just wondering here... with the lack of proper equipment would it work if I took a molex connector with the wires attached (like the ones you get with your fans...) cut the wires and twisted them together with the wires from my LED strip? would of course also cover them with electrical tape as well


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> So then I'll need some tools to make this work it seems ;D and yes I'm new to modding... actually quite new to PC in general... Built my first ever gaming PC about 2 months ago or so and since then I've done some mods... I've cut out an opening for a window mod and I've done some painting on it, though the paint wouldn't stick properly so I'll probably end up sanding it down and repainting the whole thing ;D Today I got my salary so I ordered some smoked plexiglass, some U-Channel, the LED strip, a 120mm fan grill and a aerocool DS 120mm fan ;D going to do a 120mm exhaust on the top of the case ;D
> Just wondering here... with the lack of proper equipment would it work if I took a molex connector with the wires attached (like the ones you get with your fans...) cut the wires and twisted them together with the wires from my LED strip? would of course also cover them with electrical tape as well


That should work fine to begin with - but please - PLEASE - do use some sort of insulation so you don't have +12v dangling around in your case. That could quickly fry some components or worst case all of them.

I used had an old led-on-a-molex from a previous build and cut off the single LED, then soldered on the LED strip and sealed it with heatshrink. I don't have crimping tools or terminals (yet!), but I do have soldering tools and heatshrink from some arduino projects.


----------



## AwdDude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> So then I'll need some tools to make this work it seems ;D and yes I'm new to modding... actually quite new to PC in general... Built my first ever gaming PC about 2 months ago or so and since then I've done some mods... I've cut out an opening for a window mod and I've done some painting on it, though the paint wouldn't stick properly so I'll probably end up sanding it down and repainting the whole thing ;D Today I got my salary so I ordered some smoked plexiglass, some U-Channel, the LED strip, a 120mm fan grill and a aerocool DS 120mm fan ;D going to do a 120mm exhaust on the top of the case ;D
> Just wondering here... with the lack of proper equipment would it work if I took a molex connector with the wires attached (like the ones you get with your fans...) cut the wires and twisted them together with the wires from my LED strip? would of course also cover them with electrical tape as well


Yes you could just "Twist" the wires together to test the LEDs out but i would solder/heatshrik the connections if its going to be a long term thing.


----------



## AwdDude

A few updates on Update on my system;
First, I I took the drive bay out of my 130, it really opens up the case and make it easier to get your hands in there. finding room to mount my SSD and HDD was little dificult but i figured out a way to secure them to the upright panel on the side of the case.
Second, i upgaded my powersupply form the 500W to a 750W. I even without a graphics card my poor little 500w was struggling at 100% CPU utilization. i guess the 4790K @ 4.7 GHz is really sucking up the juice, aidata showed my 12+ line getting in to the low 11s, high 10s.
Third, i upgraded to 8GB of Ram been wanting to do that for a while.

All thats left is to get a graphics card im thinkin 280x or 290 possibly 290x but thats doubtful


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> That should work fine to begin with - but please - PLEASE - do use some sort of insulation so you don't have +12v dangling around in your case. That could quickly fry some components or worst case all of them.
> 
> I used had an old led-on-a-molex from a previous build and cut off the single LED, then soldered on the LED strip and sealed it with heatshrink. I don't have crimping tools or terminals (yet!), but I do have soldering tools and heatshrink from some arduino projects.


I was thinking that I could twist the wires together and cover the connection with electrical tape in order to provide some insulation for it... also I could ask my dad if he has something I could use as he actually works as an electrician


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I was thinking that I could twist the wires together and cover the connection with electrical tape in order to provide some insulation for it... also I could ask my dad if he has something I could use as he actually works as an electrician


In that case I would definitely ask my dad









I got my soldering iron as a birthday present from my parents when I turned 29. Never too late to begin


----------



## Kylearan

Just got high temperature spikes, 80-95C at idle (!). I guess the Corsair H60 I picked up from Overstock isn't doing its thing a week after I installed it. (Maybe it never was?)

Could anyone give best-recommendation on a cooler to fit in the Cooler Master 130, housing an ASRock H97M-ITX/ac, i5-4590 and an EVGA GTX 750 Ti Superclocked? Clearly everything is stock, no OC - don't understand why I'd get hit with so much heat unless the H60 plain isn't working (I removed/cleaned/remounted with new paste, just in case).

Had my eye on the Thermaltake Water 2.0 some time ago, but managed to grab the H60 for about $15 burning credit.. lotta good that did. Would the 3.0 be better? (Seems to be some disagreement which is better, 2.0 or 3.0 - with noise being a particular point.) Perhaps the Noctua NH-L9i or something else entirely? Definitely wanting to keep noise to a minimum. System is built for HTPC and non-ultra gaming.

My return window on the H60 closes in a couple days, but.. clearly there's something not right with it. Figure I'll put on stock in the meantime.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## fleetfeather

My budget for an mITX rig has expanded somewhat. With that in mind, has anyone managed to fit a 120mm Monsta (80mm thick) rad in an Elite 130?


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kylearan*
> 
> Just got high temperature spikes, 80-95C at idle (!). I guess the Corsair H60 I picked up from Overstock isn't doing its thing a week after I installed it. (Maybe it never was?)
> 
> Could anyone give best-recommendation on a cooler to fit in the Cooler Master 130, housing an ASRock H97M-ITX/ac, i5-4590 and an EVGA GTX 750 Ti Superclocked? Clearly everything is stock, no OC - don't understand why I'd get hit with so much heat unless the H60 plain isn't working (I removed/cleaned/remounted with new paste, just in case).
> 
> Had my eye on the Thermaltake Water 2.0 some time ago, but managed to grab the H60 for about $15 burning credit.. lotta good that did. Would the 3.0 be better? (Seems to be some disagreement which is better, 2.0 or 3.0 - with noise being a particular point.) Perhaps the Noctua NH-L9i or something else entirely? Definitely wanting to keep noise to a minimum. System is built for HTPC and non-ultra gaming.
> 
> My return window on the H60 closes in a couple days, but.. clearly there's something not right with it. Figure I'll put on stock in the meantime.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


I have the Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro and it seems to be doing me good... @4.4GHz I barely hit 70C while running stresstests in programs like OCCT...


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I have the Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro and it seems to be doing me good... @4.4GHz I barely hit 70C while running stresstests in programs like OCCT...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kylearan*
> 
> Just got high temperature spikes, 80-95C at idle (!). I guess the Corsair H60 I picked up from Overstock isn't doing its thing a week after I installed it. (Maybe it never was?)
> 
> Could anyone give best-recommendation on a cooler to fit in the Cooler Master 130, housing an ASRock H97M-ITX/ac, i5-4590 and an EVGA GTX 750 Ti Superclocked? Clearly everything is stock, no OC - don't understand why I'd get hit with so much heat unless the H60 plain isn't working (I removed/cleaned/remounted with new paste, just in case).
> 
> Had my eye on the Thermaltake Water 2.0 some time ago, but managed to grab the H60 for about $15 burning credit.. lotta good that did. Would the 3.0 be better? (Seems to be some disagreement which is better, 2.0 or 3.0 - with noise being a particular point.) Perhaps the Noctua NH-L9i or something else entirely? Definitely wanting to keep noise to a minimum. System is built for HTPC and non-ultra gaming.
> 
> My return window on the H60 closes in a couple days, but.. clearly there's something not right with it. Figure I'll put on stock in the meantime.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


also you'll have to give up the SSD mount under the 5.25 bay in order to fit it with both fans...


----------



## Kylearan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> also you'll have to give up the SSD mount under the 5.25 bay in order to fit it with both fans...


I ran into that, but worked around it with a different screwhead - managed dual fans OK while retaining the SSD mount. (Phew!)

Guess I'm also wondering whether I even need the liquid cooling. Sure, it'd be nice - but the Noctua NH-L9I might be OK, too, presuming it fits.

(Man, I hate tryng to figure some of this stuff out.)

And yes on the Thermaltake Performer 2.0 - it looks (and has always looked) good.. but it's a bit harder to find than the 3.0. I could toss a couple Noctua fans (I own one near-silent one already) on the front/back of the 3.0 to lessen the fan noise I've read complaints about.. but still questioning whether a straight CPU cooling fan/heatsink would suffice here, as there is no OC action.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fleetfeather*
> 
> My budget for an mITX rig has expanded somewhat. With that in mind, has anyone managed to fit a 120mm Monsta (80mm thick) rad in an Elite 130?


It should fit, and you could do push/pull with it... Guessing you're thinking if either a single 5.25 bay res/pump combo or that one small pump/res combo? also please take your time and use acrylic tubing! It looks so much better! the ssd mount under the 5.25 will have to go anyway I think


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kylearan*
> 
> I ran into that, but worked around it with a different screwhead - managed dual fans OK while retaining the SSD mount. (Phew!)
> 
> Guess I'm also wondering whether I even need the liquid cooling. Sure, it'd be nice - but the Noctua NH-L9I might be OK, too, presuming it fits.
> 
> (Man, I hate tryng to figure some of this stuff out.)
> 
> And yes on the Thermaltake Performer 2.0 - it looks (and has always looked) good.. but it's a bit harder to find than the 3.0. I could toss a couple Noctua fans (I own one near-silent one already) on the front/back of the 3.0 to lessen the fan noise I've read complaints about.. but still questioning whether a straight CPU cooling fan/heatsink would suffice here, as there is no OC action.


You ran into that with the H60? I couldn't fit my second fan without bending those mounts away as the 2.0 Pro is a thick radiator and therefore takes up more space







also a decent heatsink should be good enough as you don't have any overclocks going, but I don't like that type of cooler in the elite 130 as there's no way to get a real nice airflow through the case with it as far as I know...


----------



## Kylearan

Yeah, Overstock apparently stuck me with the older, 3-pin H60 model. Has a 27mm radiator, same as the Thermaltake 3.0 Performer, which leads me to believe I can sneak it in there and run push/pull.

And totally feeling you, being concerned about heatsinks and airflow. I'm a total novice at this, but I'm definitely concerned about keeping the temp low - without sacrificing the sanctity of some basic quiet.

I could try sneaking in another fan or two, but.. I can't quite convince myself it's the right way to go.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kylearan*
> 
> Just got high temperature spikes, 80-95C at idle (!). I guess the Corsair H60 I picked up from Overstock isn't doing its thing a week after I installed it. (Maybe it never was?)
> 
> Could anyone give best-recommendation on a cooler to fit in the Cooler Master 130


In my opinion the H60 is an okay cooler and should cope fine under normal conditions. However, when inside an Elite 130 these are not really normal conditions, with RAM, GPU and PSU all in very close proximity to the CPU. Additionally, assuming you have the radiator mounted at the front of the case you are either drawing air in through the front, pushing all that hot air onto the already hot components, or have it extracting air out of the front, which i believe to be better but better fans should be installed for this and ideally in a push-pull setup. However, no matter how you have it set up i would not expect to see those kinds of temperatures when idle, is it possible it is not seated correctly? Have you used enough or too much thermal paste? Is the pump getting enough power? My first recommendation would be make sure the pump is getting full power, if using a 3pin header and connected to the mobo make sure it is set to full, else i would recommend removing and refitting the cooler to ensure it is seated correctly. I would also check the fan is actually spinning.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kylearan*
> 
> Yeah, Overstock apparently stuck me with the older, 3-pin H60 model. Has a 27mm radiator, same as the Thermaltake 3.0 Performer, which leads me to believe I can sneak it in there and run push/pull.
> 
> And totally feeling you, being concerned about heatsinks and airflow. I'm a total novice at this, but I'm definitely concerned about keeping the temp low - without sacrificing the sanctity of some basic quiet.
> 
> I could try sneaking in another fan or two, but.. I can't quite convince myself it's the right way to go.


I have the 2.0 Pro which is 37mm if I remember correctly...


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> In my opinion the H60 is an okay cooler and should cope fine under normal conditions. However, when inside an Elite 130 these are not really normal conditions, with RAM, GPU and PSU all in very close proximity to the CPU. Additionally, assuming you have the radiator mounted at the front of the case you are either drawing air in through the front, pushing all that hot air onto the already hot components, or have it extracting air out of the front, which i believe to be better but better fans should be installed for this and ideally in a push-pull setup. However, no matter how you have it set up i would not expect to see those kinds of temperatures when idle, is it possible it is not seated correctly? Have you used enough or too much thermal paste? Is the pump getting enough power? My first recommendation would be make sure the pump is getting full power, if using a 3pin header and connected to the mobo make sure it is set to full, else i would recommend removing and refitting the cooler to ensure it is seated correctly. I would also check the fan is actually spinning.


I have my fans setup so that the radiator pulls in air from outside the case and the PSU pulls air from over the mobo and out the back of the case... however the PSU doesn't really spin up so I'm going to do a mod quite soon adding another exhaust fan at the top of the case ;D


----------



## fleetfeather

Stuff it. This weekend I'll put an order in for a basic Elite 130 build so that I can start measuring up the possibilities of doing a Alphacool Monsta-based custom loop.

(It's super frustrating trying to measure up what's possible by simply looking at dimensions of different rads, pumps, res's etc. on various websites)


----------



## Qrash

I do not have an Elite 110 (yet!), but I started reading this forum because its small size has really intrigued me. Today I was reading a review of the case at PureOC from (Feb. this year) and there was a photo of the left side panel where the 2 x USB 3.0 ports, Audio ports, and Reset button are located. At the top of this cluster is a small rectangle that looks like a button, but I don't think it is.

Here's my idea: Install a new power button above the USB 3.0 ports, remove the power button/logo from the front grill, and then replace the grill material so that there is no hole. This would clear up enough room for a 14 cm (or bigger) fan or radiator behind the grill. Is this possible? Could the power button be moved to the top of the ports cluster on the side? If not move it elsewhere.

Edit: Hey, looks like some has already tried this already: 2/Wheeled Warrior (Portable Rig / Coolermaster Elite 110 Mod)

Well he did not move the power switch after all, but he did move the IO cluster to the opposite site and he cut a hole in the front panel to accomodate longer graphics card. Good read.


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Qrash*
> 
> I do not have an Elite 110 (yet!), but I started reading this forum because its small size has really intrigued me. Today I was reading a review of the case at PureOC from (Feb. this year) and there was a photo of the left side panel where the 2 x USB 3.0 ports, Audio ports, and Reset button are located. At the top of this cluster is a small rectangle that looks like a button, but I don't think it is.
> 
> Here's my idea: Install a new power button above the USB 3.0 ports, remove the power button/logo from the front grill, and then replace the grill material so that there is no hole. This would clear up enough room for a 14 cm (or bigger) fan or radiator behind the grill. Is this possible? Could the power button be moved to the top of the ports cluster on the side? If not move it elsewhere.
> 
> Edit: Hey, looks like some has already tried this already: 2/Wheeled Warrior (Portable Rig / Coolermaster Elite 110 Mod)
> 
> Well he did not move the power switch after all, but he did move the IO cluster to the opposite site and he cut a hole in the front panel to accomodate longer graphics card. Good read.


On holiday at my parents but will check it out and comment with what I can when I'm back. Definitely looks interesting.

As far as I remember that square button is for reset? Or it is just solid and useless. Don't remember


----------



## Qrash

Hey thanks. To me it looks like an unused spot for a USB port.

In that build log that I posted the guy thinks that with the hole in the front panel he can get fit a GPU up to 265 mm (10.4 in.) in length. I don't think so, but then again I don't own the case (yet! I know, just buy it). By my calcs the longest possible GPU using the space behind the front grill is: 218 mm (Asus GTX 760) + 25 mm (front panel fan) = 243 mm (9.5 in.) I think the front cover is 35 mm deep, but not all of that is available to use. There are not many GPS that are 9.5 inches in length.

It seems to me that if the Elite 110 was just a bit longer, say by the 27 mm of the PS extension, you could fit bigger GPUs, put SSD on the bottom between the MB and the front panel, and the PS wouldn't have to stick out. Yeah, the point of the case is to be small, but I'm starting to think that Cooler Master went too far. The PS extension is sort of their admission to that, I think.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Qrash*
> 
> Hey thanks. To me it looks like an unused spot for a USB port.
> 
> In that build log that I posted the guy thinks that with the hole in the front panel he can get fit a GPU up to 265 mm (10.4 in.) in length. I don't think so, but then again I don't own the case (yet! I know, just buy it). By my calcs the longest possible GPU using the space behind the front grill is: 218 mm (Asus GTX 760) + 25 mm (front panel fan) = 243 mm (9.5 in.) I think the front cover is 35 mm deep, but not all of that is available to use. There are not many GPS that are 9.5 inches in length.
> 
> It seems to me that if the Elite 110 was just a bit longer, say by the 27 mm of the PS extension, you could fit bigger GPUs, put SSD on the bottom between the MB and the front panel, and the PS wouldn't have to stick out. Yeah, the point of the case is to be small, but I'm starting to think that Silverstone went too far. The PS extension is sort of their admission to that, I think.


Silverstone? you sure you're on the right forum? jk


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fleetfeather*
> 
> Stuff it. This weekend I'll put an order in for a basic Elite 130 build so that I can start measuring up the possibilities of doing a Alphacool Monsta-based custom loop.
> 
> (It's super frustrating trying to measure up what's possible by simply looking at dimensions of different rads, pumps, res's etc. on various websites)


are you going to include the GPU in that loop? should be quite doable as the 295X2 is cooled by a 25mm thick radiator... 80mm thick radiator sould be enought surface area for both the CPU and GPU ;D


----------



## Qrash

Doh! What a screw-up. Yes, right forum, wrong manufacturer. I'll fix it. Thanks.


----------



## fleetfeather

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> are you going to include the GPU in that loop? should be quite doable as the 295X2 is cooled by a 25mm thick radiator... 80mm thick radiator sould be enought surface area for both the CPU and GPU ;D


I'll be putting a pair of QDC's on my loop so I can easily include a 800 series card when they arrive. Having a rough time atm trying to find a setup that I like, but atm I'm thinking about:

Alphacool DC-LT Res/Pump combo -> another Alphacool DC-LT Res/Pump combo -> CPU Block -> GPU Block -> Monsta 120mm -> [back to Res/Pump]

The DC-LT Res/Pump isn't a very powerful pump, but it's got a tiny, tiny footprint so I could fit two of them in series in between the Monsta rad and the edge of my mobo...


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fleetfeather*
> 
> I'll be putting a pair of QDC's on my loop so I can easily include a 800 series card when they arrive. Having a rough time atm trying to find a setup that I like, but atm I'm thinking about:
> 
> Alphacool DC-LT Res/Pump combo -> another Alphacool DC-LT Res/Pump combo -> CPU Block -> GPU Block -> Monsta 120mm -> [back to Res/Pump]
> 
> The DC-LT Res/Pump isn't a very powerful pump, but it's got a tiny, tiny footprint so I could fit two of them in series in between the Monsta rad and the edge of my mobo...


you could also try to use that 5.25 bay res/pump combo... as it will probably house a more powerful pump, unless you want to remove the 5.25 bay to get better acces to the rad as you build...


----------



## fleetfeather

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> you could also try to use that 5.25 bay res/pump combo... as it will probably house a more powerful pump, unless you want to remove the 5.25 bay to get better acces to the rad as you build...


gotta keep the 5.25" bay for my HDD. (yeah, I'm one of _those_ guys). I was going to grab a bay pump/res combo but I had no room for a 3.5" drive on the floor due to the width of the radiator









edit: here is a MSPaint mudmap of what I'm thinking of. You'll just have to imagine that the SFX PSU is installed up the top, and the that the 5.25" bay is above the monsta rad












Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Kylearan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> In my opinion the H60 is an okay cooler and should cope fine under normal conditions. However, when inside an Elite 130 these are not really normal conditions, with RAM, GPU and PSU all in very close proximity to the CPU. Additionally, assuming you have the radiator mounted at the front of the case you are either drawing air in through the front, pushing all that hot air onto the already hot components, or have it extracting air out of the front, which i believe to be better but better fans should be installed for this and ideally in a push-pull setup. However, no matter how you have it set up i would not expect to see those kinds of temperatures when idle, is it possible it is not seated correctly? Have you used enough or too much thermal paste? Is the pump getting enough power? My first recommendation would be make sure the pump is getting full power, if using a 3pin header and connected to the mobo make sure it is set to full, else i would recommend removing and refitting the cooler to ensure it is seated correctly. I would also check the fan is actually spinning.


I would have thought the H60 would cope, too.. I reseated it a few times, assuming that could be the problem - cleaned and reapplied paste, ranging from a healthy pea to a baby lentil, an X-shape and all manner of middle finger configurations. The H60 I have just never did its duty.. no sign of pump activity, either - both tubes were always ambient room temperature and I'm not convinced it was ever on.. did a direct molex power connection as well. Nothing.

So.. I stopped at Frys earlier and grabbed a Thermaltake 3.0 Performer. Removed the H60, installed the 3.0 and just a few minutes ago booted up.. idling around 29C now.


----------



## AwdDude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kylearan*
> 
> I would have thought the H60 would cope, too.. I reseated it a few times, assuming that could be the problem - cleaned and reapplied paste, ranging from a healthy pea to a baby lentil, an X-shape and all manner of middle finger configurations. The H60 I have just never did its duty.. no sign of pump activity, either - both tubes were always ambient room temperature and I'm not convinced it was ever on.. did a direct molex power connection as well. Nothing.
> 
> So.. I stopped at Frys earlier and grabbed a Thermaltake 3.0 Performer. Removed the H60, installed the 3.0 and just a few minutes ago booted up.. idling around 29C now.


a friend of mine has the h60 on his 4790k no issues what so ever. its too late now since you exchagned it already but i would have been curious to see if it didnt have enought water in it to cool properly, or perhaps the pump was not working.


----------



## Kylearan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AwdDude*
> 
> a friend of mine has the h60 on his 4790k no issues what so ever. its too late now since you exchagned it already but i would have been curious to see if it didnt have enought water in it to cool properly, or perhaps the pump was not working.


I, as well - but having bought it a couple weeks ago and only this week had a chance to install it, I know that I 'own' it if I tinker too much. If I'd had it a while and it went kaput, I'd troubleshoot more.

Suffice to say, am very much over it. What a headache.


----------



## hyp36rmax

iSpy hyp36rmax has an Elite 130 now?!?!

Cable managed, sleeved, removed 5.25 bay

Dual 120mm radiator soon >












Good bye recent friend...



Stay tuned...


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> iSpy hyp36rmax has an Elite 130 now?!?!
> 
> Cable managed, sleeved, removed 5.25 bay
> 
> Dual 120mm radiator soon >
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good bye recent friend...
> 
> 
> 
> Stay tuned...


What size is that radiator? it looks quite large, but I'm pretty sure a 140 won't fit in this case because of the GPU unless you made some custom mounts and have it offset a bit to the side, but that would be where your res is...


----------



## Vario

Its a 120mm radiator I think.

Here is his parts list http://www.overclock.net/lists/display/view/id/5687184


----------



## Aftershocker

Hi Guys.

I've just picked up the Coolermaster Elite 130

I would like to do a build a gaming rig with an i7-4790k @4Ghz and drop a GTX 780 in there but I need some reassurance that my cooling solution will be sufficient to stop the CPU throttling, at least at stock frequency's

I'm planing on installing a Corstair H80i as that seems about the best cooling solution I can fit inside this case??? If there as anything better please let me know.

If the cooling solution is not sufficient I may consider dropping down to an something that uses less juice like the 4790s although presumably I could just undervolt the 4790k to keep it cooler??????? I'm lead to believe intel has been ultra conservative with the voltages required.?????

Many Thanks in advance guys, not built a PC from scratch in about 10 years so will need some hand holding


----------



## lacrossewacker

Guys,

can anybody with experience tell me if this system would all fit will together in a *Elite 120 Advanced Mini ITX Case*

Mobo ($110): H97I-PLUS_LGA_1150_mini-ITX_Intel_Motherboard
RAM ($140): Ballistix_Sport_16GB_DDR3-1600_(PC3-12800)_CL9_Dual_Channel_Desktop_Memory_Kit_(Two_8GB_Memory_Modules)
Case ($45): Elite_120_Advanced_Mini_ITX_Case
CPU ($170): Core_i5-4590S_30GHz_LGA
HDD ($57): Blue_1TB_7,200_RPM_SATA_60Gb-s_35_Internal_Hard_Drive_WD10EZEX_-_Bare_Drive
SSD ($~90): 840_EVO_MZ-7TE120BW_120GB_SATA_60Gb
PSU ($75): CX_Series_CX500M_500_Watt_ATX_Modular_Power_Supply

Thanks!

Sorry for the ugly formatting, in a bit of a rush


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aftershocker*
> 
> Hi Guys.
> 
> I've just picked up the Coolermaster Elite 130
> 
> I would like to do a build a gaming rig with an i7-4790k @4Ghz and drop a GTX 780 in there but I need some reassurance that my cooling solution will be sufficient to stop the CPU throttling, at least at stock frequency's
> 
> I'm planing on installing a Corstair H80i as that seems about the best cooling solution I can fit inside this case??? If there as anything better please let me know.
> 
> If the cooling solution is not sufficient I may consider dropping down to an something that uses less juice like the 4790s although presumably I could just undervolt the 4790k to keep it cooler??????? I'm lead to believe intel has been ultra conservative with the voltages required.?????
> 
> Many Thanks in advance guys, not built a PC from scratch in about 10 years so will need some hand holding


A H80i will do great cooling your CPU at stock clocks and should also provide enough headroom for quite a bit of overclocking... I have a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro which is the same thickness as the H80i and with my i5 4670K (which has way worse thermals than the refresh) I can have it @4.4GHz and only get temps in the low 70's while stresstesting it... depending on the temp in my room of course... But I would recommend setting all your fans to exhaust with the elite 130, unless you feel like modding it... I have my radiator as a front intake and during heavy load it spits alot of warm air over my other parts so I'm modding my case to fit a 120mm top exhaust just to compensate for that ;D If you need any help with the build or even just with picking your parts feel fre to ask ;D I had so much fun making my current system I'm almost tempted to start saving up money and do an amazing custom cooled PC with acrylic tubing, sleeved cables and everything... It goes fast doesn't it, one moment you just wan't to play games the next you're having more fun tinkering with the PC thinking of mods etc...


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lacrossewacker*
> 
> Guys,
> 
> can anybody with experience tell me if this system would all fit will together in a *Elite 120 Advanced Mini ITX Case*
> 
> Mobo ($110): H97I-PLUS_LGA_1150_mini-ITX_Intel_Motherboard
> RAM ($140): Ballistix_Sport_16GB_DDR3-1600_(PC3-12800)_CL9_Dual_Channel_Desktop_Memory_Kit_(Two_8GB_Memory_Modules)
> Case ($45): Elite_120_Advanced_Mini_ITX_Case
> CPU ($170): Core_i5-4590S_30GHz_LGA
> HDD ($57): Blue_1TB_7,200_RPM_SATA_60Gb-s_35_Internal_Hard_Drive_WD10EZEX_-_Bare_Drive
> SSD ($~90): 840_EVO_MZ-7TE120BW_120GB_SATA_60Gb
> PSU ($75): CX_Series_CX500M_500_Watt_ATX_Modular_Power_Supply
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Sorry for the ugly formatting, in a bit of a rush


It looks all good to me but unless you really like the look of the 120 I'd rather recommend the 130 as it has better airflow, also I'd recommend that you get a AIO cooler as the stock intel cooler is loud as hell...
Last but not least what will the PC be used for? any gaming at all? Just noticed the lack of a GPU in that build...


----------



## lacrossewacker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> It looks all good to me but unless you really like the look of the 120 I'd rather recommend the 130 as it has better airflow, also I'd recommend that you get a AIO cooler as the stock intel cooler is loud as hell...
> Last but not least what will the PC be used for? any gaming at all? Just noticed the lack of a GPU in that build...


Running Solarwinds LEM.

Work related

Log event management and security alerts

I do like the look of the 120


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lacrossewacker*
> 
> Running Solarwinds LEM.
> 
> Work related
> 
> Log event management and security alerts
> 
> I do like the look of the 120


Ok then ;D guess the parts make alot of sense then ;D I'm not really familiar with Solarwinds, so I don't know what it requires, but from what I can see in the build it might be heavy on the RAM as you're getting 16GB??? in that case maybe upgrade the speed a bit as the higher speeds are coming down in price and in many programs you can see a some improvements... but as I said I don't know if the programs and apps you're going to use will benefit from higher RAM speed ;D Back to the original question I think your parts list looks just fine, it should all fit together nicely and it should run cool!

btw as a extra question here... will you need wifi? in that case just make sure you have it on the mobo as I find the USB ones to be a little less reliable...


----------



## lacrossewacker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Ok then ;D guess the parts make alot of sense then ;D I'm not really familiar with Solarwinds, so I don't know what it requires, but from what I can see in the build it might be heavy on the RAM as you're getting 16GB??? in that case maybe upgrade the speed a bit as the higher speeds are coming down in price and in many programs you can see a some improvements... but as I said I don't know if the programs and apps you're going to use will benefit from higher RAM speed ;D Back to the original question I think your parts list looks just fine, it should all fit together nicely and it should run cool!
> 
> btw as a extra question here... will you need wifi? in that case just make sure you have it on the mobo as I find the USB ones to be a little less reliable...


no wifi


----------



## Aftershocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> A H80i will do great cooling your CPU at stock clocks and should also provide enough headroom for quite a bit of overclocking... I have a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Pro which is the same thickness as the H80i and with my i5 4670K (which has way worse thermals than the refresh) I can have it @4.4GHz and only get temps in the low 70's while stresstesting it... depending on the temp in my room of course... But I would recommend setting all your fans to exhaust with the elite 130, unless you feel like modding it... I have my radiator as a front intake and during heavy load it spits alot of warm air over my other parts so I'm modding my case to fit a 120mm top exhaust just to compensate for that ;D If you need any help with the build or even just with picking your parts feel fre to ask ;D I had so much fun making my current system I'm almost tempted to start saving up money and do an amazing custom cooled PC with acrylic tubing, sleeved cables and everything... It goes fast doesn't it, one moment you just wan't to play games the next you're having more fun tinkering with the PC thinking of mods etc...


Thanks buddy, thats set my mind as ease a bit.

I picked up the Elite 130 with a 550 watt semi-modular supply for £65 from ebuyer, bargain I thought as the PSU would cost close to that on its own









I'm hoping I can get 2 fans set to push/pull on the H80i and exhausting out the front of the case seems like a sensible option. I've heard the fans that come with the H80i are noisy so I'm contemplating replacing them with a couple of Noctua NF-F12 PWM's. Other than the 80cm side fan the only other fan is the one that comes pre installed on the PSU, and that looks like its drawing air from above the motherboard and blowing onto up towards the top the the case onto the PSU. With all fans apart from the 80cm fan exhausting is there potential to create an area in the case where air becomes trapped and is not vented???? Not so important I guess with the water cooling???

Anyway I have a list of remaining parts here http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/Aftershocker/saved/4jpzK8 Any comments are appreciated

I probably won't buy everything in one go. I have some memory and a standard HD here so the plan is just to get it up and running and tweak it going forward.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aftershocker*
> 
> Thanks buddy, thats set my mind as ease a bit.
> 
> I picked up the Elite 130 with a 550 watt semi-modular supply for £65 from ebuyer, bargain I thought as the PSU would cost close to that on its own
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm hoping I can get 2 fans set to push/pull on the H80i and exhausting out the front of the case seems like a sensible option. I've heard the fans that come with the H80i are noisy so I'm contemplating replacing them with a couple of Noctua NF-F12 PWM's. Other than the 80cm side fan the only other fan is the one that comes pre installed on the PSU, and that looks like its drawing air from above the motherboard and blowing onto up towards the top the the case onto the PSU. With all fans apart from the 80cm fan exhausting is there potential to create an area in the case where air becomes trapped and is not vented???? Not so important I guess with the water cooling???
> 
> Anyway I have a list of remaining parts here http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/Aftershocker/saved/4jpzK8 Any comments are appreciated
> 
> I probably won't buy everything in one go. I have some memory and a standard HD here so the plan is just to get it up and running and tweak it going forward.


Negative air pressure in the 130 will be the best I think... When I built mine I thought the front intake and rear (PSU) exhaust would create a nice windtunnel, only thing I didn't think of was the fact that my PSU fan is controlled by the load not the temp... so it doesn't spin up as temps go up... giving me positive air pressure and it gets quite hot after a lot of heavy use... that's why I'm doing a mod now to get a 120mm top exhaust... only downside to having negative air pressure with this case is that it'll be more dust build up...


----------



## fleetfeather

You could plug you PSU's fan into a mobo fan header if you wanted:

- unscrew the psu cover screws
- unplug the mini fan cable
- plug mini fan cable into 3-pin adapter cable
- plug 3-pin adpater cable into 3-pin mobo header
- set temperature targets


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fleetfeather*
> 
> You could plug you PSU's fan into a mobo fan header if you wanted:
> 
> - unscrew the psu cover screws
> - unplug the mini fan cable
> - plug mini fan cable into 3-pin adapter cable
> - plug 3-pin adpater cable into 3-pin mobo header
> - set temperature targets


I would love to do that, but I don't think it's worth it as Id have to get my hands on that adapter cable... Might not sound like a Problem, but I live in Norway and here, custom PCs aren't really that big of a thing... I don't even know if we have a store selling GPU's, CPUs and other basic computer parts in my county... and I think just the shipping alone will cost me way more than the part if I order it from online...


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I would love to do that, but I don't think it's worth it as Id have to get my hands on that adapter cable... Might not sound like a Problem, but I live in Norway and here, custom PCs aren't really that big of a thing... I don't even know if we have a store selling GPU's, CPUs and other basic computer parts in my county... and I think just the shipping alone will cost me way more than the part if I order it from online...


Komplett.no should have most of your hardware needs. They are Norwegian but sell all over Scandinavia. Not sure about that type of adaptercable though.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zebeyo*
> 
> Komplett.no should have most of your hardware needs. They are Norwegian but sell all over Scandinavia. Not sure about that type of adaptercable though.


Yes they do have quite a bit of PC parts, but they're seriously lacking when it comes to DIY equipment and modding tools... Think they maybe have a few LED strips and some other stuff like fan screws etc, but haven't seen any adapter cables other than noctuas 12V > 7V adapters


----------



## Aftershocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Negative air pressure in the 130 will be the best I think... When I built mine I thought the front intake and rear (PSU) exhaust would create a nice windtunnel, only thing I didn't think of was the fact that my PSU fan is controlled by the load not the temp... so it doesn't spin up as temps go up... giving me positive air pressure and it gets quite hot after a lot of heavy use... that's why I'm doing a mod now to get a 120mm top exhaust... only downside to having negative air pressure with this case is that it'll be more dust build up...


Thanks mate... I guess the wind tunnel effect doesn't work quite as well in small case as its a lot more cramped in there anyway. I can live with some dust build up.. I will rip the case off and bet the air blower on it occasionally


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Yes they do have quite a bit of PC parts, but they're seriously lacking when it comes to DIY equipment and modding tools... Think they maybe have a few LED strips and some other stuff like fan screws etc, but haven't seen any adapter cables other than noctuas 12V > 7V adapters


True. beyond standard air coolers they become sketchy. Try coolerkit.dk otherwise. they might ship to Norway. Pretty nice guys (shop is close to my job so I pick up stuff in person)


----------



## hyp36rmax

Okay guys, I've got my build log ready to go for my CM Elite 130.

*Link* http://www.overclock.net/t/1507723/build-log-cm-elite-130-beastmode-hyp36r-version-ii/0_50#post_22714663


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aftershocker*
> 
> Thanks mate... I guess the wind tunnel effect doesn't work quite as well in small case as its a lot more cramped in there anyway. I can live with some dust build up.. I will rip the case off and bet the air blower on it occasionally


works great for me, SC2 temps are ~45*C on the CPU and ~60*C on the VGA with prolonged gaming in a 26*C room. I just use a single front fan (120x38) behind the radiator pulling air in.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lacrossewacker*
> 
> Guys,
> 
> can anybody with experience tell me if this system would all fit will together in a *Elite 120 Advanced Mini ITX Case*
> 
> Mobo ($110): H97I-PLUS_LGA_1150_mini-ITX_Intel_Motherboard
> RAM ($140): Ballistix_Sport_16GB_DDR3-1600_(PC3-12800)_CL9_Dual_Channel_Desktop_Memory_Kit_(Two_8GB_Memory_Modules)
> Case ($45): Elite_120_Advanced_Mini_ITX_Case
> CPU ($170): Core_i5-4590S_30GHz_LGA
> HDD ($57): Blue_1TB_7,200_RPM_SATA_60Gb-s_35_Internal_Hard_Drive_WD10EZEX_-_Bare_Drive
> SSD ($~90): 840_EVO_MZ-7TE120BW_120GB_SATA_60Gb
> PSU ($75): CX_Series_CX500M_500_Watt_ATX_Modular_Power_Supply
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Sorry for the ugly formatting, in a bit of a rush


It will work. 130 does flow much better. If you are set on the 120 and aren't overclocking (I assume you aren't) you will be fine with temperatures. If you put an additional fan on the backside of the HDD cage it will help a lot too. The i5-s model should run very cool.

You should consider the Elite 110 as well.


----------



## Aftershocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> works great for me, SC2 temps are ~45*C on the CPU and ~60*C on the VGA with prolonged gaming in a 26*C room. I just use a single front fan (120x38) behind the radiator pulling air in.


What CPU/GPU are you using and are you overclocked?


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aftershocker*
> 
> What CPU/GPU are you using and are you overclocked?


i5 2550k and a Radeon 7850 2GB
photo here http://www.overclock.net/lists/display/view/id/5807639
Not overclocked at the moment but when I had it overclocked temperatures were still fine. I've run it at 4.7 ghz cpu 2133 mhz ram 1240mhz core 7850 and temperatures were fine. The 120x38 moves a lot of air. I think that running it with the front fan hole empty counteracts some of the restriction by the front panel. I use a small fan controller to keep the 120x38 at a good sound level.


----------



## Vario

I did some work on this computer today

I painted the dvd drive bezel to match the white exterior, came out well. The paint is White Krylon Fusion









I changed the antenna, the Z77E-ITX antenna is horrid, these are some replacements
This is the model: http://www.l-com.com/wireless-antenna-24-ghz-3-dbi-rubber-duck-antenna-rp-sma-plug-connector
I bought the pair for $9 shipped (ebay)








Here is the replacement rubber feet I installed a few months ago








very grippy, bought them from ebay, I think they are for stereo equipment


----------



## bluedevil

Gonna do a system teardown and rebuild soon. Also gonna repaint it a better black, might go matte.


----------



## Vario

I am thinking about switching to air cooling my Elite 120 because my Asetek closed watercooling loop is 4 years old. What coolers will fit and perform the best for my i5-2550k? I'd probably leave the i5 stock speeds. I don't have an intel stock cooler because it was a used i5. I'd like for temps to be under 60*C.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> I am thinking about switching to air cooling my Elite 120 because my Asetek closed watercooling loop is 4 years old. What coolers will fit and perform the best for my i5-2550k? I'd probably leave the i5 stock speeds. I don't have an intel stock cooler because it was a used i5. I'd like for temps to be under 60*C.


I recommend the Noctua NH-L12 and Silverstone NT06-Pro if you can fit it on your motherboard.

*Noctua NH-L12*


*Silverstone NT06-Pro*


*Testing Results*


*SOURCE:* http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/low-profile-heat-sink-mini-itx,3639.html


----------



## Vario

I was looking at those, wondering if they will clear the top power supply. The NH-L12 looks like it has good cooling power but when the top fan is removed it seems to be pretty weak. The NH-L9i is a possibility but it doesn't seem to cool much better than the stock Intel HSF. The NT-06 I am not sure whether it will clear my components and the top psu.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> I was looking at those, wondering if they will clear the top power supply. The NH-L12 looks like it has good cooling power but when the top fan is removed it seems to be pretty weak. The NH-L9i is a possibility but it doesn't seem to cool much better than the stock Intel HSF. The NT-06 I am not sure whether it will clear my components and the top psu.


You can always swap your PSU for either of Silverstone's SFX 450 or 600 Watt PSU's while using the supplied SFX to ATX adapter which defeats any clearance issues with the heat-sinks.

*LINK*: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=524


----------



## Qrash

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> I was looking at those, wondering if they will clear the top power supply. The NH-L12 looks like it has good cooling power but when the top fan is removed it seems to be pretty weak. The NH-L9i is a possibility but it doesn't seem to cool much better than the stock Intel HSF. The NT-06 I am not sure whether it will clear my components and the top psu.


Hey, I was just reading the same review article yesterday. According to Cooler Master the CPU heatsink height limit for the Elite 120 is 65 mm (2.5 inches), so both the Noctua NH-L12 and the Silverstone NT-06 Pro are too tall at 93 mm and 82 mm, respectively. Even without the top fan the NH-L12 is 66 mm tall. Another cooler from the same article that praised is the Zalman CNPS8900 Quiet which is 60 mm tall. In the article, the Zalman did not obstruct the Ram slots of their Asus Z87-Pro mini-ITX motherboard.


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> You can always swap your PSU for either of Silverstone's SFX 450 or 600 Watt PSU's while using the supplied SFX to ATX adapter which defeats any clearance issues with the heat-sinks.
> 
> *LINK*: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=524


Thanks for link but I already have a pricey silverstone short power supply, don't want to buy another even if its even smaller lol


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Thanks for link but I already have a pricey silverstone short power supply, don't want to buy another even if its even smaller lol


If you ever change your mind and are interested to see just how much space you will save with an SFX PSU. Check my next post


----------



## hyp36rmax

Progress is great isn't it?

Build Log

Teasers!


----------



## pharaviel

I read the whole thread to get some informations and then I decided to join the website








I would love to join the owners club.

I'm a soon-to-be owner, to be fair: ordered the elite 130 some days ago and I'll get it in a couple of days from amazon italy.

This is my wishlist

CPU Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core (I don't think about upgrading so no K model...)
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-H97N-WIFI
Memory any good brand ddr3 1600 2x4gb or 1x8gb to upgrade later wil do. (Low profile if I go for air cooling)
Storage I'm going to upgrade my notebook to a 500gb 840 evo samsung, and use the actual 250 for this build.
Video Card Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB DirectCU II (or a brand I can strip down for watercooling if I go that way)
Case Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower (already bought it)
Power Supply Cooler Master G550M (already bought it)
My biggest doubt is on the cooling.
Planning air cooling I wanted to buy the Zalman CNPS8900 Quiet, but friends (atx owners) keep telling me to go the water-cooling route.
But I think it's not that much use to cool the cpu only, and I was searching info on gpu AIO cooling solution.

I found two:

Kraken G10 + compatible cpu cooler (I would spend 35+70€)
Arctic Cooling Accelero Hybrid (for a cheaper 85€)
I'm not sure one of this would fit tho. I like the accelero more but safest way would be buying the kraken + cpu cooler, and use it for the cpu if the kraken doesn't fit. But the kraken adapter seems to be bigger than the accelero hybrid, so I would like that instead (but what if it doesn't fit?). A HAF stacker (the itx one) user said he was using it on his build... and that case, while much longer, has little less width than the elite 130...

Ideal venting would be:

Fan -> radiator -> fan -> radiator -> fan

I don't plan to use HDDs and I'll use only a single ssd so I have nothing plugged before the motherboard in the case. I could even (forcefully?) remove the 5,25 bay and mount the ssd on the lateral bracket if vertical space is an issue.. Or I'll just cut out the ssd support under the bay, put the ssd on the bay and maybe mount a slim 120 fan on the hdd bracket? I'll see about that as soon as I have the case in my hands.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Progress is great isn't it?
> 
> Build Log
> 
> Teasers!


Your build log looks awesome, all those sleeved cables








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Ok so does anybody here have some photo-editing skills here? I made this in Paint and I'll try to spraypaint it on to my case once I'm done with the window mod and I have gotten some lighting installed ;D
> Right now I'm using it as my desktop background and it would be awesome to have something a bit more professionally done


I tried making something silly after lunch with photoshop, hope you like it.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32972089/an602grey.jpg


----------



## Vario

that silverstone psu is pretty small in that picture there









Will an AXP-200 fit a 120/130? Has anyone tried?

Thank you.


----------



## Blue Dragon

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> I read the whole thread to get some informations and then I decided to join the website
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would love to join the owners club.
> 
> I'm a soon-to-be owner, to be fair: ordered the elite 130 some days ago and I'll get it in a couple of days from amazon italy.
> 
> This is my wishlist
> 
> CPU Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core (I don't think about upgrading so no K model...)
> Motherboard Gigabyte GA-H97N-WIFI
> Memory any good brand ddr3 1600 2x4gb or 1x8gb to upgrade later wil do. (Low profile if I go for air cooling)
> Storage I'm going to upgrade my notebook to a 500gb 840 evo samsung, and use the actual 250 for this build.
> Video Card Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB DirectCU II (or a brand I can strip down for watercooling if I go that way)
> Case Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower (already bought it)
> Power Supply Cooler Master G550M (already bought it)
> My biggest doubt is on the cooling.
> Planning air cooling I wanted to buy the Zalman CNPS8900 Quiet, but friends (atx owners) keep telling me to go the water-cooling route.
> But I think it's not that much use to cool the cpu only, and I was searching info on gpu AIO cooling solution.
> 
> I found two:
> 
> Kraken G10 + compatible cpu cooler (I would spend 35+70€)
> Arctic Cooling Accelero Hybrid (for a cheaper 85€)
> I'm not sure one of this would fit tho. I like the accelero more but safest way would be buying the kraken + cpu cooler, and use it for the cpu if the kraken doesn't fit. But the kraken adapter seems to be bigger than the accelero hybrid, so I would like that instead (but what if it doesn't fit?). A HAF stacker (the itx one) user said he was using it on his build... and that case, while much longer, has little less width than the elite 130...
> 
> Ideal venting would be:
> 
> Fan -> radiator -> fan -> radiator -> fan
> 
> I don't plan to use HDDs and I'll use only a single ssd so I have nothing plugged before the motherboard in the case. I could even (forcefully?) remove the 5,25 bay and mount the ssd on the lateral bracket if vertical space is an issue.. Or I'll just cut out the ssd support under the bay, put the ssd on the bay and maybe mount a slim 120 fan on the hdd bracket? I'll see about that as soon as I have the case in my hands.
> Your build log looks awesome, all those sleeved cables
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried making something silly after lunch with photoshop, hope you like it.
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32972089/an602grey.jpg






not sure with the 770's, but the Asus R9 290's have sticker on a screw that voids warranty if shroud is removed.


----------



## pharaviel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blue Dragon*
> 
> 
> not sure with the 770's, but the Asus R9 290's have sticker on a screw that voids warranty if shroud is removed.


Thanks for the heads up! I'll ask around about that (graphic card will be my last component so I have some to gather info)...


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> I read the whole thread to get some informations and then I decided to join the website
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would love to join the owners club.
> 
> I'm a soon-to-be owner, to be fair: ordered the elite 130 some days ago and I'll get it in a couple of days from amazon italy.
> 
> This is my wishlist
> 
> CPU Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core (I don't think about upgrading so no K model...)
> Motherboard Gigabyte GA-H97N-WIFI
> Memory any good brand ddr3 1600 2x4gb or 1x8gb to upgrade later wil do. (Low profile if I go for air cooling)
> Storage I'm going to upgrade my notebook to a 500gb 840 evo samsung, and use the actual 250 for this build.
> Video Card Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB DirectCU II (or a brand I can strip down for watercooling if I go that way)
> Case Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower (already bought it)
> Power Supply Cooler Master G550M (already bought it)
> My biggest doubt is on the cooling.
> Planning air cooling I wanted to buy the Zalman CNPS8900 Quiet, but friends (atx owners) keep telling me to go the water-cooling route.
> But I think it's not that much use to cool the cpu only, and I was searching info on gpu AIO cooling solution.
> 
> I found two:
> 
> Kraken G10 + compatible cpu cooler (I would spend 35+70€)
> Arctic Cooling Accelero Hybrid (for a cheaper 85€)
> I'm not sure one of this would fit tho. I like the accelero more but safest way would be buying the kraken + cpu cooler, and use it for the cpu if the kraken doesn't fit. But the kraken adapter seems to be bigger than the accelero hybrid, so I would like that instead (but what if it doesn't fit?). A HAF stacker (the itx one) user said he was using it on his build... and that case, while much longer, has little less width than the elite 130...
> 
> Ideal venting would be:
> 
> Fan -> radiator -> fan -> radiator -> fan
> 
> I don't plan to use HDDs and I'll use only a single ssd so I have nothing plugged before the motherboard in the case. I could even (forcefully?) remove the 5,25 bay and mount the ssd on the lateral bracket if vertical space is an issue.. Or I'll just cut out the ssd support under the bay, put the ssd on the bay and maybe mount a slim 120 fan on the hdd bracket? I'll see about that as soon as I have the case in my hands.
> Your build log looks awesome, all those sleeved cables
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried making something silly after lunch with photoshop, hope you like it.
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32972089/an602grey.jpg


Thanks man ;D how did I not think of using that style of letters? it'll be so much easier to spraypaint on to my case!


----------



## Kriss941

Window mod is done, so is the top mounted 120mm exhaust... I will post pictures once I've gotten the LED strip and painted the case ;D looks quite nice already as you can see the sapphire logo glowing through the window ;D


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> Thanks for the heads up! I'll ask around about that (graphic card will be my last component so I have some to gather info)...


I don't know where you live, but AMD usually has a better price/performance ratio compared to Nvidia... And I'm guessing you're aiming at maxed out graphics, @1080p with over 60fps... so you might wanna look at the 280X... unless Nvidia has some features you really like, f.example shadowplay, but then again MSI gaming cards for AMD has predator which does the same... I don't know if it's as good, but you get my point


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> I read the whole thread to get some informations and then I decided to join the website
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would love to join the owners club.
> 
> I'm a soon-to-be owner, to be fair: ordered the elite 130 some days ago and I'll get it in a couple of days from amazon italy.
> 
> This is my wishlist
> 
> CPU Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core (I don't think about upgrading so no K model...)
> Motherboard Gigabyte GA-H97N-WIFI
> Memory any good brand ddr3 1600 2x4gb or 1x8gb to upgrade later wil do. (Low profile if I go for air cooling)
> Storage I'm going to upgrade my notebook to a 500gb 840 evo samsung, and use the actual 250 for this build.
> Video Card Asus GeForce GTX 770 2GB DirectCU II (or a brand I can strip down for watercooling if I go that way)
> Case Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower (already bought it)
> Power Supply Cooler Master G550M (already bought it)
> My biggest doubt is on the cooling.
> Planning air cooling I wanted to buy the Zalman CNPS8900 Quiet, but friends (atx owners) keep telling me to go the water-cooling route.
> But I think it's not that much use to cool the cpu only, and I was searching info on gpu AIO cooling solution.
> 
> I found two:
> 
> Kraken G10 + compatible cpu cooler (I would spend 35+70€)
> Arctic Cooling Accelero Hybrid (for a cheaper 85€)
> I'm not sure one of this would fit tho. I like the accelero more but safest way would be buying the kraken + cpu cooler, and use it for the cpu if the kraken doesn't fit. But the kraken adapter seems to be bigger than the accelero hybrid, so I would like that instead (but what if it doesn't fit?). A HAF stacker (the itx one) user said he was using it on his build... and that case, while much longer, has little less width than the elite 130...
> 
> Ideal venting would be:
> 
> Fan -> radiator -> fan -> radiator -> fan
> 
> I don't plan to use HDDs and I'll use only a single ssd so I have nothing plugged before the motherboard in the case. I could even (forcefully?) remove the 5,25 bay and mount the ssd on the lateral bracket if vertical space is an issue.. Or I'll just cut out the ssd support under the bay, put the ssd on the bay and maybe mount a slim 120 fan on the hdd bracket? I'll see about that as soon as I have the case in my hands.
> Your build log looks awesome, all those sleeved cables
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried making something silly after lunch with photoshop, hope you like it.
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32972089/an602grey.jpg


Thank you so much! It's only the beginning







.

The Cooler Master Elite 130 was designed with All-In-One liquid cooler's in mind especially considering the ATX PSU specification limiting CPU air coolers. Unless you plan on sticking with the factory heat sink or a very super low profile such as the Zalman CNPS 8900, Scythe Big Shuriken Ver.2, really not much of an option in that arena.

You can always go with one of Silverstone's SFX PSU's which will give you lots of real estate and increase your chances of air coolers as well.

I'm not a fan of AIO liquid coolers, however with the limitations of an SFF platform, those cooler's are a go to stable. You can definitely fit dual 120 mm AIO liquid coolers one for your CPU and another for your GPU in this case as long as you don't mind doing a little drilling on the base of the case and removing the 5.25" drive bay. You can always mount your SSD and another 2.5" HDD on the side with the included bracket.

All you really need are a set of XSPC 120mm radiator stands bolted down on the front after your first Radiator Fan combo.



