Three Big Boards.
Mini Review Alert!
• Case: – Lian Li PC-80N – Believe it or not, the SR-X barely squeezed in. The PC-P80N was the revised edition of the abhorred and adored PC-P80. The only differences were front USB 3.0 ports (the original’s were 2.0). A reallocation of PSU real-estate (from rear-top to rear-bottom) and a pair of practically appointed front doors and credibly redesigned cages conducive to tasteful, tidy hard drive tinkering.
After all, who hasn’t tethered a twelve inch Titan prior to sparing their SATAS the space to slide in? Not I, but this time, no concern. Flip open a door, loosen a screw, lift a clip and slip the drive in from the front. Lian-Li’s efficient mounting system – the traditional quartet of thumb twisters and rubber rings – makes for a definitive solution. Oh, and the final discrepancy, a brace of new fans sans their blue LEDs, but all 3 pin and motherboard ready.
Overall, it boarded on the flawless. 11 expansion slots, every mould of motherboard heartily hosted, 15 inch video cards warmly…check…coolly welcomed whatever the hour. Radiators and raid arrays more than reasonably provided for. Yet, last time I nipped to NewEgg (on the net), I discover this delightful ase to be deemed defunct. Why? Not as worthy as the 2120b or 2120X, both of which remained available?
Margins too mean? A dying demand? All of the above? I sensed a part of my era had ebbed away but felt content to have clicked when I did.
• PSU – Enermax Platimax 1500W Reams of rails to serve many or one rail to rule all? Yet another contentious issue as yet unresolved. I searched, I read, I pondered, I picked.
EVGA Supernova? Over branded, reviews mixed. Corsair 1200AXI? Single rail but three GPU’s, two CPUs 24 cores, 4 SSDs, 1 HD AND a Blu-Ray…1200 watts and a Platinum placard…should just swing it. No, too risky. How about Antec? No 1500 watt model.
The Silverstone Strider 1500? Looks good, but an octet of rails and only 25 amps on each. Don’t fret, pipe the forums, just use the rails constructively. One rail per pair of PCI-E connectors, 25 amps=300 watts from two 8pins and plus 75w from the slot=375 watts per card – this was before the R9-295X of course!
Sure says I, but what about those 12 core CPUs? 130W each. Uh huh, but neither over clocked AND an 8 pin primary plus a 6 pin auxiliary socket on your motherboard for each?! Go for it! Hmmm. No, to release my restless mind from these rails, a five amp enhancement for each is essential…enter the Enermax alliteration… adeos!
GPUs stutter,
Hard drives splutter,
Frame rates are no longer butter,
But a well chosen case is your friend for life.
As much as am I a nutter…