Case for a H110i GT

[bgg25a]

Hi everyone, this is my first post on linustechtips.

I have recently built a new machine and i need some suggestions.

First of all here's my build:

 

CPU - Intel i7 4790k @4.7Ghz

Cooler - H110i GT

MOBO - MSI Z97 Gaming 7

RAM - Corsair Vengeance 16GB

PSU - EVGA Supernova G2 850W

GPU - EVGA GTX 660 Ti (spare)

SSD - Samsung 850 EVO 250GB

HDD - WD Black 2TB

Case - Silent Base 800

 

good things: very nice cpu, mobo looks awesome (i'm aiming for a red-black look),

2133 CL11 is useless in gaming, evga psu is a good deal for price/performance,

660 Ti 2GB still does great at 1080p and in some titles even at 1440p!

 

the problem: the case is good overall but has some major issues..

after 2 months using stock cooler the H110i GT finally arrived (was out of stock due to

the infamous leaking issue during shipping) it's not the best 280mm aio cooler probably,

the pump is quite silent but audible with the case open and the fans are too loud...

i had to mount the radiator inside the frame and the fans outside under the top plastic cover,

there isn't enough space between the motherboard and the top to fit the whole thing...

and the plastic cover on the top blocks most of the air making that "blocked sucking noise"

at high rpm (like a clogged vacuum cleaner), so i use those fans as intake, pushing air into the

case through the radiator, which is what i wanted but having limited airflow and no dust filter is not ideal.

Besides this issue the case is not bad, be quiet! products are usually very good, but this is their first

case and needs some refinement.

 

the other problem: the 660 Ti, nice budget card from my secondary mATX gaming build,

but i built this machine to go SLI or CorssFire, and i need to put her back in place.

So i decided to wait, since 980 Ti and R9 390X should come out in the next months.

Budget is not a problem and i'm going to buy two cards anyway, but i'm thinking about

getting two 970s in the meantime since i currently play at 1440p, and upgrading later

(maybe next year) to 4K and better GPUs. MSI version of the 970 with Twin Frozr V

has the same red-black design of my motherboard and is one of the best overall,

it's also "cheap" for a temporary solution and i will use them in other builds after upgrading.

 

But primarily i need a new case. My first choice is NZXT H440, i don't need a 5,25" bay

and i like to keep my hardware as efficient and as compact as possible.

Plus the red and black version will be gorgeous with that MSI Z97, a couple of MSI 970 and

red-black CableMod for my PSU. But will the H110i GT fit easily?

The best dust-free setup would be the front and top fans as intakes (with dust filters)

and the rear as exhaust. What do you suggest? Is the NZXT a good idea?

 

Sorry for the very long post and for the very bad english.

Thanks,

Andrea

 

[TheKDub]

Define r5 maybe? or define s if you want silence.

 

If you want a badass case with lots of room, the corsair air 540 is a great choice.

[TheGeeker]

I use a source 210. Dont get it. The ssd mount sucks, and the whole for the cpu power is too small for the cpu power head. 

[NLBUURMAN]

what about a Phanteks Enthoo Pro? and if you have money to spare (and willing to pay extra for LED's) you can take the Enthoo Luxe, both of which come with a fancontroller to take control of the noisy fans

[bgg25a]

Define r5 maybe? or define s if you want silence.

 

If you want a badass case with lots of room, the corsair air 540 is a great choice.

 

Define R5 would be the best alternative. Looks a bit boring but has better airflow than the H440.

I really like the dual-chamber layout of the Air 540 (actually i used a 240 for that secondary build i mentioned)

but this machine sits under my desk near me so i need a tower, and the 540 is too wide.

 

what about a Phanteks Enthoo Pro? and if you have money to spare (and willing to pay extra for LED's) you can take the Enthoo Luxe, both of which come with a fancontroller to take control of the noisy fans

 

The two Phanteks are very nice cases but to me they are just ugly... i think i will go for an H440 or a Define R5 (or maybe S)...