*Setup*

Fan -> Radiator -> Fan -> [Radiator Stand] -> Radiator -> Fan

The radiators in this setup is consist of your first one to the GPU and the 2nd on to the CPU, mind you this is all sideways. You will have more then enough room to accomplish this, considering i'm mounting an Alpha Cool 120mm Monsta 80mm deep rad in mine


----------



## pharaviel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Window mod is done, so is the top mounted 120mm exhaust... I will post pictures once I've gotten the LED strip and painted the case ;D looks quite nice already as you can see the sapphire logo glowing through the window ;D


Interested in seeing how the 120mm fan is placed








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I don't know where you live, but AMD usually has a better price/performance ratio compared to Nvidia... And I'm guessing you're aiming at maxed out graphics, @1080p with over 60fps... so you might wanna look at the 280X... unless Nvidia has some features you really like, f.example shadowplay, but then again MSI gaming cards for AMD has predator which does the same... I don't know if it's as good, but you get my point


I'm not into builds from a lot of time (now a mac user... yes I know... but I repair client's software every day...) but I believe AMD costs less but heats more... Could be wrong though.
I live in Italy, so all my shopping spree is limited on europe online stores








I'm quite interested in stereoscopic gaming to be fair, because a have a little 3d tv home.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Thank you so much! It's only the beginning
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> The Cooler Master Elite 130 was designed with All-In-One liquid cooler's in mind especially considering the ATX PSU specification limiting CPU air coolers. Unless you plan on sticking with the factory heat sink or a very super low profile such as the Zalman CNPS 8900, Scythe Big Shuriken Ver.2, really not much of an option in that arena.
> 
> You can always go with one of Silverstone's SFX PSU's which will give you lots of real estate and increase your chances of air coolers as well.
> 
> I'm not a fan of AIO liquid coolers, however with the limitations of an SFF platform, those cooler's are a go to stable. You can definitely fit dual 120 mm AIO liquid coolers one for your CPU and another for your GPU in this case as long as you don't mind doing a little drilling on the base of the case and removing the 5.25" drive bay. You can always mount your SSD and another 2.5" HDD on the side with the included bracket.
> 
> All you really need are a set of XSPC 120mm radiator stands bolted down on the front after your first Radiator Fan combo.
> 
> 
> 
> *Setup*
> 
> Fan -> Radiator -> Fan -> [Radiator Stand] -> Radiator -> Fan
> 
> The radiators in this setup is consist of your first one to the GPU and the 2nd on to the CPU, mind you this is all sideways. You will have more then enough room to accomplish this, considering i'm mounting an Alpha Cool 120mm Monsta 80mm deep rad in mine


The zalman was exactly what I planned for air cooling. I already bought the power supply and pretty happy about it (I tought I got an overopowered one until I saw Nvidia suggestion for the power supply on the 770 sheet.
Thanks for the xspc radiator stand link, I'll check it out!


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> Interested in seeing how the 120mm fan is placed


Though I'd just upload a couple of quick pictures to give you an idea of how it's looking... Still haven't painted my caseand waiting for a yellow LED strip to arrive... Luckily DX.com only has 15-20 days estimated shipping lol....


I know lighting in my room is bad atm and the fact that I still haven't bought a new phone after my last one died on me (using an old ZTE Blade







) it doesn't make for very good pictures, but I guess you can see what it looks like...


----------



## Vario

Kriss, I see you put the top exhaust at the front of the case. Where does your case intake? If you have a front intake it goes immediately out the top before it reaches the circuit board.


----------



## Qrash

Would changing the top exhaust into a second intake to increase the internal pressure help with the cooling? That whole positive pressure thang?


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Qrash*
> 
> Would changing the top exhaust into a second intake to increase the internal pressure help with the cooling? That whole positive pressure thang?


I've found its really best to just try every configuration, run some tests, see what runs cooler in reality. So who knows until you try it?


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Kriss, I see you put the top exhaust at the front of the case. Where does your case intake? If you have a front intake it goes immediately out the top before it reaches the circuit board.


I guess it's pulling some of that air from the front intake out, but that kinda what I wanted it to do as I have the AIO intaking through the front... so It's pulling some of that hot air from the AIO out the top and I also have my PSU fan exhausting from the top of the motherboard... so the board should get some good airflow... I can certanly tell you that while I haven't seen any CPU temp improvements with the top exhaust I've seen a significant drop when it comes to motherboard temps and quite a decent drop on the GPU as well... During heavy load you can really tell that the top exhaust was a good idea as you can just hold your hand above it to feel how it removes alot of hot air...
As for running it as an intake, I don't know if that would work all that well... I feel like doing that would only make the positive pressure fight my GPU... As it is I have slightly negative air pressure which in theory atleast should help taking in cool air for my GPU ;D


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Kriss, I see you put the top exhaust at the front of the case. Where does your case intake? If you have a front intake it goes immediately out the top before it reaches the circuit board.


Made this really quick so you can see pretty much exactly how my fan setup looks on the inside ;D

Red = Fan


----------



## Qrash

Sounds like it's doing what you want so I wouldn't change a thing unless you find an issue later on.


----------



## hyp36rmax

And the beat goes on....


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> And the beat goes on....


Looks awesome! I was just wondering about some things... you obviously have a pretty decent budget going into this, but why did you go with the fans you did? I can't help it but I feel like the industrial noctuas would be better... also I'd run that rad as an exhaust as all the heat from your CPU will now go straight over the mobo... and lastly I was just wondering if you're going to include the GPU in the loop...?


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I guess it's pulling some of that air from the front intake out, but that kinda what I wanted it to do as I have the AIO intaking through the front... so It's pulling some of that hot air from the AIO out the top and I also have my PSU fan exhausting from the top of the motherboard... so the board should get some good airflow... I can certanly tell you that while I haven't seen any CPU temp improvements with the top exhaust I've seen a significant drop when it comes to motherboard temps and quite a decent drop on the GPU as well... During heavy load you can really tell that the top exhaust was a good idea as you can just hold your hand above it to feel how it removes alot of hot air...
> As for running it as an intake, I don't know if that would work all that well... I feel like doing that would only make the positive pressure fight my GPU... As it is I have slightly negative air pressure which in theory atleast should help taking in cool air for my GPU ;D


If the motherboard is running cooler then you are doing it right








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> And the beat goes on....






Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Looks awesome! I was just wondering about some things... you obviously have a pretty decent budget going into this, but why did you go with the fans you did? I can't help it but I feel like the industrial noctuas would be better... also I'd run that rad as an exhaust as all the heat from your CPU will now go straight over the mobo... and lastly I was just wondering if you're going to include the GPU in the loop...?


Gentle Typhoons are about as good as it gets, only thing better might be high speed server fans. Definitely not Industrial Noctuas.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Looks awesome! I was just wondering about some things... you obviously have a pretty decent budget going into this, but why did you go with the fans you did? I can't help it but I feel like the industrial noctuas would be better... also I'd run that rad as an exhaust as all the heat from your CPU will now go straight over the mobo... and lastly I was just wondering if you're going to include the GPU in the loop...?


Thank you! As Vario has stated the Gentle Typhoons are bar non the de facto water-cooling fan for radiators as they have the best static pressure, sound, and performance on the market compared to the Noctura's, which have a time and place, just not on this build. Sadly Scythe lost distribution rights and we no longer can get these fans... The next runner up would be Noiseblocker E-Loops (Low RPM), Delta's and San Ace (High RPM).

Check out the following link from Martins Liquid Lab: LINK

As far as intake | exhaust setup, I appreciate the suggestion as I prefer to have fresh air going into my radiators from out side the case. Once you've experienced the higher speed Gentle Typhoons you'll see just how cool it will keep the air flowing inside the case.









Yes GPU will be part of the loop.



Follow my build log for more updates: LINK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> If the motherboard is running cooler then you are doing it right
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gentle Typhoons are about as good as it gets, only thing better might be high speed server fans. Definitely not Industrial Noctuas.


Ha! Yes! I was thinking the same exact song! WINNER!


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Thank you! As Vario has stated the Gentle Typhoons are bar non the de facto water-cooling fan for radiators as they have the best static pressure, sound, and performance on the market compared to the Noctura's, which have a time and place, just not on this build. Sadly Scythe lost distribution rights and we no longer can get these fans... The next runner up would be Noiseblocker E-Loops (Low RPM), Delta's and San Ace (High RPM).


I know the Gentle Typhoons are really good for radiators, but I've been extremely impressed by the new Noctua PPC NF-F12 fans ;D they have a higher cfm rating than the gentle typhoons and if I remember correctly they have nearly 50% more static pressure compared to the typhoons! and that's the part that impressed me the most! If I remember correctly the noctuas have a static rating of over 4mm H2O, while the typhoons are sitting at a VERY respectable 2.9mm H2O







anyways that build will me amazing! also will the tubing be acrylic? it would look amazing, but I guess it would also include a lot of tight and complex bends








edit: I just took a more detailed look at the noctuas and found that the review I saw was misinforming as they "only" have a static pressure of 3.94mm H2O







that's the 2000 rpm one ;D the 3000rpm one has a static pressure of 7.63mm H2O! but then again 3000rpm is quite loud I think


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I know the Gentle Typhoons are really good for radiators, but I've been extremely impressed by the new Noctua PPC NF-F12 fans ;D they have a higher cfm rating than the gentle typhoons and if I remember correctly they have nearly 50% more static pressure compared to the typhoons! and that's the part that impressed me the most! If I remember correctly the noctuas have a static rating of over 4mm H2O, while the typhoons are sitting at a VERY respectable 2.9mm H2O
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> anyways that build will me amazing! also will the tubing be acrylic? it would look amazing, but I guess it would also include a lot of tight and complex bends
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit: I just took a more detailed look at the noctuas and found that the review I saw was misinforming as they "only" have a static pressure of 3.94mm H2O
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> that's the 2000 rpm one ;D the 3000rpm one has a static pressure of 7.63mm H2O! but then again 3000rpm is quite loud I think


LOL switch to a real industrial fan: Delta, San Ace, Nidec, NMB-MAT, Panaflow, Pabst, Power-Logic, which make those "Industrial" Noctuas and other wanna-be computer fans seem like complete toys.

Gentle Typhoons are relabeled Nidec server fans







Also gotta have dual ball bearing to be a true industrial fan imo


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> LOL switch to a real industrial fan: Delta, San Ace, Nidec, NMB-MAT, Panaflow, Pabst, Power-Logic, which make those "Industrial" Noctuas and other wanna-be computer fans seem like complete toys.
> 
> Gentle Typhoons are relabeled Nidec server fans
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also gotta have dual ball bearing to be a true industrial fan imo


For regular computers the Noctuas would actually perform better though... with a higher static pressure and higher cfm it will outperform the gentle typhoons...


----------



## pharaviel

Newb question (just look at my message count XD): is actually a good practice in the forum to open a "build log" (like the awesome one hyp36rmax is doing) to show how the build is going and get some feedback or is it for pro to show their best work?


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> Newb question (just look at my message count XD): is actually a good practice in the forum to open a "build log" (like the awesome one hyp36rmax is doing) to show how the build is going and get some feedback or is it for pro to show their best work?


Of course you can do it, or you can do like me and just post some pictures to this thread ;D Anyways if there's anything you're wondering about just let me know I can help you with almost everything when it comes to building a PC... from picking the parts to putting them together, espescially in the elite 130 ;D I have only built one computer, but I dare to say that unlike many other people you might encounter I'm able to atleast stay objective when it comes to parts and after countless hours watching build logs, and tech videos I have built up a good amount of knowledge ;D


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> LOL switch to a real industrial fan: Delta, San Ace, Nidec, NMB-MAT, Panaflow, Pabst, Power-Logic, which make those "Industrial" Noctuas and other wanna-be computer fans seem like complete toys.
> 
> Gentle Typhoons are relabeled Nidec server fans
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also gotta have dual ball bearing to be a true industrial fan imo


what would you recommend, the noiseblocker eloop b12-3 (1900rpm) or the gentle typhoon (1450rpm) ?


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> what would you recommend, the noiseblocker eloop b12-3 (1900rpm) or the gentle typhoon (1450rpm) ?


Haven't had experience with the eloop to tell you, take a look at Martin Liquid Labs testing, he has the best reviews and data for fans.

http://martinsliquidlab.org/2013/05/07/fan-testing-round-12/

I just go for full out performance fans (usually run them at low voltage with fan controller), noise doesn't bother me much at all lol


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> LOL switch to a real industrial fan: Delta, San Ace, Nidec, NMB-MAT, Panaflow, Pabst, Power-Logic, which make those "Industrial" Noctuas and other wanna-be computer fans seem like complete toys.
> 
> Gentle Typhoons are relabeled Nidec server fans
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also gotta have dual ball bearing to be a true industrial fan imo


^This again!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> Newb question (just look at my message count XD): is actually a good practice in the forum to open a "build log" (like the awesome one hyp36rmax is doing) to show how the build is going and get some feedback or is it for pro to show their best work?


Welcome to Overclock.net!!! Thank you for the kind words! No need to be a pro to post up a build log. We're all here to help and inspire. You're going to have a lot of trial and error. #trust! Crap I know I have! LOL!


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Haven't had experience with the eloop to tell you, take a look at Martin Liquid Labs testing, he has the best reviews and data for fans.
> 
> http://martinsliquidlab.org/2013/05/07/fan-testing-round-12/
> 
> I just go for full out performance fans (usually run them at low voltage with fan controller), noise doesn't bother me much at all lol


well I guess I'll go for either the NB eloop b12-3 or the b12-4 as I can not find any gentle typhoons with higher rpm than the 1450







or I can find the ap30 which has 4125rpm or something, but you can't go lower than about 11V on it so noise will be an issue


----------



## Vario

I got the Samuel 17 installed, it fits the Z77E and Elite 120 like a glove. I have the CPU fan blowing upwards into the power supply and I put the 120x38+25mm gutted spacer in the front.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> well I guess I'll go for either the NB eloop b12-3 or the b12-4 as I can not find any gentle typhoons with higher rpm than the 1450
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or I can find the ap30 which has 4125rpm or something, but you can't go lower than about 11V on it so noise will be an issue


If you can tolerate running a fan controller (takes up space on a little case) or just a simple inline fan dial You could try Delta Electronics AFB1212H-R00, you can sometimes get these for $8 or so on eBay. I think they put them in Dell Vostro 410s for example.

edit: I think you can get the AFB's in PWM with a 4 pin connector.

heres a 3 pin one http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Vostro-410-420-Tower-Case-Fan-K471D-AFB1212H-DELTA-/190876387146?pt=US_CPU_Fans_Heatsinks&hash=item2c711e874a


----------



## bobbymoore

"ADD ME"

HTPC/Gaming Machine

Maximus VI Impact
i7 4770k
Samsung 250GB SSD/Boot
2 x Seagate 500GB HDD 7200 rpm
XFX Radeon HD 7970 3GB
SeaSonic 650 Gold Fully modular PSU
Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (2x8) with blue light bars
CM Seidon 120M AIO CPU water cooler
CD/DVD optical drive
3 Fans 2 x 120mm 1 x 80mm

I have spent hours wiring and rewiring this case to sleeve/minimize the wires. I also have destroyed in the process 2 PSU's, 1 elite 130 case, and 2 Seidon water coolers. I just couldn't stand to see all those wires all jumbled up cutting off air flow, in such a small box.The case has so much potential. And this was my first sleeving/ wiring experience.I bet I took out enough wire to wire another whole system.

I still have to shorten the front panel connectors and the front 3.0 USB cable, I am currently waiting on terminals and connectors. When I finish them I will upload more pics. As well as pics of the graphics card and cables.

I only have one complaint with this case. The OD bay and SSD bay beneath it needed to have been moved further towards the center to allow for a regular 120x25mm fan to be used on the back of the radiator as well. I had to go with a 120x15mm.









Added some bigger pics. Hard to get pictures without glare today.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bobbymoore*
> 
> "ADD ME"
> 
> HTPC/Gaming Machine
> 
> Maximus VI Impact
> i7 4770k
> Samsung 250GB SSD/Boot
> 2 x Seagate 500GB HDD 7200 rpm
> XFX Radeon HD 7970 3GB
> SeaSonic 650 Gold Fully modular PSU
> Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (2x8) with blue light bars
> CM Seidon 120M AIO CPU water cooler
> CD/DVD optical drive
> 3 Fans 2 x 120mm 1 x 80mm
> 
> I have spent hours wiring and rewiring this case to sleeve/minimize the wires. I also have destroyed in the process 2 PSU's, 1 elite 130 case, and 2 Seidon water coolers. I just couldn't stand to see all those wires all jumbled up cutting off air flow, in such a small box.The case has so much potential. And this was my first sleeving/ wiring experience.I bet I took out enough wire to wire another whole system.
> 
> I still have to shorten the front panel connectors and the front 3.0 USB cable, I am currently waiting on terminals and connectors. When I finish them I will upload more pics. As well as pics of the graphics card and cables.
> 
> I only have one complaint with this case. The OD bay and SSD bay beneath it needed to have been moved further towards the center to allow for a regular 120x25mm fan to be used on the back of the radiator as well. I had to go with a 120x15mm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Welcome to OCN! This case has a lot of potential. How did you manage to go through so many parts for your end product?







I can see how this case can be a nightmare in cable management in such a small frame. With a little patience and ingenuity it can definitely be done. If you have access to a rotary tool you can cut off those vampire teeth on the bottom of that drive bay. If you're in SoCal i can help


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> To join the owners club simply post a photo of your Elite M-ITX case and request "ADD ME" stating the name of your build.


Does your build have a name sir?


----------



## pharaviel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bobbymoore*
> 
> "ADD ME"
> 
> HTPC/Gaming Machine
> 
> Maximus VI Impact
> i7 4770k
> Samsung 250GB SSD/Boot
> 2 x Seagate 500GB HDD 7200 rpm
> XFX Radeon HD 7970 3GB
> SeaSonic 650 Gold Fully modular PSU
> Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (2x8) with blue light bars
> CM Seidon 120M AIO CPU water cooler
> CD/DVD optical drive
> 3 Fans 2 x 120mm 1 x 80mm
> 
> I have spent hours wiring and rewiring this case to sleeve/minimize the wires. I also have destroyed in the process 2 PSU's, 1 elite 130 case, and 2 Seidon water coolers. I just couldn't stand to see all those wires all jumbled up cutting off air flow, in such a small box.The case has so much potential. And this was my first sleeving/ wiring experience.I bet I took out enough wire to wire another whole system.
> 
> I still have to shorten the front panel connectors and the front 3.0 USB cable, I am currently waiting on terminals and connectors. When I finish them I will upload more pics. As well as pics of the graphics card and cables.
> 
> I only have one complaint with this case. The OD bay and SSD bay beneath it needed to have been moved further towards the center to allow for a regular 120x25mm fan to be used on the back of the radiator as well. I had to go with a 120x15mm.


That is a great build, you packed some serious (and lots) of hardware in your elite!








If I interpret the photo correctly you have plugged your second HDD in reverse UNDER the 5,25 bay?

Can I ask one question to you? I'm planning to buy the Seidon 120M and I have a question I didn't answer reading on the reviews: can a screw be put through the radiator mounting holes? Meaning: can you see through the holes or are there radiator fins inside?

PS: maybe you already researched something like this, but i found this while looking for my build, if you want to move your drive and are in the market for a new odd: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-3-5-Inch-Mounting-5-25-Inch-SLIMCDFDCAGE/dp/B0009F8DV4

You could then remove the ssd mounting parts under the 5,25" bay and use a bigger fan


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> That is a great build, you packed some serious (and lots) of hardware in your elite!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I interpret the photo correctly you have plugged your second HDD in reverse UNDER the 5,25 bay?
> 
> Can I ask one question to you? I'm planning to buy the Seidon 120M and I have a question I didn't answer reading on the reviews: can a screw be put through the radiator mounting holes? Meaning: can you see through the holes or are there radiator fins inside?
> 
> PS: maybe you already researched something like this, but i found this while looking for my build, if you want to move your drive and are in the market for a new odd: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-3-5-Inch-Mounting-5-25-Inch-SLIMCDFDCAGE/dp/B0009F8DV4
> 
> You could then remove the ssd mounting parts under the 5,25" bay and use a bigger fan


Seidon should be like other AIO radiators where you screw in too far and you will hit the fins.


Image source credit: http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/cooler_master_seidon_120m_review/5

Heres some photos of how my itx is setup now from my Samuel 17 install









got all the wires tucked out of the way of the central "wind tunnel"








The fan blows up into the PSU because theres no space








It looks messy from this view but I am using full length sata cables and the USB 3.0 case wire is very long and inflexible as well. There are no wires in the main case area except the ATX 24pin. All the wiring is either bundled at the bottom or stuck between the PSU and the DVD drive area at the top where airflow doesn't matter.

At idle right now it is 25-32*C! Ambient is about 24*C.


----------



## pharaviel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> That is a great build, you packed some serious (and lots) of hardware in your elite!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I interpret the photo correctly you have plugged your second HDD in reverse UNDER the 5,25 bay?
> 
> Can I ask one question to you? I'm planning to buy the Seidon 120M and I have a question I didn't answer reading on the reviews: can a screw be put through the radiator mounting holes? Meaning: can you see through the holes or are there radiator fins inside?
> 
> PS: maybe you already researched something like this, but i found this while looking for my build, if you want to move your drive and are in the market for a new odd: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-3-5-Inch-Mounting-5-25-Inch-SLIMCDFDCAGE/dp/B0009F8DV4
> 
> You could then remove the ssd mounting parts under the 5,25" bay and use a bigger fan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seidon should be like other AIO radiators where you screw in too far and you will hit the fins.
> 
> 
> Image source credit: http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/cooler_master_seidon_120m_review/5
Click to expand...

I'm asking since Seidon 120V has free space under the screw holes, but I can't find any mention about 120M...


----------



## Vario

The review I linked has photos that might help: http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/cooler_master_seidon_120m_review/5


----------



## bobbymoore

no, I couldn't really come up with one. Please feel free to offer name ideas.


----------



## bobbymoore

not sure about what you mean by second hdd in reverse, the connections are facing the right side of the case and is upside down. The radiator has fins all the way through it. The screws only go so deep into each side of the radiator. I had to cut my own screws for the 15mm fan.

NIce drive bay adapter, interesting. Unfortunately it wont work for me, it is for an IDE connection.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> I got the Samuel 17 installed, it fits the Z77E and Elite 120 like a glove. I have the CPU fan blowing upwards into the power supply and I put the 120x38+25mm gutted spacer in the front.
> If you can tolerate running a fan controller (takes up space on a little case) or just a simple inline fan dial You could try Delta Electronics AFB1212H-R00, you can sometimes get these for $8 or so on eBay. I think they put them in Dell Vostro 410s for example.
> 
> edit: I think you can get the AFB's in PWM with a 4 pin connector.
> 
> heres a 3 pin one http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Vostro-410-420-Tower-Case-Fan-K471D-AFB1212H-DELTA-/190876387146?pt=US_CPU_Fans_Heatsinks&hash=item2c711e874a


I need fans with 3pin connectors as I'll use them to replace my two included fans from thermaltake... and from the reviews I saw on the site that you linked me to, the eloops seems to be the next best thing after the typhoons... and since I can't find any typhoons with higher rpms than 1450 I guess the eloops are my best option ;D think a couple of noiseblocker eloop B12-4's in push/pull will maybe improve temps by about 5C and also give even better airflow through the case ;D
Fans will be hooked up to the motherboards CPU fan header with a 4pin to 2x3pin splitter ;D


----------



## CM Felinni

If you guys have questions regarding The Seidon Liquid Coolers or the Elite 130, I can help you out.


----------



## pharaviel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> The review I linked has photos that might help: http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/cooler_master_seidon_120m_review/5


Thanks for the link, I actually had already read that review and didn't find mention on that specification. Bobbymoore just confirmed me what I feared.
Nonetheless, thank for your help.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bobbymoore*
> 
> not sure about what you mean by second hdd in reverse, the connections are facing the right side of the case and is upside down.


What I meant is, if I saw the picture right, you have a 3,5" hdd placed under the 5,25 bay while the case manual said to put it over the bay or on the case floor, so I supposed that you cut down the ssd support. Unless your hdd is 2,5" sized or that under the 5,25 bay is the ssd, in that case I'm wrong








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bobbymoore*
> 
> The radiator has fins all the way through it. The screws only go so deep into each side of the radiator. I had to cut my own screws for the 15mm fan.


Just what I feared. The 120V have empty space instead of fins in the screw holes, but being the pump of another shape I supposed it is made from another manufacturer...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bobbymoore*
> 
> NIce drive bay adapter, interesting. Unfortunately it wont work for me, it is for an IDE connection.


The mounting bracket does not have actually any connector, it only keeps your hdd and your slim odd in place. The ide adapter is just bundled for slim ide odd (in fact you can see in frequently bought together object there is a sata adapter: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Slimline-Adapter-Power-SLSATAADAP/dp/B002O1W6ZK/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_y or http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-6-Inch-Slimline-Adapter-SLSATAADAP6/dp/B009JXKQ9O/ref=pd_tcs_compl_e_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=046CF6QD0415MG9MYBZN). I actually found a much cheaper one: http://www.amazon.com/Chenbro-Slim-Internal-3-5-Inch-SK41202/dp/B004D3SKBQ/ref=pd_cp_e_2


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I need fans with 3pin connectors as I'll use them to replace my two included fans from thermaltake... and from the reviews I saw on the site that you linked me to, the eloops seems to be the next best thing after the typhoons... and since I can't find any typhoons with higher rpms than 1450 I guess the eloops are my best option ;D think a couple of noiseblocker eloop B12-4's in push/pull will maybe improve temps by about 5C and also give even better airflow through the case ;D
> Fans will be hooked up to the motherboards CPU fan header with a 4pin to 2x3pin splitter ;D


Give it a shot let us know how they work for ya









You could try a spacer too, gut a regular cheap fan so it is just a 25mm spacer, and put it in front of your pull fan. This decreases the dead zone area of the second fan's motor.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Give it a shot let us know how they work for ya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You could try a spacer too, gut a regular cheap fan so it is just a 25mm spacer, and put it in front of your pull fan. This decreases the dead zone area of the second fan's motor.


Haven't thought of doing that, sounds like it would work, but I'd need some special mounting screws for that







might be a future thing on the to do list...


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Haven't thought of doing that, sounds like it would work, but I'd need some special mounting screws for that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> might be a future thing on the to do list...


Oh it works great,

I use zip tie screws for my front fan +spacer +filter combo: http://www.overclock.net/t/753254/ziptie-screw

Plastic front panel -> zip tie #1 starts -> 120mm silverstone Fan Filter -> metal front -> inside case 120mm Rubber fan isolator -> Gutted Fan Spacer -> 120mm Rubber fan Isolator -> 120x38mm Fan -> zip tie #2's box

All this stuff sandwiched together with 4 zip tie screws







Its not the same as a metal screw but it allows for creative mounting of stuff.

Use a needle nose pliers to pull the ties really tight together, do this in a diagonal pattern like a car's heads gasket or lug nuts to evenly tighten.


----------



## hyp36rmax

I love when a plan comes together...


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> I love when a plan comes together...
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


More photos required please =)


----------



## Vario

radiator looks good with the offset!


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> More photos required please =)


Check out my WIP *Build Log*

*Here are the progress shots:*





Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> radiator looks good with the offset!


Thank you sir! Getting closer!!!!


----------



## Gir

Hey guys, will the elite 130 fit a thicker than 2 but thinner than 3 slot GPU?

I'm interested in the powercolor 290 pcx.

Width according to powercolor is 38mm/1.5 inches


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*


Am i correct in saying you plan to have the front fan as air intake? Surely that nice fat radiator will be disapaiting a fiar bit of heat, do you really want that blown back inside an already confind space? I suspect your RAM and CPU alone wouldn't appreciate it, though just my opinion.


----------



## clewis09

Hi guys I'm having trouble keeping everything cool in my build (Elite 130)

Basically I have an i5 2500k cooled with a 120mm rad at the front, this is kept nice and cool by one of those loud industrial noctua fans. However my EVGA SC ACX 780 lets off a lot of heat, and if I don't have the fans set quite high, then the heat ends up heating up the PSU, which as a result can ramp up quite loud. I'm not sure how to fix this?


----------



## pharaviel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gir*
> 
> Hey guys, will the elite 130 fit a thicker than 2 but thinner than 3 slot GPU?
> 
> I'm interested in the powercolor 290 pcx.
> 
> Width according to powercolor is 38mm/1.5 inches


I took a couple of ugly photos to get some measures:
EDIT: measures are CM, not MM


From the outside, open case. Measured from the start of the first hole for gpu connectors.




From the inside. Measured from the start of the pcie16 "hole".


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *clewis09*
> 
> Hi guys I'm having trouble keeping everything cool in my build (Elite 130)
> 
> Basically I have an i5 2500k cooled with a 120mm rad at the front, this is kept nice and cool by one of those loud industrial noctua fans. However my EVGA SC ACX 780 lets off a lot of heat, and if I don't have the fans set quite high, then the heat ends up heating up the PSU, which as a result can ramp up quite loud. I'm not sure how to fix this?


Do you have the front as intake or exhaust? Blowing the hot air into the case or extracting it out the front? Is your PSU drawing air from inside the case or from outside (assuming it has a fan at all)?

Also, what hard drives do you have and is the case in a "ventilated" space. Do you have a fan on each side of the rad?


----------



## Maddreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> I took a couple of ugly photos to get some measures:
> 
> 
> From the outside, open case. Measured from the start of the first hole for gpu connectors.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From the inside. Measured from the start of the pcie16 "hole".


you mistyped - put MM instead of CM


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Am i correct in saying you plan to have the front fan as air intake? Surely that nice fat radiator will be disapaiting a fiar bit of heat, do you really want that blown back inside an already confind space? I suspect your RAM and CPU alone wouldn't appreciate it, though just my opinion.


It won't matter that much, I have two AIOs in my system now and I idle about 28C on my CPU and 34C on my GPU. I prefer these AIOs over a custom system anyday. Less fuss.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> It won't matter that much, I have two AIOs in my system now and I idle about 28C on my CPU and 34C on my GPU. I prefer these AIOs over a custom system anyday. Less fuss.


Everyone will have their own opinion on this (not that i wish to start a debate) and every setup is different, but in some cases (unintended pun) i think such details do matter. If say the front fan is set to draw air in, over a rad this obviously pushes hot air inside the case, heating things up. If there is no extraction, with say a PSU originated to draw air from outside of the case, with possibly a very long GPU on one side and a hard drive mounted on the other, there would be little place else for the heat to go. I aren't saying this is how that particular chap has his case sent up, just that there are circumstances when such details do matter and better to ask without dismissing such factors straight away. In my setup i found that having the front fan extracting in a push pull setup using a rad worked best, but appreciate it is not optimal for everyone.


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Everyone will have their own opinion on this (not that i wish to start a debate) and every setup is different, but in some cases (unintended pun) i think such details do matter. If say the front fan is set to draw air in, over a rad this obviously pushes hot air inside the case, heating things up. If there is no extraction, with say a PSU originated to draw air from outside of the case, with possibly a very long GPU on one side and a hard drive mounted on the other, there would be little place else for the heat to go. I aren't saying this is how that particular chap has his case sent up, just that there are circumstances when such details do matter and better to ask without dismissing such factors straight away. In my setup i found that having the front fan extracting in a push pull setup using a rad worked best, but appreciate it is not optimal for everyone.


On the 130 a push/pull config is the best in the front, I concur. Which is why I have my 120XL on my GPU.







On a 120, the front mod must be done.







My other AIO (CPU) is on the top between the PSU and in the 5.25" bay pulling in air from the top into the case. .







Just enough room.









All exhaust is done via my PSU. Also helps to have a Gold Rated PSU.











On a side note, my MX100 should be here on Friday. So expect some more pics. I don't know if I will be doing a tear down, probably not. Most likely gonna clean up the case, then a little photo shoot.


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> It won't matter that much, I have two AIOs in my system now and I idle about 28C on my CPU and 34C on my GPU. I prefer these AIOs over a custom system anyday. Less fuss.


I don't idle much different from you, (30-35*C 2550k and 31*C HD7850) though has a soldered lidded CPU and a lower powered GCN vga, but I'd like to know what your loads are with that configuration. Are the radiators back to back in the front?

Prime 95 peak temperature is 61*C CPU and Unigen Valley peak temperature is 74*C VGA with my air cooled elite 120.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Am i correct in saying you plan to have the front fan as air intake? Surely that nice fat radiator will be disapaiting a fiar bit of heat, do you really want that blown back inside an already confind space? I suspect your RAM and CPU alone wouldn't appreciate it, though just my opinion.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Everyone will have their own opinion on this (not that i wish to start a debate) and every setup is different, but in some cases (unintended pun) i think such details do matter. If say the front fan is set to draw air in, over a rad this obviously pushes hot air inside the case, heating things up. If there is no extraction, with say a PSU originated to draw air from outside of the case, with possibly a very long GPU on one side and a hard drive mounted on the other, there would be little place else for the heat to go. I aren't saying this is how that particular chap has his case sent up, just that there are circumstances when such details do matter and better to ask without dismissing such factors straight away. In my setup i found that having the front fan extracting in a push pull setup using a rad worked best, but appreciate it is not optimal for everyone.


Yes the front will be an intake bringing fresh air into my radiator. As you can see my setup consist of a 2x Gentle Typhoon AP-29 fans in a push | pull configuration capable of up to 3000rpm (tuned down by Asus FanXpert software fan control) along with my PSU inverted sucking air out as an exhaust for maximum efficiency. I'd say there will be more then enough air flow and positive air pressure inside my case for coolness







.

This same question came up with my tighter SG05 build only with a conventional Swiftech MCRx120 21 FPI radiator at 34 mm with the same fans. Again it was very cool on the motherboard end.



It all comes down to how your configuration is setup, taking into account your fans, radiators, wire management, psu placement, fan curves, etc... It may work for some and not for others.... for the name of science!


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Yes the front will be an intake bringing fresh air into my radiator. As you can see my setup consist of a 2x Gentle Typhoon AP-29 fans in a push | pull configuration capable of up to 3000rpm (tuned down by Asus FanXpert software fan control) along with my PSU inverted sucking air out as an exhaust for maximum efficiency. I'd say there will be more then enough air flow and positive air pressure inside my case for coolness
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> This same question came up with my tighter SG05 build only with a conventional Swiftech MCRx120 21 FPI radiator at 34 mm with the same fans. Again it was very cool on the motherboard end.
> 
> 
> 
> It all comes down to how your configuration is setup, taking into account your fans, radiators, wire management, psu placement, fan curves, etc... It may work for some and not for others.... for the name of science!


Front intake+radiator isn't a problem, the heat dissipates into the case air and is exhausted out. The processors themselves will run cooler for having fresh air brought in, negating the greater case ambient temperature, provided you have exhaust flow.

An advantage of a front radiator over an air cooled setup is the socket itself has less airflow obstruction because the waterblock takes up less physical space. This will help mitigate some of the heat soak resulting from a front intake+rad.

I think your setup will work well.


----------



## clewis09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Do you have the front as intake or exhaust? Blowing the hot air into the case or extracting it out the front? Is your PSU drawing air from inside the case or from outside (assuming it has a fan at all)?
> 
> Also, what hard drives do you have and is the case in a "ventilated" space. Do you have a fan on each side of the rad?


Front is an intake into the AIO cooling the CPU, only one fan on it atm. PSU is drawing air from inside the case, however I found that it does a good job of ventilating excess heat out of the case; having it drawing air from the outside actually makes it hotter (Because the heat from the case isn't being moved anywhere.

I also have the 60mm fan pulling air inwards.


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *clewis09*
> 
> false
> Front is an intake into the AIO cooling the CPU, only one fan on it atm. PSU is drawing air from inside the case, however I found that it does a good job of ventilating excess heat out of the case; having it drawing air from the outside actually makes it hotter (Because the heat from the case isn't being moved anywhere.
> 
> I also have the 60mm fan pulling air inwards.


I found this to be the case too because heat would enter the power supply through the metal casing rather than being drawn through it and out the back. Also the top vent is very restrictive for airflow.


----------



## RickRockerr

I'm selling my current pc and building new in Elite 130. This will be my first mini itx build so I'm excited how I'm going to squeeze everything in there










Spoiler: Components







E: I think I'm not going to buy dvd drive because I don't need it that often and there is always external ones


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> I'm selling my current pc and building new in Elite 130. This will be my first mini itx build so I'm excited how I'm going to squeeze everything in there
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Components
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> E: I think I'm not going to buy dvd drive because I don't need it that often and there is always external ones


welcome to the club! I Look forward to your build


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Front intake+radiator isn't a problem, the heat dissipates into the case air and is exhausted out. The processors themselves will run cooler for having fresh air brought in, negating the greater case ambient temperature, provided you have exhaust flow.
> 
> An advantage of a front radiator over an air cooled setup is the socket itself has less airflow obstruction because the waterblock takes up less physical space. This will help mitigate some of the heat soak resulting from a front intake+rad.
> 
> I think your setup will work well.


Exactly


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> I'm selling my current pc and building new in Elite 130. This will be my first mini itx build so I'm excited how I'm going to squeeze everything in there
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Components
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> E: I think I'm not going to buy dvd drive because I don't need it that often and there is always external ones


Damn thats gonna be a nice setup.







Just curious why not a 4790k instead of 4770k?


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Damn thats gonna be a nice setup.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just curious why not a 4790k instead of 4770k?


Wrong cpu on the list, going to get 4790k







It's now confirmed that I get money from my current buil next week and then I can get new parts!







But damn, some of the parts take 5-10 days to get








And i'm to make my own sleeved power cables as soon as I have time to get it as clean as possible


----------



## clewis09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I found this to be the case too because heat would enter the power supply through the metal casing rather than being drawn through it and out the back. Also the top vent is very restrictive for airflow.


Have you any solutions? I'm getting to the point where I may just change case, as the noise/heat is unbearable.

Perhaps adding another fan to make it a push/pull config? Maybe changing from AIO to an air cooler, on the cpu ?


----------



## RickRockerr

My friend come to pick my pc next week but he paid today so my components are on the way!


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *clewis09*
> 
> Have you any solutions? I'm getting to the point where I may just change case, as the noise/heat is unbearable.
> 
> Perhaps adding another fan to make it a push/pull config? Maybe changing from AIO to an air cooler, on the cpu ?


Just running the power supply so it pulls up and out. I run a rather low power setup (7850 is a pretty low powered card) and a i5 sandy bridge (runs cooler than ivy, haswell) so it might work in my situation only.

As far as changing from AIO to air cooler, I did that but for other reasons (My AIO loop was 4 years old and I didn't trust it much longer). The fan on my aircooler (Pro-SAM17) now basically shoves air through the power supply's fan and out the back, so it actually works well in that regard. I'd keep your AIO and try running the power supply flipped so it sucks case air out the back. If you are already doing this and still having problems you could try cutting a side vent where the original 80mm fan was, and mount a 120x12mm fan set to exhaust, but it wouldn't be as pretty.

Or in an extreme case I guess you could open the power supply up and change the fan to a more high powered fan, you'd have to be very careful because power supplies can store a lethal charge.


----------



## RickRockerr

Do I need exhaust fan? I was thinking to keep the 80mm fan so mobo can get air and putting exhaust fan to the same side were hdd bracket is. I'm going to remove the hdd bracket and put my hdd's to dvd tray.
Not sure though if I can fit slim fan to that spot. Have to wait till I get the case


----------



## mechnesium

Hello everyone, I'm mechnesium and this is my first post, marking my entry into the master race! Below is a hypothetical build that I have been planning for a few days. It will be my first-ever custom PC that I will use for moderate gaming (mainly Battlefield 4, Planetside 2, and the upcoming Battlefront title) and CPU-intensive engineering software such as MATLAB, SolidWorks, LabVIEW, and Mathematica. I wanted something really small, with fairly modern and somewhat future-proof components, which I can overclock if necessary, with a 1K budget. I also wanted to use quality components from reputable manufacturers that have good warranties and solid materials. I plan to put Windows 8.1 Pro on it and possibly dual-boot with a Linux distro or SteamOS (if SteamOS is even possible to dual-boot).

I was going to wait until Broadwell comes out but there are two problems: 1) I have zero patience, especially since I am forced to use my laptop as a desktop on a daily basis by plugging in a keyboard, wireless mouse, HD monitor and laptop cooler and 2) Broadwell will probably be beyond my price range when it comes out, while Haswell Refresh will only decrease in price.

*WARNING*: I am an OCD autist who has no idea what he is doing or talking about. Some of the components I picked might be cringe-worthy, but I will try my best to explain the reason behind my choice. I am fully open to critique or suggestions.

*Codename:
The Tesseract*

*CPU:
Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core*
I want something powerful, but energy efficient. Overclocking is a must, because I want to get into it as a hobby. I am a speed freak, and figured I could use the power from an i5 on a budget.

*CPU Cooler:
Corsair H60 74.4 CFM Liquid*
This is entirely dependent on the Elite 110 case. One fan is a must, because I am afraid that 2 fan AIOs liquid units like the H80i or H75 will be too cramped/loud for this little box. The newer 2013 Hydro H60 seemed reasonable enough. I am afraid about watercooling leaks, but there aren't any air coolers that really caught my eye other than the Noctua NH-L9i (which apparently isn't suitable for serious overclocking) and the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (would it fit in the Elite 110?). I want a cool and quiet unit that can keep 60 degrees or under at all loads, if possible.

*Motherboard:
Asus Z97I-PLUS Mini ITX LGA1150*
It was either this one or the less expensive ASRock Z97E-ITX/ac. The M.2 is an absolute must (I am an enthusiast of new tech standards), which limits me to these two mobos. I understand that ASRock is an ASUS spinoff for more affordable electronics, but read some anecdotes of lower quality caps. However, it does have the newer audio codec (ALC1150) which the Z97I -PLUS does not have. However, I am willing to shell out another 30-50 on the ASUS if it means better quality and stability for the core of my rig.

*Memory:
Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866*
This is honestly one of those categories where I feel more vulnerable to overpaying for snake oil. The standard Corsair Vengeance and G.Skill Ripjaws have heatsinks that look WAY too big and obnoxious for a cramped Elite 110, especially if I use liquid cooling, so I went for the low-profile out of fear. Eight gigabytes seems sufficient even for the intense software that I will be running, but as far as determining whether I should go for 1600 or 1866 goes, I have a poverty of experience.

*Storage:
Crucial M500 M.2 240GB M.2-2280 SSD*
This was an impulse. I only need ~250 GB because I have a 3 TB NAS which I connect to on my LAN and through FTP when I am away from home. I have never used more than 100 gigabytes of computer space in my entire life, because I frequently remove unused games or software (usually only keep 5 to 10 games max on my drive). I was originally going to get the Samsung Electronics 840 EVO-Series 250GB which has 520 MB/s speeds. When I saw this little M.2 unit for only 20 dollars more, with 6Gb/s speeds, I figured I'd make the switch. Not sure about the quality of Crucial but I have their RAM in my laptop and it hasn't failed me. Not sure if this M.2 unit will fit or be compatible with any software or hardware that I might get.

*Video Card:
MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB ITX*
This is the part where I've done the most research. I was originally going to get the tiny EVGA GeForce GTX 750Ti Superclock, but I feel like it would bottleneck the Haswell Refresh that I'm going for. The 760 is a decent step up, but there are only a few tiny models compatible with the Elite 110 case, it seems. The MSI one is a solid choice for me, because it comes overclocked. Other options include the Zotac ZT-70402-10P and the Asus GTX760-DC2OC-2GD5 DirectCU II, which is bigger than the Elite 110's 210mm spec, but apparently fits according to a member on here. I would love to hear some more input on that, and if it could possibly fit with an AIO liquid cooler like the H60. I'd get the bigger ASUS if it fit for sure, and it would even match my motherboard.

*Case:
Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini ITX Tower*
Self-explanatory. I want a cute, small and powerful cube that is compatible with liquid cooling. Cooler Master has great quality stuff. Other, smaller rectangular boxes like the M350 just scream heat issues and poor material quality to me. I was wondering if it would be nessessary to add a small 80 mm case fan or two, since this unit can fit up to 2. If so, I was considering one or two Noctua NF-R8 (PWM). I was also wondering whether the large built-in fan is removable and what a good replacement would be--perhaps a Noctua or Gentle Typhoon?

*Power Supply:
SeaSonic G-Series 550W ATX12V / EPS12V 80 PLUS GOLD*
I was originally going to get one of the bronze rated Corsair CX430W, CX500W, or CX600W, but I read that SeaSonic is a PSU industry leader that manufactures other companies' PSUs for them. The gold rating is desirable, and this brand has a pretty good reputation so the slightly higher cost is worth it in my opinion. I am concerned that 550W might not be enough for the GTX 760 and i5 4690K, especially if I overclock both of them simultaneously. I was also wondering what the deal is with flipping them upside-down, or whether a much more expensive fanless unit would be safe or effective. It might help to add that I am going to be connecting this box to a massive 40 inch LED Samsung 1080p flatscreen and a Saumsung AirTrack sound system, and likely 4K in a few months time.

I just wanted a decent unit and took a bit of time to assemble this list. If there are any suggestions to this build before I pull the trigger, I am open and would be grateful to any input. Once decisions have been made, I am going to buy all the parts (by the way, any vendors to AVOID?) and chronicle my build with a log, tons of pictures, and performance data. I hope to be a part of this community soon!


----------



## Vario

*-CPU* ✓
*-CPU Cooler:* Consider the H80 and the Coolermaster Seidon 120M
*-Motherboard*: ✓
*-Ram:* ✓ with these cases, low profile for sure. You could also hunt for used Samsung Green 30nm.
*-Storage:* I'd get both a mechanical HDD and an SSD, Crucial is fine, I think the Samsung 840 is a more popular branding.
*-VGA:* ✓ get a short VGA if you are running an Elite 110, its a shorter case. I don't think the MSI is a short card. Here is the short version MSI card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127772 Note it is the "MSI G-SYNC Support GeForce GTX 760 GAMING ITX"
*-Case:* don't really need to worry about the 80mm fans, they are pointless, the front fan should be fine and the power supply will work as exhaust. As noted above make sure case is long enough for the VGA, if not, get an Elite 130.
*-Power Supply:* 550 is fine, you could probably even do 500 watts but I'd go for 600 watts anyway, and I'd get a gold. Then if you decide to go bigger case later you can take the same power supply with you and run a lot of HDDs on it etc. Make sure you get a fully modular power supply. Power supply can be run any direction. In most computer cases the fan points down, and that is the traditional mounting arrangement. In the Elite series there is a top intake for it but its restrictive, so your power supply will probably run cooler with the fan pointed down. Additionally the fan then works as an exhaust for the case/motherboard area.
*Fans:* I'd avoid the hype on those fans, there are cheaper fans available, but regardless, 120mm front fan is removable and replacable. The H60 comes with a decent fan. You would only need 1 more fan so you can run the H60 in Push/Pull, you can either run the Coolermaster fan, which isn't the greatest, or you can get a different fan. I'd get a PWM fan. Forget using 80mm fans, they are not worth it for this case and it doesn't really need it either. You could also just run the Corsair fan only.
*-Additional comment:* 4k is a lot to be running on a 760. Even on a 780ti it is a lot. Make sure you are reasonable with your expectations. A 760 is the perfect card for 1920x1080. Beyond that and you would want a 780 or 780ti.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mechnesium*
> 
> Hello everyone, I'm mechnesium and this is my first post, marking my entry into the master race! Below is a hypothetical build that I have been planning for a few days. It will be my first-ever custom PC that I will use for moderate gaming (mainly Battlefield 4, Planetside 2, and the upcoming Battlefront title) and CPU-intensive engineering software such as MATLAB, SolidWorks, LabVIEW, and Mathematica. I wanted something really small, with fairly modern and somewhat future-proof components, which I can overclock if necessary, with a 1K budget. I also wanted to use quality components from reputable manufacturers that have good warranties and solid materials. I plan to put Windows 8.1 Pro on it and possibly dual-boot with a Linux distro or SteamOS (if SteamOS is even possible to dual-boot).
> 
> I was going to wait until Broadwell comes out but there are two problems: 1) I have zero patience, especially since I am forced to use my laptop as a desktop on a daily basis by plugging in a keyboard, wireless mouse, HD monitor and laptop cooler and 2) Broadwell will probably be beyond my price range when it comes out, while Haswell Refresh will only decrease in price.
> 
> *WARNING*: I am an OCD autist who has no idea what he is doing or talking about. Some of the components I picked might be cringe-worthy, but I will try my best to explain the reason behind my choice. I am fully open to critique or suggestions.
> 
> *Codename:
> The Tesseract*
> 
> *CPU:
> Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core*
> I want something powerful, but energy efficient. Overclocking is a must, because I want to get into it as a hobby. I am a speed freak, and figured I could use the power from an i5 on a budget.
> 
> *CPU Cooler:
> Corsair H60 74.4 CFM Liquid*
> This is entirely dependent on the Elite 110 case. One fan is a must, because I am afraid that 2 fan AIOs liquid units like the H80i or H75 will be too cramped/loud for this little box. The newer 2013 Hydro H60 seemed reasonable enough. I am afraid about watercooling leaks, but there aren't any air coolers that really caught my eye other than the Noctua NH-L9i (which apparently isn't suitable for serious overclocking) and the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO (would it fit in the Elite 110?). I want a cool and quiet unit that can keep 60 degrees or under at all loads, if possible.
> 
> *Motherboard:
> Asus Z97I-PLUS Mini ITX LGA1150*
> It was either this one or the less expensive ASRock Z97E-ITX/ac. The M.2 is an absolute must (I am an enthusiast of new tech standards), which limits me to these two mobos. I understand that ASRock is an ASUS spinoff for more affordable electronics, but read some anecdotes of lower quality caps. However, it does have the newer audio codec (ALC1150) which the Z97I -PLUS does not have. However, I am willing to shell out another 30-50 on the ASUS if it means better quality and stability for the core of my rig.
> 
> *Memory:
> Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866*
> This is honestly one of those categories where I feel more vulnerable to overpaying for snake oil. The standard Corsair Vengeance and G.Skill Ripjaws have heatsinks that look WAY too big and obnoxious for a cramped Elite 110, especially if I use liquid cooling, so I went for the low-profile out of fear. Eight gigabytes seems sufficient even for the intense software that I will be running, but as far as determining whether I should go for 1600 or 1866 goes, I have a poverty of experience.
> 
> *Storage:
> Crucial M500 M.2 240GB M.2-2280 SSD*
> This was an impulse. I only need ~250 GB because I have a 3 TB NAS which I connect to on my LAN and through FTP when I am away from home. I have never used more than 100 gigabytes of computer space in my entire life, because I frequently remove unused games or software (usually only keep 5 to 10 games max on my drive). I was originally going to get the Samsung Electronics 840 EVO-Series 250GB which has 520 MB/s speeds. When I saw this little M.2 unit for only 20 dollars more, with 6Gb/s speeds, I figured I'd make the switch. Not sure about the quality of Crucial but I have their RAM in my laptop and it hasn't failed me. Not sure if this M.2 unit will fit or be compatible with any software or hardware that I might get.
> 
> *Video Card:
> MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB ITX*
> This is the part where I've done the most research. I was originally going to get the tiny EVGA GeForce GTX 750Ti Superclock, but I feel like it would bottleneck the Haswell Refresh that I'm going for. The 760 is a decent step up, but there are only a few tiny models compatible with the Elite 110 case, it seems. The MSI one is a solid choice for me, because it comes overclocked. Other options include the Zotac ZT-70402-10P and the Asus GTX760-DC2OC-2GD5 DirectCU II, which is bigger than the Elite 110's 210mm spec, but apparently fits according to a member on here. I would love to hear some more input on that, and if it could possibly fit with an AIO liquid cooler like the H60. I'd get the bigger ASUS if it fit for sure, and it would even match my motherboard.
> 
> *Case:
> Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini ITX Tower*
> Self-explanatory. I want a cute, small and powerful cube that is compatible with liquid cooling. Cooler Master has great quality stuff. Other, smaller rectangular boxes like the M350 just scream heat issues and poor material quality to me. I was wondering if it would be nessessary to add a small 80 mm case fan or two, since this unit can fit up to 2. If so, I was considering one or two Noctua NF-R8 (PWM). I was also wondering whether the large built-in fan is removable and what a good replacement would be--perhaps a Noctua or Gentle Typhoon?
> 
> *Power Supply:
> SeaSonic G-Series 550W ATX12V / EPS12V 80 PLUS GOLD*
> I was originally going to get one of the bronze rated Corsair CX430W, CX500W, or CX600W, but I read that SeaSonic is a PSU industry leader that manufactures other companies' PSUs for them. The gold rating is desirable, and this brand has a pretty good reputation so the slightly higher cost is worth it in my opinion. I am concerned that 550W might not be enough for the GTX 760 and i5 4690K, especially if I overclock both of them simultaneously. I was also wondering what the deal is with flipping them upside-down, or whether a much more expensive fanless unit would be safe or effective. It might help to add that I am going to be connecting this box to a massive 40 inch LED Samsung 1080p flatscreen and a Saumsung AirTrack sound system, and likely 4K in a few months time.
> 
> I just wanted a decent unit and took a bit of time to assemble this list. If there are any suggestions to this build before I pull the trigger, I am open and would be grateful to any input. Once decisions have been made, I am going to buy all the parts (by the way, any vendors to AVOID?) and chronicle my build with a log, tons of pictures, and performance data. I hope to be a part of this community soon!


----------



## mechnesium

Wow, thanks for the input Vario! I actually double checked and discovered that SATA III and M.2 are on par with speeds, so it makes more sense for me to go with the cost-effective Samsung 840. Is HDD recommended? I read a few things about some airflow and wire obstruction that they could cause in the Elite 110.

That mini MSI GTX760 looks perfect for my build! Thanks for letting me know about the uselessness of those fans too, I think I'll go with the Corsair H80i and try out push/pull. Hopefully the Corsair Link software they made to control those i-coolers isn't too gimmicky.

I'm debating whether or not I should stick with the ASUS mobo or get the ASRock Z97E-ITX/ac. It's such an attractive little board.

For the power supply, how does the full-modular SeaSonic SS-650KM look? Is there a big advantage to use a full-modular versus a semi-modular PSU?


----------



## pharaviel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mechnesium*
> Is there a big advantage to use a full-modular versus a semi-modular PSU?


I would totally get a fully modular instead of the semi in my elite 130 just to be able to remove the psu without undoing the cable management on motherboard/cpu/gpu cables...


