Htpc\steam box build cooling questions

[bob_thing5]

I have been researching this subject for weeks now in search of answers but they are difficult to come by on a newer case.

I want to build a steam box\htpc for my living room. I want ample power on lower wattages and nearly silent.

Build:
case: raven rvz01
mobo: asus maximus vi impact
cpu: i7 4770s
video card: asus gtx 570ti (for more silent fans)
power supply: SILVERSTONE ST45SF-G 450W
optical drive: silverstone sob02
hdd: wd raptor 1tb possibly a ssd main drive

I left ram out because I am unsure if i need low profile or not. I have 8gb of ddr 1600 with tight timings but they have larger heatsinks. I was planning on upgrading my gaming pc and moving the ram. I was also wondering what the fastest ddr 3 I should worry about. I have seen conflicting reports on faster ram.

My main question revolves around the cooling system. I want all 3 fan spots to be used 2 pulling in and one venting on the top. I also want to use a low profile cpu cooler with a silent fan or a corsair h60 with the radiator and fan venting on the top. I want to use all 3 case fans and have the cpu fan as quiet as possible and it seems to be more difficult to find answers on that subject.

 

[C12Friedman]

FrostyTech has some info on heatsinks with reviews, I think you'll find their charts useful

 

[Rammy]

As it's still a new case, and a relatively unconventional one, you might find that answers aren't as definitive as you would like.

Large memory heatsinks aren't necessarily a problem, but it really depends on the motherboard, CPU cooler, orientation of the CPU cooler, and the memory itself. Having lower height heatsinks will give you more options and less headaches, so if you are looking at buying new memory it's probably worth doing.
As for what type of memory, it really depends on what you are doing. For gaming, there is very little return from spending extra on memory, both in capacity and speed (at least while using a discrete graphics card). If you have 1600 and you can get it to fit, then there isn't a terribly compelling reason to change it. It's worth also noting that if you change your motherboard (which I'll mention later) then you'll likely be speed capped at 1600Mhz anyway.

For CPU cooler compatibility, again you'll have issues with regards to the fact that very little on ITX is standardized. The Maximus Impact has a fantastic CPU socket position, and companies like Noctua produce great compatibility lists, but sooner or later you could run into issues.
One thing that is clear is that you can run an H60 (or similar) in an RVZ01, but it's a really tight fit, and you'll probably need to fiddle with it to get it to work.

I'm not entirely sure why you are using a Maximus Impact. It's a great board, basically the best money can buy, but it's incredibly expensive, and as far as I can tell, a huge waste of money given you have a non-overclockable processor. Given you can now get much cheaper H87/B85 boards with Wifi etc, which can come out to significantly less than half the price, it doesn't seem like a great use of funds. That's up to you of course, but there is a lot of potential to save cash here without destroying your goals.

 

[bob_thing5]

As it's still a new case, and a relatively unconventional one, you might find that answers aren't as definitive as you would like.

Large memory heatsinks aren't necessarily a problem, but it really depends on the motherboard, CPU cooler, orientation of the CPU cooler, and the memory itself. Having lower height heatsinks will give you more options and less headaches, so if you are looking at buying new memory it's probably worth doing.
As for what type of memory, it really depends on what you are doing. For gaming, there is very little return from spending extra on memory, both in capacity and speed (at least while using a discrete graphics card). If you have 1600 and you can get it to fit, then there isn't a terribly compelling reason to change it. It's worth also noting that if you change your motherboard (which I'll mention later) then you'll likely be speed capped at 1600Mhz anyway.

For CPU cooler compatibility, again you'll have issues with regards to the fact that very little on ITX is standardized. The Maximus Impact has a fantastic CPU socket position, and companies like Noctua produce great compatibility lists, but sooner or later you could run into issues.
One thing that is clear is that you can run an H60 (or similar) in an RVZ01, but it's a really tight fit, and you'll probably need to fiddle with it to get it to work.

I'm not entirely sure why you are using a Maximus Impact. It's a great board, basically the best money can buy, but it's incredibly expensive, and as far as I can tell, a huge waste of money given you have a non-overclockable processor. Given you can now get much cheaper H87/B85 boards with Wifi etc, which can come out to significantly less than half the price, it doesn't seem like a great use of funds. That's up to you of course, but there is a lot of potential to save cash here without destroying your goals.

Thanks for the reply, you put my mind at ease about the memory, the ram I have has always been fast enough. And I was hoping the h60 would fit but heard conflicting experiences, im assuming I will need to work the tubing around.

As far as the motherboard goes....I'm somewhat of an audiophile and it's onboard sound card is the best I've seen.

 

[bob_thing5]

Also thanks for the website, apparently intels stock cooler is one of the most quiet coolers. With a 65w cpu and no overclocking I don't need much for cooling it