[Pc_Support] Re: PC_Support post question re:Foxconn -- case and airflow addendum ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Sat, 2005-04-09 at 16:43 -0700, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
> As far as the case, the one I bought NewEgg doesn't seem to carry it
> anymore.  It was a PowMax M[icro]ATX 3306 Black.  It is a small, ~5.5" x
> ~13" x ~13" or similar.

Here it is, 5.25" x 13" x 13.5":  
http://www.atxpowersupplies.com/micro-atx-case-powmax-3306-black.htm  

Again, I do _not_ recommend it -- it looks better than it really is.
But at $35, it was cheap, and I just wanted something for now.

Tom's hardware has done a couple of reviews on MicroATX cases.
An older one from December 2003:  
  http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20031209/  

Since the PowMax I got looked like the Superflower, I thought it would
be good.  But in reality, the design is not good at all.

And Tom's new one from January 2005:  
  http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20050105/  

The Antec Aira looks like the idea MicroATX case being only 2.8" wider
than typical, proprietary SFF -- at a nice $90 with PS.  To draw a
comparison, both SFF and most MicroATX cases are typically 5.5-6" wide.
The MicroATX cases are then taller (13") to accommodate the mainboard
and PS next to it, since the mainboard is already wider than
5.5-6" (whereas SFF fit in that width).  What the Antec Aira does is
widen that base to 8.3" to fit the MicroATX mainboard, then give more
room above for drives, the PS and a large, 120mm, thermally controlled
exhaust fan -- the ultimate in quiet and flow.

*Unfortunately* it uses a proprietary PS design, which means using
another PS is out, and its 300W isn't going to cut it with a GeForce
6800GT like I have.  So I'm still looking for a good MicroATX case.

- Airflow Considerations

I also want to re-iterate the issue I had with the intake at the front.
Because a lot of video card coolers "push forward" the air -- i.e., the
fan is near the CPU, which is near the back, and the sinks extend
forward (at least on the GeForce 6800GT) -- this is an issue.  Putting
an intake at the front merely makes the air "confront" and then heat
rises in the rest of the case (introducing a worse case scenario!).  I
literally had the temperature _drop_ by _removing_ the 60mm intake.

I wish video card manufacturers would start pushing the air to the back,
so it would go out the back of the case.  Far too many push it toward
the front of the card, right into the cool air intake.  The card should
be getting that air first, not sending it's hot air to it last.  I
couldn't believe the "stale hot air point" I got!  Seen it before, but
in an ATX case, there's more room.  In this small MicroATX, there was no
margin for it.

-- Bryan

P.S.  I really and highly recommend the Athena PS.  For $70, it's worth
the power output, 19A on the +12V!  +3.3 and +5V combined for upto 235W.
It handles a 6800GT quite well, although I wouldn't put anything but a
30-55W 90nm SOI A64 3000+, 3200+ or 3500+ in there.  It has the 20/24-
pin + 4-pin so _any_ mainboard, ATX, ATX2.0 or ATX12V is supported short
of a server EPS12V -- it is very _hard_ to find a MicroATX PS wiht 24-
pin _and_ the extra 4-pin.  And yes, it has (2) _true_ SerialATA with
+3.3V lines (as well as +5/12V -- 7-pin, 5 cable, 3.3/5/12+2GND).  I've
seen so many PSes and "converters" that do _not_ have +3.3V, because
they are only Molex +5/12V (4-pin, 4 cable, 5/12+2GND), yet advertise
they are SerialATA ready (not!).



-- 
Bryan J. Smith                                  b.j.smith at ieee.org 
---------------------------------------------------------------- 
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