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mechnesium*
> 
> Wow, thanks for the input Vario! I actually double checked and discovered that SATA III and M.2 are on par with speeds, so it makes more sense for me to go with the cost-effective Samsung 840. Is HDD recommended? I read a few things about some airflow and wire obstruction that they could cause in the Elite 110.
> 
> That mini MSI GTX760 looks perfect for my build! Thanks for letting me know about the uselessness of those fans too, I think I'll go with the Corsair H80i and try out push/pull. Hopefully the Corsair Link software they made to control those i-coolers isn't too gimmicky.
> 
> I'm debating whether or not I should stick with the ASUS mobo or get the ASRock Z97E-ITX/ac. It's such an attractive little board.
> 
> For the power supply, how does the full-modular SeaSonic SS-650KM look? Is there a big advantage to use a full-modular versus a semi-modular PSU?


The i link stuff is pretty gimmicky, just run the fans off the motherboard or get the non-i cooler. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181034. Hell just get the non-i IMO. My h100i with the same pump system died after 9 months. The regular is probably better. The ilink was always revving my fans up and down and it made a ton of noise as opposed to just steady state speed. The motherboard can do the PWM fan control much smoother. Anyway just be aware that some of these cooling systems eventually fail, hopefully not catastrophically.

You could also try the seidon: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103195

I really am not the person to recommend the AIO watercooling loop because my h100i was a bad experience lol.

If you want an aircooler, the Thermalright AXP-100, Prolimatech Samuel17, Scythe Big Shuriken 2, or the stock Intel HSF, will all fit depending on your motherboards layout, you'll have to investigate this if you go that route. My temps are 5-10*C higher with a Samuel 17 as opposed to my Asetek 120 watercooler (same as H50).

The watercooler will let you overclock in this case, without it and its going to be much hotter, so you won't be able to go as fast a frequency.

Try using just the SSD and see if it has enough space, if not you could also get a laptop sized drive if you really don't want anything large taking up space in there.

If you do get the ilink, you have to run 4 pin fans off of it, I suggest you just go with the corsair 4 pin fans such as the sp120 to simplify this, since not every pwm fan works with ilink iirc.

Motherboard looks don't really matter in these cases because they are so small you can't really show it off like you would with a large itx like a prodigy. But the 110 is probably half the size of a prodigy.

Fully modular stuff you can hide cables much easier and you only run the cables you want.
This XFX 650 is a Seasonic power supply and pretty cheap http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207031
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pharaviel*
> 
> I would totally get a fully modular instead of the semi in my elite 130 just to be able to remove the psu without undoing the cable management on motherboard/cpu/gpu cables...


exactly, the Motherboard and 8 pin can be hard to remove, makes it hard to get in there once you have the wires bundled up, but with a fully modular like my silverstone 500 watt bronze, i can just unclip the wires at the power supply end and pull it out, giving me access to the motherboard.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *clewis09*
> 
> Have you any solutions? I'm getting to the point where I may just change case, as the noise/heat is unbearable.
> 
> Perhaps adding another fan to make it a push/pull config? Maybe changing from AIO to an air cooler, on the cpu ?


I would recommend a push/pull setup and if you have the time/patience, then try different configurations and see how they effect temperature, you may find one is more optimal.


----------



## mechnesium

Thanks for all the tips. Picking a power supply and a cooling system has been the hardest part in my opinion. I think I am going to roll with the Corsair H75 (their latest AIO model) which includes dual PWM SP120L fans to run in a push/pull configuration, and doesn't use the buggy Corsair Link software.

As far as the PSU goes, that fully modular XFX 650 looks fantastic, especially with the hybrid fan switch. I was also looking at the Corsair RM650 because it's also gold rated and, interestingly enough, uses the i-link software, but I'm not sure how reliable it would be so I prefer the XFX unit.


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mechnesium*
> 
> Thanks for all the tips. Picking a power supply and a cooling system has been the hardest part in my opinion. I think I am going to roll with the Corsair H75 (their latest AIO model) which includes dual PWM SP120L fans to run in a push/pull configuration, and doesn't use the buggy Corsair Link software.
> 
> As far as the PSU goes, that fully modular XFX 650 looks fantastic, especially with the hybrid fan switch. I was also looking at the Corsair RM650 because it's also gold rated and, interestingly enough, uses the i-link software, but I'm not sure how reliable it would be so I prefer the XFX unit.


The ilink thing is dumb, forget about it









XFX is probably more reliable. Its a Seasonic gold afterall.

You could also get a SFF (small form factor) Silverstone PSU:

As shown by hyp36rmax below, he has an adapter to full size, this lets you cram a larger cooling system in there.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Check out my WIP *Build Log*


----------



## mechnesium

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> The ilink thing is dumb, forget about it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> XFX is probably more reliable. Its a Seasonic gold afterall.
> 
> You could also get a SFF (small form factor) Silverstone PSU:
> 
> As shown by hyp36rmax below, he has an adapter to full size, this lets you cram a larger cooling system in there.


I think you're right, and they have the best bang for the buck. If the MSI GTX760 ITX goes down in price over the next year, I might get another and do an SLI setup. In that case, would you still recommend a 650W PSU, or a larger 750W? I was considering this XFX Pro.


----------



## pharaviel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mechnesium*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> The ilink thing is dumb, forget about it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> XFX is probably more reliable. Its a Seasonic gold afterall.
> 
> You could also get a SFF (small form factor) Silverstone PSU:
> 
> As shown by hyp36rmax below, he has an adapter to full size, this lets you cram a larger cooling system in there.
> 
> 
> 
> I think you're right, and they have the best bang for the buck. If the MSI GTX760 ITX goes down in price over the next year, I might get another and do an SLI setup. In that case, would you still recommend a 650W PSU, or a larger 750W? I was considering this XFX Pro.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, no sli setup in the mini itx (that I am aware of, at least)....
The only way would be to get a asus 760 mars ROG. It's an overclocked 2x760 sli cpus on a single card. Pricey though, but less that gtx 780 ti or titan (and seems to have better fps on many games)


----------



## clewis09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> I would recommend a push/pull setup and if you have the time/patience, then try different configurations and see how they effect temperature, you may find one is more optimal.


Thanks, going to fiddle around with it a bit, although my eye had been caught by ITX alternatives like the 250D or the Node, I do like this case and am determined to stick it out


----------



## mechnesium

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *clewis09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> I would recommend a push/pull setup and if you have the time/patience, then try different configurations and see how they effect temperature, you may find one is more optimal.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, going to fiddle around with it a bit, although my eye had been caught by ITX alternatives like the 250D or the Node, I do like this case and am determined to stick it out
Click to expand...

There's also a case out by Thermaltake which is relatively new. It looks like a clone of the Elite 110, marginally larger, and has windows. It's called the Thermaltake Core V1.


----------



## Vario

itx only has one 16x pci-e, so you can't run true multigraphic card sli. You could get a sli'd card where it has two gpu cores on a single pcb, as mentioned above, but thats a waste of money.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> itx only has one 16x pci-e, so you can't run true multigraphic card sli. You could get a sli'd card where it has two gpu cores on a single pcb, as mentioned above, but thats a waste of money.


yes... Only reason to go with a dual GPU card is if you somehow need the best of the best in an ITX system and then you should only look at the 295X2... other than that a single more powerful card will be better as it has less complications and you don't have to worry about SLI/Xfire support in games...


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mechnesium*
> 
> There's also a case out by Thermaltake which is relatively new. It looks like a clone of the Elite 110, marginally larger, and has windows. It's called the Thermaltake Core V1.


I quite like the look of the Thermaltake Core V1, after looking at some reviews it also has some appealing features;

_"A unique feature of the Thermaltake Core V1 is the symmetrical interchangeable panels (both sides, top and bottom) that allow the end user to configure their system to suit their needs. Want the side panel window on the side? No problem. Want to complete turn your system on its side? Swap out the bottom panel with one of the sides and you are all set."_ HARDOCP

Though i guess we shouldn't really discuss such a product on a Cooler Master Elite thread =)


----------



## clewis09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> I would recommend a push/pull setup and if you have the time/patience, then try different configurations and see how they effect temperature, you may find one is more optimal.


Installed another fan, whilst the cpu does stay a bit cooler now, under prolonged heavy usage the system does turn into something resembling a jet engine.

Perhaps my 780's ACX cooler is no good for an ITX case?


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *clewis09*
> 
> Installed another fan, whilst the cpu does stay a bit cooler now, under prolonged heavy usage the system does turn into something resembling a jet engine.
> 
> Perhaps my 780's ACX cooler is no good for an ITX case?


I confess i have an XFX Core Edition Radeon HD 7870 and this gets very loud after a short time gaming. I find it a bit odd as obviously the card gets direct access to fresh outside air through the vented side, but still i typically see temperatures in the 80°C range. I guess it is just the proximity to the PSU and CPU, in the confines of such a small space. Some day soon i shall have to open her up and have a play, having 3 full size drives in there cant been helping either.


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> I confess i have an XFX Core Edition Radeon HD 7870 and this gets very loud after a short time gaming. I find it a bit odd as obviously the card gets direct access to fresh outside air through the vented side, but still i typically see temperatures in the 80°C range. I guess it is just the proximity to the PSU and CPU, in the confines of such a small space. Some day soon i shall have to open her up and have a play, having 3 full size drives in there cant been helping either.


My XFX Double Dissipation (2 fan) 7850 2GB only reaches 74 at a max on a 26*C ambient. I repasted it. Try repasting yours. You have to send XFX a tech support ticket with a request "Can I change the thermal paste on my graphics card please?" and they will allow it without voiding warranty, otherwise your warranty will be void when the stickers are broken.


----------



## RickRockerr

And now it begins


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> And now it begins


Nice....is that a 780TI?


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Nice....is that a 780TI?


Yep, had to remove dvd bracket to fit it.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Yep, had to remove dvd bracket to fit it.


yeah, I'm guessing the backplate was touching the 5.25" bay







I have a 280X tri-X and the backplate is right up against the bay...


----------



## RickRockerr

It's pretty much finished for now







When I have time I'm going to take it apart and do delid and I'm going to make new cables to clean it up







When windows is installed I'm going to write build log.


----------



## Maddreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> It's pretty much finished for now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I have time I'm going to take it apart and do delid and I'm going to make new cables to clean it up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When windows is installed I'm going to write build log.


Wow, what's the GPU there? Looks huge


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maddreg*
> 
> Wow, what's the GPU there? Looks huge


It's Asus 780 TI Matrix Platinum.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> It's pretty much finished for now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I have time I'm going to take it apart and do delid and I'm going to make new cables to clean it up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When windows is installed I'm going to write build log.


Cool! Keep up the great work! I see you modified the 5.25" Drive bay similar to the #beastMODE build by hyp36rmax. Do you have more pictures of the other side?


----------



## DJ46

Just joined this forum to post here.

I recently built my first mITX PC in an Elite 130.
I was happy with it for a while and planned to get the DemciFlex filter kit and grab a quiet low profile CPU cooler.
After I read a review on the Noctua NH-L9i, I scrapped that idea. (It was barely better than the stock cooler, and it was already quite expensive)
That's when a silly idea came into my head. "I'm putting the HDD into the 5.25" bay anyway because I'm too used to HDD silencers, so there will be a ton of free space below it. There's no way a PSU could fit ther..."
Turns out it *may* fit. I have so far ordered the filter kit, a 90 degree power cable and of course, the briliant way to mount that PSU - a roll of velcro tape.

I will remove the front fan mount, put the PSU in there facing a direction (no idea yet, I have to wait for the power cable and I'll have to take the whole thing apart, so I will do it all at once), route the power cable through the case depending on the PSU orientation.
Then I'll mount the PSU using velcro (I'll actually still be able to mount the front fan in the future - with velcro of course).
And I will use the side fan filters like they are supposed to be, the top one too and the front one i will put on the hole the missing PSU will make. It actually seems to cover it perfectly.

And then, once I have the funds, I will get the GELID Tranquillo rev. 2 cooler. For a simple reason - two of my friends are using it based on my recommendation, a whole forum in my country adores it and it seems to be the only 120mm tower cooler that may fit. (using math and hope here -> 65mm CPU cooler limit + 86mm ATX PSU spec = 151mm of clearance and there is still some space above the PSU - hopefully at least 153mm = height of the Tranquillo)

I thought I was so original, but someone actually already did this. But they used an AIO, a short length GPU and they put the PSU in at a 90 degree angle so they couldn't use the DVD bay anymore. It's on Youtube if you're interested.

So anyways, I just wanted to be able to claim this idea. I will (if I don't forget) post pictures of the finished thing.


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> Cool! Keep up the great work! I see you modified the 5.25" Drive bay similar to the #beastMODE build by hyp36rmax. Do you have more pictures of the other side?


I removed the drive bay entirely. Here's few pics of the other side.


----------



## RickRockerr

I modified my 5.25" drive bay to to fit it with my gpu and to move hhd on it to get push/pull config












Finally got time to write a build log so tell me what you think








Build Log


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> I modified my 5.25" drive bay to to fit it with my gpu and to move hhd on it to get push/pull config
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally got time to write a build log so tell me what you think
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Build Log


Good idea


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> I modified my 5.25" drive bay to to fit it with my gpu and to move hhd on it to get push/pull config
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally got time to write a build log so tell me what you think
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Build Log


That's what i'm talking about! Ingenuity and assertiveness! Great job!


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> That's what i'm talking about! Ingenuity and assertiveness! Great job!


Thanks!







I live in a little town so I can't get everything I need just like that so I have learned to improvise







I wish I could spent couple of hours in a metal workshop, all the things I could make there








At the moment I only have a replica of dremel (Not very good one) as you can see that the cut on drive bay isn't that clean


----------



## RickRockerr

I really like the challenges that Mini-ITX build gives







How boring it is to build a pc to a case where everything fits with no problems








I has free time today so I made exhaust to the side of the case and sleeved some cables


----------



## killer121

With 80mm fan on the side anyone find it better to be an exhaust or an intake, or is it pretty much useless both way?


----------



## SilkyZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer121*
> 
> With 80mm fan on the side anyone find it better to be an exhaust or an intake, or is it pretty much useless both way?


If your PSU is drawing air from inside the case, I would have it intake. If its drawing air from the top then have it exhaust



generally, air cooled has the PSU draw from inside, water cooled is from outside


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I live in a little town so I can't get everything I need just like that so I have learned to improvise
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wish I could spent couple of hours in a metal workshop, all the things I could make there
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At the moment I only have a replica of dremel (Not very good one) as you can see that the cut on drive bay isn't that clean


A good set of files can make bad rotary tool cuts look very clean.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I live in a little town so I can't get everything I need just like that so I have learned to improvise
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wish I could spent couple of hours in a metal workshop, all the things I could make there
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At the moment I only have a replica of dremel (Not very good one) as you can see that the cut on drive bay isn't that clean


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> I really like the challenges that Mini-ITX build gives
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How boring it is to build a pc to a case where everything fits with no problems
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I has free time today so I made exhaust to the side of the case and sleeved some cables


^This! I know exactly how you feel. It's not the end of the world if things just don't fit, it's all about being assertive enough to find a solution. The SFF Challenge is great no? Looks like it's paying off in your build








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> A good set of files can make bad rotary tool cuts look very clean.


Files are a great asset hahaha don't I know it


----------



## hyp36rmax

*Aaand more progress....*


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer121*
> 
> *Aaand more progress....*


This makes me miss my custom loop


----------



## Maddreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer121*
> 
> With 80mm fan on the side anyone find it better to be an exhaust or an intake, or is it pretty much useless both way?


according to one of the reviews of CM E130, the best way was to make 80mm fan as intake and front 120mm as exaust. I removed 80mm fan completely and placed 120mm as exaust and it worked the best for me


----------



## killer121

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyZ*
> 
> If your PSU is drawing air from inside the case, I would have it intake. If its drawing air from the top then have it exhaust
> 
> 
> 
> generally, air cooled has the PSU draw from inside, water cooled is from outside


I would thought i would be better to have the PSU drawing air from inside when water cooling, since the chipset would be choked


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer121*
> 
> I would thought i would be better to have the PSU drawing air from inside when water cooling, since the chipset would be choked


Either way its better. Point is that you would want more air in than out. I will point out that the side panels on the 110/120/130 are extremely restrictive, which is why I modded them with honeycomb silver mesh than than stock.


----------



## SilkyZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer121*
> 
> I would thought i would be better to have the PSU drawing air from inside when water cooling, since the chipset would be choked


I am thinking the same way, but you do have the 80mm fan as an exhaust from the side. I guess they are suspecting that the air from the RAD is going to be hot and having that blow through the PSU would be bad?


----------



## killer121

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyZ*
> 
> I am thinking the same way, but you do have the 80mm fan as an exhaust from the side. I guess they are suspecting that the air from the RAD is going to be hot and having that blow through the PSU would be bad?


Would the ASUS's raised MOSFET daughter board be in the way? I am planning to get it with an h80 and .
On the chipset I think it would be fine if you get "some" air through them, they are made to run hot anyway.

This case is pretty much a dust magnet anyway.


----------



## SilkyZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer121*
> 
> Would the ASUS's raised MOSFET daughter board be in the way? I am planning to get it with an h80 and .
> On the chipset I think it would be fine if you get "some" air through them, they are made to run hot anyway.
> 
> This case is pretty much a dust magnet anyway.


I looked up some Impact motherboards in the 130 and it looks like yeah. The MOSFET does partially block the 80mm fan, but it looks like it has enough room between the two that it should not be an issue.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer121*
> 
> Would the ASUS's raised MOSFET daughter board be in the way? I am planning to get it with an h80 and .
> On the chipset I think it would be fine if you get "some" air through them, they are made to run hot anyway.
> 
> This case is pretty much a dust magnet anyway.


Consider doing a push | pull with fans that have a higher CFM and you'll be fine. The side fan is more of an optional accessory.


----------



## killer121

Thanks guys , I may stick to the 130 for my new build:thumb:


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer121*
> 
> Thanks guys , I may stick to the 130 for my new build:thumb:


Be sure to post a Build log, i'd love to see how it progresses.


----------



## bluedevil

Thinking about doing a repaint job....electric blue?


----------



## RickRockerr

When I was running furmark there was 16°C difference on gpu temps between open and closed case


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Thinking about doing a repaint job....electric blue?


think it would look sweet, especially if you leave the grills black.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> When I was running furmark there was 16°C difference on gpu temps between open and closed case


aftermarket GPUs dump heat both directions instead of reference designs that exhaust out the back. maybe use the side 80mm has a exhaust out the top near the front side of the graphics card. not sure if it will fit, been awhile since i'm had to open mine up. that will change soon though, I have a reference gigabyte 290 on it's way that will need to be tested out.


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blue Dragon*
> 
> think it would look sweet, especially if you leave the grills black.
> aftermarket GPUs dump heat both directions instead of reference designs that exhaust out the back. maybe use the side 80mm has a exhaust out the top near the front side of the graphics card. not sure if it will fit, been awhile since i'm had to open mine up. that will change soon though, I have a reference gigabyte 290 on it's way that will need to be tested out.


The grilles are silver now.


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> The grilles are silver now.


still would look good, or maybe just paint blue OCN flame on what you have now.


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blue Dragon*
> 
> Aftermarket GPUs dump heat both directions instead of reference designs that exhaust out the back. maybe use the side 80mm has a exhaust out the top near the front side of the graphics card. not sure if it will fit, been awhile since i'm had to open mine up. that will change soon though, I have a reference gigabyte 290 on it's way that will need to be tested out.


Yep, I started to mod side grills of the case for better airflow







And I maybe put something like this on the top of the case above my hard drives










Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Yep, I started to mod side grills of the case for better airflow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And I maybe put something like this on the top of the case above my hard drives
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Do like me ;D put a 120mm exhaust fan on the top of the case ;D It gets rid of alot of the hot air ;D


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Yep, I started to mod side grills of the case for better airflow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And I maybe put something like this on the top of the case above my hard drives
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Your rotary tool looks fine to me







I look forward to your results.


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Your rotary tool looks fine to me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I look forward to your results.


Tool it self is decent but the metal cut blades that came with it aren't that good. It took me about 20 blades to finish one side of the case and now I'm all out







Have to wait till next week to continue this.
I ordered some genuine dremel blades. And I have to do a lot of sanding because I don't have file tiny enough to fit in the holes


----------



## RickRockerr

First side of the case is done







next week when I get other side done case get's nice new matte black paint job










And forgot to mention about the shirt asus send to me


----------



## Kriss941

Anybody else seen that sexy new twin frozr 5 design? I'm so tempted to get rid of my 280X and replace it with a MSI GTX 970 Gaming ;D Only thing I'm worried about is that it might be a little tall in the elite 130... at 14.1cm it might be a really tight fit...


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> First side of the case is done
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> next week when I get other side done case get's nice new matte black paint job


That looks good


----------



## mrtbahgs

Nice Rickrockerr, at first I couldnt tell what you did since I had the image small and didnt know what to look for (missed it if you talked about the mod previously), but once I expanded it I could easily see the difference. Thats very clean and looks as if it was like that from the factory, I like the pattern it makes. Well done.


----------



## Qrash

That must have been a lot of work, but the end result looks great.

How did you get the t-shirt?


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Qrash*
> 
> That must have been a lot of work, but the end result looks great.
> 
> How did you get the t-shirt?


Thanks! Well I emailed to asus about my rog build and they simply send me a t-shirt


----------



## Mesa

Hello fellow CM Elite case owners!

First post.

I recently built a new CM Elite 130 PC, and Im loving it so far! Im very inspired by you all, and hope to add some mods to it. I don't know what drove me to Mini ITX, but one day... I wanted something powerful but at the same time accommodating. Then I stumbled onto a friends CM Elite 130 case that he wasnt using anymore and was hooked. Ditched my CM Storm Trooper build in hopes to build something portable + awesome!

Im not sure if you guys can see my build, but I had a question concerning my ASUS Impact VI board. In short, I have a i5 4690K Z97 Devils Canyon, and I noticed today that the Impact VI supports only Z87, UNLESS Bios is updated, in which I did, up to v.1603. On the flip side the Impact VII supports the Z97 and has some QOL updates to the Audio board and other things that sounds appealing. http://thepcenthusiast.com/list-of-8-series-motherboards-compatible-with-intel-devils-canyon/

Now.. seeing is I JUST bought the VI, would it be worth the hassle to return the old board and snag the VII? I know at first glance it seems like a no brainer, but I wanted to make sure I wasnt trading an Orange for an Orange and be a waste of time when a BIOS update essentially made my board the Impact VII. Thanks guys.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mesa*
> 
> Hello fellow CM Elite case owners!
> 
> First post.
> 
> I recently built a new CM Elite 130 PC, and Im loving it so far! Im very inspired by you all, and hope to add some mods to it. I don't know what drove me to Mini ITX, but one day... I wanted something powerful but at the same time accommodating. Then I stumbled onto a friends CM Elite 130 case that he wasnt using anymore and was hooked. Ditched my CM Storm Trooper build in hopes to build something portable + awesome!
> 
> Im not sure if you guys can see my build, but I had a question concerning my ASUS Impact VI board. In short, I have a i5 4690K Z97 Devils Canyon, and I noticed today that the Impact VI supports only Z87, UNLESS Bios is updated, in which I did, up to v.1603. On the flip side the Impact VII supports the Z97 and has some QOL updates to the Audio board and other things that sounds appealing. http://thepcenthusiast.com/list-of-8-series-motherboards-compatible-with-intel-devils-canyon/
> 
> Now.. seeing is I JUST bought the VI, would it be worth the hassle to return the old board and snag the VII? I know at first glance it seems like a no brainer, but I wanted to make sure I wasnt trading an Orange for an Orange and be a waste of time when a BIOS update essentially made my board the Impact VII. Thanks guys.


performance will be the same whether you use the VI or the VII, but the z97 will have m.2 support and it will also support the next gen intel CPUs... that's the biggest differences in my opinion...


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mesa*
> 
> Hello fellow CM Elite case owners!
> 
> First post.
> 
> I recently built a new CM Elite 130 PC, and I'm loving it so far! I'm very inspired by you all, and hope to add some mods to it. I don't know what drove me to Mini ITX, but one day... I wanted something powerful but at the same time accommodating. Then I stumbled onto a friends CM Elite 130 case that he wasnt using anymore and was hooked. Ditched my CM Storm Trooper build in hopes to build something portable + awesome!
> 
> I'm not sure if you guys can see my build, but I had a question concerning my ASUS Impact VI board. In short, I have a i5 4690K Z97 Devils Canyon, and I noticed today that the Impact VI supports only Z87, UNLESS Bios is updated, in which I did, up to v.1603. On the flip side the Impact VII supports the Z97 and has some QOL updates to the Audio board and other things that sounds appealing. http://thepcenthusiast.com/list-of-8-series-motherboards-compatible-with-intel-devils-canyon/
> 
> Now.. seeing is I JUST bought the VI, would it be worth the hassle to return the old board and snag the VII? I know at first glance it seems like a no brainer, but I wanted to make sure I wasnt trading an Orange for an Orange and be a waste of time when a BIOS update essentially made my board the Impact VII. Thanks guys.


Welcome to the club!!!







You'll be fine with the Impact VI as it would be a slight lateral change (PS2, HD audio connector, software updates) if you were to go with the VII.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> performance will be the same whether you use the VI or the VII, but the z97 will have m.2 support and it will also support the next gen intel CPUs... that's the biggest differences in my opinion...


Both VI and VII have support for M.2 and Devils Canyon.


----------



## Kriss941

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Welcome to the club!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You'll be fine with the Impact VI as it would be a slight lateral change (PS2, HD audio connector, software updates) if you were to go with the VII.
> Both VI and VII have support for M.2 and Devils Canyon.


Yeah, I was wrong about the m.2, but when I said next gen I meant broadwell... and as far as I know Z87 can support the haswell refresh, but not broadwell


----------



## RickRockerr

Only one side to go. I got genuine dremel blades today and I must say that I'm ipressed







power went down for second time today, lets hope that I get to paint this tomorrow


----------



## MexGT

Hey guys, I recently made a new personal PC, wanted to share a couple of pics, nothing fancy, parts on sig list + a cougar vortex 120mm intake fan.

The case is awesome, smaller than expected but still bigger to acomodate almost any GPU, didn't went with a 110 since a friend of mine sold me the GTX 690 dirt CHEAP so it was an offer I couldn't refuse lol ...

http://s44.photobucket.com/user/Mexgt/media/IMG_20140908_183410.jpg.html

http://s44.photobucket.com/user/Mexgt/media/IMG_20140908_183039.jpg.html


----------



## Mesa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Welcome to the club!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You'll be fine with the Impact VI as it would be a slight lateral change (PS2, HD audio connector, software updates) if you were to go with the VII.
> Both VI and VII have support for M.2 and Devils Canyon.


Thanks. Ya I found it funny that they took E-sata off and added PS/2 port ?? But even more funny is I dont intend on using either so I dont care personally.

I ended up refunding the VI and getting the VII, its been 2 weeks so I might as well just get the new version. As sad as this sounds I love to modification to the HD audio though







The way it is now bugs me to no end, it hangs over the CPU block.

I need some good fans for Push Pull anyone with recommendations? Im currently settling on http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103190 cause I hate deciding.

Also I am really wanting a good 5.25" Themal LCD for the front bay. Again Ive yet to find one I like. I kinda chuckled when ASUS added the QLED on back so I can see the CPU temp, BEHIND IT!!


----------



## Zebeyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mesa*
> 
> Thanks. Ya I found it funny that they took E-sata off and added PS/2 port ?? But even more funny is I dont intend on using either so I dont care personally.


Pretty sure thats because several high end gaming mechanical keyboards are with PS/2 for NKRO?

Personally I haven't used PS/2 since the 90s I guess. Havent' used e-Sata ever though so would hardly be a loss for me either


----------



## RickRockerr

Done and done


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Done and done


Looks Good!


----------



## Vario

Noticed my case was flexing on the bottom. When I removed the panels I found the flex was warping the Asrock Z77E ITX mobo. I found that running a zip tie from the leading edge of mobo tie downs to the horizontal beam at the top fixed the issue by increasing rigidity. Heres a photo:










Rest of rig:











Please let me know if you guys have bending motherboards too. I am curious.


----------



## hyp36rmax

*And she's ALIVE!*







*This one is still a concept*


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Noticed my case was flexing on the bottom. When I removed the panels I found the flex was warping the Asrock Z77E ITX mobo. I found that running a zip tie from the leading edge of mobo tie downs to the horizontal beam at the top fixed the issue by increasing rigidity. Heres a photo:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rest of rig:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Please let me know if you guys have bending motherboards too. I am curious.


My MB is little bit bent but I think it's because m-itx mb design.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> *And she's ALIVE!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *This one is still a concept*


That looks very good!







Hows your temps? I think that im going to do a water loop in this case when I get money to do so


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> My MB is little bit bent but I think it's because m-itx mb design.
> That looks very good!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hows your temps? I think that im going to do a water loop in this case when I get money to do so


Thanks! My temps are very very very good with an *ambient of 23C - 24C*

*Benchmarks*

*3DMark Firestrike*


Spoiler: 3D Mark: Firestrike



*Score:* 9957
*CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
*GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)

*CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 39C / 43C
*GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 36C / 44C

*Link:* http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4196284

*3DMark Firestrike*





*HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*


*HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*




*Battlefield 4 Multiplayer*


Spoiler: Battlefield 4!



*CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
*GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)

*CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 34C / 45C
*GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 31C / 47C

*Battlefield 4*







*HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*


*HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*




*Unigine Heaven 4.0*


Spoiler: Unigine Heaven 4.0



*Score:* 1485
*FPS:* 58.9
*Min FPS:* 8.5
*Max FPS:* 122.3
*CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
*GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)

*CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 33C / 40C
*GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 30C / 43C

*Unigine Heaven 4.0*







*HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*



*HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*





*Metro Last Light*


Spoiler: Metro Last Light



*CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
*GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)

*Ambient temperature:* 23C
*CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 36C / 43C
*GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 34C / 45C

*Metro Last Light*









*HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*



*HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Thanks! My temps are very very very good with an *ambient of 23C - 24C*
> 
> *Benchmarks*
> 
> *3DMark Firestrike*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: 3D Mark: Firestrike
> 
> 
> 
> *Score:* 9957
> *CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
> *GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)
> 
> *CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 39C / 43C
> *GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 36C / 44C
> 
> *Link:* http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4196284
> 
> *3DMark Firestrike*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Battlefield 4 Multiplayer*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Battlefield 4!
> 
> 
> 
> *CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
> *GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)
> 
> *CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 34C / 45C
> *GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 31C / 47C
> 
> *Battlefield 4*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Unigine Heaven 4.0*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Unigine Heaven 4.0
> 
> 
> 
> *Score:* 1485
> *FPS:* 58.9
> *Min FPS:* 8.5
> *Max FPS:* 122.3
> *CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
> *GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)
> 
> *CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 33C / 40C
> *GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 30C / 43C
> 
> *Unigine Heaven 4.0*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*


Thats just impressing







hows your motherboards temps? I will buy ek's waterblock that covers whole mobo and cpu if I ever end up building custom loop. I had one in my last build that I sold to my friend.

Edit: Just calculated that it would cost about 500 euros for me to build custom loop for this setup. I think I'm going to wait for something like Gtx980Ti before building a custom loop. And I think I'm going to ditch my hdd to save space and change my ssd's to 2x 512gb in Raid-0


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> My MB is little bit bent but I think it's because m-itx mb design.
> That looks very good!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hows your temps? I think that im going to do a water loop in this case when I get money to do so


I thought the same, but found when I pushed on the bottom of the case, it would flex and the motherboard would pop straight. Obviously this isn't something you want to do often, would probably be hell on the traces and solder joints.


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Thanks! My temps are very very very good with an *ambient of 23C - 24C*
> 
> *Benchmarks*
> 
> *3DMark Firestrike*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: 3D Mark: Firestrike
> 
> 
> 
> *Score:* 9957
> *CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
> *GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)
> 
> *CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 39C / 43C
> *GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 36C / 44C
> 
> *Link:* http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4196284
> 
> *3DMark Firestrike*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Battlefield 4 Multiplayer*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Battlefield 4!
> 
> 
> 
> *CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
> *GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)
> 
> *CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 34C / 45C
> *GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 31C / 47C
> 
> *Battlefield 4*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Unigine Heaven 4.0*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Unigine Heaven 4.0
> 
> 
> 
> *Score:* 1485
> *FPS:* 58.9
> *Min FPS:* 8.5
> *Max FPS:* 122.3
> *CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
> *GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)
> 
> *CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 33C / 40C
> *GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 30C / 43C
> 
> *Unigine Heaven 4.0*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Metro Last Light*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Metro Last Light
> 
> 
> 
> *CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
> *GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)
> 
> *Ambient temperature:* 23C
> *CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 36C / 43C
> *GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 34C / 45C
> 
> *Metro Last Light*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*
> 
> 
> 
> *HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*


might already know, but if you left-click on the hwinfo 64 line you don't want to display, then you can press 'H' on the keyboard and hide it. it makes for a lot cleaner look and easier to post with everything you want all in one place. it's kinda a pain, but you can also move the lines to put them in any order you want. btw- to hide blank lines you have to go to layout in options menu and use the 'show' check box.


----------



## akaTheHeater

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I'm planning on building a system in a CM Elite 130 and I just bought this EVGA 750W PSU on a really good sale. On the CM site it says it will fit, but I'm wondering if having a big PSU introduces any big problems apart from having less space for cable management. If there's a big problem I can just cancel the order and wait for a good deal on a standard-size Corsair PSU or something.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to being part of this owners club by early next year, sorry if I posted in the wrong forum/thread.


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akaTheHeater*
> 
> I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I'm planning on building a system in a CM Elite 130 and I just bought this EVGA 750W PSU on a really good sale. On the CM site it says it will fit, but I'm wondering if having a big PSU introduces any big problems apart from having less space for cable management. If there's a big problem I can just cancel the order and wait for a good deal on a standard-size Corsair PSU or something.
> 
> Anyway, I'm really looking forward to being part of this owners club by early next year, sorry if I posted in the wrong forum/thread.


Well you maybe have to move the support bar and remove dvd bay.

Edit: Not sure if PSU fits under the support bar. Cannot check right now.


----------



## akaTheHeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Well you maybe have to move the support bar and remove dvd bay.
> 
> Edit: Not sure if PSU fits under the support bar. Cannot check right now.


How easy is it to remove the drive bay? I have no modding experience so I wouldn't want to destroy the case... Also, I thought since the PSU is longer and it has a 140mm fan it would provide better cooling for the motherboard compared to one of the Corsair CXM series PSUs which would have been my first choice had there not been a sale on the EVGA PSU.

Unfortunately I don't have the Elite 130 yet, so I can't actually test this out myself. I'm planning to get all my parts on the best sales possible over the next 4 months (most of the parts will probably get bought during Black Friday sales, but I'm not in a hurry).

Anyway, thanks for the reply, I'm sure the PSU won't ship out until Monday, so I guess I have until then to decide whether I should cancel the order or keep it and hope for the best.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akaTheHeater*
> 
> *How easy is it to remove the drive bay?* I have no modding experience so I wouldn't want to destroy the case... Also, I thought since the PSU is longer and it has a 140mm fan it would provide better cooling for the motherboard compared to one of the Corsair CXM series PSUs which would have been my first choice had there not been a sale on the EVGA PSU.
> 
> Unfortunately I don't have the Elite 130 yet, so I can't actually test this out myself. I'm planning to get all my parts on the best sales possible over the next 4 months (most of the parts will probably get bought during Black Friday sales, but I'm not in a hurry).
> 
> Anyway, thanks for the reply, I'm sure the PSU won't ship out until Monday, so I guess I have until then to decide whether I should cancel the order or keep it and hope for the best.


Drill out 4 rivets from the front and you're game such as you see in my build.
Quote:


> Much to my chagrin of not being able to use the radiator how I intended, I opted to use a 5.25" Bitspower Reservoir and have the inlet/outlet of the radiator on the side instead. Now off to the hardware store Batman! For those of you interested in doing some manly drilling of the rivets and find yourself having to put it back on with ease, you can use 6-32 x 3/8 Stainless Steel philips nuts, bolts and lock washers.
> 
> 
> 
> *LINK:* http://www.overclock.net/t/1507723/build-log-cm-elite-130-beastmode-hyp36r-version-ii/0_50


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akaTheHeater*
> 
> How easy is it to remove the drive bay? I have no modding experience so I wouldn't want to destroy the case... Also, I thought since the PSU is longer and it has a 140mm fan it would provide better cooling for the motherboard compared to one of the Corsair CXM series PSUs which would have been my first choice had there not been a sale on the EVGA PSU.
> 
> Unfortunately I don't have the Elite 130 yet, so I can't actually test this out myself. I'm planning to get all my parts on the best sales possible over the next 4 months (most of the parts will probably get bought during Black Friday sales, but I'm not in a hurry).
> 
> Anyway, thanks for the reply, I'm sure the PSU won't ship out until Monday, so I guess I have until then to decide whether I should cancel the order or keep it and hope for the best.


Drive bay is attached by 2 screws and 4 rivets. You have to remove the rivets by drilling them. ~4mm drill bit should do just fine.

Edit: hyp36rmax was faster


----------



## akaTheHeater

Just bought the case, I'll just test this myself. I'd rather not remove the HDD cage any time soon, since I'm not planning on any mods right away, but maybe I will.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Drive bay is attached by 2 screws and 4 rivets. You have to remove the rivets by drilling them. ~4mm drill bit should do just fine.
> 
> Edit: hyp36rmax was faster


LOL, by mere seconds. RickRocker and I can definitely chime in on this as we both did the mod.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akaTheHeater*
> 
> Just bought the case, I'll just test this myself. I'd rather not remove the HDD cage any time soon, since I'm not planning on any mods right away, but maybe I will.


It would be easier to drill out the rivets before you put your build together and mount the drive bay with some screws and nuts so you don't have to do it again later.


----------



## akaTheHeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> LOL, by mere seconds. RickRocker and I can definitely chime in on this as we both did the mod.
> It would be easier to drill out the rivets before you put your build together and mount the drive bay with some screws and nuts so you don't have to do it again later.


Oh, I didn't realize I could still have the bay installed without the rivets in. Does taking out the rivets effect vibrations much? I want to keep this system fairly quiet.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akaTheHeater*
> 
> Oh, I didn't realize I could still have the bay installed without the rivets in. Does taking out the rivets effect vibrations much? I want to keep this system fairly quiet.


You can use 6-32 x 3/8 Stainless Steel philips nuts, bolts and lock washers to put it back in place. I have no vibrations at all.


----------



## DJ46

Just a shortened reminder of what I plan to do:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ46*
> 
> I have so far ordered the filter kit, a 90 degree power cable and a roll of velcro tape.
> I will remove the front fan mount, put the PSU in there and route the power cable through the case.
> Then I'll mount the PSU using velcro (I'll actually still be able to mount the front fan in the future - with velcro of course).
> I will use the side fan filters like they are supposed to be, the top one too and the front one i will put on the hole the missing PSU will make. It actually seems to cover it perfectly.
> And then, once I have the funds, I will get the GELID Tranquillo rev. 2 cooler. For a simple reason - it seems to be the only 120mm tower cooler that may fit. (using math and hope here -> 65mm CPU cooler limit + 86mm ATX PSU spec = 151mm of clearance and there is still some space above the PSU - hopefully at least 153mm = height of the Tranquillo)


And an update:
I have the velcro and the right angle power cable. I also got a great deal on the Tranquillo, so I have it too. (unfortunately without thermal paste - buying the 8g pack of MX-2)
The main thing holding me back is the fan filter kit. I ordered it the day I registered on this forum (9/12/14) and I'm still waiting. I'm not starting any work before it arrives, because I will have to take my PC completely apart, clean it because it's been running without filters for a few months, mod the case, and build the PC. If I did this before my filters arrive, I would have to clean it again.

So, after the filters arrive, I will do all the work on the first weekend and post an update (with pics of the finished build of course).


----------



## Vario

I just stopped running a filter, temperatures are much better and don't need big pusher fans that generate noise. Unscrew 3 screws, compressed air can + shop vac up the dust that blows out.


----------



## Qrash

Hi guys. I was drawn to this forum a couple of months ago by the small size and local availability of the Elite 110 case I started compiling a list of small components for the build, but was stumped by what GPU to get. I wanted something more powerful than the GTX 760 which seemed to be the best option. Well I think I found the answer.

Last week I purchased an Ncase M1 (so I'll stop lurking here!). Yeah, it can take a full size GPU, but yesterday I found and bought the Zotac Geforce GTX 970. Zotac makes three GTX 970 models. but this one (model = ZT-90101-10P) is not an AMP! model. It's not overclocked (yet) , but it has a customer cooler with 3 copper heatpipes and dual 80 mm fans . The best part: it's only 204 mm in length. This will easily fit in the Elite 110 with no modding required.

*Note:* on Newegg some buyers have complained about coil whine (along with buyers of other 970 makes and models), but mine was fine during testing last night. Zotac provides a 3 year extended warranty.


----------



## HavokZA

Wow nice thread!

I'm new here but been going through the thread and you guys have some awesome builds.

Ive got the CM130 case as well and have been running a PowerColor R9 280X in it. No issues.
I thought if anyone would know it's probably you guys. I want to get a 970 and I'm leaning heavily to the Gainward gtx 970.

Do you think the Gainward GTX 970 will fit in the box WIDTH wise?
It's a 2.5 slot card. I reckon it might just fit but probably will touch the case when it closes or will it be too big?
Wil lany 2.5 slot card fit fit in it?


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HavokZA*
> 
> Wow nice thread!
> 
> I'm new here but been going through the thread and you guys have some awesome builds.
> 
> Ive got the CM130 case as well and have been running a PowerColor R9 280X in it. No issues.
> I thought if anyone would know it's probably you guys. I want to get a 970 and I'm leaning heavily to the Gainward gtx 970.
> 
> Do you think the Gainward GTX 970 will fit in the box WIDTH wise?
> It's a 2.5 slot card. I reckon it might just fit but probably will touch the case when it closes or will it be too big?
> Wil lany 2.5 slot card fit fit in it?


Welcome to the club! As it will fit length wise however I don't believe it will fit depth wise as it can be a really tight fit may possibly rub against the frame.


----------



## arcade9

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Done and done


awesome build mate, what is the fan size that you have installed in the grill on top? 120 or 140? is it the phobya grill?


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *arcade9*
> 
> awesome build mate, what is the fan size that you have installed in the grill on top? 120 or 140? is it the phobya grill?


Thanks! It's a 140mm Phobya HEXX. I have no fan there because there is no room, 2x 92mm fans and gpu pushing air in the case so air gets out on it's own








Maybe if I could find slim & silent 140mm fan I could put it there to get even better airflow.


----------



## Vario

Nice I have a few of those Phobya grills for various projects, they add a nice finished look.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*


Okay i have to ask why are you using that old hard drive bracket when it comes with one (which you must have removed) for there for that purpose?


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HuwSharpe*
> 
> Okay i have to ask why are you using that old hard drive bracket when it comes with one (which you must have removed) for there for that purpose?


Because he has a white 120, not a 130. The 120 doesn't come with the side hd bracket.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Because he has a white 120, not a 130. The 120 doesn't come with the side hd bracket.


Good answer =)


----------



## Vario

Yes. I was using a all in one watercooler and needed a way to mount the HDD sideways. Now that I have been aircooled for awhile, I rivetted the old cage back in and it is mounted like stock right now, but haven't taken any pictures of it yet.

Does anyone own both a 120 and a 130 and can test fit if the 130 front panel fits on the 120? The front usb, LED light, power+reset switch layout is slightly different.

I have considered getting a 130 panel from CM for the increased airflow.


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Yes. I was using a all in one watercooler and needed a way to mount the HDD sideways. Now that I have been aircooled for awhile, I rivetted the old cage back in and it is mounted like stock right now, but haven't taken any pictures of it yet.
> 
> Does anyone own both a 120 and a 130 and can test fit if the 130 front panel fits on the 120? The front usb, LED light, power+reset switch layout is slightly different.
> 
> I have considered getting a 130 panel from CM for the increased airflow.


Mod the front with some mesh.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Yes. I was using a all in one watercooler and needed a way to mount the HDD sideways. Now that I have been aircooled for awhile, I rivetted the old cage back in and it is mounted like stock right now, but haven't taken any pictures of it yet.
> 
> Does anyone own both a 120 and a 130 and can test fit if the 130 front panel fits on the 120? The front usb, LED light, power+reset switch layout is slightly different.
> 
> I have considered getting a 130 panel from CM for the increased airflow.


Yes the Elite 130 front panel will fit with the Elite 120. We can also get you the HDD Side bracket to clean up your build









*Elite 130 Front Panel Assembley - OEM [621041270-GP]* : *LINK*

*Elite 130 HDD Mounting Frame [610041760-GP] *: *LINK*


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> Yes the Elite 130 front panel will fit with the Elite 120. We can also get you the HDD Side bracket to clean up your build
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Elite 130 Front Panel Assembley - OEM [621041270-GP]* : *LINK*
> 
> *Elite 130 HDD Side Bracket*: I'll add this as soon as I get into the office


I am interested in that side panel when you get that.


----------



## Vario

Bluedevil -> I tried cutting it, didn't like how it turned out. I don't have an electric jigsaw and my hands shake, so it was very uneven. Because these cases are cheap, I have had two of them. The first one I overmodded and didn't like the result.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> Yes the Elite 130 front panel will fit with the Elite 120. We can also get you the HDD Side bracket to clean up your build
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Elite 130 Front Panel Assembley - OEM [621041270-GP]* : *LINK*
> 
> *Elite 130 HDD Side Bracket*: I'll add this as soon as I get into the office


That is the whole front huh? wow. Do the buttons, USB, and LED line up?

This piece:  ?

Thanks for the info.







Very interested.


----------



## mrtbahgs

Edit: missread, ignore.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Bluedevil -> I tried cutting it, didn't like how it turned out. I don't have an electric jigsaw and my hands shake, so it was very uneven. Because these cases are cheap, I have had two of them. The first one I overmodded and didn't like the result.
> That is the whole front huh? wow. Do the buttons, USB, and LED line up?
> 
> This piece:  ?
> 
> Thanks for the info.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Very interested.


It's a direct replacement for your Elite 120 Advanced Front Panel as all the wiring is in the same locations. I'm still working on the HDD Side Bracket 

As far as modding tips this file set from Home Depot works wonders in cleaning up all sorts of cuts from Jigsaws and Dremels.


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> It's a direct replacement for your Elite 120 Advanced Front Panel as all the wiring is in the same locations. I'm still working on the HDD Side Bracket
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As far as modding tips this file set from Home Depot works wonders in cleaning up all sorts of cuts from Jigsaws and Dremels.


Very cool.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Very cool.


Updated! Here is the HDD Side Bracket.

*Elite 130 HDD Mounting Frame [610041760-GP] *: *LINK*


----------



## Vario

Just to be 100% sure, even though there are 2 usb 3.0 and 1 usb 2.0 instead of 2 usb 2.0 and 1 usb 3.0, they all line up okay? Thanks again.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Just to be 100% sure, even though there are 2 usb 3.0 and 1 usb 2.0 instead of 2 usb 2.0 and 1 usb 3.0, they all line up okay? Thanks again.


Yes you're fine #Trust


----------



## Vario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> Yes you're fine #Trust


To me it looks like the LED is in a different spot,




If that doesn't interfere with the fitment. I don't use LEDs anyway.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> To me it looks like the LED is in a different spot,
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If that doesn't interfere with the fitment. I don't use LEDs anyway.


Told you #trust

















World-Class! I got you guys


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> Told you #trust
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> World-Class! I got you guys


I still want that hdd side panel.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> I still want that hdd side panel.


*Elite 130 Front Panel Assembley - OEM [621041270-GP]* : *LINK*

*Elite 130 HDD Mounting Frame [610041760-GP] *: *LINK*


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> *Elite 130 Front Panel Assembley - OEM [621041270-GP]* : *LINK*
> 
> *Elite 130 HDD Mounting Frame
> [610041760-GP]
> *: *LINK*


Thanks but I just realized that if I keep my dual AIO setup in this case I can't put in the hdd side panel.


----------



## Vario

Awesome Thanks for the photos! You rock!


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Awesome Thanks for the photos! You rock!


No problem! Let me know if you guys have further questions.


----------



## jacqg

Curious what temps you guys get with a Coolermaster Geminii M4 because I'm getting really bad temps like 80C gaming and 45C idle. I'm hoping this'll be fixed when I get two of my other fans working inside it.

Or better yet, has anyone managed to put 2 120mm rads inside this thing? I'm already using one with a Kraken G10 so the front won't be an option. I removed the harddrive bays to accommodate it. Hm should I just put 2 rads in front of each other with 2 or 3 fans?

Help







...

By the way I have a Coolermaster Elite 120.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jacqg*
> 
> Curious what temps you guys get with a Coolermaster Geminii M4 because I'm getting really bad temps like 80C gaming and 45C idle. I'm hoping this'll be fixed when I get two of my other fans working inside it.
> 
> Or better yet, has anyone managed to put 2 120mm rads inside this thing? I'm already using one with a Kraken G10 so the front won't be an option. I removed the harddrive bays to accommodate it. Hm should I just put 2 rads in front of each other with 2 or 3 fans?
> 
> Help
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...
> 
> By the way I have a Coolermaster Elite 120.


Yes BlueDevil has managed to use two AIO radiators inside the Elite 130 as I was able to fit an Alpha Cool NexXxos Monsta 120mm x 80 mm Radiator.


----------



## bluedevil

Yep...changing it up soon though...


----------



## jashdou

Could you add me? here's my build






Also, do you think I could mod the case to add another 80man in there like in this pic? https://id2cnc.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/gt-elite130-44.jpg


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jashdou*
> 
> Could you add me? here's my build
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, do you think I could mod the case to add another 80man in there like in this pic? https://id2cnc.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/gt-elite130-44.jpg


Nice!







It should be pretty easy. I have stuffed 2x 92mm fans with the 80mm fan on that side


----------



## jashdou

Quote:


> Nice! thumb.gif It should be pretty easy. I have stuffed 2x 92mm fans with the 80mm fan on that side biggrin.gif


nice! care to put a picture of it for me?


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jashdou*
> 
> nice! care to put a picture of it for me?


I'm updating my build log in few days so I'll take a picture same time


----------



## DustDevil

Hello I started out with a CM 130. I switched components around and just wasn't happy with cable management on my part so I opted for a laptop and sold my desktop. I have since needed the power of a desktop so I am in the process of build this latest version.

I am using a CM 110 for my case. It strikes me a bit weird that they put 120mm and 140mm fan mounts but you cant use the 140mm fan mount because the power switch housing is in the way. I did what modders do and removed it and put the power button on the side with the rest of the front ports. Originally I was hoping to fit a 120mm radiator in this but once modded I knew a 140mm radiator would fit. I was also hoping to get a push/pull setup going but their just isn't enough room even with low profile ram the fan will hit them. I figure the single 140mm fan at slower speeds will cool about as well as my previous Antec 920 (48-49mm radiator) in push/pull in my 130. I am using the CM 140XL AIO and it pretty beefy. The tubing is thicker and a bigger diameter than I am use to and in a small case it poses challenges. I painted the front mesh on the 110 red as well as the radiator on the 140XL. Everything went well so far just waiting for some parts to come in. ie PSU, keyboard, data hard drive. This is definitely one of the smallest cases I have ever worked on and it has been very fun doing so. Will share some pictures of my install.


----------



## jashdou

Quote:


> I'm updating my build log in few days so I'll take a picture same time smile.gif


gotta love your build







awesome work

seeing that you used the side bracket for an additional 120mm fan I decided to try it myself too. it was a pain to get it there with the hdd being on the bottom of the case but I got it working anyways.


----------



## speedhunter

Hi guys, being a reader of this thread for a long time but I could not help to ask if any of you owner of 110, is there any tips to cool more of your GPU? Mine could rise up to 83c playing NFS Most Wanted 2012. GPU is Gainward 660. Thanks


----------



## DustDevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *speedhunter*
> 
> Hi guys, being a reader of this thread for a long time but I could not help to ask if any of you owner of 110, is there any tips to cool more of your GPU? Mine could rise up to 83c playing NFS Most Wanted 2012. GPU is Gainward 660. Thanks


I believe the lower section of the built in hard drive mount has dual 80mm fan locations on it. Not sure if 80mm x 25mm fans fit without touching the graphics card or you have to use slim fans. If you have a hard drive their you might be able to move it to the top hard drive spot and put some fans their.


----------



## Aarent

Hi guys,

Please see my complete build @

http://www.overclock.net/t/1521115/cooler-master-130-pandora-2-0-295x2-build-log

C:\Windows\system32\ _
C:\Windows\system32>Set Bait Below -t 3...2...1


----------



## Kriss941

I need some help guys... I was playing BF4 just a few moments ago when all the sudden my game started dropping frames to 15fps so I turnedgraphics from ultra to low to see if it would make a difference, but still I had the same issues... I quit the game and started up afterburner suspecting it had something to do with the GPU, but that's when I saw it... my CPU was running at 90+ C on all cores, even when idle... I checked AI suite and it said all fans and pumps where running at 100%, but when I turned off the PC to prevent any damage and then felt the pump it was really hot... I started suspecting the pump was malfunctioning so I touched the fins on the radiator and they were cool so I'm now pretty sure it's the pump... Just want to hear with you guys before doing anything as you all know taking out the AIO would mean a complete disassembling of the PC


----------



## jashdou

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aarent*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> Please see my complete build @
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1521115/cooler-master-130-pandora-2-0-295x2-build-log
> 
> C:\Windows\system32\ _
> C:\Windows\system32>Set Bait Below -t 3...2...1


phenomenal


----------



## pharaviel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mechnesium* [quote%20name=]
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Vario*
> 
> Yes. I was using a all in one watercooler and needed a way to mount the HDD sideways. Now that I have been aircooled for awhile, I rivetted the old cage back in and it is mounted like stock right now, but haven't taken any pictures of it yet.
> 
> Does anyone own both a 120 and a 130 and can test fit if the 130 front panel fits on the 120? The front usb, LED light, power+reset switch layout is slightly different.
> 
> I have considered getting a 130 panel from CM for the increased airflow.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes the Elite 130 front panel will fit with the Elite 120. We can also get you the HDD Side bracket to clean up your build
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Elite 130 Front Panel Assembley - OEM [621041270-GP]* : *LINK*
> 
> *Elite 130 HDD Mounting Frame
> [610041760-GP]
> *: *LINK*
Click to expand...

