Modular or Non Modular w/ my case?

kamrtymart10000

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Nov 16, 2013
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The case i am getting is the cm haf xb evo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119265
i am wondering if a non modular psu would be fine considering the case is fairly small. I am looking at getting this psu
http://www.microcenter.com/product/397392/Gaming_Series_GS800_800_Watt_ATX_12V_Power_Supply


if not are there any suggestions with fully modular psus with around the same wattage becasue i am going to be running sli gts 770s. id like to stay around the 110 dollar and under range
 
Solution


you can't SLi in a mitx motherboard... there is only 1 PCI-E slot. So i did a little digging and came up with a possible solution.

This is a tiny matx case, which on SOME airlines might be small enough to carry on. It should fit 2 gtx 770s for SLi.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($225.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus...
generally i tend to favor non-modular psus in general... because they're more efficient, the cables tend to be more flexible and MOST modern cases have more then enough room in the back panel for all the extra cables to tie them up nice and pretty.

there also tends to be issues with the quality of power from a modular psu.

Yes i know i'm splitting hairs, but really, i've seen too many modern modular psus develop issues and be safely and easily replaced by an older&used non-modular psu. Hell i had a 1000W modular psu from a somewhat respectable manufacturer nearly kill my motherboard/cpu (i really lucked out on that one, i'll tell you the story sometime). Currently my system is running just fine under a solid overclock with an older 400W corsair.
 

kamrtymart10000

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Nov 16, 2013
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However with my case will it still be an issue going with a non modular psu?
 

kamrtymart10000

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is it really that big? i was getting it instead of the bitfenix prodigy because i am transporting it back and forth from college. I was told when in the box u can fit it on your lap our between your legs as a carry on
 


I suggest you check it out. it is a very large case. the prodigy is definitely smaller. heck. i have a "mid tower" antec 902, and i'm pretty sure that HAF takes up more cubic space then that mid tower does.

look at the picture on the newegg link. see the bottom left? that's 2 cd drive bays. That should put that thing in perspective for you. i can't wrap my arms around it. it's a hefty portable benching box. I wouldn't call it a "LAN" box unless you count it as one because of the handles on the sides.

Frankly there are much smaller cases out there. That said speaking purely from a personal research perspective... i actually looked into the requirements for airline carry on luggage. Very few computer cases make that cut (the prodigy doesn't). all of the ones that do are mitx cases. I think of all the cases out there i only recall a handful which would fit EVERY airline's requirements; the Coolermaster Elite 120, the Silverstone SG02/05/06, and a few Lang Li cases like the PC-TU200B
 

kamrtymart10000

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Nov 16, 2013
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What would be a good method of transporting it then. Checking it as luggage is risky considering my dad who works for the airlines can vouch that alot of people mishandle alot of the luggage.
 
I would suggest you take the gpu out of the case, if you have a heavy tower cpu cooler i would remove that too. wrap the case in bubble wrap and Styrofoam, do the same for the tower cooler and gpu. ideally you put the gpu back into an anti-static bag first. box it all up, pay UPS to ship it, pay for insurance on the package, make sure it's got a fragile/handle with care sticker on it, and eat the $100 it will cost you to ship it.

Worst case you have insurance on it to pay for something breaking. but if you do it right it should arrive pretty much undamaged.

if that's unattractive look into one of those mitx cases i've listed and rebuild your system for that format.
 

kamrtymart10000

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Nov 16, 2013
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Well this was my build http://pcpartpicker.com/p/23tqf

with the mini itx cases i would like to have the option to run sli and have a regular psu many itx cases restrict the psu size.
 


you can't SLi in a mitx motherboard... there is only 1 PCI-E slot. So i did a little digging and came up with a possible solution.

This is a tiny matx case, which on SOME airlines might be small enough to carry on. It should fit 2 gtx 770s for SLi.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($225.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus GRYPHON Z87 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($159.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 4GB Video Card ($379.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Silverstone SG09B (Black) MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($77.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: OCZ ZT 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($73.50 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SN-208DB/BEBET DVD/CD Writer ($21.99 @ Mwave)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $1337.40
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-11-17 19:51 EST-0500)

 
Solution

kamrtymart10000

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Nov 16, 2013
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Lets say i ended up taking the gpu out of my other build the one with the haf xb evo and shipping it would the water cooling still be okay? it seems like transporting your pc and having watercooling would be a red flag but then again im new to building so i dont know much

 


you mean the corsair h80i?

i have a corsair h100... it's extremely rigid. i wouldn't hesitate to ship it as is. when i think about all the abuse i put it through to fit into my 902 (it's not a case made for a 240mm radiator) it won't take that type of abuse even with the most cruel shipping company.

check with your airlines about the size of the carry-ons... but with about half the airlines i've seen that case should be ok.