Quote:
Originally Posted by Letum
My current case has all it's panels taken off to increase cooling and a few
holes drilled into it.
I think I will do this again and add a case fan as well, just in case.
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Ok time for a quick lesson on cooling computers.
1. Taking the panels off generally does not aid cooling. Computers are set up to have air flow from the front of the case, and out the back/side. Taking off the panels disrupts proper airflow over the system and can cause hot spots. Also there are parts on the computer which do need cooling but don't have a fan, and with the panels off they don't get sufficient cooling due to lack of airflow.
2. Don't drill your own holes unless you know what your doing and how to place them. Holes also don't generally help unless there is a fan attached, or there is negative pressure where they are (most cases are set up to cause negative pressure so that air is sucked in from the front and blown out the back). Good cases usualy are already designed with optimal air flow in mind, and designed by people who almost certainly know more about it then you would.
3. If you want to cool your system effectively, fill all the case fan spots on the case, and have the air flow from the front to the back. Side mounted fans can be good or bad depending on where they are placed, and what sort of CPU heat sink you are using.
Never go cheap on your system's cooling, It is the key factor in keeping a system stable and functional for a long period of time. Modern computers in particular tend to run right on the edge heat wise. Proper cooling is even more critical if you live in a hot area.
As for video cards yours looks to be a excellence choice. Nvidia's competition towards it is the GTX 275 if I recall so you may want to check it out as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peto
OS is dependant on how much old software you want to use. 64 bit can be a hassle but it's nice to have.
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Its necessary though if you want to have full use of 4+ gb of memory (including video card memory). You can also dual boot too which is what I do on my laptop and run xp 32 and vista 64.
Speaking of vista I would recommend Home Premium over the other flavors. It has what most users want and need and is 50$ less then Ultimate.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...s/default.aspx