I hoped to find that tube-like piece found near the power supply on the website, but apparently is not on sale


----------



## CaptainZombie

Does anyone know if an MSI gaming OC 970 will fit in this case?


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainZombie*
> 
> Does anyone know if an MSI gaming OC 970 will fit in this case?


Sure will. Are you worried about the height of the GPU?

In other news, I took out my 290 in preparation of my Gigabyte GTX 970 Windforce OC to come soon. Thus taking out my "red mod" at the same time. Moved the 120XL over to the 3470 (probably a ton of overkill but hey, what can ya do?) Thinking of changing up the fans again, need some blue LED bling.


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Sure will. Are you worried about the height of the GPU?
> 
> In other news, I took out my 290 in preparation of my Gigabyte GTX 970 Windforce OC to come soon. Thus taking out my "red mod" at the same time. Moved the 120XL over to the 3470 (probably a ton of overkill but hey, what can ya do?) Thinking of changing up the fans again, need some blue LED bling.


Yes, I was concerned about the height and width running into an issue with the optical drive bay. I've tried several cases in last few weeks and the 130 seems to hit that sweet spot in case size which is a little bigger than my SG08 but a bit smaller than a Node 304 so it's about the right size for a HTPC.

How's the quality of this case and do components seem to keep cool?


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainZombie*
> 
> Yes, I was concerned about the height and width running into an issue with the optical drive bay. I've tried several cases in last few weeks and the 130 seems to hit that sweet spot in case size which is a little bigger than my SG08 but a bit smaller than a Node 304 so it's about the right size for a HTPC.
> 
> How's the quality of this case and do components seem to keep cool?


Well my 120 had been heavily modded, which was more or less corrected with the 130 model. I still think my mods are better than the 130 anyways.







CPU with a AIO (CM 120XL) I idle about 30 C with a 20C delta. Load I see about 55 -60C tops. Gonna do some more testing here later this week, head to head comparison with a 970 vs 290.


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Well my 120 had been heavily modded, which was more or less corrected with the 130 model. I still think my mods are better than the 130 anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CPU with a AIO (CM 120XL) I idle about 30 C with a 20C delta. Load I see about 55 -60C tops. Gonna do some more testing here later this week, head to head comparison with a 970 vs 290.


Your 970 should be cooler than the 290 in there even with dumping heat back in the case. My SG08 is smaller than this case and it kept cool except for the side which would heat up the side panel under heavy load. I like that the 130 places the PSU above mobo and the AIO is in front pulling air across the cass.


----------



## CaptainZombie

ADD ME PLEASE!!!!!! LOL! :









I moved everything over to the Elite 130 today and I really wish I would of tried this case a long time ago. Plenty of times I walked into TigerDirect or Microcenter, looked at it and walked past it. Here are pics of my build. I like that the PSU is above the mobo and that the AIO I have placed in the front. It gives the case a lot of room in the front for when I decide to go with a custom loop. I also added a 120mm fan to the HDD bracket on the side to help pull in some fresh air to the case.

My only 2 complaints so far have to do with the cutouts on the side panels, they are just not big enough to let air in and out from looking at them. Then the feet are just ridiculous looking. Any recommendations on removing the feet and putting on another set of feet?

I also used the Silverstone Strider Gold 550W PSU w/ PP05e cables, really made this build very easy. I know some people hate the PSU sticking out in the back a bit, but I don't mind it.

I am considering breaking out the dremel and making cut outs to the side of the GPU, then using the Silverstone fan filters on the side. About 3 of these on the side should allow more air flow and for filters to keep out dust.



Here are pics from my build:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainZombie*
> 
> ADD ME PLEASE!!!!!! LOL! :
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I moved everything over to the Elite 130 today and I really wish I would of tried this case a long time ago. Plenty of times I walked into TigerDirect or Microcenter, looked at it and walked past it. Here are pics of my build. I like that the PSU is above the mobo and that the AIO I have placed in the front. It gives the case a lot of room in the front for when I decide to go with a custom loop. I also added a 120mm fan to the HDD bracket on the side to help pull in some fresh air to the case.
> 
> My only 2 complaints so far have to do with the cutouts on the side panels, they are just not big enough to let air in and out from looking at them. Then the feet are just ridiculous looking. Any recommendations on removing the feet and putting on another set of feet?
> 
> I also used the Silverstone Strider Gold 550W PSU w/ PP05e cables, really made this build very easy. I know some people hate the PSU sticking out in the back a bit, but I don't mind it.
> 
> I am considering breaking out the dremel and making cut outs to the side of the GPU, then using the Silverstone fan filters on the side. About 3 of these on the side should allow more air flow and for filters to keep out dust.
> 
> 
> 
> Here are pics from my build:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Totally! Welcome to the club! The Elite 130 is like a larger spiritual successor to Silverstone's SG05.


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Totally! Welcome to the club! The Elite 130 is like a larger spiritual successor to Silverstone's SG05.


Thanks! I agree, its like the SG05 (features) moved into the body of the SG08 and grew an extra inch in width, height and depth.....








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Liquored*
> 
> ok finally got the Elite 130 build wrapped up. i have a leak but its minor and will fix when i return home...ELITE 130 Buildlog]
> 
> Elite 130 Buildlog
> 
> on to the teaser pics:
> 
> ]
> 
> 
> 
> *ELITE 110 Buildlog*
> 
> Also built a Cooler Master Elite 110 case. similar parts, different GPU, PSU, and Cooling method. AIO vs full custom loop


What size Phobya rad is that, looks good enough to cool both the CPU and GPU.

Is this it,
Phobya G-Changer 120mm Ver. 1.2 Radiator - Black
Model: PH-35219


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainZombie*
> 
> Thanks! I agree, its like the SG05 (features) moved into the body of the SG08 and grew an extra inch in width, height and depth.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What size Phobya rad is that, looks good enough to cool both the CPU and GPU.
> 
> Is this it,
> Phobya G-Changer 120mm Ver. 1.2 Radiator - Black
> Model: PH-35219


Yes that Phobya should be able to cool both the CPU and GPU no problem as you can also consider the Alphacool UT60 which should fit without modifications as its shorter than the Monsta Rad that I have in my build which I had to offset to accommodate my GTX 780Ti.


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Yes that Phobya should be able to cool both the CPU and GPU no problem as you can also consider the Alphacool UT60 which should fit without modifications as its shorter than the Monsta Rad that I have in my build which I had to offset to accommodate my GTX 780Ti.


Excellent, thanks! I am looking for rads that are the size of the UT60, but not as big as that Monsta Rad, that thing is a beast. LOL! Any other rads that would work fine with the CPU/GPU? I think I saw one from EK too that was very thick, but could not recall if it was 60mm.

I might even be able to mount a second 120mm rad on the HDD bracket where I placed the AF120 on. That would probably be much better to cool both then just going with a 60mm rad.


----------



## bluedevil

Just FYI, the CM 120 Elite is on a pretty decent sale at Newegg atm.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119261

$49.99 - $20 MIR - $7.50 (15% promo code SDAF1026) = $22.49 free shipping.

The CM 130 is on sale right now too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119286&cm_re=cooler_master_elite_130-_-11-119-286-_-Product

$44.99 - $10 MIR = $34.99 free shipping.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainZombie*
> 
> Excellent, thanks! I am looking for rads that are the size of the UT60, but not as big as that Monsta Rad, that thing is a beast. LOL! Any other rads that would work fine with the CPU/GPU? I think I saw one from EK too that was very thick, but could not recall if it was 60mm.
> 
> I might even be able to mount a second 120mm rad on the HDD bracket where I placed the AF120 on. That would probably be much better to cool both then just going with a 60mm rad.


Check out Joren's Elite 120 build using dual 120mm radiators. This is the cleanest dual rad's in this case i've seen so far.

*Us.Hardware.info:* *Link*


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Check out Joren's Elite 120 build using dual 120mm radiators. This is the cleanest dual rad's in this case i've seen so far.
> 
> *Us.Hardware.info:* *Link*


thanks hyp36, so I see from his pics that the rad was mounted to the top bracket. I think I might first try and see if I can mount it to that HDD bracket. That way I can use the 5.25" bay for a reservoir, then I 'd have to move my HDD's probably underneath.


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jashdou*
> 
> nice! care to put a picture of it for me?


Hi! Here are the pics and sorry it took so long









These little fellas have kept me busy


----------



## jashdou

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Hi! Here are the pics and sorry it took so long
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These little fellas have kept me busy


Really nice







Also, I saw your updated build log. That slim 120mm fan mod on top of the case was lovely. Did you buy that
fabric where you attached the fan from somewhere?


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jashdou*
> 
> Really nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, I saw your updated build log. That slim 120mm fan mod on top of the case was lovely. Did you buy that
> fabric where you attached the fan from somewhere?


Thanks! If you mean the rad grill it's phobya's 140mm hexx


----------



## coldim

Hello everyone,

I am building a new cube for myself. This is my first ITX so I would be grateful for some tips in terms of config. My main questions are:
- Whether it is worth buying 4690k over 4590? (price difference in my country is around $45)
- Will my Rajiin Pallas be able to effectively cool my CPU or should I buy Corsair H80i (cost is +$60)
- Do I need modular PSU?

Componets:

Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 2x4GB DIMM DDR3 2133MHz CL11 XMP 1.5V Blue
SeaSonic SSR-550RM 1 415,01 415,01
Intel CORE I5-4670K 3.4GHz LGA1150 BOX HASWELL
ASRock H97M-ITX/AC, H97, DualDDR3-1600, SATA3, HDMI, mITX (H97M-ITX/AC)
MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB DDR5
Cooler Master Elite 130 RC-130-KKN1
Raijintek Pallas (0R100004)
SSD Crucial MX100 256GB SATA3 2.5" 550/330 MB/s 7mm (CT256MX100SSD1)

I am still trying to decide if it's worth for me to buy GTX 760 considering that I mostly play Path of Exile which doesnt require that much power and I could save $79 on this. Only problem is that radeons are sometimes problematic in Path of Exile.
My cheaper build would be to go with i5-4590, Sapphire R9 270x and XFX 500W PSU which would reduce the price of this setup from $1145 to $953 (this value is calculated from my local currency).
So what do you guys think?


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *coldim*
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am building a new cube for myself. This is my first ITX so I would be grateful for some tips in terms of config. My main questions are:
> - Whether it is worth buying 4690k over 4590? (price difference in my country is around $45)
> - Will my Rajiin Pallas be able to effectively cool my CPU or should I buy Corsair H80i (cost is +$60)
> - Do I need modular PSU?
> 
> Componets:
> 
> Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 2x4GB DIMM DDR3 2133MHz CL11 XMP 1.5V Blue
> SeaSonic SSR-550RM 1 415,01 415,01
> Intel CORE I5-4670K 3.4GHz LGA1150 BOX HASWELL
> ASRock H97M-ITX/AC, H97, DualDDR3-1600, SATA3, HDMI, mITX (H97M-ITX/AC)
> MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB DDR5
> Cooler Master Elite 130 RC-130-KKN1
> Raijintek Pallas (0R100004)
> SSD Crucial MX100 256GB SATA3 2.5" 550/330 MB/s 7mm (CT256MX100SSD1)
> 
> I am still trying to decide if it's worth for me to buy GTX 760 considering that I mostly play Path of Exile which doesnt require that much power and I could save $79 on this. Only problem is that radeons are sometimes problematic in Path of Exile.
> My cheaper build would be to go with i5-4590, Sapphire R9 270x and XFX 500W PSU which would reduce the price of this setup from $1145 to $953 (this value is calculated from my local currency).
> So what do you guys think?


Hi! If you are building pc only for gaming and do not plan to overclock get i5 4590. Your cooler can handle both of those cpu @ stock speeds but the heat inside the case can get pretty high so I'm not sure what the temps would be while gaming. Full modular psu is recommended when we are talking about case this small. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong and add more info


----------



## portgas

is it possible to mod two thermaltake water 2.0 pro on this case?? one for cpu & one for gpu


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *portgas*
> 
> is it possible to mod two thermaltake water 2.0 pro on this case?? one for cpu & one for gpu


Everything is possible! Look few post backwards and there is dual rad loop in elite 130. If you do not use fan shroud and rad's have one fan each it should fit with no major problems. I recommend that you first buy one for your cpu (if possible) and then start to look if there is room for another. Sorry for my bad english, english is not my native language and I just got home from pre-Christmas party


----------



## portgas

can you please give me the link that they did 2x AIO water cooler

my spec :
- intel g3258 overclock 4.4Ghz
- msi b85i gaming
- patriot 4gb x2 1866mhz cl9 but i only can set the max ram speed at 1400mhz on this motherboard
- deepcool maelstrom 120k. prime98 max tmpt 70ºC & when i gaming max 58ºC & idle was around 40ºC - 45ºC
- seasonic m12ii 620watt
- sapphire hd 6870 toxic 1gb..when i gaming the temp went to 90ºC & i have to take out that gpu cover & cm elite 130 cover, it will help reduce 15ºC
- kingfast f9 128gb ssd
- seagate 1tb

that's way i'm planning to add a 120mm radiator on my hd6870, i will upgrade my gpu when i got money but not this time


----------



## mrtbahgs

I think he was referring to Post 588 which had 2x WC rads, probably even more space taken than 2x AIO.


----------



## drokkon

Wow - I just picked an Elite 130 case and I get to join a club? How COOL! Not sure I belong, as I'm building a rig for productivity rather than gaming, but I'd love it if I could get any input on my selected components:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

*CPU:* Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($248.98 @ SuperBiiz)
*CPU Cooler:* Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
*Motherboard:* ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($84.99 @ Micro Center)
*Memory:* Kingston Fury Black Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($139.99 @ Amazon)
*Storage:* Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.97 @ SuperBiiz)
*Case:* Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case ($39.99 @ Amazon)
*Power Supply:* Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
*Total:* $713.90
_Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available_
_Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-19 04:20 EST-0500_

I'm still looking for advice on a graphics card. Again, I'm leaning more toward Photoshop work than gaming, and I need something fairly inexpensive that works within my chosen PSU. Unless you think my old Radeon 4600 will do the trick?







Other than all that, I don't plan on overclocking or modding the case too much. However, as this is my first SFF build, I just want to make sure everything works.

Thanks!


----------



## fleetfeather

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drokkon*
> 
> Wow - I just picked an Elite 130 case and I get to join a club? How COOL! Not sure I belong, as I'm building a rig for productivity rather than gaming, but I'd love it if I could get any input on my selected components:
> 
> PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
> 
> *CPU:* Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($248.98 @ SuperBiiz)
> *CPU Cooler:* Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
> *Motherboard:* ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($84.99 @ Micro Center)
> *Memory:* Kingston Fury Black Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($139.99 @ Amazon)
> *Storage:* Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.97 @ SuperBiiz)
> *Case:* Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case ($39.99 @ Amazon)
> *Power Supply:* Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
> *Total:* $713.90
> _Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available_
> _Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-19 04:20 EST-0500_
> 
> I'm still looking for advice on a graphics card. Again, I'm leaning more toward Photoshop work than gaming, and I need something fairly inexpensive that works within my chosen PSU. Unless you think my old Radeon 4600 will do the trick?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Other than all that, I don't plan on overclocking or modding the case too much. However, as this is my first SFF build, I just want to make sure everything works.
> 
> Thanks!


Can you afford to go a bit more expensive with your Power Supply? I'm no concerned about the wattage, but rather the specific model you've picked out. I'm sure a 750Ti will suffice for phtoshop stuff. Or a used 660Ti.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drokkon*
> 
> Wow - I just picked an Elite 130 case and I get to join a club? How COOL! Not sure I belong, as I'm building a rig for productivity rather than gaming, but I'd love it if I could get any input on my selected components:
> 
> PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
> 
> *CPU:* Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($248.98 @ SuperBiiz)
> *CPU Cooler:* Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
> *Motherboard:* ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($84.99 @ Micro Center)
> *Memory:* Kingston Fury Black Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($139.99 @ Amazon)
> *Storage:* Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.97 @ SuperBiiz)
> *Case:* Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case ($39.99 @ Amazon)
> *Power Supply: Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)*
> *Total:* $713.90
> _Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available_
> _Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-19 04:20 EST-0500_
> 
> I'm still looking for advice on a graphics card. Again, I'm leaning more toward Photoshop work than gaming, and I need something fairly inexpensive that works within my chosen PSU. Unless you think my old Radeon 4600 will do the trick?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Other than all that, I don't plan on overclocking or modding the case too much. However, as this is my first SFF build, I just want to make sure everything works.
> 
> Thanks!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fleetfeather*
> 
> Can you afford to go a bit more expensive with your Power Supply? I'm no concerned about the wattage, but rather the specific model you've picked out. I'm sure a 750Ti will suffice for phtoshop stuff. Or a used 660Ti.


I agree, the type of power supply you chose is just as important to your system as much as your GPU and CPU. Consider a much more efficient PSU. The last thing you want is to ruin your investment because you cheaped out on your power supply


----------



## drokkon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fleetfeather*
> 
> Can you afford to go a bit more expensive with your Power Supply? I'm no concerned about the wattage, but rather the specific model you've picked out. I'm sure a 750Ti will suffice for phtoshop stuff. Or a used 660Ti.


Thanks so much! I chose the PSU based on the price and this article. What are your specific concerns? Dimensions? Performance? Reliability?


----------



## drokkon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> I agree, the type of power supply you chose is just as important to your system as much as your GPU and CPU. Consider a much more efficient PSU. The last thing you want is to ruin your investment because you cheaped out on your power supply


Inefficiency? Interesting. Can't say I know PSUs all that well, but based on that article, I assumed that the "Gold" efficiency rating was good. I must be missing something. Thank you!


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drokkon*
> 
> Inefficiency? Interesting. Can't say I know PSUs all that well, but based on that article, I assumed that the "Gold" efficiency rating was good. I must be missing something. Thank you!


It's a gold rated PSU but really cheap on capacitors and build quality. You never want to go cheap on a PSU it can kill your whole system if something goes wrong with it.


----------



## fleetfeather

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drokkon*
> 
> Thanks so much! I chose the PSU based on the price and this article. What are your specific concerns? Dimensions? Performance? Reliability?


Sorry for the late reply, been sleeping







Most of the "PSU purists" on OCN will tell you 2 things in particular when it comes to picking out a PSU:

1.Build Quality + Components > everything else

When shopping around for power supplies, most companies market features like the Efficiency rating (80+ Gold, for example) and Modular cables. These feautres are nice to have, but they don't necessarily correspond with what a "good PSU" is. Rather, the factors that determine what a "good PSU" is are typically the components used and the build quality you can expect. Ideally, what you're looking for in a low-cost PSU, is lots of Japanese capacitors and solid soldering work on the pcb. Furthermore, you should always be looking to ensure your unit has "low voltage ripple" on at least the main 12Volt rail.

Reviews from Jonnyguru are always a good source of this info, and can be used to direct your purchases.

2. OEM > Brand

For 80% of power supplies, the brand sticker slapped on the side of the unit isn't responsible for constructing the power supply. This is pretty important to take note of, since some brands have some really great performing power supplies in their line-up, alongside some shockers. This fact highlights the need to do research (or ask for help!) before buying a unit









--

Specifically, for your build, the best bang-for-buck units I know of would be:

Cooler Master V550 (the V450 is also a good unit, but features some lower-grade capacitors than its big brother. I'd still feel confident putting it in my pc though)
Seasonic G-450


----------



## drokkon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fleetfeather*
> 
> Sorry for the late reply, been sleeping
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most of the "PSU purists" on OCN will tell you 2 things in particular when it comes to picking out a PSU:
> 
> 1.Build Quality + Components > everything else
> 
> When shopping around for power supplies, most companies market features like the Efficiency rating (80+ Gold, for example) and Modular cables. These feautres are nice to have, but they don't necessarily correspond with what a "good PSU" is. Rather, the factors that determine what a "good PSU" is are typically the components used and the build quality you can expect. Ideally, what you're looking for in a low-cost PSU, is lots of Japanese capacitors and solid soldering work on the pcb. Furthermore, you should always be looking to ensure your unit has "low voltage ripple" on at least the main 12Volt rail.
> 
> Reviews from Jonnyguru are always a good source of this info, and can be used to direct your purchases.
> 
> 2. OEM > Brand
> 
> For 80% of power supplies, the brand sticker slapped on the side of the unit isn't responsible for constructing the power supply. This is pretty important to take note of, since some brands have some really great performing power supplies in their line-up, alongside some shockers. This fact highlights the need to do research (or ask for help!) before buying a unit
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> 
> Specifically, for your build, the best bang-for-buck units I know of would be:
> 
> Cooler Master V550 (the V450 is also a good unit, but features some lower-grade capacitors than its big brother. I'd still feel confident putting it in my pc though)
> Seasonic G-450


Wow - great info! Thank you. JohnnyGuru rated the CS550, not the CS450, and gave it a decent rating. But apparently that tells me nothing about the CS450, based on what you're saying.

One other question: will this GPU fit in the Elite 130? Do I even want it to fit?







Thanks!


----------



## fleetfeather

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drokkon*
> 
> Wow - great info! Thank you. JohnnyGuru rated the CS550, not the CS450, and gave it a decent rating. But apparently that tells me nothing about the CS450, based on what you're saying.
> 
> One other question: will this GPU fit in the Elite 130? Do I even want it to fit?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks!


No worries.

Yep, that card should fit, and should do a fine job for your intended purposes. I'm not sure if AMD cards bring many benefits to Adobe rendering times, so someone else might have to answer that. I'm pretty sure NV cards can use their cuda cores to accelerate processing.


----------



## bloodsam

Hi,

I have owned this case since august, and I'm pretty satisfied with it.
Using it with a non modular PSU and alot of stuff, it fits hardly, but it fits








The main default in my opinion is the vibrations. I have a HDD in the 5.25 bay, and the vibration can be felt easily. And sometimes, the case starts to vibrate loudly, I have to touch it or wait few seconds for it to calm down...

I recently upgraded from a Sapphire Radeon HD7950 with a blower style cooler, to a R9 290... the Sapphire Tri-X OC version








Temps were fine, and the computer was more silent than before, when fully opened. Yesterday I closed it (because some cables and my foot were sometimes touching the GPU fans :x), and it becomes more audible and hotter in load... I was expecting that.
My CPU is cooled by a Corsair H50 in intake push/pull configuration and my PSU is facing down, exhausting the air from the case. But the hot air from the GPU is clearly not going on the PSU fan. So I would like to know if reverting the 80mm side fan would really help ? Did someone already try this ? Is it even possible ?

Thanks.


----------



## CaptainZombie

I just made an update to my system in the last week, I bought an i7 4790k and ASUS Z97i-Plus. I haven't fully tested the 4790k to its fullest since its been a busy week but I can finally start looking into custom water cooling since I was waiting to get a CPU/Mobo that I'd run with for a few years.


----------



## bloodsam

Well I tried reverting the 80 mm fan today, to make it exhaust.
It is possible, but there is no thread for the screws in this orientation, you have to create it with the screws. After a quick try, it seems to be worse than before.


----------



## Outpost AT

Hi!

I'm currently thinking about a nice mini-ITX gaming rig. I already have the MSI Z87I Gaming Mainboard laying around at home. The "right" case is a real headscratcher. I've done researches time and time again, waging the pros and cons of various brands. First it appeared to be a fight between the Node 304 and the SG-08 lite. Cooler Master wasn't really on my mini-ITX radar. After reading the specs of the Elite 130 I'm here again thinking...









Since this particular case (and the rest of Cooler Master's mini-ITX range) has an own thread I'd like to ask you some questions:

1.) The front intake fan is 120 mm. If I go with that case, I'd like to put a 120 mm radiator in it, preferably with two fans in "push/pull" setting. Is this possible with the 5,25 drive bay (I wanna use that too).

2.) Regarding the a.i.o cooling solution: top of the list would be the Cooler Master Nepton 120XL with two attached fans, followed by the Cooler Master Seidon 120V Version 2, the Corsair H75 and finally Zalman Reserator 3 Max.

3.) Because space is almost everything in such a case, I'd like to grab the rather newish SilverStone Strider SFX Gold 600W. Sensational measurements. Can someone tell me, how "good" this PSU is (noise factor). I think someone here has made a kick-ass build with that one (could also very well be the 450W little brother) and this guy seems to use the sleeved cables of SilverStone also, which looks terrific!!

4.) Would a push/pull config. in the front of the case drastically change the temps in the case for the better or maybe worse? Granted, this is certainly some kind of dumb question, but I'm curious about it since these little cases don't have enough space for sufficient cooling solutions.

5.) The little 80mm fan on the back quarter of the case: this one seems to be more of a gadget than a real improver of the air flow... Am I wrong?

6.) Are there any known vibration problems with the feet of the case?

The rest of the gaming rig: CPU: Intel Core I7- 4790K, GPU: Zotac GTX 970 (not the amp! version) or Gigabyte GTX 970 Mini, RAM: 16 GB DDR3-2400 Kingston Savage or G.Skill Sniper.


----------



## jashdou

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outpost AT*
> 
> Hi!
> 
> I'm currently thinking about a nice mini-ITX gaming rig. I already have the MSI Z87I Gaming Mainboard laying around at home. The "right" case is a real headscratcher. I've done researches time and time again, waging the pros and cons of various brands. First it appeared to be a fight between the Node 304 and the SG-08 lite. Cooler Master wasn't really on my mini-ITX radar. After reading the specs of the Elite 130 I'm here again thinking...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Since this particular case (and the rest of Cooler Master's mini-ITX range) has an own thread I'd like to ask you some questions:
> 
> 1.) The front intake fan is 120 mm. If I go with that case, I'd like to put a 120 mm radiator in it, preferably with two fans in "push/pull" setting. Is this possible with the 5,25 drive bay (I wanna use that too).
> 
> 2.) Regarding the a.i.o cooling solution: top of the list would be the Cooler Master Nepton 120XL with two attached fans, followed by the Cooler Master Seidon 120V Version 2, the Corsair H75 and finally Zalman Reserator 3 Max.
> 
> 3.) Because space is almost everything in such a case, I'd like to grab the rather newish SilverStone Strider SFX Gold 600W. Sensational measurements. Can someone tell me, how "good" this PSU is (noise factor). I think someone here has made a kick-ass build with that one (could also very well be the 450W little brother) and this guy seems to use the sleeved cables of SilverStone also, which looks terrific!!
> 
> 4.) Would a push/pull config. in the front of the case drastically change the temps in the case for the better or maybe worse? Granted, this is certainly some kind of dumb question, but I'm curious about it since these little cases don't have enough space for sufficient cooling solutions.
> 
> 5.) The little 80mm fan on the back quarter of the case: this one seems to be more of a gadget than a real improver of the air flow... Am I wrong?
> 
> 6.) Are there any known vibration problems with the feet of the case?
> 
> The rest of the gaming rig: CPU: Intel Core I7- 4790K, GPU: Zotac GTX 970 (not the amp! version) or Gigabyte GTX 970 Mini, RAM: 16 GB DDR3-2400 Kingston Savage or G.Skill Sniper.


im not really an expert on any of these questions you have but since I own that case I can try to answer at least to some questions

1.) Yes, as long as the radiator is 120mm. with 2 fans you will probably lose one hdd spot on the bottom of the case but looking at the build pics in here it seems you will still have place for one ssd

2.) I have no idea which one would work best for you. take a look at reviews.

3.) This case supports full sized power supplies so id change it to any high-end atx psu. also make sure its modular.

4.) cant really tell how much push/pull would affect temps. if youre worried about the cooling id suggest you to add a 120mm fan to the side bracket (unless you need it for a ssd/hdd of course). and since you use watercooling you could flip the psu so that it takes air inside of the case and exhaust if from the back.

5.) havent done any temp comparisons so i cant really tell

6.) not really sure what you mean by that


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outpost AT*
> 
> Hi!
> 
> I'm currently thinking about a nice mini-ITX gaming rig. I already have the MSI Z87I Gaming Mainboard laying around at home. The "right" case is a real headscratcher. I've done researches time and time again, waging the pros and cons of various brands. First it appeared to be a fight between the Node 304 and the SG-08 lite. Cooler Master wasn't really on my mini-ITX radar. After reading the specs of the Elite 130 I'm here again thinking...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Since this particular case (and the rest of Cooler Master's mini-ITX range) has an own thread I'd like to ask you some questions:
> 
> 1.) The front intake fan is 120 mm. If I go with that case, I'd like to put a 120 mm radiator in it, preferably with two fans in "push/pull" setting. Is this possible with the 5,25 drive bay (I wanna use that too).
> 
> 2.) Regarding the a.i.o cooling solution: top of the list would be the Cooler Master Nepton 120XL with two attached fans, followed by the Cooler Master Seidon 120V Version 2, the Corsair H75 and finally Zalman Reserator 3 Max.
> 
> 3.) Because space is almost everything in such a case, I'd like to grab the rather newish SilverStone Strider SFX Gold 600W. Sensational measurements. Can someone tell me, how "good" this PSU is (noise factor). I think someone here has made a kick-ass build with that one (could also very well be the 450W little brother) and this guy seems to use the sleeved cables of SilverStone also, which looks terrific!!
> 
> 4.) Would a push/pull config. in the front of the case drastically change the temps in the case for the better or maybe worse? Granted, this is certainly some kind of dumb question, but I'm curious about it since these little cases don't have enough space for sufficient cooling solutions.
> 
> 5.) The little 80mm fan on the back quarter of the case: this one seems to be more of a gadget than a real improver of the air flow... Am I wrong?
> 
> 6.) Are there any known vibration problems with the feet of the case?
> 
> The rest of the gaming rig: CPU: Intel Core I7- 4790K, GPU: Zotac GTX 970 (not the amp! version) or Gigabyte GTX 970 Mini, RAM: 16 GB DDR3-2400 Kingston Savage or G.Skill Sniper.


*Welcome aboard!*

1. Yes it's possible! Especially with the Nepton 120XL espeially if you do not plan on mounting a 2.5" SSD or HDD on the bottom of the 5.25" drive bay cage.

2. Cooler Master Nepton 120XL *All the way*, especially since Cooler Master has revised it with their new Silencio fans.

3. Since you are referring to *My #beastMODE Build*







Silverstone's SX600-G or ST45SFG are perfect for the Elite 130 as it will free up space and allow much more air to flow within your case. I currently have the ST45SFG 450 Watt Modular powering up an Intel i7 4770k and Nvidia GTX 780Ti flawlessly. (I have yet to upgrade to the SX600G). In terms of sound from the fan to be honest I do not hear it at all. Of course fan noise is all subjective so YMWV.









4. Go Push | Pull as it will allow more air to flow within the confines of the Elite 130 ITX case, adding the pull fan after the radiator will account for about ~2C (Not Much). however it will help move air inside to your motherboard and other components.

5. I took my 80mm fan off as it was just blowing into my ASUS Maximus Impact VI VRM board and replaced it with a modified 2.5" drive side bracket from the front. It won't hurt leaving the fan there though.

6. Nope!



Spoiler: Here are my temps with my 100% water-cooled Elite 130 for reference



*Benchmarks*

*3DMark Firestrike*


Spoiler: 3D Mark: Firestrike



*Score:* 9957
*CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
*GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)

*CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 39C / 43C
*GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 36C / 44C

*Link:* http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4196284

*3DMark Firestrike*





*HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*


*HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*




*Battlefield 4 Multiplayer*


Spoiler: Battlefield 4!



*CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
*GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)

*CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 34C / 45C
*GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 31C / 47C

*Battlefield 4*







*HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*


*HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*




*Unigine Heaven 4.0*


Spoiler: Unigine Heaven 4.0



*Score:* 1485
*FPS:* 58.9
*Min FPS:* 8.5
*Max FPS:* 122.3
*CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
*GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)

*CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 33C / 40C
*GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 30C / 43C

*Unigine Heaven 4.0*







*HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*



*HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*





*Metro Last Light*


Spoiler: Metro Last Light



*CPU Core:* 3.9Ghz (Stock)
*GPU Core:* 1046 mhz (Overclocked)

*Ambient temperature:* 23C
*CPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 36C / 43C
*GPU temperature (Min) / (Max):* 34C / 45C

*Metro Last Light*









*HWINFO 64 Intel i7 4770K*



*HWINFO 64 Nvidia GTX 780Ti*


----------



## fleetfeather

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outpost AT*
> 
> Hi!
> 
> I'm currently thinking about a nice mini-ITX gaming rig. I already have the MSI Z87I Gaming Mainboard laying around at home. The "right" case is a real headscratcher. I've done researches time and time again, waging the pros and cons of various brands. First it appeared to be a fight between the Node 304 and the SG-08 lite. Cooler Master wasn't really on my mini-ITX radar. After reading the specs of the Elite 130 I'm here again thinking...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Since this particular case (and the rest of Cooler Master's mini-ITX range) has an own thread I'd like to ask you some questions:
> 
> 1.) The front intake fan is 120 mm. If I go with that case, I'd like to put a 120 mm radiator in it, preferably with two fans in "push/pull" setting. Is this possible with the 5,25 drive bay (I wanna use that too).
> 
> 2.) Regarding the a.i.o cooling solution: top of the list would be the Cooler Master Nepton 120XL with two attached fans, followed by the Cooler Master Seidon 120V Version 2, the Corsair H75 and finally Zalman Reserator 3 Max.
> 
> 3.) Because space is almost everything in such a case, I'd like to grab the rather newish SilverStone Strider SFX Gold 600W. Sensational measurements. Can someone tell me, how "good" this PSU is (noise factor). I think someone here has made a kick-ass build with that one (could also very well be the 450W little brother) and this guy seems to use the sleeved cables of SilverStone also, which looks terrific!!
> 
> 4.) Would a push/pull config. in the front of the case drastically change the temps in the case for the better or maybe worse? Granted, this is certainly some kind of dumb question, but I'm curious about it since these little cases don't have enough space for sufficient cooling solutions.
> 
> 5.) The little 80mm fan on the back quarter of the case: this one seems to be more of a gadget than a real improver of the air flow... Am I wrong?
> 
> 6.) Are there any known vibration problems with the feet of the case?
> 
> The rest of the gaming rig: CPU: Intel Core I7- 4790K, GPU: Zotac GTX 970 (not the amp! version) or Gigabyte GTX 970 Mini, RAM: 16 GB DDR3-2400 Kingston Savage or G.Skill Sniper.


1. Depends on the 120mm rad. If you're talking about an AIO, most should fit. If you're talking about a 120mm radiator for custom loops, only a few will fit.

2. Would probably get whichever unit has cooler master's new silencio (spelling?) fans. If you can't find one of them, just get whichever one you want.

3. Noise factor doesn't make a PSU 'good'







regardless, the 600w SFX unit is an alright unit in terms of performance; nothing brilliant and nothing hazardous. Truly mediocre.

4. Push pull makes little difference. 3-4C better temps in your usage scenario.

5. Don't know

6. Don't think so


----------



## Outpost AT

Thanks guys for the well appreciated input. Slowly but surely all parts are going to be ordered. I'll definitely go with the Nepton 120XL - my retailer seems to have good ties with Cooler Master, I think everything of their range is available in no time for a reasonable price. The PSU will be the SilverStone Strider SFX 600 and I'll get those nice looking sleeved cables too. Still unsolved is the pick of the GPU, which will be a GTX 970, brand to be determined.

I've just read that ASUS is also going to release a mini-ITX version of the GTX 970. Well, Christmas is just around the corner and maybe I'll get myself a EVGA GTX 970 FTW, but I am not sure about the loud fans... SSD is also some sort of first world problem. I use Samsung and Crucial, everything is fine and dandy but I also like to try something from other brands, e.g. Kingston HyperX 3K or maybe SanDisk. Let's see. I'll keep you updated. I'm really fired up - thanks to "hyp36rmax"!







Hats off to you and your superb rig you have made!! Classic!


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outpost AT*
> 
> Hi!
> 
> I'm currently thinking about a nice mini-ITX gaming rig. I already have the MSI Z87I Gaming Mainboard laying around at home. The "right" case is a real headscratcher. I've done researches time and time again, waging the pros and cons of various brands. First it appeared to be a fight between the Node 304 and the SG-08 lite. Cooler Master wasn't really on my mini-ITX radar. After reading the specs of the Elite 130 I'm here again thinking...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Since this particular case (and the rest of Cooler Master's mini-ITX range) has an own thread I'd like to ask you some questions:
> 
> 1.) The front intake fan is 120 mm. If I go with that case, I'd like to put a 120 mm radiator in it, preferably with two fans in "push/pull" setting. Is this possible with the 5,25 drive bay (I wanna use that too).
> 
> 2.) Regarding the a.i.o cooling solution: top of the list would be the Cooler Master Nepton 120XL with two attached fans, followed by the Cooler Master Seidon 120V Version 2, the Corsair H75 and finally Zalman Reserator 3 Max.
> 
> 3.) Because space is almost everything in such a case, I'd like to grab the rather newish SilverStone Strider SFX Gold 600W. Sensational measurements. Can someone tell me, how "good" this PSU is (noise factor). I think someone here has made a kick-ass build with that one (could also very well be the 450W little brother) and this guy seems to use the sleeved cables of SilverStone also, which looks terrific!!
> 
> 4.) Would a push/pull config. in the front of the case drastically change the temps in the case for the better or maybe worse? Granted, this is certainly some kind of dumb question, but I'm curious about it since these little cases don't have enough space for sufficient cooling solutions.
> 
> 5.) The little 80mm fan on the back quarter of the case: this one seems to be more of a gadget than a real improver of the air flow... Am I wrong?
> 
> 6.) Are there any known vibration problems with the feet of the case?
> 
> The rest of the gaming rig: CPU: Intel Core I7- 4790K, GPU: Zotac GTX 970 (not the amp! version) or Gigabyte GTX 970 Mini, RAM: 16 GB DDR3-2400 Kingston Savage or G.Skill Sniper.


1. Yes, as everyone else has said you have enough room to do push/pull with a 120mm rad and still retain the 5.25" drive. I even have a 120mm fan mounted to the HDD bracket.
2. I'm using an H60 but have read some very good things on CM's latest AIO's, can't go wrong there.
3. I went with the 550W Silverstone 140mm PSU which is slightly longer than the SFX 600 and it uses a 120mm fan. This is what it looks like:



4. I haven't tried push/pull yet.
5. I took it out and placed the 120mm fan on the HDD bracket.
6. I haven't had any vibration problems so far.


----------



## Ndfeb

ADD MEartybox


----------



## Jawswing

Anyone know if the 670 Palit Jetsream will fit in this case? I think the card is a 2.5 slot card.


----------



## RickRockerr

I decided to put my gpu under water
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jawswing*
> 
> Anyone know if the 670 Palit Jetsream will fit in this case? I think the card is a 2.5 slot card.


Yep it's a 2.5 slot card so it's very unlikely that it fits.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> I decided to put my gpu under water
> Yep it's a 2.5 slot card so it's very unlikely that it fits.


Looking forward to your shots of your upgrades to the Elite 130


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> Looking forward to your shots of your upgrades to the Elite 130


Heh







next thing will be waterccooling for gpu and a side window. For that I need a new hdd mounting frame but I cannot order it from US store and there is no stock on EU.
I contacted to the EU store and I can maybe get my hands on one from refurbished case


----------



## Liquored

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainZombie*
> 
> Thanks! I agree, its like the SG05 (features) moved into the body of the SG08 and grew an extra inch in width, height and depth.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What size Phobya rad is that, looks good enough to cool both the CPU and GPU.
> 
> Is this it,
> Phobya G-Changer 120mm Ver. 1.2 Radiator - Black
> Model: PH-35219


close,

Phobya G-Changer 140

Dimensions: (L x W x H): 197x145x60mm

https://www.freezinghardware.nl/product/7698/Phobya_G-Changer_140.html

it does an ok job. really need 2 rads, one for the GPU and one for the CPU, thinner rads would work, gpu then rad, then cpu and 2nd rad before hitting the res and pump again...i dont plan on overclocking so current setup is fine.

i updated both my 110 Elite and 130 Elite builds since it has been a year of heavy use on both

http://www.overclock.net/t/1459773/cooler-master-elite-110-case-build-log/

http://www.overclock.net/t/1438824/itx-build-to-replace-fx-60-gaming-workhorse/


----------



## fleetfeather

CM reps, I have a case design idea I'd like you to consider. It's a modification of the Elite 110, intended for watercooling.

It would involve raising the roof height of the Elite 110 to allow for a 180mm / 200mm radiator and fan chamber above the psu. Similar in style to how EVGA added a chamber to their Hadron Air case in order to create the Hadron Hydro.

A 180/200mm radiator has a surface area which can contend with some 3x120mm radiators, thus allowing for ample heat dissipation for small mitx rigs.


----------



## Kurokidan

Hello all my build is named Karasu-mini can you add me plz. I still try to tidy up a bit more the mess from the sata cables and power cables so im open to any suggestions


----------



## Liquored

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fleetfeather*
> 
> CM reps, I have a case design idea I'd like you to consider. It's a modification of the Elite 110, intended for watercooling.
> 
> It would involve raising the roof height of the Elite 110 to allow for a 180mm / 200mm radiator and fan chamber above the psu. Similar in style to how EVGA added a chamber to their Hadron Air case in order to create the Hadron Hydro.
> 
> A 180/200mm radiator has a surface area which can contend with some 3x120mm radiators, thus allowing for ample heat dissipation for small mitx rigs.


I'd be happy with the front bezel being deeper like the Elite 110, so we could put a fan between the case and the bezel. then i would have a push pull setup. i was surprise dthe 130 wasnt the same dementions as the 110, just longer. the 110 is taller and wider with a deeper front bezel.

i really like my 110 build more than my workhouse 130 build, i really need 2nd radiator to knock down temps. they ok but can always be better with a 2nd rad


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kurokidan*
> 
> Hello all my build is named Karasu-mini can you add me plz.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ndfeb*
> 
> ADD MEartybox


Added both =)


----------



## imerino

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *schubaltz*
> 
> I forgot to mention, I have to take out the stock hsf of my processor so I can install the card. I shifted it to a 22 degree angle, i/o side first. Goodluck on your build! Cheers


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *schubaltz*
> 
> someone pm'ed me about the actual card length support for this chassis so here it is. I was able to install an R9-270 w/c is 228mm in length as Sapphire specified. As you guys can see in the pic, it fits in tightly. Fortunately there are holes in front of the chassis near the front panel modules. I just routed my 6 pin power cable there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the card is a Sapphire R9-270 dual-x btw


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *schubaltz*
> 
> I forgot to mention, I have to take out the stock hsf of my processor so I can install the card. I shifted it to a 22 degree angle, i/o side first. Goodluck on your build! Cheers


Hey guys so I was thinking about the Cooler Master Elite 110 but the GPU i really! want is 9" in length..... I quoted and included a couple of posts from "Schubaltz" that he fit a 228mm GPU in his Elite 110, but the 2nd quote says he took out a HSF out of his processor and shifted the card? 22 degrees im not really sure here but I just wanted to post this with the references.....

I am hoping for some positive feedback here but just so you guys know the motherboard I intend to use it's a

Motherboard: Asus Z87I-Deluxe Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132028&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Don't really understand what the guy i quoted did and if it's bad for the motherboard so I am still on the fence about getting this 9" GPU

which btw is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487028&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Thanks for the help


----------



## Liquored

I put the Asus GTX 760 DirectCU II in my Elite 110

1.5 x 8.6 x 5 inches

it is 2mm from touching the front of the case. due to the cables and connections for the audio and USB on the front bezel you really cant go any longer than that.

you can trim the front of the case to fit a longer card but youll end up in these connections which are 1/4" on the other side of the metal front.

I have an EVGA GTX 780TI SC in my Elite 130 and while building both rigs i knew just looking at the space of the 110 and length of the 780 that they wouldnt work. the card is just too long for that case.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1459773/cooler-master-elite-110-case-build-log
http://www.overclock.net/t/1438824/itx-build-to-replace-fx-60-gaming-workhorse

BUT, the Asus GTX 760 DirectCU II paired with the i7 4770K and Asus Impact VI worked out great. tons of power, great cooling, and this card pumps out good FPS @ 1440 and 110 HZ

take a loot at the GTX 970 cards out now. there are a couple mini's that will work great and perform better than the 760 and 780 cards. less power, less heat and fit in the case with no problem.


----------



## Outpost AT

I need a quick confirmation from you guys - will these GPU's fit hassle free in the Elite 130:

Asus GTX 970/980 Strix
MSI GTX 970/980 Twin FrozR V Gaming
EVGA GTX 970 FTW/Superclocked
EVGA GTX 980 Superclocked

The length of these card should not be a problem, but how about the height and width?

One of these cards will be used for my new Elite 130 gaming-rig!

Thanks a bunch!


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outpost AT*
> 
> I need a quick confirmation from you guys - will these GPU's fit hassle free in the Elite 130:
> 
> Asus GTX 970/980 Strix
> MSI GTX 970/980 Twin FrozR V Gaming
> EVGA GTX 970 FTW/Superclocked
> EVGA GTX 980 Superclocked
> 
> The length of these card should not be a problem, but how about the height and width?
> 
> One of these cards will be used for my new Elite 130 gaming-rig!
> 
> Thanks a bunch!


The MSI 970 fits without any issues, good luck.


----------



## RickRockerr

Evga 980 SC will fit too.


----------



## cegasaturn

Hey all,

I've been thinking about putting together a Mini ITX build for a while now, and I really like the CM Elite 130.

I don't have specs fully fleshed out, but I'm thinking an i5-4690k and some form of GTX 970 (with a light OC on both).

My potential issue with this case is noise. I know many of the builds here run water coolers, which I have no experience with.
I would probably use a AIO cooler for the CPU, and a reference 970 (blower). My question is how loud would this type of build be?


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cegasaturn*
> 
> Hey all,
> 
> I've been thinking about putting together a Mini ITX build for a while now, and I really like the CM Elite 130.
> 
> I don't have specs fully fleshed out, but I'm thinking an i5-4690k and some form of GTX 970 (with a light OC on both).
> 
> My potential issue with this case is noise. I know many of the builds here run water coolers, which I have no experience with.
> I would probably use a AIO cooler for the CPU, and a reference 970 (blower). My question is how loud would this type of build be?


The loudest part is going to be your gpu. Blower cooler is louder than other coolers but it will reduce the heat inside the case compared to coolers that push hot air everywhere








Maxwell cards run much cooler than kepler. Atm I have 980 acx 2.0. gpu temps stay under 70°C when fan is about 45%. Anyway, if you have a loud gpu you are going to hear it pretty well. In case like this there is no soundproofing and the position of the gpu makes the fan noise even easier to hear.


----------



## Liquored

granted coolers are quieter no too. its not much more noticable than a water pump. if you game with headphones, you wont hear it. the clatter of a keyboard is more intrusive to others than a GPU fan


----------



## cegasaturn

Gotcha. Thank you both for the input!


----------



## mechnesium

The Elite 110 is SUPER tight. My 650W PSU takes up so much space, lol. I would really like to run dual SP120Ls in push/pull, but I've had to use only one because using two gives me about an inch of clearance b/w the fan and PSU, and the super stiff and bulky PSU cables block it. My only options seem to be:
1) Use spacers on the rear PSU bracket to slide it out more (possible instability here)
2) Use super slim and short PSU cables, or angled PSU cables, and pray they don't enter the fan
Does anyone know of some super slim PSU cables that are very flexible near the connectors?
3) Use a low profile (12-15 mm) fan in pull (at the cost of static pressure).


----------



## Elyminator

So I'm trying to put a budget build together for a friend whats the best cooler for the money that will fit in the elite 120?


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elyminator*
> 
> So I'm trying to put a budget build together for a friend whats the best cooler for the money that will fit in the elite 120?


Can't get much cheaper than $30 after MIR for a AIO!









http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103195


----------



## Elyminator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Can't get much cheaper than $30 after MIR for a AIO!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103195


thank you sir!


----------



## crystaal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mechnesium*
> 
> The Elite 110 is SUPER tight. My 650W PSU takes up so much space, lol. I would really like to run dual SP120Ls in push/pull, but I've had to use only one because using two gives me about an inch of clearance b/w the fan and PSU, and the super stiff and bulky PSU cables block it. My only options seem to be:
> 1) Use spacers on the rear PSU bracket to slide it out more (possible instability here)
> 2) Use super slim and short PSU cables, or angled PSU cables, and pray they don't enter the fan
> Does anyone know of some super slim PSU cables that are very flexible near the connectors?
> 3) Use a low profile (12-15 mm) fan in pull (at the cost of static pressure).


You should really use a 140-145mm length PSU in the 110, your XFX is 170mm long.
http://www.super-flower.com.tw/products_detail.php?class=2&sn=18&ID=115&lang=
http://www.fsp-europe.com/aurum_s_700.php


----------



## Gereti

@Hyp36rmax thanks to link in this club, i should do something to my one soon, becose i rebuilded this one:


i3 2100 is running with pretty high temp's with i5 4670K stock cooler









Parts:
Intel Core i3 2100+i5 4670K stock cooler
Intel DH77DF
VTX3D Radeon 7870
2x4gb kingston low-profile 1333mhz
320GB 2.5" 5400rpm (Gonna change it 500gb model)
XFX core 550W (older V1 model)
Hotswap drive in 5.25" slot
Cooler Master Elite 130


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gereti*
> 
> @Hyp36rmax thanks to link in this club, i should do something to my one soon, becose i rebuilded this one:
> 
> 
> i3 2100 is running with pretty high temp's with i5 4670K stock cooler
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Parts:
> Intel Core i3 2100+i5 4670K stock cooler
> Intel DH77DF
> VTX3D Radeon 7870
> 2x4gb kingston low-profile 1333mhz
> 320GB 2.5" 5400rpm (Gonna change it 500gb model)
> XFX core 550W (older V1 model)
> Hotswap drive in 5.25" slot
> Cooler Master Elite 130


You're welcome friend! Your CPU should be much cooler with that AIO, did you have plans for aftermarket cooling for your 7870?


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> You're welcome friend! Your CPU should be much cooler with that AIO, did you have plans for aftermarket cooling for your 7870?


No idea actually, i have one Zalman VF1000LED cooler, what i have "modded" to use 2x80mm fan but, i removed that cooler and put reference cooler back when i bought HD6990 and put the 7870 on matx pc "long" time ago

Ssoo, i would be able to (maby) put the zalman back if i buy smaller fan but... actually i dont even "care" how much noice my itx pc make becose i dont use it so much that it would be annoying









E: Okay, owning Noctua NH-L12 cooler, and BeQuiet ShadowRock Topflow (what i get directly from BeQuiet as price of cpu heating competion) cooler's too but the beQuiet is too big to fit in elite 130 atleast in atx psu, and i dont have intel mounts to nh-l12 i think









@Hyp36rmax

Here we go














All pictures about "project" :


http://imgur.com/4PNDA


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

My re-build using updated individually sleeved cables, an additional SSD, new quiet fans (Noctula) and DEMCI filters for the case.

Had to remove the caddy for the 80 mm side fan, since the replacement Noctula NF-A8 fan was too wide to fit. I managed to fit the Noctula 80 mm fan on the side by anchoring it between the motherboard and the rear of the case, and the using wire ties to hold it in place. Its extremely stable, so no chance of it coming loose when/if I move the case around.

Current config:
- 4 SATA Drives (2 SSD's, 1 HDD, 1 DVD drive)
- 1 Sapphire R9 295x2
- 1 120mm Noctula NF-P12 fan in the front (pulling air out of the case - so the hot air is blowing out from the front of the PC)
- 1 80mm Noctula NF-A8 side fan (blowing air into the case)
- 1 RM1000 PSU, with its air intake facing the top of the PC (pulling in cold air as it needs from the top vent, and blowing it out the back as it needs)
- Individually sleeved Corsair red cables (no idea why I chose these, but it was an impulse buy) - LOVE THEM
- Low profile Zalman CPU Cooler (Amazing at keeping the CPU cool while being just the right height, and super silent)

Overall I noticed that the PC has become relatively silent (The R9 295x2 built in fan can still be heard but isn't annoying). The biggest noise offender before this rebuild seems to have been the side 80 mm fan that comes with this case.


----------



## bluedevil

Debating on a staying with my 120 elite...


----------



## n00by4u

Hello,

Is it possible to place a 120mm fan where the 80mm fan is? I was planning on putting a larger fan for exhaust since I am going to use an air cooler. I thought about water cooling but I just decided that I will upgrade to water cooling later since I am just using an i3-4160 to hold out till Broadwell.

Edit: Just wanted to point out that I am going to be using a Seasonic Modular PSU so cable management isn't a worry.


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

As you can see in the image below, that's possible for a slim 120 mm fan but completely pointless since most of the fan area will be covered by the PSU. The bottom portion may benefit depending on the type of Motherboard you have. My asus board has a daughter board on its side and hence airflow is further restricted.



Suggest you stick with a high efficiency and quiet (its annoying to hear the side fan sound) 80 mm side fan. or remove the metal side fan bracket (like I did) and possibly put two (2) 80 mm fans there.


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> As you can see in the image below, that's possible for a slim 120 mm fan but completely pointless since most of the fan area will be covered by the PSU. The bottom portion may benefit depending on the type of Motherboard you have. My asus board has a daughter board on its side and hence airflow is further restricted.
> 
> 
> 
> Suggest you stick with a high efficiency and quiet (its annoying to hear the side fan sound) 80 mm side fan. or remove the metal side fan bracket (like I did) and possibly put two (2) 80 mm fans there.


Actually I had one on the HDD bracket pulling air in and it helped with air flow through system. I had a rad in the front with the fan pulling air in from the front.


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Is your front rad pushing heated air into the case (pulling cool outside air from the front, venting into the case)? If so, are you letting your PSU pull all the warm air out of the case?

I had tried a similar config initially, but my system (video card) was very unstable and the system kept freezing everytime the temp of the video card hit 60 C. Eventually I decided to reverse the polarity of the front fan, so it now pulls hot air from within the case (through the RAD) and sends it out of the front, with the side case fan as an intake fan (blowing into the case). The system is super stable now.


----------



## n00by4u

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> As you can see in the image below, that's possible for a slim 120 mm fan but completely pointless since most of the fan area will be covered by the PSU. The bottom portion may benefit depending on the type of Motherboard you have. My asus board has a daughter board on its side and hence airflow is further restricted.
> 
> 
> 
> Suggest you stick with a high efficiency and quiet (its annoying to hear the side fan sound) 80 mm side fan. or remove the metal side fan bracket (like I did) and possibly put two (2) 80 mm fans there.


I am just using a normal Mini-itx motherboard without a daughter board so there's nothing blocking the fan. Yeah maybe your right, the 120mm fan would be blocked by the psu and not work as well as the 80mm. I'll have to experiment with that.

Oh also how's that Zalman cooler working for you? That i7 must get really hot . Does it help that you have that 80mm Nocuta fan on the side? I might get that if it helps with temps as I will upgrade to an i7 in the future and might just stick with air cooling if the temps are ok.


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

1. The Zalman cooler has amazing performance for the height. Note pictures don't do its size justice, its absolutely huge - covers almost most of my mother board, and forced me to switch to low profile DRAM modules. My i7 averages 40 C in the winter and can go up to 50-55 when playing CPU intensive games (Civilization et al). Did a burn test for 2+ hrs and the temps never crossed 60 C.

2. The Noctula side fan is amazing, the sound reduction was noticeable. That said, I am not entirely convinced that the front Noctula is better than the Sapphire provided 120 mm fan that came with my video card. Its definitely very very quiet - but I am concerned that the volume of air moved isn't the same as earlier. I am using a very hot card (ATI r9 295x2) which comes with its own closed loop liquid cooling solution to keep its temps below 75 C. I did a stress teat on the GPU as well after this rebuild and ran that for 1+ hrs, with no stability issues... so this volume of air movement is just subjective based on how much hot air used to blow out and be felt in my hand vs. now.

3. Unless you have a SSD on the drive mount on the front of the case, like I do, you could follow the suggestion by @CaptainZombie above and install a 120 mm slim fan on that cage. It will be right up front, and not blowing air on to the CPU cooler - but you could keep a 80 mm fan there for CPU cooling and just have an really well ventilated air cooled machine.


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> 3. Unless you have a SSD on the drive mount on the front of the case, like I do, you could follow the suggestion by @CaptainZombie above and install a 120 mm slim fan on that cage. It will be right up front, and not blowing air on to the CPU cooler - but you could keep a 80 mm fan there for CPU cooling and just have an really well ventilated air cooled machine.


This is how I had the 120mm mounted....


----------



## Gereti

Something stuff


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

What's the inside of your rig look like? Did you add these lights on top of the PSU?
Personally I prefer to go completely stealth (no lights) in a case such as this one - since it doesn't have any easy way to look inside (no glass or clear panel).


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> What's the inside of your rig look like? Did you add these lights on top of the PSU?
> Personally I prefer to go completely stealth (no lights) in a case such as this one - since it doesn't have any easy way to look inside (no glass or clear panel).


Those pictures are here too, but i will add them again, but yes the light are top of psu




Yeeesss... it's littlebit messy but, non modular psu isnt very familiar for this case


----------



## haha216

Can't believe how much you can pack into a 110... was very impressed - could have done push/pull on the rad, but with idles of 30c there's no need. Quite impressed with the GTX 960 too - wasn't expecting much, but its a pretty decent card.


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *haha216*
> 
> Can't believe how much you can pack into a 110... was very impressed - could have done push/pull on the rad, but with idles of 30c there's no need. Quite impressed with the GTX 960 too - wasn't expecting much, but its a pretty decent card.


And I though that my 130 was tight







Good job


----------



## bluedevil

Looking at doing some YouTube productions focusing on Gaming/Hardware. So I am looking at a possible build.

Here they are. Please keep in mind that I will be using my SSD, HD,case, and PSU for most of the build, so with that in mind, what I have listed is what I would have to purchase.

Z97 mITX Build
Intel i7 4790K $340 @ Newegg
GIGABYTE GA-Z97N-Gaming 5 $154 ($134 after $20 MIR) @ Newegg
Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) $130 @ Newegg
240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600

Total $604 - $250 (sell old parts) = $354
Total wattage = 376w


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Which video card are you planning on using? SFF machines tend to have size issues with the larger/newer cards.

For example, I wanted a SFF chassis, but also wanted the AMD r9 295x2. Thats a huge card, and can't fit in most SFF Chassis. It fits in the Elite 130, which was my second choice after the Corsair Obsidian Series 250D (Which can't house this card).


----------



## bluedevil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> Which video card are you planning on using? SFF machines tend to have size issues with the larger/newer cards.
> 
> For example, I wanted a SFF chassis, but also wanted the AMD r9 295x2. Thats a huge card, and can't fit in most SFF Chassis. It fits in the Elite 130, which was my second choice after the Corsair Obsidian Series 250D (Which can't house this card).


my gtx 970, which currently fits.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> My re-build using updated individually sleeved cables, an additional SSD, new quiet fans (Noctula) and DEMCI filters for the case.
> 
> Had to remove the caddy for the 80 mm side fan, since the replacement Noctula NF-A8 fan was too wide to fit. I managed to fit the Noctula 80 mm fan on the side by anchoring it between the motherboard and the rear of the case, and the using wire ties to hold it in place. Its extremely stable, so no chance of it coming loose when/if I move the case around.
> 
> Current config:
> - 4 SATA Drives (2 SSD's, 1 HDD, 1 DVD drive)
> - 1 Sapphire R9 295x2
> - 1 120mm Noctula NF-P12 fan in the front (pulling air out of the case - so the hot air is blowing out from the front of the PC)
> - 1 80mm Noctula NF-A8 side fan (blowing air into the case)
> - 1 RM1000 PSU, with its air intake facing the top of the PC (pulling in cold air as it needs from the top vent, and blowing it out the back as it needs)
> - Individually sleeved Corsair red cables (no idea why I chose these, but it was an impulse buy) - LOVE THEM
> - Low profile Zalman CPU Cooler (Amazing at keeping the CPU cool while being just the right height, and super silent)
> 
> Overall I noticed that the PC has become relatively silent (The R9 295x2 built in fan can still be heard but isn't annoying). The biggest noise offender before this rebuild seems to have been the side 80 mm fan that comes with this case.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Hot! Literally! How do you like your 4k Monster Elite 130 with your R9 295X2? Great job! Any plans on putting a custom loop in your build to include the CPU?


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluedevil*
> 
> Looking at doing some YouTube productions focusing on Gaming/Hardware. So I am looking at a possible build.
> 
> Here they are. Please keep in mind that I will be using my SSD, HD,case, and PSU for most of the build, so with that in mind, what I have listed is what I would have to purchase.
> 
> Z97 mITX Build
> Intel i7 4790K $340 @ Newegg
> GIGABYTE GA-Z97N-Gaming 5 $154 ($134 after $20 MIR) @ Newegg
> Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB (2 x 8GB) $130 @ Newegg
> 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
> 
> Total $604 - $250 (sell old parts) = $354
> Total wattage = 376w


Ohhh please do share as soon as you get your re-build together.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gereti*
> 
> Those pictures are here too, but i will add them again, but yes the light are top of psu
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeeesss... it's littlebit messy but, non modular psu isnt very familiar for this case


Progress! I like the LED's that you have shining from the PSU vent. Fancy!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *haha216*
> 
> Can't believe how much you can pack into a 110... *was very impressed* - could have done push/pull on the rad, but with idles of 30c there's no need. Quite impressed with the GTX 960 too - wasn't expecting much, but its a pretty decent card.


Small footprint, big power! Loving it!









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> Which video card are you planning on using? SFF machines tend to have size issues with the larger/newer cards.
> 
> For example, I wanted a SFF chassis, but also wanted the AMD r9 295x2. Thats a huge card, and can't fit in most SFF Chassis. It fits in the Elite 130, which was my second choice after the Corsair Obsidian Series 250D (Which can't house this card).


If rumors are true with AMD's next GPU offering with the R9 300 Series we will soon have single GPU's small, efficient, and powerful enough to blast through 4k with our Elite 110 and 130 SFF Chassis. Definitely looking forward to it


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Actually I surprised myself with these updates (new fans, sleeved cables etc). The overall the satisfaction level of having built this is SUPER high. Loving the tiny form factor of the Elite 130, and the fact that I can run top of the line (and HOT running) components in this tiny bread box without any sacrifices at all - SILENTLY (everything is clocked at factory spec - no under-clocking to reduce heat).

Would need to think of a custom water cooling solution (and possibly removing the DVD drive) if I wanted to overclock the CPU - but that's likely not needed. All the games I play (Civ Beyond Earth, Galactic Civ, Sniper Elite 3, Sins of a Solar Empire etc) are running without issues (at the highest settings I might add).


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> Progress! I like the LED's that you have shining from the PSU vent. Fancy!


Thanks, good if you like about it








Next mod for them would be fanmate for every ledstrip somehow, becose then i would adjust those


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> Progress! I like the LED's that you have shining from the PSU vent. Fancy!
> 
> Small footprint, big power! Loving it!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If rumors are true with AMD's next GPU offering with the R9 300 Series we will soon have single GPU's small, efficient, and powerful enough to blast through 4k with our Elite 110 and 130 SFF Chassis. Definitely looking forward to it


CM Felinni, any news on a Elite 140 in the future?


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainZombie*
> 
> CM Felinni, any news on a Elite 140 in the future?


No information at this time, however stay tuned with current news and events. Computex 2015 is going to be exciting!


----------



## CaptainZombie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CM Felinni*
> 
> No information at this time, however stay tuned with current news and events. Computex 2015 is going to be exciting!


Thanks! Looking forward to see what's shown at Computex.


----------



## Frosty288

Hey Elite 130 owners. I was wondering, will a 140mm fan fit in the front where the 120mm currently is?

I'm having a heat issue in the case. GPU gets to around 83 during furmark and CPU hits 60-70ish. I do live in a tropical country but I keep my ambient temp around 25C. I sit around 33-35C at idle on the CPU and about 40 for the GPU. Planning to get a strong front fan and exhaust out the 80mm and PSU (sucking up hot air from the mobo). I'll try a few different configs re; intake/exhaust, I just don't think the stock front fan is moving enough air.


----------



## HuwSharpe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Frosty288*
> 
> Hey Elite 130 owners. I was wondering, will a 140mm fan fit in the front where the 120mm currently is?
> 
> I'm having a heat issue in the case. GPU gets to around 83 during furmark and CPU hits 60-70ish. I do live in a tropical country but I keep my ambient temp around 25C. I sit around 33-35C at idle on the CPU and about 40 for the GPU. Planning to get a strong front fan and exhaust out the 80mm and PSU (sucking up hot air from the mobo). I'll try a few different configs re; intake/exhaust, I just don't think the stock front fan is moving enough air.


Not without serious modifcation.


----------



## Liquored

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Frosty288*
> 
> Hey Elite 130 owners. I was wondering, will a 140mm fan fit in the front where the 120mm currently is?
> 
> I'm having a heat issue in the case. GPU gets to around 83 during furmark and CPU hits 60-70ish. I do live in a tropical country but I keep my ambient temp around 25C. I sit around 33-35C at idle on the CPU and about 40 for the GPU. Planning to get a strong front fan and exhaust out the 80mm and PSU (sucking up hot air from the mobo). I'll try a few different configs re; intake/exhaust, I just don't think the stock front fan is moving enough air.


done it. and no, its not serious modification. just get a dremel and cut out the 120mm fan mount and drill out the rivets to the drive cage and remove it. go SSD and mount them on the side mount rack or floor of case. thin aluminum and is very easy to cut.









*original*









*Modded*

My Elite 130 Build Link - Full Liquid Cooled GPU, CPU/MoBo

I installed a Phobya G-Changer 140mm Radiator and Noctua 140mm Fan


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

did modding the case to fit a 140mm radiator/fan fix the heat issues with your video card and cpu??


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> did modding the case to fit a 140mm radiator/fan fix the heat issues with your video card and cpu??


Are you having heat issues with your R9 295X2 in your Elite 130? It's possible your components are being affected by heat soak if your running your radiator and fan as a front intake. Especially in such a tight area of space. Do you have a pull fan in addition to your other fan to control that air through your case faster and over the components? Have you tried to run the front rad and fan combo as an exhaust? Considering that you have a dual GPU card in such a small chassis, not much I can think of will remedy this sans adding an aftermarket GPU block and a thicker radiator with higher flowing and static fans.


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

No heat issues in my case







. I was simply curious re. the mod.

I used to have heat soak issues, but switched the front fan direction so it is now an exhaust instead of an intake. That has made all the difference, since the radiator heat isn't pushed inside the case, and instead cool'ish air from the back of the case is pulled into the rad and pushed out from the front of the case. The side fan on the case is an intake fan, blowing cool air directly on to the CPU air cooler.

My case has an ambient temp of 45C (the dual GPU card being the hottest component) and ramps up to a max of 74C (again just the GPU; the CPU never clocks over 51C).


----------



## TheFiend

Just rebuilt one of my ITX FM2+ systems into a Elite 110 case..... must say I'm impressed with it.

Braided the front panel cables all together to tidy things up.

Using a Scythe Shuriken Rev B mod'ed with a Noctua NF-A9x14 PWM Slim fan to keep my A10-77700K cool. and it's doing a reasonable job running at 47 DegC at 100% load.... it ran at mid 50's in the previous case I was using.

Tempted to swap the blue LED in the power switch for a red one and the Cooler Master fan will be getting swapped for a Corsair AF120 which I've just ordered.


----------



## includemeout

Hi all

Brand new to this forum, used this thread for ideas when putting together my new rig using an Elite 130, so thanks for the insight. There are some great builds in here, amazing how creative people can get with the Elite boxes.

And now I'm hoping you might have some ideas on why I have high temps at idle.

Cooler Master Elite 130
Corsair CX600M 600W semi-modular PSU
MSI Z87I Gaming AC M-ITX motherboard
i5-4690K
Cooler Master Seidon 120V rev. 2
16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600MHz LP RAM
x2 Samsung EVO 840 250GB HDD

Still deciding on a GPU so I'm using the integrated until I pick one up.

So I've got the two 120mm fans surrounding the radiator at the front, pulling air into the case over the motherboard and out via the PSU (fitted fan-side down). The case temps are pretty stable around 25 c, which seems fine. It doesn't seem all that warm in the case and the air being expelled out the back seems pretty cool. The radiator, pipes and block are all cool to the touch.

The CPU however is at 42c idle, much too warm I think. Not sure about full load yet because I haven't risked it. As soon as I switch on the CPU temp is at 35c, slowly creeping up to 42. I know the Seidon is a cheap AIO solution but surely I should be getting below 30c at idle?

I have the Seidon pump on a molex adapter running at full speed. The two fans are connected to the only two headers on my MB, running around 1300RPM. I applied Noctua paste using the credit card, thin smear right to the edges method. I tightened the screws pretty tight, maybe I should try loosening them a little.

Any other ideas? Perhaps using the integrated GPU isn't helping things?

Many thanks for any input.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *includemeout*
> 
> Hi all
> 
> Brand new to this forum, used this thread for ideas when putting together my new rig using an Elite 130, so thanks for the insight. There are some great builds in here, amazing how creative people can get with the Elite boxes.
> 
> And now I'm hoping you might have some ideas on why I have high temps at idle.
> 
> Cooler Master Elite 130
> Corsair CX600M 600W semi-modular PSU
> MSI Z87I Gaming AC M-ITX motherboard
> i5-4690K
> Cooler Master Seidon 120V rev. 2
> 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600MHz LP RAM
> x2 Samsung EVO 840 250GB HDD
> 
> Still deciding on a GPU so I'm using the integrated until I pick one up.
> 
> So I've got the two 120mm fans surrounding the radiator at the front, pulling air into the case over the motherboard and out via the PSU (fitted fan-side down). The case temps are pretty stable around 25 c, which seems fine. It doesn't seem all that warm in the case and the air being expelled out the back seems pretty cool. The radiator, pipes and block are all cool to the touch.
> 
> *The CPU however is at 42c idle, much too warm I think. Not sure about full load yet because I haven't risked it. As soon as I switch on the CPU temp is at 35c, slowly creeping up to 42. I know the Seidon is a cheap AIO solution but surely I should be getting below 30c at idle?*
> 
> I have the Seidon pump on a molex adapter running at full speed. The two fans are connected to the only two headers on my MB, running around 1300RPM. I applied Noctua paste using the credit card, thin smear right to the edges method. I tightened the screws pretty tight, maybe I should try loosening them a little.
> 
> Any other ideas? Perhaps using the integrated GPU isn't helping things?
> 
> Many thanks for any input.


*Welcome to the club! Well your temperatures are dependent on your ambient. I'd like to assist you in troubleshooting your liquid cooler, can you please provide the following information:*

What is your Ambient temperature?
How much thermal paste did you use?
How did you mount your liquid-cooler? Did you cross torque to ensure a solid mount?
How are you monitoring your temperatures? I suggest HWINFO64: http://www.hwinfo.com/
What applications and/or games are you using when you reach 42C+?


----------



## includemeout

Hi there - thanks for trying to help.

My ambient is about 16-17c right now, CPU temp is 37c.

I used the pea-sized blob I've always used without any trouble, just enough for a very thin coating covering the surface.

I cross-torqued and I've since tried loosening the screws slightly. That hasn't helped, the 5c difference can probably be accounted for by the ambient temperature being cooler.

Yep, I'm using HWINFO

At 42c is was sat idle at the desktop, fresh Win7 install and no applications running.


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *includemeout*
> 
> Hi there - thanks for trying to help.
> 
> My ambient is about 16-17c right now, CPU temp is 37c.
> 
> I used the pea-sized blob I've always used without any trouble, just enough for a very thin coating covering the surface.
> 
> I cross-torqued and I've since tried loosening the screws slightly. That hasn't helped, the 5c difference can probably be accounted for by the ambient temperature being cooler.
> 
> Yep, I'm using HWINFO
> 
> At 42c is was sat idle at the desktop, fresh Win7 install and no applications running.


Wow that ambient is pretty low in comparison to your idle temp, now from my experience I usually see a delta of about +~10-15C from your ambient on idle. Can you try cleaning your cpu and block with rubbing alcohol and re-applying thermal paste the size of a grain of rice instead of a pea.


----------



## includemeout

I had a go cleaning and resitting the block last night but no real improvement, then on a whim I switched the pump and second fan connections around, temps have gone right down to around 24c with an ambient of 17c. Unfortunately the pump now makes a rather loud humming sound. I can probably live with it though, the box will be positioned quite far away from me on an adjacent desk. Wonder why it wasn't running at full on the molex?


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

recommend you change the orientation of the front case fans attached to your rad to push air out of the case from the front, rather than pull air into the case. The rear of the case will supply ample air flow for your CPU cooler.


----------



## jashdou

might be a stupid question, but how should I set up my fans? currently I have 2 120mm fans as intake (front and side mount) and the 80mm fan as outake. the psu is intaking fresh air so should I flip it so that it would intake from case? also i have intels stock cooler, so does it even sense to flip the psu?


----------



## includemeout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> recommend you change the orientation of the front case fans attached to your rad to push air out of the case from the front, rather than pull air into the case. The rear of the case will supply ample air flow for your CPU cooler.


Wouldn't that just pull warm air from inside the case through the radiator? With that setup what's pulling air into the case? Surely I'd have to flip my PSU orientation?

For what it's worth I haven't seen the CPU temp go above 42c now that I have the Seidon pump running on full.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> recommend you change the orientation of the front case fans attached to your rad to push air out of the case from the front, rather than pull air into the case. The rear of the case will supply ample air flow for your CPU cooler.
> 
> Originally Posted by *includemeout*
> 
> Wouldn't that just pull warm air from inside the case through the radiator? With that setup what's pulling air into the case? Surely I'd have to flip my PSU orientation?
> 
> For what it's worth I haven't seen the CPU temp go above 42c now that I have the Seidon pump running on full.


includememout - you're correct based on my personal experience fresh air for the radiator is usually the best as you can also see from this great explanation from @WiSK

There are exceptions in particular with ranjeetsodhi's build since he is also using a dual GPU R9 295X2 which is dumping a lot of heat into the chassis. Of course that can also be remedied if he were to use a higher static fans with a good CFM flow of air with a push | pull configuration and the PSU as an exhaust. The second fan is blowing the flow of air over the other components in his chassis. Hence the reason his setup is used as an exhaust in the front.

So it really is all relative based on your hardware configuration.

*Source: *Link

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiSK*
> 
> This is a popular fallacy amongst people who've never actually measured all the temperatures involved. Think it through: a fan cannot pick out just the hot air, and exhaust it leaving the cold air. It just moves air from one place to another.
> 
> Radiators always work better when they are getting fresh air, that is just simple physics. Therefore the components inside the case are running cooler and radiating less. And if you've ever measured* the delta of air in / air out from a radiator, then you'd know it's not an issue to blow warm air into the case.
> 
> If you've "measured" rad air by holding your hand over a radiator, remember that your skin is sensitive to any temperatures over 35C, and that skin even burns from 55C. Your hand will send "danger" signals to your brain, resulting in you having an emotional reaction to the "hot" radiator. The fallacy exists here I believe, because those temperatures are normal for rad exhaust air, and still significantly lower than safe operating temps for components like chipset, capacitors, even PSU, etc. So the danger is largely imagined. Then it gets posted on forums as advice or informed opinion or even as fact and so passes into common wisdom.
> 
> Why do I post this and how can I be sure? I was running a FT03-mini (same internal structure as SG05) with a single 120mm rad for two years with the "hot" air going through the case. My rig contained an overclocked 660ti (170W+ hotter than a 970) that was fully loaded 24/7 running [email protected] For sustained use, the fans set to intake and PSU flipped gave the lowest overall temps. Before that I had an SG05 with an H60 and a 560ti on air, where I found the PSU was best fan down.


----------



## submaru

Hi to everybody and thanks first of all for all the precious posts up to now.
For space saving reasons I finally resolved to buy a 130 Case: I've first of all bought a new mobs, and mainteined some old compactness (first of all the GPU) waiting for the newcomers in the market.
I will install:

- MOBO: Asus Z97I-Plus
- CPU: Intel I5-3570K 3.40 Ghz
- RAM: HyperX Savage Kit 2 x 4 GB, 1600MHz, DDR3, Non-ECC, CL9, DIMM, XMP
- GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD7970 Dual FX
- PSU: XFX PRO550W
- STORAGE: 2x Samsung 830 SSD 512 Gb - RAID 0
- COOLER: Cooler Master RL-S12V-24PK-R2 M WaKü Seidon V
- DEMCiflex Magnetic Filters Kit

I've understood that a cable clean installation is fundamental.
I have some questions:
- I am thinking on installing the SSDs, together on the drive bay. Is it the best solution or it's better to put them one on the bottom and the other on the side?
- Is it "safe" to remove the small 80mm Case Fan ?
- I've doubts about the PSU Fan. UP or Down ?
- Magnetic Filters, are they worth or they reduce the flow ?

Later I will upgrade CPU and GPU I think.
Any suggestion is welcome, and many thanks.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *submaru*
> 
> Hi to everybody and thanks first of all for all the precious posts up to now.
> For space saving reasons I finally resolved to buy a 130 Case: I've first of all bought a new mobs, and mainteined some old compactness (first of all the GPU) waiting for the newcomers in the market.
> I will install:
> 
> *- MOBO: Asus Z97I-Plus
> - CPU: Intel I5-3570K 3.40 Ghz*
> - RAM: HyperX Savage Kit 2 x 4 GB, 1600MHz, DDR3, Non-ECC, CL9, DIMM, XMP
> - GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD7970 Dual FX
> - PSU: XFX PRO550W
> - STORAGE: 2x Samsung 830 SSD 512 Gb - RAID 0
> - COOLER: Cooler Master RL-S12V-24PK-R2 M WaKü Seidon V
> - DEMCiflex Magnetic Filters Kit
> 
> I've understood that a cable clean installation is fundamental.
> I have some questions:
> - I am thinking on installing the SSDs, together on the drive bay. Is it the best solution or it's better to put them one on the bottom and the other on the side?
> - Is it "safe" to remove the small 80mm Case Fan ?
> - I've doubts about the PSU Fan. UP or Down ?
> - Magnetic Filters, are they worth or they reduce the flow ?
> 
> Later I will upgrade CPU and GPU I think.
> Any suggestion is welcome, and many thanks.


Welcome to the club! For your MOBO and CPU: Did you mean *ASUS Z97i-Plus* and an *i5 4690K*? The i5 3570K is an IVY Bridge CPU and only compatible with the ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe.









Yes cable management is crucial for a small chassis like this as it can make or break your build and allow for better airflow . HDD placement is totally up to you and to your convenience on your build. Yes it's safe to remove the 80mm fan. In such a compact chassis I prefer to have the PSU fan on the bottom sucking air as an exhaust to create positive air pressure with the front as an intake with an additional fan on your Seidon 120V to assist in pushing the air through your chassis and components. Although any filter will help in maintaining a cleaner chassis from dust, however keep in mind the front panel intake already has a filter, and yes it will impede air flow.

I look forward to your build!

*Here are a couple examples how I oriented the wires for the I/O panel. Feel free to take ideas *













*Build Log:* Link


----------



## submaru

Un oh, I think "Houston we have a problem":
"Did you mean ASUS Z97i-Plus and an i5 4690K? The i5 3570K is an IVY Bridge CPU and only compatible with the ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe"

Yes I have an I5 3570K! Aren't the same socket? The board is already traveling to me ...


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *submaru*
> 
> Un oh, I think "Houston we have a problem":
> "Did you mean ASUS Z97i-Plus and an i5 4690K? The i5 3570K is an IVY Bridge CPU and only compatible with the ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe"
> 
> *Yes I have an I5 3570K! Aren't the same socket? The board is already traveling to me ...*


*SANDY Bridge LGA 1155*: compatible with Z68 / Z77

*IVY Bridge LGA 1155*: compatible with Z68 / Z77

*HASWELL LGA 1150:* compatible with Z87 / Z97

*DEVILS CANYON LGA 1150*: compatible with Z87 / Z97

The i5 3570K that you own is only compatible with Socket LGA 1155 Z68 and Z77 motherboards. You may be able to return it to the retailer and source out a Z77 ITX motherboard such as an ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe, ASROCK Z77E-ITX.

*Here are some options for you from PC Part Picker:* Link


----------



## submaru

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> *SANDY Bridge LGA 1155*: compatible with Z68 / Z77
> *IVY Bridge LGA 1155*: compatible with Z68 / Z77
> *HASWELL LGA 1150:* compatible with Z87 / Z97
> *DEVILS CANYON LGA 1150*: compatible with Z87 / Z97
> 
> The i5 3570K that you own is only compatible with Socket LGA 1155 Z68 and Z77 motherboards. You may be able to return it to the retailer and source out a Z77 ITX motherboard such as an ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe, ASROCK Z77E-ITX.
> 
> *Here are some options for you from PC Part Picker:* Link


Thanks for the solutions!
I really needed the Asus Z97I-Plus for the S/PDIF output (i need the optical cable to connect to a wireless Headphone station), so finally I resolved to order an I5 4690K







; sure it wasn't in the considered budget, and the gained performance is quite nothing, but I hope to sell well the old processor.
As soon as everything arrives I will start the building.
So finally, the configuration I am building is:

- MOBO: Asus Z97I-Plus
- CPU: Intel I5-4690K
- RAM: HyperX Savage Kit 2 x 4 GB, 1600MHz, DDR3, Non-ECC, CL9, DIMM, XMP
- GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD7970 Dual FX
- PSU: XFX PRO550W
- STORAGE: 2x Samsung 830 SSD 512 Gb - RAID 0
- COOLER: Cooler Master RL-S12V-24PK-R2 M WaKü Seidon V
- DEMCiflex Magnetic Filters Kit


----------



## applehusky

Here's my 130 build "Night Fury" I did a few months ago. All custom braided cables and a stealthy black color scheme since it's an htpc.


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *applehusky*
> 
> Here's my 130 build "Night Fury" I did a few months ago. All custom braided cables and a stealthy black color scheme since it's an htpc.


Nice!! Did you braid the cables yourself??


----------



## applehusky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> Nice!! Did you braid the cables yourself??


Thank you ^^ and yes I did. Took a really long time and probably wore a little of my finger prints off lol.


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *applehusky*
> 
> Thank you ^^ and yes I did. Took a really long time and probably wore a little of my finger prints off lol.


Haha... need to learn that myself.
I am assuming its quite satisfying to braid the cables (similar to how its to build a machine vs. buying it off the rack).


----------



## applehusky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> Haha... need to learn that myself.
> I am assuming its quite satisfying to braid the cables (similar to how its to build a machine vs. buying it off the rack).


Hell yes! Lol I didn't know anything about it when I started. It took a lot of work but even though no one sees it, except for in pictures and stuff, I'm a lot happier with the build. I put so much work into it that it became something I'm proud of and value over something that I just threw together in one night, and even more so than something I bought from the store.

Right now I'm working on an elite 110 workstation for CAD and rendering. I'm using a semi-modular PSU for that and just now realizing how much I spoiled myself with custom cables. Right now it looks like a rat's nest. It's loud, hot and ugly inside, but I plan on cleaning it up when I get an AIO. Then I'll post some pics ^^


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *applehusky*
> 
> Here's my 130 build "Night Fury" I did a few months ago. All custom braided cables and a stealthy black color scheme since it's an htpc.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Great job! Welcome to the club and look forward to seeing you complete the sleeving of the PSU.


----------



## Jeffro422

Grabbed these few items yesterday from Micro Center.


Going to use this $250 Craigslist special PC as the donor for parts. I added the 7950 to the CL PC but otherwise it came with 16GB DDR3 1600, an 1100T, and everything else you see.


Going to use 8GB of RAM/PSU/HD7950 to complete the build. Can't decide if I actually want to throw a mechanical drive in there or just one 250GB SSD. This build will only be for lanning. It was getting tiresome lugging the 690 II case up and down flights of stairs.

I have an old old big pump H50 I could put in here but it's really old and that worries me. Anyone have any suggestions on cooling the CPU that aren't AIO solutions. Big Shuriken 2?


----------



## tmrsam

Hi:

I built a elite 110 last month for GTA V with:

CPU: Intel i5 4690
Mobo: Gigabyte H97-ITX WIFI
RAM: Kingston HyperX Beast 8GB kit (4GBX2)
SSD: Crucial M550 256GB
HDD: WD Blue 2.5 inch 1TB
Graphic: Asus GTX960 mini
PSU: Cooler Master V450 semi-modular
Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 120V replaced the original fan with Noctua F12 PWM

The cable management for such a small case is really a big challenge. I have tried my best but it is still not perfect. The under load noise of the original fan from CM Seidon 120V is like an aeroplane engine. Noctua F12 PWM is a perfect solution. It is much quieter and even better performed because of the focus air flow design.


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Sad to report that my rig has run into major stability issues.

I rebuilt it this week, and removed the DVD to make space for my SSD's so I could add an extra fan on my R9 295x2 radiator to support a push/pull configuration (still blowing air out from the front). Added an extra 80 mm fan on the side SSD caddy as well... Overall the tempratures within the case dropped, but I am still unable to maintain a stable PC. Eventually undid everything, and re-applied the thermal compound on the CPU.

Strangely the PC can go through the GPU and CPU torture tests, but crashes within a minute of running any game. Seems my video card has gone faulty.

Luckily Amazon has this covered, and is sending me a replacement video card. I think I will migrate my rig to a bigger case (looking at the Corsair 350D) since the heat generation in this case likely cooked my video card.


----------



## HiddenFatKid

Is it possible to drop a 180mm psu in the 130? If so, how hard would it be to install components?


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Yes you can add a 180mm PSU in the Elite 130 (without issues).
I have (soon to be had) my Corsair RM1000 PSU in this case (150mm x 86mm x 180mm). The fact that my PSU is fully modular really helped with the cable management.

I would expect that a partially or non-modular PSU would be challenging (though still possible) to set up in the case, assuming that you have something set up (eg. DVD or HDD) in the top drive cage.


----------



## HiddenFatKid

I have an hx850 ready to drop in there, and plan to have an ODD in there with a hard drive, ssd, and an h80i or other conmparable 120mm aio


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Shouldn't be an issue... this case is pretty good for most full size components. Your 120mm liquid cooler will fit, but only in the front.

*PSU Note:*
The HX850 will likely *NOT* fit. Its too long. Official specs: 150mm x 86mm x 200mm. Look for another PSU, but don't go beyond 180mm in length. My RM1000, which is 180mm, is the max I think this case can handle - that too with modular cables.

*Note: Push/Pull+Rad*
Setting up a push/pull configuration will likely force you to move your HDD to the top caddy, since two fans with a typical 120mm rad would take up too much space. I have a SSD in the bottom of the case. Also, the SSD holder right underneath the top caddy will be compromised with a push/pull dual fan+rad set up.

*Push only + Rad*
This setup is ideal, since it will free up both the bottom HDD holder, the SSD holder underneath the top caddy, and also allow for a SSD to be mounted on the side plate (not sure what else to call it







). The top caddy can then be used for any 5.25 device - DVD/Fan controller etc.


----------



## HiddenFatKid

Awesome! That's exactly what i was thinking (push only fan setup). What would be the best thing to put in the ODD bay? Buy i do have the HX850 and a tape measure sitting in front of me. It measure length-wise as a hair under 18.1 cm, so I should be fine, the specs provided by corsair are off


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

i had a DVD drive in the bay (before my system started acting all funny). Hardly used it, and I feel the case looks better with the mesh rather than the DVD plastic - no matter how good looking a DVD you get. One use would be put a second bay inside the caddy and add SSD's in it; or just use the space for cable management.

See if you can get a confirmation of the RM1000 length _(assuming that the official measurement here is off as well, especially if they were off for the HX series)_. I honestly feel that the RM1000 is the longest a PSU can be in this case (with modular cables), and since the HX is longer than the RM1000, it may be a bit too much for this case without an extra couple of washers being added to the back plate to push it out.


----------



## HiddenFatKid

I;m in a rosewill challenger, and I took out the disc drive a few months ago, haven't needed it since! I think im gonna keep it for cable management space!

According to http://www.anandtech.com/show/7950/corsair-rm1000-psu-review/2 the RM1000 is 180mm long, and everywhere else that im checking says 180mm


----------



## CM Felinni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HiddenFatKid*
> 
> I;m in a rosewill challenger, and I took out the disc drive a few months ago, haven't needed it since! I think im gonna keep it for cable management space!
> 
> According to http://www.anandtech.com/show/7950/corsair-rm1000-psu-review/2 the RM1000 is 180mm long, and everywhere else that im checking says 180mm


The maximum PSU length that will fit into the Elite 130 is 180mm which considers the disk drive.


----------



## HiddenFatKid

Does the side 80mm fan really do much? Is it possible to stick a 120mm radiator in the front of the case with just one fan pushing air through the case, and then stick a thin 120mm fan in the side mounting bracket for drives to exhaust the air?


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

it definitely helps, but a 120 mm fan on the side mounting bracket will be better (lower noise) than an 80 mm on the same. Assuming you are keeping the original 80mm fan that is next to the mother board. Overall this case is small, and hot components (video cards etc) get overheated without proper ventilation and airflow (mine fried even though I had good airflow) - had to switch to a bigger case (Corsair Obsidian 350D).


----------



## HiddenFatKid

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ranjeetsodhi*
> 
> it definitely helps, but a 120 mm fan on the side mounting bracket will be better (lower noise) than an 80 mm on the same. Assuming you are keeping the original 80mm fan that is next to the mother board. Overall this case is small, and hot components (video cards etc) get overheated without proper ventilation and airflow (mine fried even though I had good airflow) - had to switch to a bigger case (Corsair Obsidian 330D).


If the 80mm fan is molex, I can daisy chain some of the fans, but would a 120mm (SP120L from an h80i fit in that side bracket with the h80 in just a push configuration? I'm planning on getting a windforce 970 or comparative cooler on the 380x/390x when they come out, so GPU temps shouldnt be all that much with that cooler


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Possible - but depends on how wide your front rad+fan combination is. I wasn't able to put a standard 120mm on the side bracket - and didn't have a slim 120mm handy to see if that would fit. A full size 80mm fit but close to the edge on one side of the bracket so it didn't interfere with the front push+pull RAD combo.

FYI: Your case will be quite loud with your video card.


----------



## HiddenFatKid

Thanks! I'll see if i can get a slim 120mm fan for it, or a decent 80mm fan, anything to help with exhaust! I don't worry much about noise, since 9/10 times I have headphones on


----------



## ranjeetsodhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HiddenFatKid*
> 
> ...comparative cooler on the 380x/390x when they come out, so GPU temps shouldnt be all that much with that cooler


Why not get a current video card and get Gen2 of the 390x. The speculative comparison of the 390X vs r9 295x2 show almost no difference in performance - obviously this is speculative.
http://www.game-debate.com/gpu/index.php?gid=2263&gid2=2101&compare=radeon-r9-390x-vs-radeon-r9-295x2


----------



## HiddenFatKid

I want to be able to have a watercooled cpu to overclock, and the only aircooler 295 is the devil 13, which is very sadly a triple slot card







If the 390x is as good as the rumors and speculations say, then I wouldn't mind shelling out for it, i plan to go 1440p sooner or later, and if the cards are too much, nvidia will most likely drop prices a little in order to stay competitive


----------



## Be77amy

Hey guys! thought I was mad trying to build a high end system in this case until I found this thread. Now I'm not sure I'm being ambitious enough! So heres the background on my system. I've had this case for a while now originally housing a pretty easy going i3 based setup. Then after a lot of earache about having two towers in the lounge I gave in to my other half's demands and consolidated everything into the elite 120! meaning I needed a new ITX board with 6 Sata ports which led to me upgrading to an i5-4690. Now I've discovered gaming again and decided I needed to throw in a graphics card so I went with a GTX 970 mini and a total rebuild is in progress! here's some shots. first one is a 'before' the rest are my progress.. Oh btw, Thats 13TB of HDDs this is my TeraBox


----------



## 123Bananas

Hey, first time here,

I'm planning a new small form factor build that I'll be able to bring back and forth to Uni with me, I'm pretty set on the elite 110 as I reckon it'll be able to fit in my backpack. Here's my planned build and a few questions I've got.

i5 4570 (non k unfortunately, already have this so no overclocking for me







)
MSI B85i motherboard
Gigabyte gtx 960 mini OC
8GB Kingston HyperX ram
EVGA Supernova G1 650w (overkill for wattage but fully modular as I might do a full set of custom cables)
Samsung 850 evo 120GB
WD Black 1TB

1. How much room is there for a heatsink? I'd like to go air-cooled as I'm not to keen on carrying around a PC with liquid in it too much, but if any of you think that it'll get too hot please say







I've had my eye on the noctua nh-l12 but I'm not sure if it'll fit, any recommendations?

2. Is there anyway to setup an exhaust fan or should I just use the psu as the exhaust?

3. Anything else I should know before building in the elite 110?

Thanks,
123Bananas


----------



## haha216

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *123Bananas*
> 
> Hey, first time here,
> 
> I'm planning a new small form factor build that I'll be able to bring back and forth to Uni with me, I'm pretty set on the elite 110 as I reckon it'll be able to fit in my backpack. Here's my planned build and a few questions I've got.
> 
> i5 4570 (non k unfortunately, already have this so no overclocking for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> MSI B85i motherboard
> Gigabyte gtx 960 mini OC
> 8GB Kingston HyperX ram
> EVGA Supernova G1 650w (overkill for wattage but fully modular as I might do a full set of custom cables)
> Samsung 850 evo 120GB
> WD Black 1TB
> 
> 1. How much room is there for a heatsink? I'd like to go air-cooled as I'm not to keen on carrying around a PC with liquid in it too much, but if any of you think that it'll get too hot please say
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've had my eye on the noctua nh-l12 but I'm not sure if it'll fit, any recommendations?
> 
> 2. Is there anyway to setup an exhaust fan or should I just use the psu as the exhaust?
> 
> 3. Anything else I should know before building in the elite 110?
> 
> Thanks,
> 123Bananas


1. I would seriously go AIO watercooled. Such a small space needs to stay as cool and dust free as possible.

2. There is no real way to put any exhaust fans. In fact, if u want to even put the 80mm side fans, they will have to be extra thin, otherwise they won't fit with the GPU (I decided to leave them off.... Noisy as well). My system is happy with front AIO 120mm intake and PSU exhaust.

3. The corsair AIO tubing is not very flexible. It will go, but with a fight. I suggest to get a cooler with really flexible tubing.

Additionally, I'd suggest the 970 itx. You've gone this far, you might as well go all out.

The 110 has a bit of an issue with HDMI/dp cables fitting in the GPU. I had to strip my HDMI so it would fit. I'll upload a photo to show you what I mean.

Otherwise, great little case.

EDIT:

Here's what I mean. There's a lip that hinders video cables:



I had to ghetto modify the cable - not a massive issue, coz I'm yolo:



Anyone else had this problem?


----------



## 123Bananas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *haha216*
> 
> 1. I would seriously go AIO watercooled. Such a small space needs to stay as cool and dust free as possible.
> 
> 2. There is no real way to put any exhaust fans. In fact, if u want to even put the 80mm side fans, they will have to be extra thin, otherwise they won't fit with the GPU (I decided to leave them off.... Noisy as well). My system is happy with front AIO 120mm intake and PSU exhaust.
> 
> 3. The corsair AIO tubing is not very flexible. It will go, but with a fight. I suggest to get a cooler with really flexible tubing.
> 
> Additionally, I'd suggest the 970 itx. You've gone this far, you might as well go all out.
> 
> The 110 has a bit of an issue with HDMI/dp cables fitting in the GPU. I had to strip my HDMI so it would fit. I'll upload a photo to show you what I mean.
> 
> Otherwise, great little case.
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> Here's what I mean. There's a lip that hinders video cables:
> 
> 
> 
> I had to ghetto modify the cable - not a massive issue, coz I'm yolo:
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone else had this problem?


Thanks for the input,

I'm limited quite a bit in terms of pricing, so I won't be able to get a 970 ( I'll be upgrading from a 560 though, so it's still a big improvement)

I'm looking at the Cooler Master Seidon 120v as it's pretty much the cheapest on Amazon UK, it comes out pretty good in the roundups (not the best but not the worst) and the tubing looks a little more flexible.

How is it building in the case? I've done a few builds now and it does look very fiddly, but I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks again,
123Bananas


----------



## haha216

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *123Bananas*
> 
> Thanks for the input,
> 
> I'm limited quite a bit in terms of pricing, so I won't be able to get a 970 ( I'll be upgrading from a 560 though, so it's still a big improvement)
> 
> I'm looking at the Cooler Master Seidon 120v as it's pretty much the cheapest on Amazon UK, it comes out pretty good in the roundups (not the best but not the worst) and the tubing looks a little more flexible.
> 
> How is it building in the case? I've done a few builds now and it does look very fiddly, but I'm looking forward to it.
> 
> Thanks again,
> 123Bananas


Yeah, the coolermaster Seidon seems to have really flexible tubes - decent choice. I upgraded from the 960 to 970 - I dont even miss my main rig. Awesome card. It's a little bit fiddly, but not too bad - definately helps to have a modular PSU.
Good luck.


----------



## Weshhh

Well guys here is my new little Elite 110!





Specs
G3258
MSI Z87I
8GB 1600 Kingston ram
Antec Kuhler 920
Asus 5770 1gb
640GB WD Green
Sharkoon WPM500


----------



## trento

my setup. maxed out the gpu size.


----------



## killer121

Anyone have bad vibration noise with a 3.5" HDD in this case?
I place mine's on the 5.25" bay and the thing rattle pretty bad with the default mount.

Seem like I have to go with a low speed 2.5" or just a single SSD


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer121*
> 
> Anyone have bad vibration noise with a 3.5" HDD in this case?
> I place mine's on the 5.25" bay and the thing rattle pretty bad with the default mount.
> 
> Seem like I have to go with a low speed 2.5" or just a single SSD


You can drill out the rivets from 5.25" bay and replace them with fan rubber mounts. I did it, reduces the sound little bit.


----------



## killer121

Nice idea, i will look around if i can fit anything rubbery between the mount and the HDD


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *123Bananas*
> 
> Anyone else had this problem?


I had the same problem when I first installed my gpu, if you look at the back of the case at the 2 screws at the top of the pci slots. If you have the gpu all the way to the left where it stops I had this problem. If you move the gpu over to the right at the top and tighten the screws it should give you enough room for the hdmi cable. At least it did for me.


----------



## rfarmer

I have a Cooler Master Elite 110 case that I have been using for a HTPC for a while now. It has been a great little computer and very reliable. I have picked up a couple tricks for this case that I though I would pass along and hope it might help some members here.

As you can see in the pic below you can run the 24 pin power supply cable around the front of the case, underneath the 120mm fan (I have a 140mm inside the case), this helps eliminate most of the excess cable. One of the few places to stuff this excess cable is between the fan and motherboard, hindering airflow.



Specs on this case state that you can mount 3 3.5" hard drives or 2 3.5" hard drives and 1 SSD. I have found that you can mount 3 3.5" hard drives and 1 SSD. You mount the 3 3.5" hard drives on the provided brackets, 2 in the top and 1 in the side. Then you mount the SSD, using mounting holes, on the outside of the side bracket. Between the bracket and the outer case shell. There is enough room there.



This kept me from having to find someplace to velcro in my SSD.

System Specs:
Cooler Master Elite 110
Asrock B85M-itx
Intel Pentium G3258
2X4GB Team Elite 1600 MHz
MSI HD 7730 1GB DDR5
Cooler Master Elite 350 watt power supply
GELID Solutions CC-Shero 120mm cpu cooler
120GB Kingston V300 SSD
2TB Seagate hard drive
2 X 3TB Western Digital hard drive


----------



## jamtin

Hi everyone,

I want to build an easily upgradable small form factor pc to have out in the lounge room so I can stream HD media either via internet or lan, wired or wirelessly.

So... I am the proud new owner of a Cooler Master Elite 110 ITX case and here are the sysytem specs;

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 Unlocked (arrived)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9i
Motherboard: Asus Z97I-Plus
Memory: Kingston HyperX Savage 1600MHZ 16GB DDR3 (2x8G) (finally arrived)
Primary Storage: Crucial MX200 250GB M.2 type 2280SS (arrived)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 110 Mini-ITX Case
Case Fans: 1x Noctua NF-S12A PWM 120mm Fan & 2x Noctua NF-R8-1800 80mm
Power Supply: EVGA 430Watt 80Plus ATX12V Power Supply
Extras: Noctua NA-SEC2 3 Pin Extension Cables & Noctua NA-SYC1 4-Pin Y-Cable

I've ordered and paid for a few *crucial* parts that will arrive soon, the CPU, memory & primary storage.

Total cost for this build is $826 AUD (includes extras, domestic and international postage fees).

* will use the onboard graphics for streaming movies/music etc...


----------



## rfarmer

jamtin I was using the Intel HD graphics on my computer when I first built it and works quite well, I just got the 7730 because it was cheap and I like to run a PS2 emulator, The G3258 is a great little cpu. Mine overclocked easily, at stock speeds runs very cool.


----------



## jamtin

rfarmer, cheers, i'm happy to hear this cpu runs cool, i want to keep temps, voltages and decibels relatively low under full load and try to reach between 4.5 - 4.6GHz. the two side 80mm fans are probably overkill with the current hardware atm although the motherboard does have three fan headers so i'll leave them both on the optimal setting (obviously will stress/monitor and change if needed).


----------



## Gasp3621

Coming from Fractal Design Define R3 ATX case. Just bought and build CM 130 Elite. Setup is this:

Asus H81i Plus
i5 4670k with Stock cooler no OC!
Seasonic G360 80Gold
GeForce 650Ti

Changed the front stock cooler to Fractal`s 120mm, little bit quieter maybe, but the problem is still the computer makes crazy noice. R3 was dead silent. What can i do to make this more silent?
Is the 80mm side blower really necessary? When tookin off the front mask it sounded quieter, i think it makes more noise when mask on when it sucks the air in. And i put it to psu power cable straight, i guess it is full power all the time like the 80mm too.

My use is mostly movies, so htpc use. There is only 1 game i play sometimes, so is there some possibilty to make this quieter? I put the cpu cooler to silent at the bios, but it isn`t making noice anyway. I think the psu is quiet also. GeForce isn`t bad either, so it is the two fans (120mm, 80mm) making the most noices. I understand that this case hasn`t got any sound isolation mats etc. like R3 has, but still it makes too much noice to enjoy any movie. It is like a vacuum cleaner on the table.







I already put it to near the floor top of...

Here are the temps. I changed cpu paste to new, cleaned the ones what Intel stock cooler had (brand new).

Core Temps 39-54C Min/Max (Seems little high already, but this is Silent mode @ bios!!) Cpu Fan ~1000rpm
SSD 26C
HDD 30C
GPU 29C

Thx guys!


----------



## trento

The side fan is not necessary if your cables are well managed and not blocking much of the front air intake. Removing it should reduce some fan noise, even with the cover on.

For the 120mm, try getting a Noctua. It's extremely quiet.


----------



## jamtin

Parts haven't arrived yet. I've been browsing through threads looking at different silent, gaming & performance builds as well as a variety of custom designed cases & hardware builds. I was fully immersed in some of the build logs, hours ticked by super fast...

I noticed one thing in particular, there seems to be a divide about air flow and I'm not sure whether I should have my 120mm fan mounted on the front set to intake and the 80mm fans set to extract, which is what i'd normally do in an air-cooled rig (front intake & rear extraction), but this is my first WC setup albeit an AIO solution... or go the opposite to every build done prior and have the 120mm fan orientated to extract warm air whilst the two small internal 80mm fans at the left-bottom side are positioned to intake cool air...

Also, to the elite 110 owners, how effective at catching dust is the filter at the front betweeen the plastic honeycomb and the metal grill?

Cheers Guys


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamtin*
> 
> Also, to the elite 110 owners, how effective at catching dust is the filter at the front betweeen the plastic honeycomb and the metal grill?
> 
> Cheers Guys


Actually surprisingly good, I just cleaned mine out last week after at least 6 months.







There was a bit of dust in the front behind the cover, but almost none inside the case itself. I do vacuum off the front of the case weekly, quite a bit of dust accumulates there.


----------



## jamtin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> Actually surprisingly good, I just cleaned mine out last week after at least 6 months.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There was a bit of dust in the front behind the cover, but almost none inside the case itself. I do vacuum off the front of the case weekly, quite a bit of dust accumulates there.


That's good to hear.

I also ordered a couple of 3 pin extension cables for the 80mm fans to help with cable management. (Noctua NA-SEC2)


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamtin*
> 
> That's good to hear.
> 
> I also ordered a couple of 3 pin extension cables for the 80mm fans to help with cable management. (Noctua NA-SEC2)


The Noctuas will probably be good, I tried 2 Antec 3 speed fans and had to set them at the highest setting to see any benefit. They were so loud I just pulled them out. Hopefully you will have better luck with Noctua.


----------



## jamtin

yeah, i have a few little tests to do when i get it up and running.

Bios settings all fans to normal

1) stock voltages/temps/dbs (@ idle)
2) stock voltages/temps/dbs (under load)
3) max stable overclock voltage/temps/dbs (@idle)
4) max stable overclock voltage/temps/dbs (under load)

Bios settings all fans to turbo

1) stock voltages/temps/dbs (@ idle)
2) stock voltages/temps/dbs (under load)
3) max stable overclock voltage/temps/dbs (@idle)
4) max stable overclock voltage/temps/dbs (under load)

first i'll try front fan set to exhaust and side fans set to intake then i'll swap around try the front fan set to intake and the side fans set to exhaust

I may try to sound proof this little case if the noise levels are too high...


----------



## elrompeplacas

What cooler for Elite 110? air or watter? is it possible get 0dB?

I want put a cpu of 54W (Celeron G1820).

Thank you!


----------



## trento

water cooling will give better temps. but set up a push pull as intake.

the key issue for me in using air cooler is the power supply sits just above it, restricting some air intake. A side fan would help slightly but it leads to more noise. You can mount the psu fan downwards to exhaust some air but this would mean the psu is taking in hot air. Not sure of the long term effects.

So my final setup was a AIO push pull. Just use 2 silent fans and you're done. Try to keep the cabling off the centre to allow more airflow. Temps were much better as a result.


----------



## elrompeplacas

thank you for the information!

Is BeQuiet PURE POWER L8 | 300W a good option? it is a NO modular PSU.
Is it possible put a intel stock cooler? is there enough space?
Is it possible put a intel stock coorer without the fan? It is a TDP 54W CPU, in idle are 25W.

If I want put a hight performance cpu what system cooler is a good option?

This 2 options are good?

Cooler Master Seidon 120V R2
Corsair Cooling Hydro Series H75

is the power consumption increases? with the water cooling.

What is the best option for:

1) CPU with low TDP and low performance and low noise.
2) CPU with medium TDP and hight performance and low-medium noise.

thank you!


----------



## trento

Depends on your gpu but to be safe 500w psu is ideal.

any other low cost cpu aio coolers are fine. I have the 120v and my only complain is the tricky mounting. But temps are good if mounted correctly. For some reason, i can't seem to mount it properly sometimes. So maybe go with a H60, which is cheaper than a H75?

Power increases are negligible.

Stock coolers are small and will fit well. But if intend to overclock or play intensive games, the case heats up and a better cooler would help. Not familiar with your last 2 questions so will let others answer.


----------



## jamtin

i'll do some of my aforementioned tests later....

i set the front 120mm fan to intake and two 80mm fans to exhaust

waiting on newegg order. in the meantime my cpu arrived and i couldn't wait any longer for the other parts to arrive so i installed the watercooler (as per manufacturers specifications). i removed two 4gig sticks of kingston hyperx genesis 1333 mhz ram from my main (old - p7p55d-e pro/i7-870/16g -no ssd) pc and installed, manual cpu ratio set to 42, bclk frequency to 103. installed win7 booted into windows installed chipset, network, on-board video drivers and krakens cam software (hmmm - i didn't have the control i wanted). changed bios to 44 and 101 and booted into windows. ran stress test and monitored made it through 512k test and then blue-screened with 124 error (lack of voltage). change voltage to manual 1.25 and ran stress again, didn't make it through the first set of tests before bsod again. not happy... something had to change. uninstalled kraken software, restarted the pc then powered down and removed power cable from the psu.

wanted control so i could try to magnify the oc with better temps utilising the new hardware. removed psu from case (sort of), removed kraken usb 2.0 connector then re-configured the fan connectors to mobo, i connected the kraken 3 pin power for the pump to the cpu header. i used one of the chassis fan headers for the four pin to 2x 4/3 pin connectors (NA-YC1 - came with the NF-S12A) to connect the two front 80mm side exhaust fans and the third fan header is used to power/*control* the 120mm front intake fan. installed asus ai suite 3 and made a few custom profiles in fan expert. this is great i have a bit of control of the fans rpm. side fans set to 1900rpm and front fan set to 1200rpm during tests (little bit loud). this system is super quiet when idling and is around 34 degrees with the fans spinning at 600rpm.

changed bios to offset +.375v and 46. booted into windows, stressed, passed 8k, during the stress testing process the cpu went up to 76 continued on for another five minutes before i rebooted and changed the cpu voltage to auto. booted into windows, stressed, passed 8k, but this time temps went up to 83 degrees with 1.425v. rebooted and changed to manual 1.35v. passed 8k with temps of 79 degrees.

i'm happy with the outcome thus far considering i don't have the newegg parts yet. i'm assuming that the extra ram speed will help, maybe not.

i set bios voltage to auto for now because it only uses .7v - 7/8watts of power at times when speed-step is in effect clocking down to 808mhz.



* when idling the seagate hard disk is loudest (os must not be installed on a hard disk drive - awaiting ssd)
** i should've paid the extra money for a small form factor modular psu as this would've allowed for much better cable management. as it is now with the evga 430w i'd really struggle to fit all the cables in with a half decent video card installed
*** i was surprised when i received excellent wifi strength via the wifi/bt card (go asus)


----------



## jamtin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *elrompeplacas*
> 
> What cooler for Elite 110? air or watter? is it possible get 0dB?
> 
> I want put a cpu of 54W (Celeron G1820).
> 
> Thank you!


It's possible using passive cooling but not advised.

If you're chasing a quiet computer and not planning to overclock... i suggest a Noctua NH-L9i CPU Cooler and a Noctua 80mm case fan to exhaust the hot air. Both super quiet.

I have used Noctua products for quite a few years now (building pcs for myself and others) and they're the most reliable of the name brands imo.


----------



## Pedroleo

Bought mine last week. Still missing Power Supply and RAM. Both are arriving tomorrow, I hope.

Here are my Specs

Case:
Coolermaster Elite 130

Mother Board:
ASUS Rog Maximus VII Impact

Processor
Intel Core i5 4690, 3.5GHz

Video Card
XFX R7770 Core Edition

Memory
Kingston HyperX Fury Red Series 8GB, 1866MHz

Power Supply
Corsair 650W RM650 Plus Gold CP-9020054-WW (Full Modular)

Hard Disk 1TB, Seagate.

No optical drive.

Still planning update cooling system to water cooler, upgrade video card to GTX960 and an SSD.

I'm in love with this mini monster!


----------



## AuralViolations

Greetings!

I recently ordered a CM130 for my next build(it's been awhile) as I loved the size and it fits for carry on(a must since I'll be building it in the USA, but leaving right away with it).

I have everything ordered and have a 10 day window to build it while I'll be in country. I was hoping for some cooling tips(I've read a lot here, but still always helps to have a fresh opinion).

Innards:

Motherboard: Asus Z97I-PLUS Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard
CPU: i5 4690k
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 low profile 1866 - 2x4GB
Storage: Crucial MX200 SSD, Seagate 3TB barracuda
PSU: EVGA Supernova GS 650W
Graphics: Gigabyte GTX 980ti Gaming G1
Cooler: I was given a corsair H60, but am unsure if it will be sufficient.

I haven't ordered extra fans or other cooling solutions, but can as I have a week before I return to build it.

I was initially planning(before I decided to splurge on the 980ti and started freaking myself out about heat) to have the little 80mm fan intake, the H60 rad intake from the front, and flip the PSU to exhaust. Will this be sufficient? I wasn't even planning on installing anything beyond the stock cooler until I get to Chile as I don't want any hassle with TSA with the AIO cooler. I was looking into where I could shove extra fans, but without the case in front of me it is really hard to imagine. I'd like to order everything as soon as possible and install extra things like fans or possible a full water cooling system(which I have no idea where to start) rather than have to buy anything in the future to keep temps down as prices there are 30-50% higher than US.

Any fan or cooling suggestions you can give so I am ready to build right away? I do have access to a dremel to make some little changes if needed.

Thanks!

edit:noise isnt an issue


----------



## Kriss941

there's a couple included fans that will exhaus/intake through the side of the case, however it's not a great solution and mounting is a bit "clunky" and in the way... However you can do as I did and mod your case. If you keep the 5.25" bay in and leave it empty or just with some SSDs you can still fit a standard 120/140mm fan in the top. If you take it a little further and remove the bay it will allow for you to mod in a 180mm fan, this will however look slightly weird at the complete top of the case would be a massive fan...


----------



## mrback

Hi to all

First post so go easy on me









I have installed a seidon 120m AIO cooling solution in my coolermaster 130 elite case & wanted to setup a push/pull config with my radiator. I wanted to use x 2 noctua fans as they seem to give the best performance to quietness ratio.
The problem I am having is that when I try to install the front case fan to the radiator the long screws are just spinning & wont screw into the rad. the screws & threads are ok as I have tried to screw them in minus the fan & they do screw into the rad. It seems like the screws are too short.
Hope somebody can help. apologies if this has been mientioned before but trawling through 75 pages is a bit too much for me.


----------



## RickRockerr

I'm moving towards a bigger rig because I got an offer for my Elite 130 rig too good to let go


----------



## tdbartley

I'm considering mounting a Cooler Master Seidon 120V radiator and fan oriented as an _exhaust_ on the front panel of the Cooler Master Elite 130 for thermal purposes. Is this possible, or can this radiator only be attached as intake?


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tdbartley*
> 
> I'm considering mounting a Cooler Master Seidon 120V radiator and fan oriented as an exhaust on the front panel of the Cooler Master Elite 130 for thermal purposes. Is this possible, or can this radiator only be attached as intake?


Yes possible, just reverse the fan in the front as a push pull.


----------



## FrostyMMB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mrback*
> 
> The problem I am having is that when I try to install the front case fan to the radiator the long screws are just spinning & wont screw into the rad. the screws & threads are ok as I have tried to screw them in minus the fan & they do screw into the rad. It seems like the screws are too short.


You've pinned down the problem. You just need some longer screws. Go to a hardware store that sells single screws (e.g. Ace Hardware) and take your current screws with you. Get a hold of an employee and tell them what you're looking for, which are 6-32 x 1-1/2" dome-head machine screws. You can get four of these in zinc steel or stainless steel with washers for less than a dollar. I have a SilverStone tek ultra fine mesh filter in front of my Noctua push fan with the rubber pads in place, and I'm using those exact screws with appropriate washers to keep it all together.


----------



## crystaal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FrostyMMB*
> 
> You've pinned down the problem. You just need some longer screws. Go to a hardware store that sells single screws (e.g. Ace Hardware) and take your current screws with you. Get a hold of an employee and tell them what you're looking for, which are 6-32 x 1-1/2" dome-head machine screws. You can get four of these in zinc steel or stainless steel with washers for less than a dollar. I have a SilverStone tek ultra fine mesh filter in front of my Noctua push fan with the rubber pads in place, and I'm using those exact screws with appropriate washers to keep it all together.


If only they were available at a decent price on eBay, don't have any hardware stores in my area.


----------



## mrback

I think I am going to go down the road of a different cooler as one of the threads on the seidon 120m radiator has failed now. Have to RMA it now so need something to replace it as dont want to be without my pc for weeks. Any suggestions? I've been looking at corsair as will not use coolermaster now. H75 / H80i / H80i GT. I like the look of the GT but looks like the cables may be too long & clearance for the power supply could be an issue too.


----------



## IronBadger9

How hot would my i5-4690k and GTX 980 get in the Cooler Master 130? Right now they're in an open air setup and the cpu is 35C idle and 65C in load while the GPU is at 40C and going at 80C load.

I'll be using the Noctair NH-L9i and and the Silverstone SFX PSU.


----------



## RickRockerr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *IronBadger9*
> 
> How hot would my i5-4690k and GTX 980 get in the Cooler Master 130? Right now they're in an open air setup and the cpu is 35C idle and 65C in load while the GPU is at 40C and going at 80C load.
> 
> I'll be using the Noctair NH-L9i and and the Silverstone SFX PSU.


I would say that your cpu would be around 80°C on load and GPU few degrees higher than now. That's because the GPU gets cool air from the side and CPU can only get the warm air from the case.


----------



## Sugita2Junko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *schubaltz*
> 
> Just recently I was able to fit in a Sapphire R9-270 inside the Elite 110 itx despite being 18mm longer than Coolermaster spec limit. 210mm is just playing safe on CM's part.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's my specs btw:
> 
> A8-5600k on stock cooling and stock speed
> MSI A75IA-E53 ITX
> 2x4GB G.Skill Trident X @ 2133mhz c11
> Sapphire R9-270 Dual-X @1030/1450
> WD Caviar Blue 500GB
> Coolermaster Thunder M 520w
> Coolermaster Elite 110 ITX


Elite 110 list the max GPU length as 210mm, but you got your 218mm card to fit snugly even with the power connector sticking out the rear.

My MSI GTX660 is 235mm, but the power connector plugs in from the side. I won't need to bend it like you did. Do you think it would work?


----------



## schubaltz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sugita2Junko*
> 
> Elite 110 list the max GPU length as 210mm, but you got your 218mm card to fit snugly even with the power connector sticking out the rear.
> 
> My MSI GTX660 is 235mm, but the power connector plugs in from the side. I won't need to bend it like you did. Do you think it would work?


I don't think there is more than 17mm of availabe space in there if you'd refer to the close-up 2nd pic.


----------



## Sugita2Junko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *schubaltz*
> 
> I don't think there is more than 17mm of availabe space in there if you'd refer to the close-up 2nd pic.


I see now, your metal heatsink is a bit triangular and extends to about the same length as the power connector. Thought the black plastic part was the end of the GPU. Yea doesn't look like my 235mm GPU will fit unless i do some cutting. Considering raijintek Metis case as an alternative to the 110, maybe 130 but I want to small.


----------



## stanley17

Hi guys, may I join?












Greetings from Indonesia


----------



## Zayuke

I'm wilying to join too!

Specs:

*
-Coolermaster Elite 130 + stock fans as default (120 mm and mini 80mm on the side)
-MOBO: H81M mini itx.
-PROC: Intel I5 4690K + Stock fan
-GFX : MSI Gtx 970 gaming 4g
-SSD : Toshiba 120 GB
-HDD : Seagate 1 TB 7200 RPM 64 MB
-Ram : Kingston hyper x 8 GB 1333 mhz
-PSU : 550W coolermaster*

I'll be updating pictures later!
Just installed and finished the build yesterday with
The arrival of my Gtx 970.

Been testing everything,
playing the witcher 3 on ultra for like 20 mins,
and CPU temps were arround 30º on idle and 63-65º while playing,
while the Gfx were on 30º and went up to 75º-76º on full load.

What do you guys think? are this Temps acceptable considering that
the ambiental temp was arround 22º

Cheers to the club!


----------



## Blue Dragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stanley17*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Hi guys, may I join?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Greetings from Indonesia


Welcome to OCN!







you can use rigbuilder (top right under ad banner) to enter specs and add rig to signature.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zayuke*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> I'm wilying to join too!
> 
> Specs:
> 
> *
> -Coolermaster Elite 130 + stock fans as default (120 mm and mini 80mm on the side)
> -MOBO: H81M mini itx.
> -PROC: Intel I5 4690K + Stock fan
> -GFX : MSI Gtx 970 gaming 4g
> -SSD : Toshiba 120 GB
> -HDD : Seagate 1 TB 7200 RPM 64 MB
> -Ram : Kingston hyper x 8 GB 1333 mhz
> -PSU : 550W coolermaster*
> 
> I'll be updating pictures later!
> Just installed and finished the build yesterday with
> The arrival of my Gtx 970.
> 
> Been testing everything,
> playing the witcher 3 on ultra for like 20 mins,
> and CPU temps were arround 30º on idle and 63-65º while playing,
> while the Gfx were on 30º and went up to 75º-76º on full load.
> 
> What do you guys think? are this Temps acceptable considering that
> the ambiental temp was arround 22º
> 
> Cheers to the club!


Welcome to OCN! you can check the overclocking guides and the 970 club to check on your temps, but they seem right considering you are running with stock fans and heatsink. The 130 is opened up to allow for water cooling if you want to drive those temps even lower.


----------



## miguelbazil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> I would say that your cpu would be around 80°C on load and GPU few degrees higher than now. That's because the GPU gets cool air from the side and CPU can only get the warm air from the case.


I confirm this, I've gotten this case and cooler for a 4670k, and 15min of XCOM yielded those 80ºC. But honestly, the NH-L9i is rated for a 65w TDP, and 84w with a lot of restrictions, and that temperature is why. Any stress on the CPU will probably skyrocket the temps.

EDIT: yeah, I know I'm late, but I'll just leave the info for anyone that wants to know.

This is Mostly a second-hand built rig, only the rams and GPU are new, the rest has been bought of other people:

CM V700
CM 110
4670k
Z87 Stinger mITX
Gigabyte GTX 970 mini
2x8 Crucial Ballistix VLP 1600Mhz CL9
Noctua NH-L9i

Pic of how my build was.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







Not going to overclock it though, and plan to undervolt if possible. The 80ºC temps were not making me happy, so I'm trying to find an alternative cooling solution. The V700 is my most limiting factor atm, I've tried fitting the H80i on it, but the tubes on the left completely block the PSU, and on the right, they nag the GPU. Now I have a question myself, has anyone tried the Cryorig C1 on the 110? Think it would fit enough for the fan to spin and do its job? Trying to find a solution that gives me closer to 70ºC, and quite honestly, the Seidon 120M seems to be the best solution so far because their tubes seem to be way more flexible (and even the pic ), but I wanted to see if I could get a decent air cooler. The NH-L12 without the top fan came to mind, but I'm not sure it's worth it.


----------



## haha216

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> I confirm this, I've gotten this case and cooler for a 4670k, and 15min of XCOM yielded those 80ºC. But honestly, the NH-L9i is rated for a 65w TDP, and 84w with a lot of restrictions, and that temperature is why. Any stress on the CPU will probably skyrocket the temps.
> 
> This is Mostly a second-hand built rig, only the rams and GPU are new, the rest has been bought of other people:
> 
> CM V700
> CM 110
> 4670k
> Z87 Stinger mITX
> Gigabyte GTX 970 mini
> 2x8 Crucial Ballistix VLP 1600Mhz CL9
> Noctua NH-L9i
> 
> Pic of how my build was.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not going to overclock it though, and plan to undervolt if possible. The 80ºC temps were not making me happy, so I'm trying to find an alternative cooling solution. The V700 is my most limiting factor atm, I've tried fitting the H80i on it, but the tubes on the left completely block the PSU, and on the right, they nag the GPU. Now I have a question myself, has anyone tried the Cryorig C1 on the 110? Think it would fit enough for the fan to spin and do its job? Trying to find a solution that gives me closer to 70ºC, and quite honestly, the Seidon 120M seems to be the best solution so far because their tubes seem to be way more flexible (and even the pic ), but I wanted to see if I could get a decent air cooler. The NH-L12 without the top fan came to mind, but I'm not sure it's worth it.


I am using the H60 in push/pull with great results. My 970 mini ITX loads at about 75c, and the CPU doesn't go above 50c. The tubing on the H60 is a bit of a squeeze, but its not impossible to fit. I think the Seidon would be better due to much more flexibility in the pipes.


----------



## miguelbazil

I went and searched your build, very nice! And those temps give me some hope for the WC idea. But the big difference for me is the PSU size, the V700 is huge. And what you could do with your tubes is possible because the HX has a lower depth, which gives you enough space to bend the tubes slightly where you need. If you notice the space between the front and my V700 is quite smaller than yours. The guys on the Cryorig thread mentioned the C1 might work if I take the fan off, and let the V700 cool it faced down, but I'd say the V700 will mostly have the fan idle due to low power requirements of this build, so not even a solution I'd say.

I did see a pic of the Seidon 120M fitting on this case with a V700, can't remember where, Might be a solution for me. Guess I'll have to take a chance if no one has tried.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> I went and searched your build, very nice! And those temps give me some hope for the WC idea. But the big difference for me is the PSU size, the V700 is huge. And what you could do with your tubes is possible because the HX has a lower depth, which gives you enough space to bend the tubes slightly where you need. If you notice the space between the front and my V700 is quite smaller than yours. The guys on the Cryorig thread mentioned the C1 might work if I take the fan off, and let the V700 cool it faced down, but I'd say the V700 will mostly have the fan idle due to low power requirements of this build, so not even a solution I'd say.
> 
> I did see a pic of the Seidon 120M fitting on this case with a V700, can't remember where, Might be a solution for me. Guess I'll have to take a chance if no one has tried.


I guess the obvious question is why not use a different power supply? But if you are determined to use the V700 you might also look at the Prolimatech Samuel, 45mm high without fan, so only 70mm with a standard 120mmX25mm. Supposed to cool very well for a low profile heat sink.

I am using a Corsair h50 on mine, I have a h97 and i5 4460 so not overclocked of course. but my temps are 28C at idle and high 50's under load.


----------



## haha216

The difference is only 10mm, which may just be enough to stop an AIO with rigid pipes from fitting, although, looking at your pic again, i'm sure you can fit an AIO cooler with flexible pipes. Looks like plenty of room.


----------



## miguelbazil

I?m not determined to use the V700, I just got it for a decent price, and I might use it on my ATX tower and get a different one for this, V550S is on the table atm for me. Still what that opens is WC possibilities, the air coolers are still limited due to the case itself and how the PSU is located in it. To make matters worst, Portugal has crappy access to a lot of coolers.

Just found a test on the NH-L12 only bottom fan:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1267-page3.html

Maybe this is a possibility after all. TBH, I've never used AiO before, so i'm a bit unsure due to temp/noise ratio, but the reality is that it may still be the superior solution.

Thanks for the feedback so far guys


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> I?m not determined to use the V700, I just got it for a decent price, and I might use it on my ATX tower and get a different one for this, V550S is on the table atm for me. Still what that opens is WC possibilities, the air coolers are still limited due to the case itself and how the PSU is located in it. To make matters worst, Portugal has crappy access to a lot of coolers.
> 
> Just found a test on the NH-L12 only bottom fan:
> 
> http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1267-page3.html
> 
> Maybe this is a possibility after all. TBH, I've never used AiO before, so i'm a bit unsure due to temp/noise ratio, but the reality is that it may still be the superior solution.
> 
> Thanks for the feedback so far guys


I have recently been looking at this psu, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151151. New brand but it has Seasonic internals. Gold rated, fully modular and very compact, 3.39" x 5.91" x 5.51"


----------



## doyll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> I confirm this, I've gotten this case and cooler for a 4670k, and 15min of XCOM yielded those 80ºC. But honestly, the NH-L9i is rated for a 65w TDP, and 84w with a lot of restrictions, and that temperature is why. Any stress on the CPU will probably skyrocket the temps.
> 
> EDIT: yeah, I know I'm late, but I'll just leave the info for anyone that wants to know.
> 
> This is Mostly a second-hand built rig, only the rams and GPU are new, the rest has been bought of other people:
> 
> CM V700
> CM 110
> 4670k
> Z87 Stinger mITX
> Gigabyte GTX 970 mini
> 2x8 Crucial Ballistix VLP 1600Mhz CL9
> Noctua NH-L9i
> 
> Pic of how my build was.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not going to overclock it though, and plan to undervolt if possible. The 80ºC temps were not making me happy, so I'm trying to find an alternative cooling solution. The V700 is my most limiting factor atm, I've tried fitting the H80i on it, but the tubes on the left completely block the PSU, and on the right, they nag the GPU. Now I have a question myself, has anyone tried the Cryorig C1 on the 110? Think it would fit enough for the fan to spin and do its job? Trying to find a solution that gives me closer to 70ºC, and quite honestly, the Seidon 120M seems to be the best solution so far because their tubes seem to be way more flexible (and even the pic ), but I wanted to see if I could get a decent air cooler. The NH-L12 without the top fan came to mind, but I'm not sure it's worth it.


Having cooler fan pull air from rather than push air in usually gives lower temps. Reason is with fan pushing air in it hits the mobo, turns out hitting GPU, RAM, etc turns up by cooler and is sucked back into fan . Pulling air away form mobo means air flows to bottom fo cooler, up through fan and is pushed away. .. and if PSU intake is above the cooler fan it will draw the warmed air from cooler through itself and out of case. With rare exceptions, using the warmed air from inside of case instead of cool outside air into a PSU isn't an issue .. as in the PSU fan doesn't even run any faster.


----------



## miguelbazil

@doyll Checked the info of your "Better cooling" thread and understood better your explanation. It makes perfect sense do help physics work by sending hot air up. Thanks for the simple explanation. I gave it some thought and perhaps the temperature sent into the PSU is not enough to make it a big issue. My only caution is that higher temperature > less cap lifetime. That's the only thing that makes me worry a bit. Still, those temps should not be killers I guess...

@rfarmer not an option, Portugal hasn't got them yet.


----------



## miguelbazil

Well, for those that might care, a Cryorig C1 is not an option:



The PSU gets a bit lifted, and you can't get the screws in the back of the case. Back to the store with it, now it's either L12 with the 120mm down or the Seidon. And being tired of trying air, I think I'm gonna risk on an AiO.


----------



## doyll

Bummer.








Instead of a couple mm to spare, it's a couple mm too tight.


----------



## haha216

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> Well, for those that might care, a Cryorig C1 is not an option:
> 
> 
> 
> The PSU gets a bit lifted, and you can't get the screws in the back of the case. Back to the store with it, now it's either L12 with the 120mm down or the Seidon. And being tired of trying air, I think I'm gonna risk on an AiO.


Try to squeeze the AIO. If it doesn't fit... go to plan B - V700 in ATX build and new PSU. I'm confident it will fit, maybe not push/pull - but you may be surprised


----------



## miguelbazil

Thanks for the help guys, I'll post here once I have more news on this. It's been insightful to say the least


----------



## doyll

After my las FUBAR I'm almost afraid to make a suggestion.









Thermalright AXP-100 will definitely fit and is quite good. I had an i7 [email protected] under mine with no problems
http://www.overclock.net/t/1347211/thermalright-axp-100-showed-up-today/0_20

AXP-100 is $49.95 on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Thermalright-AXP-100-Heatsink-1366-1156-1155-1150-775-FM2-FM1-AM3/dp/B00ICXH9GU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1441098864&sr=8-2&keywords=axp-100


----------



## rfarmer

Kind of funny, you look at the Elite 110 on Cooler Masters site and guess which psu they have installed.



I am sure that is a CM AIO installed in that.


----------



## miguelbazil

Don't worry doyll, I knew fully well that if it fit, it'd be tight as hell. Using coolers on the limit of the advisable has these things, I know how it goes. I'm just sad that it didn't fit because I have to admit that I loved the cooler itself. Very sleek, well thought out, and it probably has the best mounting system ever. Every air cooler should have a system like that, it feels very secure and it's simple enough. It is a pitty. But I have a friend that will get the C1 for his soon to be build inside a "hard on" Hadron, so I'll still be able to see how it fares on a 4460.

I'll probably take a chance on the Seidon 120V / 120M this time, it might be louder, but I'm willing to take the chance. But I'll keep the AXP-100 under my radar, I can find it for 50€ here, but I still would have to wait for it to arrive from the north of the country. I'll just buy the Seidon and try to close this build asap, I've been around 2 weeks around this, I just want it finished and closed


----------



## doyll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> Don't worry doyll, I knew fully well that if it fit, it'd be tight as hell. Using coolers on the limit of the advisable has these things, I know how it goes. I'm just sad that it didn't fit because I have to admit that I loved the cooler itself. Very sleek, well thought out, and it probably has the best mounting system ever. Every air cooler should have a system like that, it feels very secure and it's simple enough. It is a pitty. But I have a friend that will get the C1 for his soon to be build inside a "hard on" Hadron, so I'll still be able to see how it fares on a 4460.
> 
> I'll probably take a chance on the Seidon 120V / 120M this time, it might be louder, but I'm willing to take the chance. But I'll keep the AXP-100 under my radar, I can find it for 50€ here, but I still would have to wait for it to arrive from the north of the country. I'll just buy the Seidon and try to close this build asap, I've been around 2 weeks around this, I just want it finished and closed


The Seidon is quite loud .. while AXP-100 is not.


----------



## rfarmer

I have 2 AIO's, a h105 and a h50. Both work very well but the stock fans are junk, very loud. Just replace with some decent fans and you should be good.


----------



## haha216

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> Don't worry doyll, I knew fully well that if it fit, it'd be tight as hell. Using coolers on the limit of the advisable has these things, I know how it goes. I'm just sad that it didn't fit because I have to admit that I loved the cooler itself. Very sleek, well thought out, and it probably has the best mounting system ever. Every air cooler should have a system like that, it feels very secure and it's simple enough. It is a pitty. But I have a friend that will get the C1 for his soon to be build inside a "hard on" Hadron, so I'll still be able to see how it fares on a 4460.
> 
> I'll probably take a chance on the Seidon 120V / 120M this time, it might be louder, but I'm willing to take the chance. But I'll keep the AXP-100 under my radar, I can find it for 50€ here, but I still would have to wait for it to arrive from the north of the country. I'll just buy the Seidon and try to close this build asap, I've been around 2 weeks around this, I just want it finished and closed


To be honest, air flow is so restricted in this case - i think WC is a much better option... The only exhaust fan i have is the PSU fan, so keeping the internal temp as low as possible is probably a good idea. Won't an air cooler dump more warm air into the case?


----------



## miguelbazil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *doyll*
> 
> The Seidon is quite loud .. while AXP-100 is not.


So I've heard, the Seidon's pump is said to be quite loud. And temperature wise? Wouldn't the Seidon take the lead here?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> I have 2 AIO's, a h105 and a h50. Both work very well but the stock fans are junk, very loud. Just replace with some decent fans and you should be good.


Corsair AF120 is what I currently have, and might get my hands on an SP120 direct trade, so I have that. Any suggestion on a good fan that doesn't burn my wallet to the ground in the process?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *haha216*
> 
> To be honest, air flow is so restricted in this case - i think WC is a much better option... The only exhaust fan i have is the PSU fan, so keeping the internal temp as low as possible is probably a good idea. Won't an air cooler dump more warm air into the case?


I believe the idea would be to turn the PSU down, and have it exhaust, just like with the WC. The advantage of air, the way I understood it, is that you can simply make the fan pull air up directly into the PSU, due to the position of the CPU in my mobo. This should allow the warm air from the CPU cooler to go almost directly into the PSU and exhausted. The WC would have the rad placed directly behind the front of the case, and any air that was warmed by it would remain more time in the case before being exhausted.

The fact of the matter is that what I'm aiming for is for better CPU cooling over case temperature right now. I can get 2 80mm fans for the side to help bring air in, and I can even go as far as getting a 140mm fan for the front. So I should get enough air movement for decent case temperature (I hope). But then again, Doyll knows a lot more of the subject, so he can probably crush my expactations on this


----------



## doyll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *haha216*
> 
> To be honest, air flow is so restricted in this case - i think WC is a much better option... The only exhaust fan i have is the PSU fan, so keeping the internal temp as low as possible is probably a good idea. Won't an air cooler dump more warm air into the case?


About the same amount the radiator will dump in. But with an air cooler there is still cool air entering case. .. and air coolers are generally much quieter than CLCs are.


----------



## haha216

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> I can get 2 80mm fans for the side to help bring air in


The side fans won't fit with my GPU... unless i can maybe find ultra thin. Noisy buggers as well...


----------



## doyll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> So I've heard, the Seidon's pump is said to be quite loud. And temperature wise? Wouldn't the Seidon take the lead here?


Definitely be the leader in noise.









My AXP-100 keeps [email protected] running 100% load below 75c at 1200rpm... which I can't hear inside of HTPC case at 1 meter At 1500rpm temp drops to 70c and at 1800rpm it's 66c. Full speed (2500rpm) is 58c, but it never runs that fast. Fan curve is set 100% @ 80c, so depending on room temp fan runs 1200-1500rpm at 100% load, which is only when encoding videos.


----------



## miguelbazil

I went ahead and looked at the 920, and it has an 130W TDP, so with the OC, it keeps below 80ºC at all times... Seems pretty impressive to me really. Think I could hope for 70 and lower with 1500-1800rpm on my 4670k @stock?

Damn, my ATX never game me so much work...


----------



## doyll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> I went ahead and looked at the 920, and it has an 130W TDP, so with the OC, it keeps below 80ºC at all times... Seems pretty impressive to me really. Think I could hope for 70 and lower with 1500-1800rpm on my 4670k @stock?
> 
> Damn, my ATX never game me so much work...


Assuming you can supply it with cool air (and I think you can), you should be fine.

Building these smaller sized systems with performance like their big siblings requires a lot more research to be sure everything works.







.


----------



## miguelbazil

Yeah, and I did on a lot of things, but the cooling it seems wasn't enough.


----------



## doyll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> Yeah, and I did on a lot of things, but the cooling it seems wasn't enough.


Murphy's law mate. "If there is even the remotest change of something going wrong, it will."









Have you ever noticed if problems start at the beginning of a project, more often than not the whole project is fraught with problems?


----------



## miguelbazil

Point taken, and inexperience on this type of build makes it worst


----------



## miguelbazil

I'll post pics tomorrow, but just to say that I got the Seidon 120 Plus for 55€, it fit easily, and so far, it's been doing it's job pretty well, always below 60ºC on my 20 min gaming session on xcom. Over 20ºC improvement. I'm still not using a controllable fan on the front (AF120 Silent, 3 pin), but even then, it's within margin. The pump on the seidon can be heard, but since I'm not sensitive about noice (I do have G80-3000 with MX Blue switches, so yeah) I can handle it decently.

I did notice that the PSU was pulling warm air, but doesn't seem too warm to be dangerous. I barely hear the fan spin. Still, it could probably improve a bit further with a fan somewhere.


----------



## rfarmer

Glad to see you got it installed and have decent temps.


----------



## haha216

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> I'll post pics tomorrow, but just to say that I got the Seidon 120 Plus for 55€, it fit easily, and so far, it's been doing it's job pretty well, always below 60ºC on my 20 min gaming session on xcom. Over 20ºC improvement. I'm still not using a controllable fan on the front (AF120 Silent, 3 pin), but even then, it's within margin. The pump on the seidon can be heard, but since I'm not sensitive about noice (I do have G80-3000 with MX Blue switches, so yeah) I can handle it decently.
> 
> I did notice that the PSU was pulling warm air, but doesn't seem too warm to be dangerous. I barely hear the fan spin. Still, it could probably improve a bit further with a fan somewhere.


Push/Pull?


----------



## miguelbazil

Fan on front pulls air in and into the rad, and the PSU is faced into the case pushing air out.


----------



## haha216

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> Fan on front pulls air in and into the rad, and the PSU is faced into the case pushing air out.


I'm sure you can fit push/pull - but i had to use a fan grill to stop stuff going into the fan blades.


----------



## miguelbazil

If I bought something like the Cyorig slim fans, sure, but It'd be a tight fit. Here, take a look:



Behind the top tube, you can see that the PSU cables are also decreasing the available space for a fan. I've tried a standart one and it's a big no-no. It'd only fit it if was slim, and it'd take quite some patience to guarantee that no cable hits the fan. Still, may be doable.

I have a full album with what I have so far, but I need a pair of pics with the end look inside and out. But you can have a look at the whole mounting process so far.


http://imgur.com/l9hK5


Also, while the last pic looks like a cable mess, I've pushed most of the cables near the SSD to make for a better look. The fact that those flats are so rigid doesn't help me at all when organizing them. I need to consider sleeved cables in a month or two.


----------



## haha216

Oooh, yeah its tight. Here's mine:



I'm using the SP120s (if you couldn't already tell). I could also do with some cable management, I'll get round to it one day.


----------



## CM Felinni

Keep the builds coming! What else can you guys cram into our ITX beasts?


----------



## Phobia

Hi, Phobia is here, can i join in guys ?


----------



## rfarmer

Well here are some pics of my Elite 110. Not really a beast as far as a gaming computer goes, but I use it as a HTPC and it is a beast for that.





I recently updated my main computer so the Elite got an upgrade as well. Went from an Asrock B85-itx and Pentium G3258 to an Asrock H97-itx/ac and i5 4460. Added a Corsair h50 for cooling and she is running sweet. Had this case since they were released and it has served me well.


----------



## miguelbazil

I've finally got to add the HDD behind the PSU, and moved the SSD to the side (above the GPU fan, so it doesn't block it). This should be stable enough for me, and the little guy's a beast. Cable management on mine could be worst, i've passed whatever cables I could through the front of the case, and got them on the top areas, tried to leave as much free space possible above the motherboard, so the air could move and be sucked out by the PSU. Temps so far seem pretty decent, gotta check them all together in the next few days. My next step, is to get some sleeved cables, for a simple reason: I need some more flexible ones and possibly with custom sizes. Gotta study that possibility.

Nice builds around, rfarmer, the lack of semi modularity on that PSU isn't too much of a bother?


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *miguelbazil*
> 
> I've finally got to add the HDD behind the PSU, and moved the SSD to the side (above the GPU fan, so it doesn't block it). This should be stable enough for me, and the little guy's a beast. Cable management on mine could be worst, i've passed whatever cables I could through the front of the case, and got them on the top areas, tried to leave as much free space possible above the motherboard, so the air could move and be sucked out by the PSU. Temps so far seem pretty decent, gotta check them all together in the next few days. My next step, is to get some sleeved cables, for a simple reason: I need some more flexible ones and possibly with custom sizes. Gotta study that possibility.
> 
> Nice builds around, rfarmer, the lack of semi modularity on that PSU isn't too much of a bother?


Actually it's a Cooler Master Elite 350 watt PSU the only cables it has that I'm not using are 3 Molex, and they lie flat next to the graphic card. The other cables are quite short, not good for a big case but perfect for the Elite 110.


----------



## Kriss941

I might have screwed myself over... bought a Zotac 980 ti AMP edition... sold my old GPU, and all the sudden started thinking that it may not fit because of the long backplate and my AIO (H80i)... anyone here with the same card and/or a card with a really long backplate and an AIO???

Guess I'll find out tomorrow, though PCPartPicker says it should be OK I'm not really sure...


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> I might have screwed myself over... bought a Zotac 980 ti AMP edition... sold my old GPU, and all the sudden started thinking that it may not fit because of the long backplate and my AIO (H80i)... anyone here with the same card and/or a card with a really long backplate and an AIO???
> 
> Guess I'll find out tomorrow, though PCPartPicker says it should be OK I'm not really sure...


You should be okay. That radiator isn't as thick and wide as my Alphacool Monsta 120 which I had to offset the radiator mount.


----------



## bluedevil

I think I may have found a use for my old CM 120 Elite Adv case......

Gonna turn it into a WC Radbox with:

2 280mm Rads w/rad stands
1 D5 pump

Thinking of doing the connections with a Y or a T for a T line fill port. Then run the WC lines out via IO panel to Project Stealth. Also might do some Quick Disconnects for easy moving later!


----------



## Kriss941

Just barely worked... the GPU backplate is actually touching the radiator so it was just barely!


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriss941*
> 
> Just barely worked... the GPU backplate is actually touching the radiator so it was just barely!


----------



## sheunghko

Hello there! I am new here just builded my first itx system elite 130 but having some issue with cooler master 120plus water cooling. Using z170mb with 6700k the cpu idle around 35-40 cand it could easily go up to 60 and 70c when doing task and playing game. I have the cooler pump on a Sys_fan header that I can control the speed instead of having it on cpu_fan header which it always run at 100% and become so nosiy and now running at 50% on 40c and up to 100% at 60c I was expecting it should run cooler on a water cooling system like 2x at idle and 5x at max.







is there anything I could be doing wrong?

And more the cpu temp spike up and down like 30 suddenly to 60 then 40


----------



## sheunghko

by the way this is one good spot to put the xbox receiver


----------



## FrostyMMB

I chose the Cooler Master Elite 130 case based on its dimensions, which made it an ideal fit for my home theater system. It serves as a gaming PC connected to a 52" 1080p LCD TV via HDMI and to a high-end multichannel receiver via optical output (see my home theater system here). Since several members have had success modding this case to accommodate better cooling options, I figured that I would be able to fit both a CPU AIO water cooler and a graphics card with a GPU AIO water cooler. By removing the drive cage, drilling some extra holes in the top chassis bars, cutting a hole in the side HDD mounting bracket, and cutting a hole in the top panel of the case, I packed in a Corsair H80i CPU AIO water cooler with an EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Hybrid water cooled graphics card. Stock radiator fans were replaced with Noctua F12's as intakes for quieter cooling, and the modified mounting bracket holds a Noctua S12A as an exhaust. This is my first PC build, and everything turned out great thanks to how easy it is to mod this case.

*Case:* Cooler Master Elite 130
*Motherboard:* Asus Z97i-Plus
*CPU:* Intel Core i5-4690k
*Ram:* G-Skill 8GB DDR3-2133
*GPU:* EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Hybrid
*SSD:* Crucial MX200 250GB M.2
*CPU Cooler:* Corsair H80i
*PSU:* EVGA SuperNOVA 650 GS
*Fans:* 3x Noctua NF-12, 1x Noctua NF-S12A
*Other:* 2x Silverstone SST-FF123 ultra-fine mesh filters


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FrostyMMB*
> 
> I chose the Cooler Master Elite 130 case based on its dimensions, which made it an ideal fit for my home theater system. It serves as a gaming PC connected to a 52" 1080p LCD TV via HDMI and to a high-end multichannel receiver via optical output (see my home theater system here). Since several members have had success modding this case to accommodate better cooling options, I figured that I would be able to fit both a CPU AIO water cooler and a graphics card with a GPU AIO water cooler. By removing the drive cage, drilling some extra holes in the top chassis bars, cutting a hole in the side HDD mounting bracket, and cutting a hole in the top panel of the case, I packed in a Corsair H80i CPU AIO water cooler with an EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Hybrid water cooled graphics card. Stock radiator fans were replaced with Noctua F12's as intakes for quieter cooling, and the modified mounting bracket holds a Noctua S12A as an exhaust. This is my first PC build, and everything turned out great thanks to how easy it is to mod this case.
> 
> *Case:* Cooler Master Elite 130
> *Motherboard:* Asus Z97i-Plus
> *CPU:* Intel Core i5-4690k
> *Ram:* G-Skill 8GB DDR3-2133
> *GPU:* EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Hybrid
> *SSD:* Crucial MX200 250GB M.2
> *CPU Cooler:* Corsair H80i
> *PSU:* EVGA SuperNOVA 650 GS
> *Fans:* 3x Noctua NF-12, 1x Noctua NF-S12A
> *Other:* 2x Silverstone SST-FF123 ultra-fine mesh filters


Nice build! Great job!


----------



## rfarmer

Yeah very nice build, especially for your first.


----------



## Waleh

Hello guys! So, I'm thinking of building my first real high end PC. I decided to go ITX because of the portability as I travel and would like to take the PC along with me (plus I think ITX is awesome!). I am planning on building a pretty beast rig in the Elite 130. These are the components I want to use:

-6700k with an Asus ITX Pro Gaming motherboard once it comes out
-16 GB low profile DDR4 (Corsair Vengeance 2400)
-Crucial BX100 SSD (500 GB)
-EVGA G2 650W PSU
-Since I am picking up a 1440p monitor I am looking to get a MSI 390x to power this beast
-For cooling, I really prefer air since I will be transporting the rig and I'm worried that an AIO may leak. I'm thinking of getting the Noctua NH-L12 and removing the 120 mm fan and using it as a front intake.
-To note: If I do OC, it will be very mild

My main questions are:
How does the build look overall?
How should I arrange my fans? (Intake, PSU, CPU, and the 80 MM included fan)
Do you guys think I'll have any heat issues running at stock?
Can you exhaust out of this case?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## dsmush

Can anyone who has this the Elite 130 tell me whether it has issue with dust as there are no filters on the case. I know about the demciflex kit but I cannot get hold of it in the UK. Are they required? Thanks


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dsmush*
> 
> Can anyone who has this the Elite 130 tell me whether it has issue with dust as there are no filters on the case. I know about the demciflex kit but I cannot get hold of it in the UK. Are they required? Thanks


No issue as the front intake panel was designed with an integrated dust mesh, which is easily removed. You shouldn't get much dust on the sides unless you have fans on those locations. It shouldn't be too bad.


----------



## Myndmelt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dsmush*
> 
> Can anyone who has this the Elite 130 tell me whether it has issue with dust as there are no filters on the case. I know about the demciflex kit but I cannot get hold of it in the UK. Are they required? Thanks


Nope not much dust really. Whenever I go to move PC - this is my LAN party rig. I hit it with a Metro Vacuum ED500 DataVac - find it on amazon ($59 US). It's like a compressed air can but you plug it in to the wall - no liquid though like you get in the air cans, and it does a really good job and has a lot of power.


----------



## applehusky

This is all the dust accumulation on the gpu after nearly 4 months of constant running without being cleaned. Not the best but not bad. Mind you, this is in an open media center under a tv.



Also, here is the front rad after around 6 months without cleaning. The dust filter does a good job but you're still going to have to tear it apart every now and again to clean the dust out. It's higher maintenance than it needs to be because with an HDD taking up the front space, the only config you can possibly run is one fan in push. I'd love to see a pull config so all you need to do is vacuum the rad out without pulling the assembly apart.


----------



## Baelog

So I've been using the elite 110 a couple of months now (4) and is running really well so far. I did take some tips/tricks from this forum for the case. If anybody is interested open the spoiler for some info to read...





Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



*Disks*


The box has both disk drives on the side wall, the ssd mounted on the outside and hdd on the inside, with 2x80mm bequiet fans (molex with splitter @7v) right beneath the hdd as intake for the GC.

*Inside components*

The msi 750ti without the noisy twin frozr fans has instead a 90mm scythe shuriken fan plugged to the mobo 4-pin connector which i can control and slow down depending on cpu usage (sounds silly but while gaming it works wonders). Together with both 80mm fans the 750ti stays at 30°C idle/60°C gaming without any noise.

*Cooling*

From the front, mounted on the outside wall is the enermax silence 120mm fan with manual control (also molex @7v), the velocity knob i installed on the side panel just above the usb ports. On the inside wall is the Silverstone radiator (tundra td-03 lite from this year) followed by the bequiet 120mm fan. The pump is connected to a 5v molex and the fan to the remaining mobo 4-pin connector. I know water cooling AIO is overkill for a i3 T-series, but i needed the space (clearance) and also wanted to cool it with out any noise and the pump is does it job perfectly well @5v.

*Cable Management*

Cable management is around the radiator and bequiet fan (under and on the sides) and most of the cables are held by a plastic tube for a cleaner look. Cables are tricky and one must think very carefully how to position the components to get the best airflow possible inside the case.



Made me a couple of Filters using window pollen filters i got during spring and held them with magnetic stripes. After 2 months of using the filters, the case hardly gets any dust inside, and compared with the first 2 months without them i can say they really keep the tiny dust particles outside the case (where they belong!).

LED strip is pluged to a 5v molex and recently installed underneath the base of the case for the final touch.


----------



## rfarmer

Looks good Baelog, I know cable management can be a real pain in that case.


----------



## Baelog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> Looks good Baelog, I know cable management can be a real pain in that case.


Yep, but after trying and trying i finally got it right x)

And thanks again for the ssd mounting tip, it was a real game changer man.


----------



## crystaal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Baelog*
> 
> So I've been using the elite 110 a couple of months now (4) and is running really well so far. I did take some tips/tricks from this forum for the case. If anybody is interested open the spoiler for some info to read...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> *Disks*
> 
> 
> The box has both disk drives on the side wall, the ssd mounted on the outside and hdd on the inside, with 2x80mm bequiet fans (molex with splitter @7v) right beneath the hdd as intake for the GC.
> 
> *Inside components*
> 
> The msi 750ti without the noisy twin frozr fans has instead a 90mm scythe shuriken fan plugged to the mobo 4-pin connector which i can control and slow down depending on cpu usage (sounds silly but while gaming it works wonders). Together with both 80mm fans the 750ti stays at 30°C idle/60°C gaming without any noise.
> 
> *Cooling*
> 
> From the front, mounted on the outside wall is the enermax silence 120mm fan with manual control (also molex @7v), the velocity knob i installed on the side panel just above the usb ports. On the inside wall is the Silverstone radiator (tundra td-03 lite from this year) followed by the bequiet 120mm fan. The pump is connected to a 5v molex and the fan to the remaining mobo 4-pin connector. I know water cooling AIO is overkill for a i3 T-series, but i needed the space (clearance) and also wanted to cool it with out any noise and the pump is does it job perfectly well @5v.
> 
> *Cable Management*
> 
> Cable management is around the radiator and bequiet fan (under and on the sides) and most of the cables are held by a plastic tube for a cleaner look. Cables are tricky and one must think very carefully how to position the components to get the best airflow possible inside the case.
> 
> 
> 
> Made me a couple of Filters using window pollen filters i got during spring and held them with magnetic stripes. After 2 months of using the filters, the case hardly gets any dust inside, and compared with the first 2 months without them i can say they really keep the tiny dust particles outside the case (where they belong!).
> 
> LED strip is pluged to a 5v molex and recently installed underneath the base of the case for the final touch.


The case shuts fine with that ssd hanging on the outside?


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crystaal*
> 
> The case shuts fine with that ssd hanging on the outside?


I have the SSD mounted the same way and the case closes with no problem.


----------



## Baelog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> I have the SSD mounted the same way and the case closes with no problem.


Yep, you do need the newer ssds that are slimmer than the normal drives. I have an old ocz from 2010 and has the same size as an 2.5' hdd, which wouldnt fit.


----------



## RockingWall

Hi I currently have a cooler master elite 130 and am planning a build around it, I just had a couple questions about the cooling.

Here is my build

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54460) | $163.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Motherboard** | [ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-h97mitxac) | $74.70 @ SuperBiiz
**Memory** | [Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-bls8g3d1609ds1s00) | $35.99 @ Newegg
**Storage** | [Crucial BX100 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-internal-hard-drive-ct250bx100ssd1) | $72.00 @ SuperBiiz
**Storage** | [Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex) | $47.66 @ SuperBiiz
**Video Card** | [Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-video-card-turbogtx970oc4gd5) | $294.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Case** | [Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-rc130kkn1) | $39.60 @ SuperBiiz
**Power Supply** | [EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220gs0550v1) | $69.99 @ NCIX US
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-kw900140) | $89.88 @ OutletPC
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $928.80
| Mail-in rebates | -$40.00
| **Total** | **$888.80**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2015-10-30 14:45 EDT-0400 |

So I was wondering if with this build in the cooler master elite 130 if water-cooling would be necessary, I would like to avoid water cooling if at all possible, also I will be buying the custom magnetic dust filters for the case.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RockingWall*
> 
> Hi I currently have a cooler master elite 130 and am planning a build around it, I just had a couple questions about the cooling.
> 
> So I was wondering if with this build in the cooler master elite 130 if water-cooling would be necessary, I would like to avoid water cooling if at all possible, also I will be buying the custom magnetic dust filters for the case.


I have the same motherboard and cpu in an Elite 110 case. I am using a Corsair h50 and it works really well, but that cpu is low power and runs pretty cool. You can use the stock cooler if you get one that isn't too loud, or just find a decent low profile cooler.


----------



## RockingWall

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> I have the same motherboard and cpu in an Elite 110 case. I am using a Corsair h50 and it works really well, but that cpu is low power and runs pretty cool. You can use the stock cooler if you get one that isn't too loud, or just find a decent low profile cooler.


Thanks for the reply, Its good to know that I can rely on air cooling for my cpu.


----------



## eternalthree

Building a skylake build (6700k) and I just got the elite 130, which I've eyed for over a year.

Anyway, wanted to know, should I go with the corsair hydro h60 or the copper master 120xl nepton? The nepton is 69$ after rebate, which is the same price. My goal is to get a very quiet system. I've only read a few dozen pages back on this thread but I'll continue reading and checking more reviews. Thoughts? Thank you in advance


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternalthree*
> 
> Building a skylake build (6700k) and I just got the elite 130, which I've eyed for over a year.
> 
> Anyway, wanted to know, should I go with the corsair hydro h60 or the copper master 120xl nepton? The nepton is 69$ after rebate, which is the same price. My goal is to get a very quiet system. I've only read a few dozen pages back on this thread but I'll continue reading and checking more reviews. Thoughts? Thank you in advance


I have never owned a Coolermaster AIO but I own both h50 and h105, They are very good coolers, but the stock fans are terrible noise wise. I think you will find that is the case with most AIO's. Personally I would get the h60 and a better fan.


----------



## eternalthree

Hi Rfarmer,

Thanks for the insight. My colleague just brought up a good point. this case only supports one 120mm radiator, correct? i had my eyes set on the 980 ti evga hybrid that comes with a 120mm radiator and fan. so i obviously wouldnt be able to have that and a water cooler for the cpu, unless i used a custom cpu to gfx loop, right?


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternalthree*
> 
> Hi Rfarmer,
> 
> Thanks for the insight. My colleague just brought up a good point. this case only supports one 120mm radiator, correct? i had my eyes set on the 980 ti evga hybrid that comes with a 120mm radiator and fan. so i obviously wouldnt be able to have that and a water cooler for the cpu, unless i used a custom cpu to gfx loop, right?


Yes the 130 is limited in that respect, if you go back through this thread you will see people did some serious modding to install 2 120mm AIOs. I have seen 2 stacked AIOs before. Your best bet is to find a case that supports 2 120mm fans.


----------



## eternalthree

OK. finally caught up on the 83 pages or so of this thread. Lots of good information. so it looks like the optimal layout for me going into this whole thing will be

nepton 120xl will be intake push pull in the front.
psu flipped (according to wisk on page 69 or such) but i might replace my blower style gtx 580 with an open air cooler so i might have it right side up.
side mounted 80mm will be set to exhaust if i can stand the noise. or replace w/ a quieter fan.
i'm going to drill out the rivets for the 5.25 bay and reattach it with 6-32 3/8 nuts and bolts from the hardware store
it looks like the clearance for a video card (card height) is around 4.6cm, so slightly more than a dual slot gfx card, but definitely less than a triple slot.

it might not fit a msi 980 ti lightning LE...
might have to open a window and have it about 1cm out from the frame.

waiting for the nepton, mobo and ram to arrive, and then i can start moving things around and finish this build probably next weekend. Thanks for al lthe information on this thread everyone.

finished build will consist of:

skylake i5 6600k
gigabyte z170n gaming 5 itx motherboard
16gb of corsair vengeance ram
a sata 3 intel ssd at 240gb
elite 130 case of course
antec earthwatts 550 watt PSU
evga gtx 580 (cannot justify the 980 ti lightning le til it drops down a bit more)

<-- coming from a 2.8ghz q6600 quad core with 4gb of ram.

edit: ok, i think i'm going to go with the evga 980 ti hybrid and use a radstand from xspc as another user did in an earlier post. great idea.
so should i do an intake with evga fan < evga radiator < nepton fan < nepton radiator < nepton fan? i think is what i shall try. or should the evga just intake from the right side instead? not sure theres enough room.


----------



## thony94

Hello,
Here is my setup in a cooler master elite 110






Details :
- case cooler master elite 110
- processor I5 4670K
- Motherboard MSI Z97I AC (H81I on the pictures)
- Ram: 2*4GB 1600MHz Corsair
- Power Supply : HDPLEW 250W + brick AC-DC
- Radiator NoFan CR-95C
- SSD 120GB

No fan, no HDD = No noise









Températures : 60°C in full (After one hours of Handbrake for exemple, not more than 65°C in OCCT CPU)


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thony94*
> 
> Hello,
> Here is my setup in a cooler master elite 110
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Details :
> - case cooler master elite 110
> - processor I5 4670K
> - Motherboard MSI Z97I AC (H81I on the pictures)
> - Ram: 2*4GB 1600MHz Corsair
> - Power Supply : HDPLEW 250W + brick AC-DC
> - Radiator NoFan CR-95C
> - SSD 120GB
> 
> No fan, no HDD = No noise
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Températures : 60°C in full (After one hours of Handbrake for exemple, not more than 65°C in OCCT CPU)


I love this for the very fact you shoved a large round heat sink inside! haha!


----------



## miguelbazil

True, that's pure madness, very cool









I'd also like to provide some feedback on my build. I can tell you that, as long as the air company allows for some weight, and some decently sized carry-on luggage, this little guy can be easily transported on a flight. 2 times already, and 2 times a success. Gaming wise, it pretty much kills everything with no sweat.

The only issue I actually felt after the whole CPU cooler ordeal was the unexpected noise of the GPU fan when it hits 80ºC. It becomes noisy as hell. Well, 1 slot GPU's are not blowers, so I guess I should expect that. It rarely hits that temp though, it requires quite some heavy graphical effects for that to happen.
Still, it's a great build.

With the knowledge i acquired with this, I know that if I decide do remake my ITX build, i'm gonna change quite some things. Namely going for S or T CPU's with lower TDP, so I can use smaller cases with smaller coolers, and then use a case that allows 2 slot GPU's. That's gonna be my next idea. But that will probably only happen in a pair of years, sad... Unless someone wants to finance me on such a build har har.

Thanks for all the help you all gave me btw.


----------



## Bobelb

Hello fellows, I'm going to get cooler master elite 130, and I wonder one thing. I found a guy on the other forum who said that it is possible to fit a specific size microATX motherboard instead of mini-ITX in there without problems, but unfortunately I didn't find any dimensions of the inside of the case (which is understandable, since it is labeled as mini-ITX only). So, I would be very thankful if any of you, owners could measure how much space left in your cases between the lower end the mobo and the inner edge of the case, or maximum height of the mobo to the edge. Because you know, it would be nice if instead of mini-ITX board we could install properly small microATX board which usually has more ports and better cable management.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bobelb*
> 
> Hello fellows, I'm going to get cooler master elite 130, and I wonder one thing. I found a guy on the other forum who said that it is possible to fit a specific size microATX motherboard instead of mini-ITX in there without problems, but unfortunately I didn't find any dimensions of the inside of the case (which is understandable, since it is labeled as mini-ITX only). So, I would be very thankful if any of you, owners could measure how much space left in your cases between the lower end the mobo and the inner edge of the case, or maximum height of the mobo to the edge. Because you know, it would be nice if instead of mini-ITX board we could install properly small microATX board which usually has more ports and better cable management.


Welcome to OCN! MATX will definitely not fit into the Elite 130. Do you happen to have a link to the other forum that you can share? It's possible they may have been reffering to MicroDTX which is about 8.0 X 9.6. I can check the dimensions of the Elite 130 when I get home from work. Luckily it's a half day for New Years! haha


----------



## Kriss941

I don't remember the m-ATX dimensions in my head and I'm not close to my PC atm so I can't check the case either, but it could maybe be possible to fit an m-ATX board. However only way I can see that happening would be to rotate to motherboard 90 degrees compared to how the m-ITX boards mount... this would also take a ton of modding to pull off and GPU length would be limited...


----------



## Bobelb

Well, in theory mini-ITX is 170x170mm and microATX is 244x244mm, but most low budget microATX boards are much smaller. For example I have a MSI board which is 175x220mm, so it's only 50mm higher than ITX, it won't require rotating or anything, and there are even smaller mATXs. Thats why I'm curious what are the dimensions down there.


----------



## brazilianloser

Well just build a system inside the Elite 130 for my father in law's church. Definately would only use a small modular power supply inside this case if it was for me. Challening build to cable manage but not as bad as I was expecting.


----------



## AtomicFede

Hi! I'm Italian and this is my modded Elite 130! This case is really amazing for modding, you can do everything you want.
I cut holes on the bottom (for cpu's rad) and on the top (for the cpu's rad), I put a handle on the top with four rivets so I can easily move the PC.


----------



## AtomicFede

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AtomicFede*
> 
> ...
> I cut holes on the bottom (for cpu's rad) and on the top (for the cpu's rad)...


Sorry, typing error...the second hole is for the GPU's rad


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AtomicFede*
> 
> Hi! I'm Italian and this is my modded Elite 130! This case is really amazing for modding, you can do everything you want.
> I cut holes on the bottom (for cpu's rad) and on the top (for the cpu's rad), I put a handle on the top with four rivets so I can easily move the PC.


Neat!


----------



## AtomicFede

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Neat!


Thanks!


----------



## Frantik3

And here is my Elite 110... aka ''The Cube''







Push/pull fit in there, tried to have cables on one side to not obstract air flow but a lot of heat comes out when gaming and gpu is working full time


----------



## eternalthree

thats the gigabyte 980 ti waterforce huh? that is AWESOME!. i used a evga hybrid in mine. but that's just pure awesome.


----------



## baii

In the 110, Would it be possible to use a tower heatsink if I use a SFX PSU? Would a SFX PSU clear the socket?


----------



## Frantik3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *baii*
> 
> In the 110, Would it be possible to use a tower heatsink if I use a SFX PSU? Would a SFX PSU clear the socket?


I guess it could..you have to check the dimensions and find the correct combo of psu and cooler (not very thick one) with the cooler fan sitting on the side where the front panel is. Then there is also a GPU very close to the socket (if you get one ) so the geometry of the cooler should accommodate that as well. Then again if you have a GPU in there I would guess temps would get rather high in the cpu with an air cooler and the card dumping hot air all around when gaming for example.
The other way could be to fit a low profile cooler like for example Noctua NH-L12


----------



## baii

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Frantik3*
> 
> I guess it could..you have to check the dimensions and find the correct combo of psu and cooler (not very thick one) with the cooler fan sitting on the side where the front panel is. Then there is also a GPU very close to the socket (if you get one ) so the geometry of the cooler should accommodate that as well. Then again if you have a GPU in there I would guess temps would get rather high in the cpu with an air cooler and the card damping hot air all around when gaming for example.
> The other way could be to fit a low profile cooler like for example Noctua NH-L12


yea, I looked the pcper review and it seems to clear the socket.

I just happen to able to grab a true spirit 120 for cheap, and it can offset to either side. Intel stock is good enough for my use, by over tinkering just got me.

Waiting for it to drop back below 30 to grab 1, this is to migrate my nas from sg05, which had 3x 3.5 HDD hanging use zip tie with a 2.5hdd(retired from laptop) on top of each 3.5 hdd. LOL/

I saw the mod for 4x 3.5 HDD in 110 and it is pretty neat.


----------



## danialzaidi

Hello guys, this is my first post here. I would like to show you guys the build I did with the Elite 130. I have been following this thread for quite a few months now, I used the Mastercase Pro 5 before this and after my back got hurt trying to move the midtower ATX around from university to my house I decided to change to this Elite 130 ITX case. Other than that I really like to build PCs and have been building a lot before this but now I just want the challenge of a small form factor case rather than "easy to fit everything in" case









My previous build was :

Intel i7-4770K
Asrock Z97 Extreme4
Nvidia GTX 980 Ti
Corsair Vengeance Pro 4gb x2
Kingston SSDNow 120gb
WD Blue 1TB
Corsair RM1000

Custom loop hardline watercooling

Here is the picture of my previous build :





and now for my new build, I had to sell a few hardware and get a new one that could fit the Elite 130 case. The things that I sell and replaced are :

Asrock Z97 Extreme4 > MSi B85i Gaming
Corsair Vengeance Pro 4gb x2 > Kingston HyperX 8gb x2
Corsair RM1000 > Silverstone 450w SFX (yeah I know you think 450w is a bit low for my system but I stress tested everything with OC and max wattage is only 390w | stock clocks around 350w).

I didn't want to throw away my custom loop wc from the old system (i use a lot of rendering and designing programs that will cause higher temps for the hardware) and decided to try and install wc in the elite 130.

I only have 240mm rads so I got one new 120mm rad (yes it is not enough! this is the first idea) and I have a res + pump combo under my bed that I decided to use since the space inside the elite 130 is quite limited. At first I thought a single 120mm rad with push and pull could do the trick but I was so wrong.

So the main idea is :

Res + Pump > Radiator > CPU > GPU > Res + Pump

Below is the first assemble I did before I made a few changes.

Did I mention that I bought this case as a used for RM50 (USD12). Lucky me I guess.



Since it is a used case, so a few things are missing such as the case fan but the owner replaced with a swiftech fan.



The 120mm are installed at the front intake of the case. I am going to do a pull and push method where the cool air inside the case is pulled out through out the radiator and exit through the front of the case.



There are some space behind the radiator for me to put the push fan and res+pump combo.



Now its time to install everything else (actually I forgot to take picture through out the installation because I was too excited







)





Close fit for the res+pump combo with the ram modules. Cable tight is the easiest way for me to make the res+pump combo stay in one place. The res+pump combo is a product from Larkooler. Got it off from a kit I used with my very first custom loop wc setup inside my Storm Scout 2 (yeah I'm a Cooler Master fan)



The stop fitting at the reservoir is where I fill in my coolant with a tube and syringe (much safer but slow method)









Still filling the loop with coolant.



Barb fitting for everything, low risk for leaking, no aesthetic just performance and portability.



I had to improvise for the location of the HDD and SSD. Cable tight is always the answer. I made the right choice to get a SFX psu, it gave me more space to work with.



Right side view, a bit messy.



Left side view, not that messy here.



Okay so after I leaked tested everything for 24 hours, no leaks, works perfectly. Plugged in all the cables and did a first start up everything went well and I started the stress test. Well.. as expected, the temps was not really satisfying, i7-4770K + GTX 980 Ti, what do you expect? :

Processor : Prime95, 2 hours, stock clock, max temp 78 degrees Celsius
GPU : Furmark, 1 hour +, stock clock, max temp 68 degrees celsius
Fan speed : Acceptable noise (quite noisy)

So I had to change the setup and add another radiator at the front of the case and remove the push fan and the loop will be :

Res + pump > radiator > processor > radiator > gpu > res + pump

The CPU and GPU both will get intake from radiator.

Below shows space is enough for another radiator (why didn't I get a thick radiator? well there is no one in my country have ready stock and I dont want to wait and I like a little challenge)



Added another 120mm radiator in there and again, cable tight saves the day.



The loop has to be redo





Added a case fan at the left side for fresh air intake from outside of the case to feed the pull fan at the radiator.



AND VOILA!

good temps for the CPU and GPU. Phew.. at least it is good enough for me for an ITX build

CPU : Max temp 68 degree celsius
GPU : Max temp 55 degree celsius

next I might do some OC for both CPU and GPU then I will mod the case a little bit at the side for the case fan air intake and handles on top for easy carrying around.

By the way, this build is called THE MICROWERX

Thank you for reading, English is not my first language and sorry if there are any grammatical error


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danialzaidi*
> 
> Hello guys, this is my first post here. I would like to show you guys the build I did with the Elite 130. I have been following this thread for quite a few months now, I used the Mastercase Pro 5 before this and after my back got hurt trying to move the midtower ATX around from university to my house I decided to change to this Elite 130 ITX case. Other than that I really like to build PCs and have been building a lot before this but now I just want the challenge of a small form factor case rather than "easy to fit everything in" case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My previous build was :
> 
> Intel i7-4770K
> Asrock Z97 Extreme4
> Nvidia GTX 980 Ti
> Corsair Vengeance Pro 4gb x2
> Kingston SSDNow 120gb
> WD Blue 1TB
> Corsair RM1000
> 
> Custom loop hardline watercooling
> 
> Here is the picture of my previous build :
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and now for my new build, I had to sell a few hardware and get a new one that could fit the Elite 130 case. The things that I sell and replaced are :
> 
> Asrock Z97 Extreme4 > MSi B85i Gaming
> Corsair Vengeance Pro 4gb x2 > Kingston HyperX 8gb x2
> Corsair RM1000 > Silverstone 450w SFX (yeah I know you think 450w is a bit low for my system but I stress tested everything with OC and max wattage is only 390w | stock clocks around 350w).
> 
> I didn't want to throw away my custom loop wc from the old system (i use a lot of rendering and designing programs that will cause higher temps for the hardware) and decided to try and install wc in the elite 130.
> 
> I only have 240mm rads so I got one new 120mm rad (yes it is not enough! this is the first idea) and I have a res + pump combo under my bed that I decided to use since the space inside the elite 130 is quite limited. At first I thought a single 120mm rad with push and pull could do the trick but I was so wrong.
> 
> So the main idea is :
> 
> Res + Pump > Radiator > CPU > GPU > Res + Pump
> 
> Below is the first assemble I did before I made a few changes.
> 
> Did I mention that I bought this case as a used for RM50 (USD12). Lucky me I guess.
> 
> 
> 
> Since it is a used case, so a few things are missing such as the case fan but the owner replaced with a swiftech fan.
> 
> 
> 
> The 120mm are installed at the front intake of the case. I am going to do a pull and push method where the cool air inside the case is pulled out through out the radiator and exit through the front of the case.
> 
> 
> 
> There are some space behind the radiator for me to put the push fan and res+pump combo.
> 
> 
> 
> Now its time to install everything else (actually I forgot to take picture through out the installation because I was too excited
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close fit for the res+pump combo with the ram modules. Cable tight is the easiest way for me to make the res+pump combo stay in one place. The res+pump combo is a product from Larkooler. Got it off from a kit I used with my very first custom loop wc setup inside my Storm Scout 2 (yeah I'm a Cooler Master fan)
> 
> 
> 
> The stop fitting at the reservoir is where I fill in my coolant with a tube and syringe (much safer but slow method)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still filling the loop with coolant.
> 
> 
> 
> Barb fitting for everything, low risk for leaking, no aesthetic just performance and portability.
> 
> 
> 
> I had to improvise for the location of the HDD and SSD. Cable tight is always the answer. I made the right choice to get a SFX psu, it gave me more space to work with.
> 
> 
> 
> Right side view, a bit messy.
> 
> 
> 
> Left side view, not that messy here.
> 
> 
> 
> Okay so after I leaked tested everything for 24 hours, no leaks, works perfectly. Plugged in all the cables and did a first start up everything went well and I started the stress test. Well.. as expected, the temps was not really satisfying, i7-4770K + GTX 980 Ti, what do you expect? :
> 
> Processor : Prime95, 2 hours, stock clock, max temp 78 degrees Celsius
> GPU : Furmark, 1 hour +, stock clock, max temp 68 degrees celsius
> Fan speed : Acceptable noise (quite noisy)
> 
> So I had to change the setup and add another radiator at the front of the case and remove the push fan and the loop will be :
> 
> Res + pump > radiator > processor > radiator > gpu > res + pump
> 
> The CPU and GPU both will get intake from radiator.
> 
> Below shows space is enough for another radiator (why didn't I get a thick radiator? well there is no one in my country have ready stock and I dont want to wait and I like a little challenge)
> 
> 
> 
> Added another 120mm radiator in there and again, cable tight saves the day.
> 
> 
> 
> The loop has to be redo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Added a case fan at the left side for fresh air intake from outside of the case to feed the pull fan at the radiator.
> 
> 
> 
> AND VOILA!
> 
> good temps for the CPU and GPU. Phew.. at least it is good enough for me for an ITX build
> 
> CPU : Max temp 68 degree celsius
> GPU : Max temp 55 degree celsius
> 
> next I might do some OC for both CPU and GPU then I will mod the case a little bit at the side for the case fan air intake and handles on top for easy carrying around.
> 
> By the way, this build is called THE MICROWERX
> 
> Thank you for reading, English is not my first language and sorry if there are any grammatical error


Awesome great job! Your MasterCase 5 was just as good as well. Your Elite 130 reminds me of my own monster build in this chassis. Temps aren't too bad with that slim radiator that you have up front.

My #beastMODE Build Log : Link


----------



## OEM

Hello friends, so I have ordered the Elite 130 as my case for my next build. Question about heatsink?

So from all that I have read it is suggested that I should place the PSU with the fan directly above the heatsink/mobo? Is this accurate? Seems to make sense, have the PSU act as an exhaust.

Also, I am wondering about my heatsink. I am planning to get this Cooler Master GeminII S524 Ver 2, will I be able to fit that in here? reason I went with this is because it appears to blow out a great amount of air and be silent (I want this as silent as possible).

Will the Cooler Master GeminII M4 make more sense for my needs even if it's louder?

This is pretty much the last thing I need to figure out before having all the parts ordered and ready to go.

Thanks in advance for any help going forward.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OEM*
> 
> Hello friends, so I have ordered the Elite 130 as my case for my next build. Question about heatsink?
> 
> So from all that I have read it is suggested that I should place the PSU with the fan directly above the heatsink/mobo? Is this accurate? Seems to make sense, have the PSU act as an exhaust.
> 
> Also, I am wondering about my heatsink. I am planning to get this Cooler Master GeminII S524 Ver 2, will I be able to fit that in here? reason I went with this is because it appears to blow out a great amount of air and be silent (I want this as silent as possible).
> 
> Will the Cooler Master GeminII M4 make more sense for my needs even if it's louder?
> 
> This is pretty much the last thing I need to figure out before having all the parts ordered and ready to go.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any help going forward.




You have 65mm clearance in the 130, the Gemini is 59mm with fan.


----------



## serave

i'm thinking about buying this case a week later or so but im kinda concerned about the overall temps as my gpu dumps a lot of heat into any case given

anyone with Sapphire R9 290 Tri-X here?

how are the temps in your build? by temps i mean overall temperature, including the gpu and any other components


----------



## iakovl

going to refresh my setup and switch from the 120 to the 110 (smaller is better !!!)
due to the extreme hot temp in my area i'm thinking of using the new "Arctic Liquid Freezer" liquid cooler,
but the question is... will the 49mm thick radiator fit?


----------



## Baelog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iakovl*
> 
> going to refresh my setup and switch from the 120 to the 110 (smaller is better !!!)
> due to the extreme hot temp in my area i'm thinking of using the new "Arctic Liquid Freezer" liquid cooler,
> but the question is... will the 49mm thick radiator fit?


With the 110 is a challenge to deal with the cables. If you have a normal size PSU you should be able to mount the radiator without any problems. The fan, however, you would have to install on the outside front of the case and you would only be able to have the one fan pushing air through the fins\rad (push pull will be an issue with such a thick fan). Maybe some1 else can confirm this as i would need to check again to make sure (but cant as im not home atm).

Good luck and have fun with the build! There are some good tips from these posts that might be usefull.


----------



## spdaimon

Hi guys,

I just subscribed. I was looking for info on what AIO might be compatible with my Elite 120 Advanced. My current build is 3570K on a Gigabyte GA-H67N-USB3, using a Zalman 8000B low profile cooler. I have a BFG 550W (GS model). I also have a 560 TI installed. I want to BOINC with it 24/7 pretty much. "Firefly" is my rig name.

I saw a pic about the position of the power supply intake fan. I had the fan facing up, but I was running into temps in the mid-80Cs. Ambient temp was maybe 70F (so ~23C). I read up and see that 105C is the max..but that seems awefully high. I don't like to keep anything more than 70C. I actually flipped my PSU over, so the temps are now around 68C at the hotest. I have the 120mm plugged into the PSU, and the 80mm plugged into the mobo. I don't know if this is an issue with your builds, but the 24pin power connector, and sata cables are right behind the 80mm making a wall of wires for the 80mm that is suppose to be an intake. Not sure if this is poor design on Cooler Master's part or Gigabyte's. I am not sure if the mITX standard dictates power and data wire placement.

I have a Corsair H70. I was wondering if anyone had any experience using that. If I had too, I was thinking buying a waterblock for cpu. I've never really done any watercooling besides using an AIO or the Zalman Reservator V2 (which I may use again for this project, although people say it sucks). Just trying to use parts I have. If memory serves, there is only one watercooling gromet in the back...how is the tubes suppose to be routed?


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spdaimon*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I just subscribed. I was looking for info on what AIO might be compatible with my Elite 120 Advanced. My current build is 3570K on a Gigabyte GA-H67N-USB3, using a Zalman 8000B low profile cooler. I have a BFG 550W (GS model). I also have a 560 TI installed. I want to BOINC with it 24/7 pretty much. "Firefly" is my rig name.
> 
> I saw a pic about the position of the power supply intake fan. I had the fan facing up, but I was running into temps in the mid-80Cs. Ambient temp was maybe 70F (so ~23C). I read up and see that 105C is the max..but that seems awefully high. I don't like to keep anything more than 70C. I actually flipped my PSU over, so the temps are now around 68C at the hotest. I have the 120mm plugged into the PSU, and the 80mm plugged into the mobo. I don't know if this is an issue with your builds, but the 24pin power connector, and sata cables are right behind the 80mm making a wall of wires for the 80mm that is suppose to be an intake. Not sure if this is poor design on Cooler Master's part or Gigabyte's. I am not sure if the mITX standard dictates power and data wire placement.
> 
> I have a Corsair H70. I was wondering if anyone had any experience using that. If I had too, I was thinking buying a waterblock for cpu. I've never really done any watercooling besides using an AIO or the Zalman Reservator V2 (which I may use again for this project, although people say it sucks). Just trying to use parts I have. If memory serves, there is only one watercooling gromet in the back...how is the tubes suppose to be routed?


Welcome to the club! I have my PSU setup as an exhaust with the fan facing down without the 80mm side fan. Although my system is setup with full custom liquid cooling it helps with the airflow even with the wall of cables. Most ITX motherboards have the 24 Pin PSU cables towards the front of the motherboard.

You should be able to get away with an AIO with a Push/Pull fan setup on the radiator. The Pull fan acts as another channel of air blowing through your components.

Feel free to check out my *build log: #beastMode:* Link

let me know for any questions.


----------



## bmb1984

Just subscribed looking for new ways to mod this thing...


----------



## bmb1984

So i punched some windows in this thing and wrapped it in carbon fiber. If anyone still alive on here what do you think?


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmb1984*
> 
> So i punched some windows in this thing and wrapped it in carbon fiber. If anyone still alive on here what do you think?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Looks good, that carbon fiber really sets it off.


----------



## Baelog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmb1984*
> 
> So i punched some windows in this thing and wrapped it in carbon fiber. If anyone still alive on here what do you think?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Looks good! I had the same idea for my lil 110, but decided to leave it without the carbon fiber (my laptop has that look already). Your window looks exactly like mine, just a bit smaller, i suppose is only where the grill was on your case too. Guess i should have posted pics, but couldn't bother









Now you just need to add some cheap LED strips so you can have a good look into the case!







There are both 12V and 5V strips that should be no problem to connect them to a molex (diy is actually very easy if you know which cable is which). I have a 5V with 2 strips with a remote control that got from amazon. Gives that extra touch to the case







and turns off when sleep (not like many USB ones).


----------



## bmb1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Baelog*
> 
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> Looks good! I had the same idea for my lil 110, but decided to leave it without the carbon fiber (my laptop has that look already). Your window looks exactly like mine, just a bit smaller, i suppose is only where the grill was on your case too. Guess i should have posted pics, but couldn't bother
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now you just need to add some cheap LED strips so you can have a good look into the case!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are both 12V and 5V strips that should be no problem to connect them to a molex (diy is actually very easy if you know which cable is which). I have a 5V with 2 strips with a remote control that got from amazon. Gives that extra touch to the case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and turns off when sleep (not like many USB ones).


Yea I'm working on getting some LED's, but there's a few other things on the list first lol. Like I just ordered custom braided and custom length wires from primochill in nice blue sleeving and I wanna change this junk corsair watercooler out for a custom setup by XS-PC. Looking at their single drive bay mounted pump/res combos. But it does light up blue for now from the fans I have.


----------



## bmb1984

So here is the custom cut to length and individually wrapped PSU wiring i got. Looks good so far will look better once my wire separators get here, but at least the mounds of wire tied wire are gone. LOL! Wire kit was made by Primochill.com


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmb1984*
> 
> So here is the custom cut to length and individually wrapped PSU wiring i got. Looks good so far will look better once my wire separators get here, but at least the mounds of wire tied wire are gone. LOL! Wire kit was made by Primochill.com


Yeah that is a tough case for cable management, looks much better now.


----------



## equilni

Please add me to the list.

Initially I had this: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/Xcy3hM



Note, I broke the fan pins, so the front fan is held by zip ties. There isn't a AIO cooler here.

Upgraded the heatsink & GPU to: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/nZBscc
Sorry for the bad lighting here...


----------



## glnn_23

Here's my Elite 130.
Heard airflow might not be the best in these cases so I set out to get the best cooling working with it.

The board is an Asrock X99 itx with a very cool running xeon.

CPU custom loop is a D5 with BP top and tiny res, EK Supremacy and a HWlabs SR2 with Noctua 140mm which removes heat out through the top.
Intake is a Gentle Typhoon 120mm and a Silverstone FN123

The gpu is a gtx 1080 so heat is exhausted out the back.

Obviously the AX1200 is too long and will be replaced


----------



## Vario

Nice job making the most of a small case glnn_23


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glnn_23*
> 
> Here's my Elite 130.
> Heard airflow might not be the best in these cases so I set out to get the best cooling working with it.
> 
> The board is an Asrock X99 itx with a very cool running xeon.
> 
> CPU custom loop is a D5 with BP top and tiny res, EK Supremacy and a HWlabs SR2 with Noctua 140mm which removes heat out through the top.
> Intake is a Gentle Typhoon 120mm and a Silverstone FN123
> 
> The gpu is a gtx 1080 so heat is exhausted out the back.
> 
> Obviously the AX1200 is too long and will be replaced


Ha! Love it!!!!


----------



## d89don

Hey guys I just picked up a used Elite 110 from a friend. Just wondering what the consensus is among 110 owners regarding cooler type on the GPU. Do you guys like the reference style coolers for this case? I'm thinking about picking up an RX480 for a build in this bad boy.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d89don*
> 
> Hey guys I just picked up a used Elite 110 from a friend. Just wondering what the consensus is among 110 owners regarding cooler type on the GPU. Do you guys like the reference style coolers for this case? I'm thinking about picking up an RX480 for a build in this bad boy.


The Elite 110 only supports graphics cards up to 210mm (8.26") so you will need to find an itx card if you want any kind of performance in this case.


----------



## d89don

A few people have run GTX 660 and other cards that are around 9.5" so I'll find a way to make it fit. I'm just wondering if I should be looking for a reference cooler or another style. I know a lot of people prefer the reference coolers in SFF builds.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d89don*
> 
> A few people have run GTX 660 and other cards that are around 9.5" so I'll find a way to make it fit. I'm just wondering if I should be looking for a reference cooler or another style. I know a lot of people prefer the reference coolers in SFF builds.


Yeah it's a good idea. Reference are louder but you aren't dumping all that heat inside the case.


----------



## d89don

Thanks for the quick reply. Pretty excited to work with this case, I'm doing a super budget build using used components I have laying around or that a friend has left over. Shooting for under $400 with the RX480 and looking good so far.


----------



## d89don

Well guys everythings ready to go except my RX480 which is set to arrive on Tuesday.

Just over $300 with the GPU included.

You can see my build here: http://pcpartpicker.com/user/d89don/saved/y2Lv6h

Looks like I'll be the first one to try stuffing an RX480 in this case so I'll let you know how it goes.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d89don*
> 
> Well guys everythings ready to go except my RX480 which is set to arrive on Tuesday.
> 
> Just over $300 with the GPU included.
> 
> You can see my build here: http://pcpartpicker.com/user/d89don/saved/y2Lv6h
> 
> Looks like I'll be the first one to try stuffing an RX480 in this case so I'll let you know how it goes.


Yeah I was looking at mine the other day and it doesn't look too difficult, just some dremel work. The case is long enough for a 10" card all you will need to do is cut a hole in the front bracket where the IO cables normally go and you should be able to fit the card fine.


----------



## RichardEM

Well, I'm joining the club. Had the 120case a while but over time have upgraded a few bits and just installed the 1080 yesterday.

4790k @ 4.7Ghz
Palit GTX 1080 Gamerock premium.
Cooler master H5 SF water cooler
16gb Ballistix Sport RAM

Had to Dremel out a few sections to fit the card but worth it in the end as my Rift arrives today.


----------



## d89don

That thing is a beast! Looks good.

Just so everyone knows I can confirm the RX480 will fit in the 110.. barely.

Just touches the front grill but she's in there. The biggest problem are the USB 3.0 cables which need to be bent out of the way.

It's not ideal but it works, at least with the reference cooler. An aftermarket cooler with some huge fans might require moving the front I/O to the other side.

I also had to slim down my HDMI cable as some other members have done due to the rolled edge near the back of the card.


----------



## sladesurfer13

Here's my elite 120. I made my own custom cableand 140mm intake front fan. My ssd is 500gb m.2 underneath the motherboard


----------



## The-Beast

Got a 130, needed the drive bay for the htpc. Holy hell is it a tight fight with everything in there. Makes me wish it used a SFX power supply out of the gate so I didn't cheap out and reuse an older one I had hanging around.


----------



## bmb1984

Got my XS-PC custom cooling loop. out of time tonight but will fill it and light it up tomorrow and post another pic.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmb1984*
> 
> Got my XS-PC custom cooling loop. out of time tonight but will fill it and light it up tomorrow and post another pic.


Looks good, that isn't an easy case to water cool. What pump are you using?


----------



## bmb1984

I'm using this pump XSPC X2O 420 Single Bay Reservoir/Pump Combo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PI7V70W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UyYKxbHVB73B7 It's an all in one pump/res that fits in the drive bay. Was great for this case.


----------



## rfarmer

Ok cool, I saw that it was a XSPC reservoir, didn't realize they made one with a pump. Works well with the limited space in the 130.


----------



## The-Beast

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The-Beast*
> 
> Got a 130, needed the drive bay for the htpc. Holy hell is it a tight fight with everything in there. Makes me wish it used a SFX power supply out of the gate so I didn't cheap out and reuse an older one I had hanging around.


Welp, after a full night of handbrake. Everything seems to be going well. Maxed out at 84C with my 2600k (no oc). Going to play around with it a bit.


----------



## bmb1984

Ok so here is the finished product. Running 23c idle with a i7-4790k OC to 4.6. Not a single leak thank god! XS-PC has some really good quality fittings ?


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmb1984*
> 
> Ok so here is the finished product. Running 23c idle with a i7-4790k OC to 4.6. Not a single leak thank god! XS-PC has some really good quality fittings ?












is your GPU under water also?


----------



## bmb1984

No I was going to but chickened out last minute. I have a 980ti SC Gaming in there. Was worried 1 120mm wasn't enough


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmb1984*
> 
> No I was going to but chickened out last minute. I have a 980ti SC Gaming in there. Was worried 1 120mm wasn't enough


What rad and fans are you using?


----------



## bmb1984

Running XS-PC EX120 radiator and 2-120mm Noctua NF-F12 3000rpm fans in push/pull config.


----------



## bmb1984

Added some more lighting. On point now I do believe?


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmb1984*
> 
> Running XS-PC EX120 radiator and 2-120mm Noctua NF-F12 3000rpm fans in push/pull config.


With the EX120 rad, did you still have access to the 2.5 drive underneath the 5.25 bay? I am looking into getting the same rad, but I need the drive space as well.


----------



## bmb1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> With the EX120 rad, did you still have access to the 2.5 drive underneath the 5.25 bay? I am looking into getting the same rad, but I need the drive space as well.


No it won't fit if you wish to use that drive mount. I actually had to bend the tab because it was keeping the fan from sitting flush. But the drive will still fit in the mount on the bottom in front of the rad.


----------



## bmb1984

The blue/black power wires I showed in previous pics I will soon have up for sale. If anyone is interested and has an evga PSU let me know. I decided to go with white wires instead.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmb1984*
> 
> No it won't fit if you wish to use that drive mount. I actually had to bend the tab because it was keeping the fan from sitting flush. But the drive will still fit in the mount on the bottom in front of the rad.


Thanks for getting back. Do you think if was in push (or pull) config using the front fan only, would the bay be available?

Also what AIO where you using here?
http://www.overclock.net/t/1452338/cooler-master-elite-m-itx-case-owners-club/850_50#post_25212200


----------



## bmb1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Thanks for getting back. Do you think if was in push (or pull) config using the front fan only, would the bay be available?
> 
> Also what AIO where you using here?
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1452338/cooler-master-elite-m-itx-case-owners-club/850_50#post_25212200


I would stick with a push/pull setup. When I tried a single fan in pull it maintained a decent idle temp but during benchmarks it was really hot. Too hot. The AIO I was using was the Corsair H75 which worked great for that case.


----------



## bmb1984

Deciding that blue theme with blue LED's wasn't going well and switched to white light. Looks much better now.


----------



## bmb1984

White wires made it today. Not sure if it looks better or not. But if anyone is interested in those blue/black wires for an EVGA PSU I showed earlier in the thread send me an email [email protected] I'll send you the lengths and what wires are included.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmb1984*
> 
> I would stick with a push/pull setup. When I tried a single fan in pull it maintained a decent idle temp but during benchmarks it was really hot. Too hot. The AIO I was using was the Corsair H75 which worked great for that case.


Thanks. I picked up the EX120 and flushed it out last night. I can't wait to start testing it out. I was planning on doing a GPU only loop but I got a Apogee Drive II free (used) after I got another pump (Topsflo TDC). Thanks to your build and @mfilos build, I have some planning to do.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Thanks. I picked up the EX120 and flushed it out last night. I can't wait to start testing it out. I was planning on doing a GPU only loop but I got a Apogee Drive II free (used) after I got another pump (Topsflo TDC). Thanks to your build and @mfilos build, I have some planning to do.


Apogee Drive II is perfect for ITX buillds like this.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Apogee Drive II is perfect for ITX buillds like this.


Yeah I am using one in my ncase, works very well.


----------



## Ustad

Hello everyone. I just joined this forum and greetings from Bangladesh. I've wondering about a Mini ITX build since I've seen this thread. Without further talking here goes some of my PC pics!








Please leave your comments whatever you feel..
Edit: The Picture continuity just came out wrong! I hope you guys will understand.







Sorry for the long post!

Specs:
Intel Core i5 6500 Skylake
I don't know exactly from which PC i got the cooler but it performs like a mid level Liquid Cooler with those 4000~6000 RPM 60mm Industrial fans. Even keeps temp just under 70 without fans!!
Asus B150I Pro gaming /Aura
Avexir ROG Impact 2666Mhz 8GBx2
Adata SP550 480GB SSD
Crucial M4 120GB SSD
Western Digital Blue 500GB HDD
Sapphire HD7970/280X Ghz OC With boost cooled by Asus Matrix Platinum 7970 Cooler and Custom Led light controller.
Huntkey X7 900W 80+ Silver PSU. Problem?
Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX with Fully customized interior, cooling system and external looks.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickRockerr*
> 
> Drive bay is attached by 2 screws and 4 rivets. You have to remove the rivets by drilling them. ~4mm drill bit should do just fine.


3.9mm drill bit didn't work for me... any other suggestions on drilling out the rivets? Decided not to go this route.


----------



## G59Scrim

Hey everyone, so I have a Cooler Master 120 Advanced case and I'm looking for ways to make it quieter and cooler.

I moved the front big fan and I put it in the drive cage putting air into the motherboard, but I've seen a lot of people removing the drive cage itself, is it worth it? (how do you remove it) and how do you then secure the ssds and hdds?
It has no GPU yet, and I was thinking to buy a RX 460 just for CS:GO because that's all I play.
One thing I also have trouble with is the cable management, how the hell do you manage to get a clean build with a non-modular PSU?


----------



## 348299

Hi guys, my temps are a bit high on this case using everything on stock.
when gaming it can reach 80c on cpu, i also put the side fan to exaust the minimize the heat. i am wondering if i should use a closed water cooler or change the front fan, because when i put my hand inside the case the airflow is so minimal that i think the fan is not even running.
right now is like this, but with the small 80mm fan on the side as a exhaust.

I will probably upgrade from a 660ti to a 1070, i wonder if i should stick with blower fans, or should i get an open air like the gigabyte one with 3 fans.
I use it on a cabinet open only at the front, when gaming, the temps behind the case get very hot, and i think the PSU is sucking that hot air.
What to you guys recommend to get better temps on this case? i also did one test without the lit, and the temps were about the same, 77c for cpu.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> Hi guys, my temps are a bit high on this case using everything on stock.
> when gaming it can reach 80c on cpu, i also put the side fan to exaust the minimize the heat. i am wondering if i should use a closed water cooler or change the front fan, because when i put my hand inside the case the airflow is so minimal that i think the fan is not even running.
> right now is like this, but with the small 80mm fan on the side as a exhaust.
> 
> I will probably upgrade from a 660ti to a 1070, i wonder if i should stick with blower fans, or should i get an open air like the gigabyte one with 3 fans.
> I use it on a cabinet open only at the front, when gaming, the temps behind the case get very hot, and i think the PSU is sucking that hot air.
> What to you guys recommend to get better temps on this case? i also did one test without the lit, and the temps were about the same, 77c for cpu.


Ditch the stock cpu cooler and upgrade the front intake fan.


----------



## 348299

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Ditch the stock cpu cooler and upgrade the front intake fan.


So a closed watercooler like seidon 120v or corsair h55 would be a good option?
And if i do this can i use an open air gpu or is better to stick with blower?


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> So a closed watercooler like seidon 120v or corsair h55 would be a good option?
> And if i do this can i use an open air gpu or is better to stick with blower?


An AIO with better fans (Noctua) would be a good option since the case's only fresh air is from the front.
For the GPU, a blower fan. The non-reference cards (2-3 fan) will mostly blow the hot air back into the case.
Have the PSU fan facing down to act as an exhaust.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *G59Scrim*
> 
> Hey everyone, so I have a Cooler Master 120 Advanced case and I'm looking for ways to make it quieter and cooler.
> 
> I moved the front big fan and I put it in the drive cage putting air into the motherboard, but I've seen a lot of people removing the drive cage itself, is it worth it? (how do you remove it) and how do you then secure the ssds and hdds?
> It has no GPU yet, and I was thinking to buy a RX 460 just for CS:GO because that's all I play.
> One thing I also have trouble with is the cable management, how the hell do you manage to get a clean build with a non-modular PSU?


Without knowing more about your build, it's hard to recommend.
- If you aren't using the 5 1/4 bay or some of the HDD bays, then you could stuff some of the wiring there. Then feed what is needed to the components. These cases have holes and notches for zip ties, so you need to examine your system and build from there.
See this build for an example (not my build): https://pcpartpicker.com/b/HKkTwP
Another example is from the Elite 120's page: http://assets.coolermaster.com/global/uploadfile/fileproduct_list/P1302180520dfff/PRDPIC/26c11628222cdce3cb93dc0eb826b0a8_1361409112.jpg
- Get better fans (Noctua or BeQuiet) for the front and end of the drive bay.


----------



## 348299

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> An AIO with better fans (Noctua) would be a good option since the case's only fresh air is from the front.
> For the GPU, a blower fan. The non-reference cards (2-3 fan) will mostly blow the hot air back into the case.
> Have the PSU fan facing down to act as an exhaust.


One thing i noticed yesterday from my blower 660ti was the fact that even it exhausting all hot air to outside of the case, the cart itself gets pretty hot, near the rear of the case, and i think this heat is not exhausted properly.
Also from what i saw from gtx 1070 founders review on guru3d, seems like it heats at the same spot as my current card.
isn't this heat being trapped the same way as an open air card? I don't even know if the 80mm exhaust fan is doint the job properly because when i used it without the lid the temps were about the same.
My plan would be adding an aio cooler to the cpu, like a seidon 120v or a corsair h45, still deciding which one, upgrading to a cooler video card like the 1070 g1 gaming, i think the 3 fan setup will keep the card cool, because right now even at 80% fan speed my 660ti is still at 70c, and really loud. And also add one or two side 120mm exhaust fans to replace the 80mm, and also flipping the psu to act as an exhaust too. What do you think about this setup?
EDIT:
My specs - 3570k stock, 8gb ddr3, gtx 660ti sc, xfx core pro 550w. sandisk ssd plus 240gb.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> One thing i noticed yesterday from my blower 660ti was the fact that even it exhausting all hot air to outside of the case, the cart itself gets pretty hot, near the rear of the case, and i think this heat is not exhausted properly.
> Also from what i saw from gtx 1070 founders review on guru3d, seems like it heats at the same spot as my current card.
> isn't this heat being trapped the same way as an open air card?


If I recall correctly, that is one of the trade-offs of the blower vs open air GPU. Since the end of the card is not getting as effectively cooled, then the back gets warmer.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> I don't even know if the 80mm exhaust fan is doint the job properly because when i used it without the lid the temps were about the same.
> My plan would be adding an aio cooler to the cpu, like a seidon 120v or a corsair h45, still deciding which one, upgrading to a cooler video card like the 1070 g1 gaming, i think the 3 fan setup will keep the card cool, because right now even at 80% fan speed my 660ti is still at 70c, and really loud. And also add one or two side 120mm exhaust fans to replace the 80mm, and also flipping the psu to act as an exhaust too. What do you think about this setup?
> EDIT:
> My specs - 3570k stock, 8gb ddr3, gtx 660ti sc, xfx core pro 550w. sandisk ssd plus 240gb.


My current setup goes like this. In place of the 80mm side fan, I have a 120mm slim intake fan held on by zip ties. I have a Noctua NH-L12 CPU cooler on my (slightly) undervolted i3 and my PSU is exhausting the air from the case. My EVGA GTX 970 is the biggest issue as it is an open air cooler and with a reduced power target (if that does anything..), during gaming, alot of heat is going into the case - part of it goes through the PSU vent, though, partially due to the side fan blowing in that direction. My iniital plan was to water cool just the GPU, since my temps with the CPU are ok. My case is on my desk and all sides are getting fresh air.

The 1070 would run alot cooler than your 660. Still there is the concern of the heat in the back of the card. What you are planning sounds fine. You will need slim 120mm fans in place of the 80mm fan and I would keep them as intakes, this way the other motherboard components get air and could *try* to help cool the back of the 660/1070.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> One thing i noticed yesterday from my blower 660ti was the fact that even it exhausting all hot air to outside of the case, the cart itself gets pretty hot, near the rear of the case, and i think this heat is not exhausted properly.
> Also from what i saw from gtx 1070 founders review on guru3d, seems like it heats at the same spot as my current card.
> isn't this heat being trapped the same way as an open air card? I don't even know if the 80mm exhaust fan is doint the job properly because when i used it without the lid the temps were about the same.
> My plan would be adding an aio cooler to the cpu, like a seidon 120v or a corsair h45, still deciding which one, upgrading to a cooler video card like the 1070 g1 gaming, i think the 3 fan setup will keep the card cool, because right now even at 80% fan speed my 660ti is still at 70c, and really loud. And also add one or two side 120mm exhaust fans to replace the 80mm, and also flipping the psu to act as an exhaust too. What do you think about this setup?
> EDIT:
> My specs - 3570k stock, 8gb ddr3, gtx 660ti sc, xfx core pro 550w. sandisk ssd plus 240gb.


I agree with the post above. You need to remember that regardless of which style of GPU you are getting the fans will be intaking air, if you have the 80mm set as exhaust it will be fighting with the GPU for the airflow.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> I agree with the post above. You need to remember that regardless of which style of GPU you are getting the fans will be intaking air, if you have the 80mm set as exhaust it will be fighting with the GPU for the airflow.


The 80mm fan is on the opposite side of the case, so it wouldn't be fighting for GPU air.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> One thing i noticed yesterday from my blower 660ti was the fact that even it exhausting all hot air to outside of the case, the cart itself gets pretty hot, near the rear of the case, and i think this heat is not exhausted properly.
> Also from what i saw from gtx 1070 founders review on guru3d, seems like it heats at the same spot as my current card.
> isn't this heat being trapped the same way as an open air card? I don't even know if the 80mm exhaust fan is doint the job properly because when i used it without the lid the temps were about the same.
> My plan would be adding an aio cooler to the cpu, like a seidon 120v or a corsair h45, still deciding which one, upgrading to a cooler video card like the 1070 g1 gaming, i think the 3 fan setup will keep the card cool, because right now even at 80% fan speed my 660ti is still at 70c, and really loud. And also add one or two side 120mm exhaust fans to replace the 80mm, and also flipping the psu to act as an exhaust too. What do you think about this setup?
> EDIT:
> My specs - 3570k stock, 8gb ddr3, gtx 660ti sc, xfx core pro 550w. sandisk ssd plus 240gb.


I agree with the post above. You need to remember that regardless of which style of GPU you are getting the fans will be intaking air, if you have the 80mm set as exhaust it will be fighting with the GPU for the airflow.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> The 80mm fan is on the opposite side of the case, so it wouldn't be fighting for GPU air.


oops my bad, I was thinking it was designed like my Elite 110 which has the 80mm fan mounts on the same side as the GPU, never mind.


----------



## 348299

Seems like big part of my problem was the BIOS setting of CPU fan.
I disabled the q fan for front intake now it runs at 100% speed i think, i disabled it for cpu too for a while but didn't like the idea of cpu fan running at 100% speed all the time, so i tweaked some setings of cpu fan and now it goes all the way to 100% when cpu temperature is higher than 50c that is when i am gaming, i played for an hour and cpu got 70c only once, most of the time was at 65c, i also flipped the PSU to act as exhaust, that maybe helped a bit.
The gpu still gets warm, but i am using stock fan curve, and it never goes above 50% speed, and max out at 83c.
I also don't think is a good idea using the side fan as intake in my situation, because i think it can intake the hot air that was exhausted by gpu and psu at the back of the case because i use my pc in a cabinet only open on the front, there is 30cm clearance from each side and 20cm on top, when i put my hand back there is easy to feel the hot air.
the stock intel cooler and case fans are almost inaudible from the distance i am using my pc even at 100%, but the gpu i can hear at 60% speed.
I think i will end up buying a 3 fan gpu like 1070 g1 gaming, because all the card will get cooler, and i can use higher fan speed with less noise compared to blower.
I see a lot of people using open air gpus in this case with no problems, if the temps get too out of control i will return it for a blower one.


----------



## Glendor

Hi All,
Probably nothing you haven't seen before, but I'm pretty happy with the results and I thought I would share...

My Labor Day project was to water cool the GPU *&* CPU in my Elite 120 using two Corsair AIO coolers that I already own. The CPU would be cooled by a H60 (square pump head) and the GPU - a HD 7870 Myst Ed. (Tahiti Le) card - with a Kraken G10 bracket which requires a H55 (round pump head). First, I needed a place to mount the radiators, and since I would never put three hard drive in that cage, I drilled out the rivets and removed the 3-bay cage entirely. An SSD is mounted above the optical drive where I think there is room for two drives side by side, or above the PSU if I decide to mount additional SSDs. Removing the drive cage freed up the space for one radiator behind the normal 120mm fan, but I still need a place to mount the 2nd radiator. What I did was I cut the hard drive cage in half, separating the front from the back, and kept the back half. It of course has a mount for a 120mm fan, but it is obstructed by the drive rails so I cut/snipped/filed away the obstructing metal to allow it to flow freely. I have to say, that metal is harder than I expected and I killed many dremell cutting disks before I resorted to a hacksaw and snips. Then I re-mounted the back half of the cage (now a 2nd fan/rad mount) into the original rivet holes using pop rivets. Other than the 120mm hole being a bit ragged, it looks really good, and you can't see the filed edges anyway since they are sandwiched between the GPU fan & radiator.

From the front to back of the chassis I have: Front cover (off an Elite 130) < CPU fan < CPU Rad | 2.5" space | GPU Rad > GPU Fan > Motherboard > PSU & rear chassis fan > back of case. I used the front off my Elite 130 for the mesh panel. Seriously Cooler Master, a solid panel on the 120??? *** were you thinking???

The front CPU fan pulls air across the radiator and exhausts out the front, and the GPU fan pulls across the radiator and exhausts into the case. I would rather have had the hotter GPU blowing out the front, but the stiffness of the H60 hoses and square pump bracket prevented that option. I believe that if I replace, the H60 with an H55, I might be able to reverse the two radiators. The motherboard doesn't really heat up appreciably from the GPU exhaust and the PSU fan and chassis fan in the back right side of the Elite 120 pull heat off the motherboard very well. I was a little unsure if the 2.5" space between the two radiators would be sufficient to allow fresh air into the radiators, but it is and temps are great. I did add a thin silent fan on the front right side blowing outside air into the space between the radiators and temps dropped even further. I ran the Heaven benchmark three times to measure the GPU core temp at different stages in the build: on an OEM air cooler = 80c, on water= 52c, on water w/ increased outside air = 48c. I'm very happy with the temps. The Corsair pump heads are plugged into the two motherboard headers, and the four fans are plugged into a Silverstone 8 way fan "block". The block doesn't have fan controls, and the two Corsair fans are a little louder than I prefer, so I will either replace the fans or figure out some way to slow them down a tad. Overall, I'm very happy with the results, and I like that it all fits under the factory cover. Let me know if you have any suggestions for improvements.

My apologies in advance for the images, the cabling still leaves a lot to be desired. I won't be happy with that till rev 3 or 4 ;-)


(The GPU fan was moved from it's normal location to better cool the VRM)


Parts List

Cooler Master Elite 120 w/ Elite 130 front panel
Asus M4A88T-I Deluxe
Amd Phenom II 1055T (95w) w/ mild overclock
Corsair H60 AIW CPU cooler
2x4mb SODIMMs
Powercolor HD7870 Myst Ed. (Tahiti Le)
Kraken G10 water cooling bracket
Corsair H50 AIW CPU cooler (on GPU)
Antec 650w PSU
Samsung Evo 840 500gb
DVDRW
Silverstone fan hub


----------



## Steve1207

So, here is my ITX build with 3 3,5" HDD's:

Case: Cooler Master Elite 110
MB: Asrock H81M-ITX/Wifi
CPU: Intel Core i5 4590S
Cooler: Intel stock
RAM: 2x8GB DDR3 - Samsung 1600 Mhz
VGA: Gigabyte Geforce GTX 960 2GB
PSU: FSP Hexa 400+
SSD: 1x 256GB SSD
HDD: 3x 3,5"-os Samsung 2TB

Others: Front cooler, Xbox 360 wireless reciever,

Temperatures:

Average use, idle:
CPU: 35-37C, SSD: 30C, all HDD: 33C, GTX: 33C

Half hour gaming (max temperatures):
CPU: 63C, SSD: 33C, GTX: 62C, HDD-s: 2x37C 1x38C

CPU cooler profile mode silent, the first fan standard rpm.


Top


U can see a lot of cables on the right side, the front fan space is empty, only the SSD because the cooling.


A bit crowded, but we have a small part for cooling.

And the front fan panel hided the xbox 360 reciever


----------



## equilni

Updated system build.
http://pcpartpicker.com/list/wnBBqk

*CPU: Intel Core i5-4690S 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor* Upgraded from an i3
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L12 37.8 CFM CPU Cooler - w/ Noctua 92mm in (exhaust) push, Prolimatech 120mm slim in (exhaust) pull
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97N-WIFI Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill Value 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Memory: G.Skill Value 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
*Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB SC GAMING Video Card* Upgraded from an GTX 970
Case: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini ITX Tower Case - replaced side 80mm with Prolimatech 120mm intake
*Power Supply: Corsair SF 450W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX PSU* Upgraded from an CS550M

Sold off my i3, GTX 950, & GTX 970 & WC parts to fund the upgrade. I am still playing with the fan configurations, PSU placement, and of course cable management.



Updated pics:


----------



## 348299

Hi guys. does anyone here already modded an elite 130 to use the power supply on the front?
I want to make something like this to be able to use a hyper 212 cpu cooler.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> Hi guys. does anyone here already modded an elite 130 to use the power supply on the front?
> I want to make something like this to be able to use a hyper 212 cpu cooler.


This guy did by building a bracket, but it appears he lost the ability to use a GPU.
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=278861 (I could have sworn I saw the thread on this forum...)


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> Hi guys. does anyone here already modded an elite 130 to use the power supply on the front?
> I want to make something like this to be able to use a hyper 212 cpu cooler.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> This guy did by building a bracket, but it appears he lost the ability to use a GPU.
> http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=278861 (I could have sworn I saw the thread on this forum...)


He did a good job but used a massive PSU to do it. If you used a SFX PSU, mounted in a similar fashion, it should work well.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> He did a good job but used a massive PSU to do it. If you used a SFX PSU, mounted in a similar fashion, it should work well.


Using a SFX PSU, I would have it standing up like so
https://smallformfactor.net/wp-content/uploads/Corsair-SF600-SilverStone-SX600-G-750x1500.jpg

As you can see from the dimensions, it's 1mm shy of the bottom of the drive bay and 2.5mm shorter than the fan screws mounts (zip tie bracket anyone?)
https://www.pcper.com/files/imagecache/article_max_width/review/2012-10-29/6e-Dimensions.gif
http://likestuff.globat.com/Gateway_i7/fba12g-1%20120mm%20case%20fan%20side%20panel%20cut%20out%20diagram%20dimensions%20cutout%20template.gif


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Using a SFX PSU, I would have it standing up like so
> https://smallformfactor.net/wp-content/uploads/Corsair-SF600-SilverStone-SX600-G-750x1500.jpg
> 
> As you can see from the dimensions, it's 1mm shy of the bottom of the drive bay and 2.5mm shorter than the fan screws mounts (zip tie bracket anyone?)
> https://www.pcper.com/files/imagecache/article_max_width/review/2012-10-29/6e-Dimensions.gif
> http://likestuff.globat.com/Gateway_i7/fba12g-1%20120mm%20case%20fan%20side%20panel%20cut%20out%20diagram%20dimensions%20cutout%20template.gif


That would work well. Sits right behind the fan so you would have fresh air intake, exhaust it out the bottom and have access to the modular plugs from the side. I have a Corsair SF450 in my Ncase and recommend Corsair highly.


----------



## equilni

Does anyone know if there will be a refresh of the Elite 130 (140?) coming out?

Some things I would like to see in an updated version.
a. A third PCI slot or room to allot for 2.5 slot GPUs or to put fans to force air the to GPU like on the CPU side of the Elite 130 or similar the Ncase M1 & Lian Li.

Not my question, but:
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3153159/slot-gpu-fit-mini-itx-cube-cases.html

My case with a 120x25mm side fan on the CPU side (no zip ties or bracket needed):
http://i.imgur.com/KNktDAb.jpg

There is no room for a 120x15mm fan on the GPU side:
http://i.imgur.com/Nf4AFKe.jpg

NCase
http://i.imgur.com/xZawVg3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/yPuuNzV.jpg
Lian Li PC-Q10
http://www.modders-inc.com/wp-content/uploads/image//2016/01/Side-View-Hardware-inside.jpg
Lian Li PC-Q01
http://www.lian-li.com/tw/files/2014/01/q01-f-03.png

b. Allowance for the drive bay to be removed by screws instead of rivets....

c. More vents on the case
- Vents for aftermarket GPUs to exhaust air:
Problem is like the EVGA 1070 pictured here, the heat goes up and down back into the case:
http://cdn.techfrag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/EVGA-GTX-1070-SC-Gaming_Computex-2016_2.jpg

Even the AMD card CM has pictured would blow back in to the case:
http://images.bit-tech.net/content_images/2013/04/amd-radeon-hd-7990-6gb-review/7990-7b.jpg

LZ7 Case has a solution by making vents along the top area of the case to allow heat from the GPU to be exhausted.
http://i0.wp.com/www.lazer3d.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/LZ7-Window-GPU-Side-Panel.jpg?fit=640%2C411
And bottom:
http://i1.wp.com/www.lazer3d.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/LZ7-Base-Panel-HiFi-Feet.jpg?fit=640%2C480
http://i.imgur.com/doT9JrH.jpg

- More exhaust vents to allow for 2 thin 120mm fans to be installed:
My system with 120mm x 25mm fan as an example. This is on top of the SFX PSU
http://i.imgur.com/r4SGbKu.jpg?1

Core 500:
http://techreport.com/r.x/fractaldesigncore500/front34.jpg
http://techreport.com/r.x/fractaldesigncore500/open-top.jpg

Also perhaps making the Elite taller to allow those with a SFX PSU and easily removing the drive bay to install a 240 rad....

d. (Minor request) Make all the vents the same. The sides have a grid, the top is an offset grid, the front is honeycomb...


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Does anyone know if there will be a refresh of the Elite 130 (140?) coming out?
> 
> Some things I would like to see in an updated version.
> a. A third PCI slot or room to allot for 2.5 slot GPUs or to put fans to force air the to GPU like on the CPU side of the Elite 130 or similar the Ncase M1 & Lian Li.
> 
> Not my question, but:
> http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3153159/slot-gpu-fit-mini-itx-cube-cases.html
> 
> My case with a 120x25mm side fan on the CPU side (no zip ties or bracket needed):
> http://i.imgur.com/KNktDAb.jpg
> 
> There is no room for a 120x15mm fan on the GPU side:
> http://i.imgur.com/Nf4AFKe.jpg
> 
> NCase
> http://i.imgur.com/xZawVg3.jpg
> http://i.imgur.com/yPuuNzV.jpg
> Lian Li PC-Q10
> http://www.modders-inc.com/wp-content/uploads/image//2016/01/Side-View-Hardware-inside.jpg
> Lian Li PC-Q01
> http://www.lian-li.com/tw/files/2014/01/q01-f-03.png
> 
> b. Allowance for the drive bay to be removed by screws instead of rivets....
> 
> c. More vents on the case
> - Vents for aftermarket GPUs to exhaust air:
> Problem is like the EVGA 1070 pictured here, the heat goes up and down back into the case:
> http://cdn.techfrag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/EVGA-GTX-1070-SC-Gaming_Computex-2016_2.jpg
> 
> Even the AMD card CM has pictured would blow back in to the case:
> http://images.bit-tech.net/content_images/2013/04/amd-radeon-hd-7990-6gb-review/7990-7b.jpg
> 
> LZ7 Case has a solution by making vents along the top area of the case to allow heat from the GPU to be exhausted.
> http://i0.wp.com/www.lazer3d.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/LZ7-Window-GPU-Side-Panel.jpg?fit=640%2C411
> And bottom:
> http://i1.wp.com/www.lazer3d.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/LZ7-Base-Panel-HiFi-Feet.jpg?fit=640%2C480
> http://i.imgur.com/doT9JrH.jpg
> 
> - More exhaust vents to allow for 2 thin 120mm fans to be installed:
> My system with 120mm x 25mm fan as an example. This is on top of the SFX PSU
> http://i.imgur.com/r4SGbKu.jpg?1
> 
> Core 500:
> http://techreport.com/r.x/fractaldesigncore500/front34.jpg
> http://techreport.com/r.x/fractaldesigncore500/open-top.jpg
> 
> Also perhaps making the Elite taller to allow those with a SFX PSU and easily removing the drive bay to install a 240 rad....
> 
> d. (Minor request) Make all the vents the same. The sides have a grid, the top is an offset grid, the front is honeycomb...


You could post in the Cooler Master forum, they have a product suggestion thread. http://community.coolermaster.com/index.php/forum/31-product-suggestions/


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> You could post in the Cooler Master forum, they have a product suggestion thread. http://community.coolermaster.com/index.php/forum/31-product-suggestions/


Thanks, I posted there for more visibility.


----------



## frostbite

I have an elite110 as my web box, its a nice compact case although one problem I have with it being so small is the power supply needs removing to add or remove components


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> This guy did by building a bracket, but it appears he lost the ability to use a GPU.
> http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=278861 (I could have sworn I saw the thread on this forum...)


Here are some more examples I found:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1452338/cooler-master-elite-m-itx-case-owners-club/850_50#post_25457567

Incomplete mods:
http://community.coolermaster.com/index.php/topic/10191-mikuitx-elite-120-case-mod/
http://community.coolermaster.com/index.php/topic/10395-minimax-elite-120-modlog/

I have a question for anyone with a 110:
On the CPU side (non GPU side), what is the width between the motherboard and the end of the case? Does the PSU decrease that width? I want to see if a 120x15mm wide fan can fit just like the 80mm fan for a 130.
Not my PPP but from: https://pcpartpicker.com/b/6pnnTW
https://cdn.pcpartpicker.com/static/forever/images/userbuild/140040.74a466104294097663c49a0963fbc7d4.a75045b4d64ea2a1939a5c5ca9e916e8.1600.jpg
From: https://pcpartpicker.com/b/mqGfrH
https://cdn.pcpartpicker.com/static/forever/images/userbuild/168279.1838ba0704dd896a5843141877137f27.5549b40d2f17a8291391c969a4259d90.1600.jpg


----------



## 348299

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> This guy did by building a bracket, but it appears he lost the ability to use a GPU.
> http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=278861 (I could have sworn I saw the thread on this forum...)


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> He did a good job but used a massive PSU to do it. If you used a SFX PSU, mounted in a similar fashion, it should work well.


Thanks, i think i already saw that mod but i thought he used a gpu too.
I think i will just use the psu externally and install a hyper 212x to see if i can get improved temps, if yes i will find another case, if not i will just use intel stock and keep the elite.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> Thanks, i think i already saw that mod but i thought he used a gpu too.
> I think i will just use the psu externally and install a hyper 212x to see if i can get improved temps, if yes i will find another case, if not i will just use intel stock and keep the elite.


Did you ever upgrade the stock cooler?


----------



## frostbite

Quote:


> I have a question for anyone with a 110:
> On the CPU side (non GPU side), what is the width between the motherboard and the end of the case? Does the PSU decrease that width? I want to see if a 120x15mm wide fan can fit


There is no space for a fan, the psu sits right above the cpu so you are limited to a certain height although I managed to gain around 10mm by fitting an sfx psu and a silverstone bracket


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frostbite*
> 
> There is no space for a fan, the psu sits right above the cpu so you are limited to a certain height although I managed to gain around 10mm by fitting an sfx psu and a silverstone bracket


Thanks. I should have asked a little more clearer. I wanted to know if I could mimic a 120/130 where there is a slim side fan is used blowing onto the motherboard/CPU cooler.


----------



## frostbite

Cooler-Master-Elite-110-Mini-ITX-Case-Motherboard-Installed.jpg 64k .jpg file


There is honestly no room for a fan


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frostbite*
> 
> There is honestly no room for a fan


Thanks.

The back of both the 110 & 130 led me to believe there could be enough room.

130: (screw holes for the side 80mm fan comes below the left side PSU screws)
http://assets.coolermaster.com/global/uploadfile/fileproduct_list/P13080900015478/PRDPIC/10_c7130f28df6bd56266fe5e93afce0c65_1376014287.jpg
110:
http://assets.coolermaster.com/global/uploadfile/fileproduct_list/P1310080001d512/PRDPIC/10_ead6bb5d4a2816a56cdcb70d6b733e24_1381951271.jpg

The picture you linked showed it may not be possible, this picture shows me it might be:
https://www.pcper.com/files/review/2014-05-31/27-Mobo.jpg
Then the following picture leads me to believe the PSU blocks that... I guess the angle..
https://www.pcper.com/files/imagecache/article_max_width/review/2014-05-31/29-VGA2.jpg
But here shows me it could be possible as well with the PSU installed:
https://www.pcper.com/files/review/2014-05-31/35-Drives.jpg

This is an awesome WC build of the 110:
http://www.dazmode.com/_forum/showthread.php?1029-Lil-bit


----------



## 348299

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Did you ever upgrade the stock cooler?


Never. Mainly because all slim coolers that i find on stores don't have a big improvement from stock like a hyper 212x.
The noctua nhl9i here in my country is more expensive than a corsair hydro h75 and it will not be that good for a 3570k.
the hyper 212x is kinda of a safe bet, everybody that i know that bought it have great temps and it is pretty cheap for what it offers. That is why i am considering to replace the case just for it.


----------



## k1hsaf

Hello world! I am very new to this forum and thanks god I found this thread. It tooks me few hours to read ~75-90% of it but I am still confused with few things, so I wonna ask my questions. But I will do this a bit later, because at first I have to apologize for my poor English and ofcourse show you my system configuration after this:

*CPU*: Intel 4790K
*CPU Cooler*: Noctua L9x65
*M/B*: ASUS Z97I-Plus
*RAM*: 2X8GB Mushkin 2133Mhz
*Graphics*: ASUS R9 270 OC Edition
*SSD*: Kingston HyperX 256GB
*HDD*: Seagate 1TB 7200
*Case*: Elite 120 Advanced (Black) w/replaced coolers
*Front cooler*: Noctua NF-S12A PWM
*Right side cooler:* Blacknoise NB-IP55 Serie 8015

So, as you can see, I prefered only air cooling in my PC. I think, that is because of:

Fear of anything liquid in PC








When I bought my PC (2 years ago), I even didn't thought that it would be neccessary
I found this thread where 90% of builds contains liquid cooling only yestarday








Few weeks ago I've updated my build with all three new coolers which are all listed in my build for now.After reading this thread I found that the best idea for better cooling in Elite 120\130 is to use liquid cooling. But I already gone with the wrong aircololing-road and don't wonna turn to another way (at the moment, maybe later I will grasp that liquid cooling is the only way to go).

I've got next results: My CPU with turned off TurboBoost shows ~50C idle and when I am working my coolers annoying me because of the temperature rises to ~80C. What I want? I want much less temperatures, so I can use TurboBoost or even OC







.

So, after reading a lot of posts, I found that next steps could be usefull in archieving my goal without using liquid cooling:

To get better airflow, I have to throw out drive bay. I am thinking of leaving 5' bay because I am using it for cable management... on the other side, there will be no cables at all to manage after you will read this list to the end, so I can throw out it too








I wonna replace both of my drives (SSD & HDD) with one M.2 NVMe SSD, so I will get speed boost + less drives in my case + less cables
I need to do something with my front panel to get better airflow. I've just talked to support of cmstore.eu and I was said that I can replace my front panel with the one from Elite 130 advanced but I will need to replace the Power\Reset module.
Another thing I want to do is to make a hole in the right side of the case where 80mm cooler stands --> it would be easier to push the hot air out of the case because now even when cooler is working at 100% = 2800rpm, the airflow is so weak... I think this could be only for one reason - it is very hard to push the air through this small rectangular holes in the case
What do you think about my plan? Will it help?







What is the highest priority to start with?
Thanks a lot for reading this and for your replies for sure







.


----------



## Smanci

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k1hsaf*
> 
> So, after reading a lot of posts, I found that next steps could be usefull in archieving my goal without using liquid cooling:
> 
> To get better airflow, I have to throw out drive bay. I am thinking of leaving 5' bay because I am using it for cable management... on the other side, there will be no cables at all to manage after you will read this list to the end, so I can throw out it too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonna replace both of my drives (SSD & HDD) with one M.2 NVMe SSD, so I will get speed boost + less drives in my case + less cables
> I need to do something with my front panel to get better airflow. I've just talked to support of cmstore.eu and I was said that I can replace my front panel with the one from Elite 130 advanced but I will need to replace the Power\Reset module.
> Another thing I want to do is to make a hole in the right side of the case where 80mm cooler stands --> it would be easier to push the hot air out of the case because now even when cooler is working at 100% = 2800rpm, the airflow is so weak... I think this could be only for one reason - it is very hard to push the air through this small rectangular holes in the case
> What do you think about my plan? Will it help?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What is the highest priority to start with?
> Thanks a lot for reading this and for your replies for sure
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


I'd recommend getting a proper case like Node 304 or Core 500 first. That's really the easiest, cheapest and the best step to achieve what you're after.


----------



## equilni

Edited my post since I was on mobile before...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k1hsaf*
> 
> *CPU*: Intel 4790K
> *CPU Cooler*: Noctua L9x65
> *M/B*: ASUS Z97I-Plus
> *RAM*: 2X8GB Mushkin 2133Mhz
> *Graphics*: ASUS R9 270 OC Edition
> *SSD*: Kingston HyperX 256GB
> *HDD*: Seagate 1TB 7200
> *Case*: Elite 120 Advanced (Black) w/replaced coolers
> *Front cooler*: Noctua NF-S12A PWM
> *Right side cooler:* Blacknoise NB-IP55 Serie 8015
> 
> ...
> 
> I've got next results: My CPU with turned off TurboBoost shows ~50C idle and when I am working my coolers annoying me because of the temperature rises to ~80C. What I want? I want much less temperatures, so I can use TurboBoost or even OC
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


@k1hsaf, The Noctua L9x65 is recommended up to 84 TDP and based on your cooling issues, it not recommend for TurboBoost or O/C.
Quote:


> "88W* OK Recommended with good case ventilation, Intel Turbo Mode disabled and typical workloads only (not recommended for continuous 100% load on all CPU cores)."


The chip is at 88 TDP.
http://noctua.at/en/nh_l9x65_tdp_guidelines
http://ark.intel.com/products/80807/Intel-Core-i7-4790K-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-4_40-GHz#@product/specifications
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k1hsaf*
> 
> 
> To get better airflow, I have to throw out drive bay. I am thinking of leaving 5' bay because I am using it for cable management... on the other side, there will be no cables at all to manage after you will read this list to the end, so I can throw out it too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonna replace both of my drives (SSD & HDD) with one M.2 NVMe SSD, so I will get speed boost + less drives in my case + less cables
> I need to do something with my front panel to get better airflow. I've just talked to support of cmstore.eu and I was said that I can replace my front panel with the one from Elite 130 advanced but I will need to replace the Power\Reset module.
> Another thing I want to do is to make a hole in the right side of the case where 80mm cooler stands --> it would be easier to push the hot air out of the case because now even when cooler is working at 100% = 2800rpm, the airflow is so weak... I think this could be only for one reason - it is very hard to push the air through this small rectangular holes in the case


I would look at a better cooler, then use the 80mm side fan as an intake and the the 120mm as exhausts.. you can also put a slim 120mm where the 80mm fan.

Here are different slim coolers (not sure of your county's availability)
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/low-profile-heat-sink-mini-itx,3639.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mini-itx-cpu-air-cooler-round-up,4406.html


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> Never. Mainly because all slim coolers that i find on stores don't have a big improvement from stock like a hyper 212x.
> The noctua nhl9i here in my country is more expensive than a corsair hydro h75 and it will not be that good for a 3570k.
> the hyper 212x is kinda of a safe bet, everybody that i know that bought it have great temps and it is pretty cheap for what it offers. That is why i am considering to replace the case just for it.


I posted two links in the previous post showing slim coolers working better than the stock Intel cooler. This was the reason I got the NH-L12.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/low-profile-heat-sink-mini-itx,3639-19.html


----------



## 348299

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> I posted two links in the previous post showing slim coolers working better than the stock Intel cooler. This was the reason I got the NH-L12.
> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/low-profile-heat-sink-mini-itx,3639-19.html


Some weeks ago i decided to buy the nh l12, mainly because i could use it in my elite 130 and if i replace the case it would be even better because i can use the top fan, but like i said before noctua is extremely overpriced here. with the price of this cooler i can buy a corsair h80i v2 that i think is better than nhl12.
the hyper 212x is a third of the price of both these coolers and with the rest of the money i can buy a corsair 400c or other case that i still not decided yet.
another friend recommended me a raijintek pallas but i don't know if it will fi on elite 130.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> Some weeks ago i decided to buy the nh l12, mainly because i could use it in my elite 130 and if i replace the case it would be even better because i can use the top fan, but like i said before noctua is extremely overpriced here. with the price of this cooler i can buy a corsair h80i v2 that i think is better than nhl12.
> the hyper 212x is a third of the price of both these coolers and with the rest of the money i can buy a corsair 400c or other case that i still not decided yet.
> another friend recommended me a raijintek pallas but i don't know if it will fi on elite 130.


Anything is better than the stock cooler. The Pallas will not fit int he Elite 130. If you had a SFX PSU and low profile RAM, then it would.


----------



## 348299

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Anything is better than the stock cooler. The Pallas will not fit int he Elite 130. If you had a SFX PSU and low profile RAM, then it would.


I think i will just get a h80i v2. What do you think? From the reviews i saw it beats the hyper 212x and maybe will fit in elite 130 fine.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leandronb*
> 
> I think i will just get a h80i v2. What do you think? From the reviews i saw it beats the hyper 212x and maybe will fit in elite 130 fine.


It will fit in the Elite just fine.


----------



## equilni

Cooler Master updated the 110 to have a solid front panel:
http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mini-itx/elite110a/
http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mini-itx/elite110/


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Cooler Master updated the 110 to have a solid front panel:
> http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mini-itx/elite110a/
> http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mini-itx/elite110/


Looks good, wonder what the airflow is like compared to the mesh front.


----------



## frostbite

Oh man, at least it saves the cleaning of the dust honeycombs


----------



## akafreak

Please give some suggestions regarding this build -

Case - Elite 110
Mobo - Asrock Fatality Z270 Gaming ITX/ac
CPU - i5 7600k
Cooler - Noctua NH L12 (bottom fan only)
PSU - Seasonic G 550 Watt
HDD - 750 Evo 250 GB
RAM - Corsair Vengeance LPX 8 GB 2400MHz
GPU - None

I will buy similar dust filter provided with the case on front panel and cover both sides.

Since I will have an extra 120mm fan (top fan of NH L12), I was thinking of mounting it as intake with zip ties on the left side where 80mm fan mounts are provided. I also have an extra 80mm fan from my Elite 130 which I am thinking of putting somewhere on the right side in this build as exhaust.

What do you guys think of this?


----------



## Baelog

Hmmm I removed the mesh from the top grill and mounted a 120mm fan there instead (exhaust). Fits perfectly if you manage to remove the mesh holders and remove the top HDD holder (given you mount your drive above the 80mm'S). Works well when you put it on the side where the 80mm's are mounted (as intakes). The tricky part is when closing the case, but once you manage to find the right angles it slides just as expected.

Just an idea


----------



## akafreak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Baelog*
> 
> Hmmm I removed the mesh from the top grill and mounted a 120mm fan there instead (exhaust). Fits perfectly if you manage to remove the mesh holders and remove the top HDD holder (given you mount your drive above the 80mm'S). Works well when you put it on the side where the 80mm's are mounted (as intakes). The tricky part is when closing the case, but once you manage to find the right angles it slides just as expected.
> 
> Just an idea


Thanks but I intend to use the top grill as PSU intake. Can an 80mm fan be mounted on the right side (opposite to PCIE slot) sandwiched between motherboard and side cover. It looks like a tight squeeze but it just might be possible. Thanks again and +rep.


----------



## frostbite

You could try a slim 15mm fan


----------



## akafreak

Between Noctua NH L12 with only bottom fan (92 mm) and Deepcool Gabriel with its single 120mm fan, which one would you prefer if both are similarly priced? The performance seems almost same in review sites but Noctua has more and thicker, densely packed fins. So I am thinking I can cool Noctua a little bit more with higher airflow within case.


----------



## Baelog

Hmmm if you are going to put it against a mesh then you want a high static pressure fan (one that blows the same no matter the restrictions in front).

About the 80mm on the side of the case (oposite of the pci e lane) there should be enough clearance for it. A bigger/taller fan will get in the way of the psu. I think you could mount it on the grill panel like i did on the top, using a couple of washers.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akafreak*
> 
> Please give some suggestions regarding this build -
> 
> Case - Elite 110
> Mobo - Asrock Fatality Z270 Gaming ITX/ac
> CPU - i5 7600k
> Cooler - Noctua NH L12 (bottom fan only)
> PSU - Seasonic G 550 Watt
> HDD - 750 Evo 250 GB
> RAM - Corsair Vengeance LPX 8 GB 2400MHz
> GPU - None
> 
> I will buy similar dust filter provided with the case on front panel and cover both sides.
> 
> Since I will have an extra 120mm fan (top fan of NH L12), I was thinking of mounting it as intake with zip ties on the left side where 80mm fan mounts are provided. I also have an extra 80mm fan from my Elite 130 which I am thinking of putting somewhere on the right side in this build as exhaust.
> 
> What do you guys think of this?


I used one of there cases for a couple years as a HTPC. You are doing a build with no GPU and a good heatsink. You really don't need any additional fans besides the front 120mm intake. It is a small case and the heat will be easy to dissipate. Adding 80mm fans will just make it loud.


----------



## Bearded Gamer

ADD ME

130


----------



## NeoAnd

Not sure if this is answered before.
Would a motherboard larger than m-ITX size (17cm x 17cm) fit into the Elite 110 case?
How about a 17x19 (width) or 17x21? Thanks.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoAnd*
> 
> Not sure if this is answered before.
> Would a motherboard larger than m-ITX size (17cm x 17cm) fit into the Elite 110 case?
> How about a 17x19 (width) or 17x21? Thanks.


I haven't seen anyone do it but maybe. There is some additional room next to the pci slot for fan installation. The case is 8.2" wide which is 20.828 CM so only one under that wide might fit.



Here is a pic with a m itx board installed, shows how much room you have to work with.


----------



## NeoAnd

Thanks.
When you say 8.2" wide, do you mean the below?


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoAnd*
> 
> Thanks.
> When you say 8.2" wide, do you mean the below?


8.2" is the overall width of the case.


----------



## NeoAnd

When I checked online, it seems to say something different though. Maybe I am mistaken.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoAnd*
> 
> When I checked online, it seems to say something different though. Maybe I am mistaken.


Doh, sorry total brain fart. 8.20" is the height, 10.30" is the width. I need to look closer.


----------



## NFSxperts

I have an Elite 120 as my NAS. I've squeezed a power brick and a Noctua D14 cooler in there.
All powered by a 'picopus styled' ATX DC board


----------



## ThomasSteudner

Hi Guy´s

i own a Cooler Master Elite 110.

Put in a Raspberry 3 with a Touchscreen mounted in the front of the case.

Thomas


----------



## Baelog

lol that looks cool.

One question tho, whats the purpose of the build? Retro gaming? Daily tasks, browsing, email, etc? NAS? Monitoring something?
Also, why is the power LED red? x)


----------



## ThomasSteudner

Hi,

there is no purpose, realy no purpose. i did it because i could do it. And it looks better on my desk
Changed the LED to match the fan.
Thomas


----------



## ThomasSteudner

So here´s my second Mod:

Elite 130 running a Asus Pro Gaming Aura/'Wifi mItx Board. I put the PSU in the front. did some cablemanagement and installed a a SSd in the fancage and a second on top.
After installing a adapter and a Apple Bluetooth/Wifi Card in the m2 Slot MacOs Sierra runs with handoff and unlock by AppleWatch.
Win10 on the second SSd runs also smooth.

look and see:


----------



## The-Beast

Has anyone put a 3x5.25 HDD cage in their Elite 130? Is it possible to keep the 5.25 rack for a dvd drive?


----------



## equilni

Cats knocked over my Nano S, so for the time being, I had to revert back to my Elite 130.

Specs:
i7 4790S
Zotac GTZ 1070 Founders Edition

Alphacool XT45 120mm radiator
Bitspower 40mm Reservoir
Topsflo TDC-B pump
Heatkiller IV Acetal CPU & GPU blocks
EKWB fittings.

The drawing of the proposed loop.


Before the leak testing.


Ready to start... I know the cable mgmt could be better...


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Cats knocked over my Nano S, so for the time being, I had to revert back to my Elite 130.
> 
> Specs:
> i7 4790S
> Zotac GTZ 1070 Founders Edition
> 
> Alphacool XT45 120mm radiator
> Bitspower 40mm Reservoir
> Topsflo TDC-B pump
> Heatkiller IV Acetal CPU & GPU blocks
> EKWB fittings.
> 
> The drawing of the proposed loop.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before the leak testing.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ready to start... I know the cable mgmt could be better...
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Nicely done, that would be a tough case to watercool. Have you run any temp tests yet?


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> Nicely done, that would be a tough case to watercool. Have you run any temp tests yet?


Prime is running now and CPU is mid 50s.
Had Heaven running earlier and the GPU was at mid 40s, CPU at mid 50s.


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Prime is running now and CPU is mid 50s.
> Had Heaven running earlier and the GPU was at mid 40s, CPU at mid 50s.


I get low 40s on my 1070 with a 240mm radiator so those aren't bad temps at all.


----------



## vatomalo

I am going to ask for help, if this is the wrong place then admins please move this post.
I do not have any pictures of my rig at hand at the moment, and its really late, i was playing Tekken 7 and i think it overheated and restarted.
I have the cooler master 130 elite, and i find cooling to be really hard, i have a 120mm AIO water cooler on push pull in the front as intake.
GPU is overclocked but regular aircooled. I would like to get another 120mm radiator with pump but no real place to put it, also i have a 5TB hdd where some people have put their second radiator.
Any ideas as to what to do about my rig to get it cooler?

Heat problems startet som days ago when i changed my 4790 non k to a unlocked multiplier K version cpu.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vatomalo*
> 
> Heat problems startet som days ago when i changed my 4790 non k to a unlocked multiplier K version cpu.


It sounds like the AIO may not be getting good contact with the chip. I would reinstall the AIO and test the system out.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rfarmer*
> 
> I get low 40s on my 1070 with a 240mm radiator so those aren't bad temps at all.


I had hoped there would be a refresh to the Elite 130 at Computex... a 240 could fit...


----------



## vatomalo

I am wondering that myself, as it would run on 33c to max 55c-57c on 4790non k. 33c to max 60c on stock 4790k, now on 46,ghz it is on 40c to 70c.

I know overclocking my cores will create more heat. But this is ridiculous on a watercooler, AIO or not.

So i will try to put it on stock speeds and then reapply thermal grease and maybe loosen the pump a little from the CPU?

About the 240mm rad:

How would you then fit a PSU into that setup?
I would really like a solid 240mm radiator, in mine. But its so packed right now i have no idea where to start.

Edit: Tried to go back to stock, but with edited voltages and VRM settings. I lost 5c on idle and its probably because of high ambient temps i am 2-3c over normal temps.
My core volts are 1.125v on stock and i need 1.235v to have 4.6ghz on all cores as a minimum.

I am some what new to voltages but i do not think 1.235 is very high.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vatomalo*
> 
> About the 240mm rad:
> 
> How would you then fit a PSU into that setup?
> I would really like a solid 240mm radiator, in mine. But its so packed right now i have no idea where to start.


There is technically space but you would have to modify the case to made it happen. Just get the Core 500 instead, unless you want to try it. My case modding skills are poor...

Back to your chip.
Quote:


> it would run on 33c to max 55c-57c on 4790non k. 33c to max 60c on stock 4790k, now on 46,ghz it is on 40c to 70c.


That sounds pretty normal. Since you are overclocking, that may explain the shutdown.


----------



## vatomalo

Yes i think either high temps or low voltages.
What are good temps for a 4790k?
Anything below 80c? Also my OC GPU(MSI GTX 970 4G Gaming is running on at least 77c when its on fullblast.
This is the main reason as to why i need case mods, and why i fantasize about 240mm radiator or at least 2x 120mm

On in the front and one on the top.

I would like to do some case mods, mainly get some fans on the top where my hdd is now.


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vatomalo*
> 
> Yes i think either high temps or low voltages.
> What are good temps for a 4790k?
> Anything below 80c? Also my OC GPU(MSI GTX 970 4G Gaming is running on at least 77c when its on fullblast.
> This is the main reason as to why i need case mods, and why i fantasize about 240mm radiator or at least 2x 120mm
> 
> On in the front and one on the top.
> 
> I would like to do some case mods, mainly get some fans on the top where my hdd is now.


I would search the forums (overclocking forums, who would have thought?!?!) or google for good temps for your chip. I think the temps are fine for load, as long as it's stable, but please don't take my word for it. Research.

People in this thread have had 2x120mm radiators in this case.


----------



## vatomalo

Yes i've seen the 2x120mm rads and i think i will give it a go after i cut out a outtake on the top,a extra intake in the bottom would be nice too.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *equilni*
> 
> Cats knocked over my Nano S, so for the time being, I had to revert back to my Elite 130.
> 
> Specs:
> i7 4790S
> Zotac GTZ 1070 Founders Edition
> 
> Alphacool XT45 120mm radiator
> Bitspower 40mm Reservoir
> Topsflo TDC-B pump
> Heatkiller IV Acetal CPU & GPU blocks
> EKWB fittings.
> 
> The drawing of the proposed loop.
> 
> 
> Before the leak testing.
> 
> 
> Ready to start... I know the cable mgmt could be better...


Beautiful! Still have my Elite 130 with a full loop and an Alphacool monsta 120. Temps are really good.


----------



## vatomalo

@equilni

Been testing with the case top off, and temps are incredibly much lower for CPU, GPU and mechanical hdd. I think my problem is the airflow in the case. How hard is it to mod a outtake on the top of the case?

Your custom loop looks awesome, but is that not really expensive?

I've never touched a dremel tool....


----------



## equilni

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vatomalo*
> 
> @equilni
> Been testing with the case top off, and temps are incredibly much lower for CPU, GPU and mechanical hdd. I think my problem is the airflow in the case. How hard is it to mod a outtake on the top of the case?


Others have done it and there are guides on how to do case modding.
https://www.google.com/search?q=case+mod+fan+hole

Now, before you dremel away (since you've never used one..), I would check your fans. Try having the front fans as exhaust and throw a 120 on the side (or two), if you can, as intake.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vatomalo*
> 
> Your custom loop looks awesome, but is that not really expensive?


Thanks. Here is a list of components I used for this.

Pump $40
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0161EBRIW
http://thermalbench.com/2016/03/26/topsflo-tdc-pump/

Screws to mount the pump - $5
https://modmymods.com/alphacool-decoupling-kit-eheim-hydor-laing-cover-4-decouplers.html

Reservoir $30
http://www.performance-pcs.com/bitspower-water-tank-z-multi-40-full-clear-acrylic-version.html

Radiator $55 (used as a fill & drain)
http://www.performance-pcs.com/alphacool-nexxxos-xt45-full-copper-120mm.html

CPU block $60
http://www.performance-pcs.com/heatkillerr-iv-basic-intel-processor-acetal.html
http://www.xtremerigs.net/2015/04/22/watercool-heatkiller-iv-cpu-water-block-review/all/1/

GPU block $115
http://www.performance-pcs.com/watercool-heatkillerr-iv-for-gtx-1080-and-1070-acetal.html
http://thermalbench.com/2017/05/12/watercool-heatkiller-iv-gtx-1080/

Fittings:
1 - M to M (Res to pump) $2-3
https://modmymods.com/barrow-g1-4-5mm-male-to-male-adaptor-fitting-black-tb2d-mini01.html
9 - Compression fittings (1 as a fill/drain, when needed) - $8 ea.
http://www.performance-pcs.com/ek-acf-compression-fitting-10-16mm-3-8-x-5-8-black.html
6 - 90 degree - $7 ea.
http://www.performance-pcs.com/ek-af-angled-90-g1-4-fitting-black.html

Tubing - $1.09 /ft
https://modmymods.com/mayhems-3-8-5-8-10-16mm-ultra-clear-tubing-muct38-58.html

Already have fans....


----------



## vatomalo

Thanks for the info, i think that it would be the next step in evolution for this PC, a custom loop that is.

I made my Fan/radiator/fan push/pull config a exhaust, and a fan as intake on the side, but temps for the GPU are not better, or only slightly better.

But CPU temps are much worse even when increasing fan speeds is not helping much.

Here are some pictures of my setup. I have moved parts around so hdd used to be in the top of the case hanging from some plastic strips.
Pictures are really off for some reason phone decided to add a weird effect.
Thats makes it all look really dusty, but it really is not, there is something off with the colors.
Yes there is some dust.


----------



## equilni

@vatomalo You can experiment with your fans to get better results. Perhaps in your situation, the front fans can work as intake and the side fan(s) as exhaust. I don't know your setup or ambient temps to give you advise. All I've done is experiment as well.

I don't recall if the ATX PSU limits you on the fan size and/or if you have a slim 120mm fan, but I used that directly next to the CPU and it helped with my temps.


I have 4 - 120mm fans - 2 on the side as intake and 2 for exhaust on the radiator (push/pull). My case is a few inches from me (you can see the monitor on the left in the first pic) and out in the open (not in a cabinet or anything like that), so I can experiment with fan placement.


----------



## vatomalo

Wow those led's look fabulous! I am juggling ideas in my head what i would like is to get two fan grills and cut a 120mm intake(noctua nf-f12) in the bottom in front of the 120mm intake fans. Cut another in the top and put another push pull AIO in the top that cools the GPU as exhaust... But i will ask someone that knows how to cut holes in my case.
Only thing is that there is no space for a 120mm fan in front of the intake. Do you think a silent 90mm fan will do?

I have setup the pushpull AIO as intake, with noctua nf -f12 fans and is idling on 33c ambient temps are probably 25-26c loadtemps are 54c at max with a blademaster i ripped of a 212evo as side outake.
very silent. Still i need better cooling because of GPU and strain the heat puts on my mechanical 5TB HDD.


----------



## Hikaru12

Does anyone know if a 60mm rad will fit in the Elite 110? I have a EK sitting around and would prefer to use that coupled with a Apogee pump/cpu block combo.


----------



## Weltoris

Upgrading my cooler master elite 120 at the weekend, currently running: sapphire IPC itx motherboard, athlon II 610e, 8GB DDR3, radeon r7 260x, 350watt corsair psu, 120GB corsair ssd, Samsung 2.5 250GB hdd, western digital 2.5 320GB hdd. Hard drives and ssd are in a 4 bay 2.5 to 5.25 drive bay. Will put some pics up at weekend.

Planned upgrade is:
Dell 9010 sff 1155 motherboard, I7 3770S CPU, 16GB DDR3, evga 430watt psu. Same video card hdd's and ssd as above.

Have already measured it out to check it'll fit ?


----------



## Weltoris

Just finished the upgrade ? how do I add pics on here?


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Weltoris*
> 
> Just finished the upgrade ? how do I add pics on here?




Click on that box, it will give you the option to upload a picture or use an URL.


----------



## Weltoris

Original build being dissasembled:








New Build Being Pre tested and Built:










Windows 7 index Before and After (mainly for comparison):


----------



## Weltoris

Thankyou


----------



## Wilddogge

Nice mod! I'm trying to do something similar with my case. My concern is the PSU plug extension on the back being wobbly, as I may be moving my pc around the house and sometimes is used by my kids. How did you built the back cover? Any sources?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ThomasSteudner*
> 
> So here´s my second Mod:
> 
> Elite 130 running a Asus Pro Gaming Aura/'Wifi mItx Board. I put the PSU in the front. did some cablemanagement and installed a a SSd in the fancage and a second on top.
> After installing a adapter and a Apple Bluetooth/Wifi Card in the m2 Slot MacOs Sierra runs with handoff and unlock by AppleWatch.
> Win10 on the second SSd runs also smooth.
> 
> look and see:


----------



## ThomasSteudner

Hi,
I took the cutout of the window i made and fixed ist with 4 Screws. A little bit trickey but it works very well.


----------



## GuidingGod

Hi guys. Thinking of putting together a tiny pc using an Elite 110, for my folks. General use so no gfx card, just onboard graphics.

Any thoughts on which PSU is best for this case? Was thinking of an Antec EA380D, (cheap but non modular) since power requirement is quite limited. Will this fit? Or should I be looking at something like a Corsair SF450 (smaller and fully modular but more expensive)

Thanks


----------



## Baelog

The 110 fits most of standard size PSUs so you dont need a modular one. All it takes is good cable management (carefully planning) to get everything inside but since you wont put a dedicated GPU you will have plenty space for the cables. 300W is enough for any current cpu so it shouldnt be a concern. This is just my two cents, hope it helps your final decision.


----------



## GuidingGod

Thanks for the reply. I just read about inverting the psu to act as exhaust since there is only one intake fan in the case. Is this a good thing to do or should I just install the PSU straight up? The only other cooling component will be the stock intel cpu cooler


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GuidingGod*
> 
> Thanks for the reply. I just read about inverting the psu to act as exhaust since there is only one intake fan in the case. Is this a good thing to do or should I just install the PSU straight up? The only other cooling component will be the stock intel cpu cooler


It is recommended to have the PSU intake pointing down if using an AIO and up if using air cooling. Pointing down helps cool the motherboard with the AIO. If you are air cooling you will have the CPU and PSU fighting for the same air flow.

I am using my 110 as a house computer atm with just the 120mm intake and a stock cooler and cooling is fine in the case.

One trick with the 110 is to run the 24 pin cable around the front of the case under the fan, there are holes on either side. This helps to get rid of the excess cable and opens up the area between the fan and motherboard.


----------



## GuidingGod

Excellent advice, thanks. I like the CM V550 PSU for this but it's about $50 more expensive than the Antec 380D. I'll go with the latter since as earlier poster said I don't have a gfx card so cable management shouldn't be too difficult even with a non modular psu. Is the front led quite bright would you say?


----------



## rfarmer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GuidingGod*
> 
> Excellent advice, thanks. I like the CM V550 PSU for this but it's about $50 more expensive than the Antec 380D. I'll go with the latter since as earlier poster said I don't have a gfx card so cable management shouldn't be too difficult even with a non modular psu. Is the front led quite bright would you say?


Yes the front LED is very bright, I ended up disconnecting it.


----------



## Baelog

You can either disconnect it or switch it with the HDD light, which only lights when accessing the disk, plus the red light on the left indicates that the system is on in a more subtle manner.


----------



## Skydragon26

Hey all well my phenom 2 build died due to psu failure so i figured it was time to build something new, went for a 8 core ryzen and my graphics card survived.


----------



## Astroft

Hello Guys!

Am totally new and a noob. Looking to build a simple gaming rig using the Elite 130 case.

My question is, since the ITX board im looking at has only 1 system fan header and the Elite 130 case has two fans (120mm &80mm), how do i go about having the two fans working..or even if i want to mod the case with more fans or watercooling even. What is the recommended step? Fan controller, PSU or splitter on the mobo header?

Thanks guys!


----------



## Wilddogge

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ThomasSteudner*
> 
> Hi,
> I took the cutout of the window i made and fixed ist with 4 Screws. A little bit trickey but it works very well.


What about the PSU? How did you screwed it to the case? Can you provide a close up picture?

Thanks!


----------



## ThomasSteudner

Hi,

i´m sorry but i´ve taken apart the case to fit the motherboard to a Apple Cube housing.

but the PSU in the Elite ist fixed with two metal angles (2x2 cm), for which i drilled holes into the bottom of the case.
The cableside is only holded by cableties from the cablemanagement

Thomas


----------



## Callmetits

Hey!

About to join the Elite (130) club. I could need some help putting together a machine, this is the first time I do this.

I'd like to have a machine with either a "decent" i7 or a ryzen 5 1600 (or better), 32 gig ram and a okish GPU, I'm not a gamer so I don't really
need anything sick in terms of GPU, I'd most definitely do just fine with something like the GTX 1050ti. I don't need a lot of storage,
256GB SSD would probably suffice.

As for mothercard, powersupply, CPU cooler and potentially additional cooling I'm lost. I literally have no clue what to look for
and whats compatible with what.

Suggestions?

Thanks


----------



## Callmetits

.....


----------



## Trustdesa

Hi Guys,

Here is my modded Elite 130









Side window with round corners, I have also removed the 3.5" drive bay to create more space for the large MSI 1070 Gaming X and better fit of the H60 v2 plus changed the 80mm side fan with a slim Akasa Fan which is very quiet and moves much more air. The CPU is an i7 4790k,

I have done the whole cutting with a Dremel and quite a bit of disks, for the holes for the spacers I have used a drill









The 120 fan is fixed with foamed double tape, it is important to use foamed as it will totally absorb any vibration, the one used bought in Maplin is extremely strong and wide just right for the slim fan profile.

There is also a led strip as you can see, the Gamix X has its own led but are very faint.

https://ibb.co/kkvCqb https://ibb.co/cSQCqb https://ibb.co/eHzGGG https://ibb.co/f6Ssqb https://ibb.co/f6bwGG

With this system I have a small gap for the graphic card to get air in, the radiator is on pull, and so is the 120 fan on the side. PSU is a BeQuiet is facing up and the whole system is dead silent and very okay under load.

Edit: No idea why on this forum the pictures look ridiculously small when clicking on it.


----------



## vatomalo

I have finally updated my build, and i am still interested in a second AIO and better ways too cool GPU.

In my build some of the first things i did was take out the 5.2inch bay, i mean who even uses a dvd player anymore, i got an external for that anyways.
I have 4 hard-drives in this baby no bay.

I have 2 fractal 120mm fans pushing air out of the case, i have tested all configs possible and this was the best i considering GPU and CPU temps.
But would like a small but silent fan in the back of the case pulling air in. As is not Radiator on push pull is pulling fresh air albeit hot sometimes,
AIO is a Fractal Design Kelvin T12, with alphacool parts, its really a completely copper radiator and pump.
Its sporting a Noctua NF F-12, it had 2 but cooling was not optimal, so i put a CM Blademaster on it.
Im planning to switch all my fans for Nidec Gentle Typhoons.

Cpu temps are no higher than 70c meaning benchmark temps and not gaming load.
I can easily play Shadow of war on high 30c to low 50c.

I have some generic Red led lights i bought from Aliexpress that are held down by double-sided tape, i am going to hot glue them on since i do not like how shabby they look with the dual layer tape.
I have cut holes on the top for exhaust and right side fan. But have grills, and i am really happy with top fan grill, but would like to put another grill on side fan.

If anyone have any suggestions for better cooling GPU, as it is overclocked(MSI GTX 9704G @core 1519mhz mem 3808mhz), and can easily hit 83c on demanding games,
I have changed thermal paste(NT-H1)
and i have both a custom fan curve on MSI Afterburner, and exhaust fan curve on Speedfan.
But i am considering cutting more holes in front of the GPU for better cooling, or getting another AIO and water cooling it.

Disclaimer, Cable management has been performed to the degree possible after taking this pictures, so please bare with me.


----------



## Siman

Just finished-ish my build. Got a few more things to finished off/update but I'm fairly satisfied with the build. Here is the PCPartPicker link if your interested in the parts: https://pcpartpicker.com/b/9tQZxr


----------



## LaRseTe

equilni said:


> Cats knocked over my Nano S, so for the time being, I had to revert back to my Elite 130.
> 
> Specs:
> i7 4790S
> Zotac GTZ 1070 Founders Edition
> 
> Alphacool XT45 120mm radiator
> Bitspower 40mm Reservoir
> Topsflo TDC-B pump
> Heatkiller IV Acetal CPU & GPU blocks
> EKWB fittings.
> 
> The drawing of the proposed loop.
> http://www.overclock.net/photopost/data/1515617/4/47/4752ff64_IMG_0807.jpeg
> 
> Before the leak testing.
> http://www.overclock.net/photopost/data/1515617/9/95/95822050_IMG_0811.jpeg
> 
> Ready to start... I know the cable mgmt could be better...
> http://www.overclock.net/photopost/data/1515617/c/cb/cb84d794_IMG_0813.jpeg
> http://www.overclock.net/photopost/data/1515617/a/ab/ab03506f_IMG_0814.jpeg


Hi equilni!

I'm looking forward to do something similar to what you have.

Seems perfect! but I have some quick questions that I hope you or someone with a similar setup don't mine answering:


I guess you had to bend the tabs for the 2.5 drive underneath the 5.25 bay right? but bending the tabs is enough, no need to cut the "base" supporting the tabs right? Trying to figure it out based on the radiator's dimensions and your photos but still not clear enough...
Now you had it running for a while... how hard is maintaining/clean/drain it?
Do you think using a more thin reservoir will fit in front of the graphic card space?
I see you are running the PSU with the fan facing upwards, that means you are pushing-pulling air outside the case trough the radiator instead of using it as intake exhausting trough the PSU? If that is the case, have you tried both configs to know which one would be actually better?
And finally... maximum temps you are getting under heavy load?
Thank you in advance!! 
Best.


----------



## Juuhuu

*...*

Hey guys, thinking of getting CM Elite 110 with i7-8700K but not sure what cooler to put inside and it to be quite. I don't plan to OC. Also, I will not use VGA but integrated graphics.
Suggestions?

Maybe something like Artic cooling freezer 120? Not sure how thick radiator can be..

What about PSU, should I go with SFX to have as much space as possible? (again, quiet is important).


----------



## Scotty99

Juuhuu said:


> Hey guys, thinking of getting CM Elite 110 with i7-8700K but not sure what cooler to put inside and it to be quite. I don't plan to OC. Also, I will not use VGA but integrated graphics.
> Suggestions?
> 
> Maybe something like Artic cooling freezer 120? Not sure how thick radiator can be..
> 
> What about PSU, should I go with SFX to have as much space as possible? (again, quiet is important).


What kind of computer would necessitate a 8700k but no GPU?


----------



## Juuhuu

Scotty99 said:


> What kind of computer would necessitate a 8700k but no GPU?


The one that is running a lot of simulation/database/applications but not playing games


----------



## Scotty99

Juuhuu said:


> The one that is running a lot of simulation/database/applications but not playing games


Right but wouldnt a ryzen 2700x be a better idea for that sort of workload then? Cheaper, less heat more cores etc. As for cooler id go with a 120 aio in the front.


----------



## Juuhuu

Scotty99 said:


> Right but wouldnt a ryzen 2700x be a better idea for that sort of workload then? Cheaper, less heat more cores etc. As for cooler id go with a 120 aio in the front.


But I need integrated graphics.
I guess I will go with artic cooling liquid freezed 120. It's almsot 50% cheaper then corsair H80i. Also, I will go with SFX PSU so there will be more space for cables and airflow.


----------



## Scotty99

Juuhuu said:


> But I need integrated graphics.
> I guess I will go with artic cooling liquid freezed 120. It's almsot 50% cheaper then corsair H80i. Also, I will go with SFX PSU so there will be more space for cables and airflow.


You could buy a gt 710 on ebay for 5 bucks for a display output. Just saying 8700k's are super hot even at stock unless you delid them, and the ryzen 2700x would likely be faster for the sort of things you are doing....and its cheaper.


----------



## Juuhuu

I need both display port and HDMI (use 2 monitors, UHD and QHD) and ryzen's price is same in my country like 8700K. 
GT710 doesn't have hdmi and DP, I would have to go with 1030 (80€+ in europe with shipping), but I already have small case so GPU will take some space :/


----------



## Scotty99

Juuhuu said:


> I need both display port and HDMI (use 2 monitors, UHD and QHD) and ryzen's price is same in my country like 8700K.
> GT710 doesn't have hdmi and DP, I would have to go with 1030 (80€+ in europe with shipping), but I already have small case so GPU will take some space :/


Umm to get display port on an itx motherboard you are going to have to spend at minimum 140 dollars. I think the gt 1030 and ryzen route is the better option even if its a few bucks more, less heat output and it will be faster for what you are doing. Just my 2c. BTW i own a 8700k but only because i game at high refresh rates, if i didnt i would have picked 2700x over it.


----------



## Juuhuu

I was planing to buy MBO with z370 itx (190$ here) while AM4 B350 ITX is 135$. GPU would also make more heat in case right?

I am not sure if I put GPU, how much space for radiator I would have. Maybe I would need to go with different case then..


----------



## Scotty99

Juuhuu said:


> I was planing to buy MBO with z370 itx (190$ here) while AM4 B350 ITX is 135$. GPU would also make more heat in case right?
> 
> I am not sure if I put GPU, how much space for radiator I would have. Maybe I would need to go wit different case then..


No the gt 1030 is a 25 or 35w GPU it produces no heat. I dont own the elite 110 but im pretty sure a tiny gt 1030 would be fine with a radiator, maybe someone else can chime in tho. You could also consider finding a 1700x on sale, that would be even less heat and would still outperform a stock 8700k in programs that use cores properly.


----------



## Juuhuu

Is the heat really that big of a problem for nonOC 8700K with 120mm thick radiator?
When I look at userbenchmark:
http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i7-8700K-vs-AMD-Ryzen-7-1700X/3937vs3915

8700K beats almost everything^^


----------



## Scotty99

Juuhuu said:


> Is the heat really that big of a problem for nonOC 8700K with 120mm thick radiator?
> When I look at userbenchmark:
> http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i7-8700K-vs-AMD-Ryzen-7-1700X/3937vs3915
> 
> 8700K beats almost everything^^


You would have to look at your individual programs, but generally a 2700x is going to stomp a 8700k in programs that can fully make use of all of its cores. 8700k sells because its the best gaming CPU, productivity AMD has increased its lead with ryzen 2. As for heat ya its kind of a problem, with a 240 aio my stock 8700k was hitting the 80's in stress tests, depending on how stressful your programs are i cant say for sure that a 120 aio would be enough. Feel free to ask around in the 8700k thread but that is why i think amd is the better choice for a small form factor build that isnt gaming focused.


----------



## Siman

Scotty99 said:


> You would have to look at your individual programs, but generally a 2700x is going to stomp a 8700k in programs that can fully make use of all of its cores. 8700k sells because its the best gaming CPU, productivity AMD has increased its lead with ryzen 2. As for heat ya its kind of a problem, with a 240 aio my stock 8700k was hitting the 80's in stress tests, depending on how stressful your programs are i cant say for sure that a 120 aio would be enough. Feel free to ask around in the 8700k thread but that is why i think amd is the better choice for a small form factor build that isnt gaming focused.


Agreed I'm already in the process of upgrading my box to a 2700x. Im going to see if I cant squeeze the Cryorig C1 into the case since Im using a SFX PSU. But the Temps and power are much more controllable with AMD's Ryzen CPUs.


----------



## Scotty99

Siman said:


> Agreed I'm already in the process of upgrading my box to a 2700x. Im going to see if I cant squeeze the Cryorig C1 into the case since Im using a SFX PSU. But the Temps and power are much more controllable with AMD's Ryzen CPUs.


You would melt down a 2700x with that cooler lol.


----------



## Siman

Scotty99 said:


> You would melt down a 2700x with that cooler lol.


Already have it running with the c1 had to mod the bracket for it to fit. The c1 is massive and easily cools the 2700x I'm also running it with a overclock.


----------



## toyz72

What’s the largest card I can get in a 110 case. I need at least a gtx 1060-1070?


----------



## rfarmer

toyz72 said:


> What’s the largest card I can get in a 110 case. I need at least a gtx 1060-1070?


210mm,. The 1060 and 1070 Zotac minis are listed at either 210mm or 211mm, so either should fit. That is the biggest you will be able to fit.


----------



## ri.sho

*Elite 130*

Thermaltake bronze 750w PSU semi modular
980 ti hybrid aio bios F0
i3 7350k @5.0 with EVGA 120mm AIO
32GB 16x2 gskill Trident Z royal ddr4
270n gaming 5 motherboard bios F5
512 GB m.2 2280 ssd
2x1TB SATA SSD
First itx mini build definitely waiting for Corsair to sell the One i180 case separately that'll be my next i9 build!


----------



## rana_kirti

fellow cm 130 owner here looking to upgrade my 1660ti. Couldn't find Info on the CM website...

What is the Maximum Width for the GPU, the CM 130 can accommodate...?

Thanks.


----------



## includemeout

I posted here 7 years ago, still have the Elite 130 case and I'm now wondering if this box is fit-for-purpose if I was to do a full upgrade to latest chipset, NVMe drives etc.? Obviously I won't be able to have USB-C on the front panel but are there other issues I might run into? I'm assuming not since this model is still available and looks to be identical to the 2015 version I own.

Any insight would be very welcome.


----------



## FrostyMMB

I'm still using this case from my first build in 2015 with dual 120mm AIOs, one for CPU with a pair of Noctua fans in push-pull and another for a GPU hybrid card. Upgrades have been from 980Ti Hybrid to 2080S Hybrid in 2020 and from a Z97i mobo with 4790K to a B550I with 5800X3D earlier in 2022. Also running a 2TB NVME boot drive and 2TB SATA SSD. Just recently upgraded the PSU to an 850W PCIE5 model and GPU to 4090 Suprim Liquid X Hybrid, having barely fit the card itself internally with the 240mm rad mounted exernally out the back of the case.

You'll be just fine putting current hardware in this case. In stock form it's suitable for components with low to moderate cooling requirements, but high performance components will require some creative modding to fit custom liquid cooling or AIOs with external rads.


----------



## includemeout

Thanks - that's encouraging. I'm looking at an i7 Raptor Lake, 64GB DRR5 and I'm planning to see how I get on with the integrated GPU for a while. I don't play games so it's 50/50 productivity and Adobe CS/Capture One. It's a pain there's no USB-C at the front but I could figure something out with a hub.


----------

