PC Modding

Joseph Carter9 · 2007-03-14T01:13:23+00:00

Hey, Look, I’ve always had a massive appreciation for a clean build—properly painted chassis, killer lighting, all that good stuff. I was thinking we should st…

northerncrane33 Active Member

205 messages
joined Jun 2007

#341 · Sep 2, 2007

Raymond Hernandez14 said:Look, it's a CPU cooler. Just grab it. I've actually had the chance to install one and work with it while it was inside a rig, so I know what I'm talking about. No stress involved, and since it's a Cooler Master, there's no reason to hesitate. Just take it.
And hey, northerncrane33, go ahead and name one single "BETTER" option for the exact same price!!!

😂

For example, this one.
And it's even cheaper....

Raymond Hernandez14 Active Member

108 messages
joined Mar 2007

#342 · Sep 2, 2007

JOOJ, my mistake. I thought he was referring to this one:

My apologies once again; I completely overlooked the FX designation and misread the specs. To be perfectly honest, I agree that the FX version is priced a bit high, and if given the choice, I would certainly opt for the Zalman instead. It was a simple oversight on my part... sorry.🙂

Henry Thompson66 Member

31 messages
joined Oct 2007

#343 · Sep 2, 2007

Blue Orb FX won't fit on my motherboard, but you'll probably end up grabbing just copy/paste that into your browser. I have a Gigabyte AM2 socket, and some sites claim the Max Orb isn't compatible 😢—apparently, none of the Orbs with the round base will work with it.

fadedorca66 Regular

372 messages
joined Nov 2022

#344 · Sep 2, 2007

wiredmarlin5 said:(just copy/paste this into your browser)

So that's the cooler, right? No heat pipes? WTF? Come on, Mladen, Zalman is way better than this... I really hope you aren't basing your hardware choices on some random blog or whatever. 🙂

Based on what I've read and seen in tests—it's a garbage cooler. 😈

The only reason kids fall for it is because of the looks and the temperature display.

Exactly. I look at the reviews, and that cooler only dropped temps by 5 degrees at idle and maybe 2 under load compared to the stock one. So yeah, definitely not worth it (Blue Orb FX).

wiredmarlin5 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Apr 2009

#345 · Sep 2, 2007

But honestly, my main question is just how they actually went about taking these measurements... I mean, was the base surface properly polished? Is the processor itself somewhat concave? What kind of thermal paste did they use, and how much did they actually apply? Did the heatsink seat perfectly against the chip, or was there some gap? Plus, I’m wondering about the noise levels compared to the actual cooling performance—what RPM were they running during the tests?

The thing is, we don't have any answers to those questions because they were being completely clueless... There is absolutely no way in a real-world scenario that a Zalman would ever beat out the Big Typhoon—it's just pure nebula...

fadedorca66 Regular

372 messages
joined Nov 2022

#346 · Sep 2, 2007

wiredmarlin5 said:The real issue is how they actually ran the tests. Was the base polished? Is the CPU surface concave? What kind of thermal paste did they use and how much? Did the cooler seat properly? Also, what about noise versus cooling performance, and at what RPM were they testing?

We don't have answers to those questions because they're pretty clueless. There’s just no way the Zalman beats the Big Typhoon—it's a total nebula

Are you kidding me? Have you even read the latest issue of PC Gamer?
It's all in there—which CPU they used, the fan setup, the RPM, the temps, the weight of the whole install...

EDIT: And no, I'm not an editor for some tech mag or anything, I'm just saying... 🤣

Every cooler had its own photo, including a shot of the base, noting if it was good, great, or needed work... they didn't do any extra work on the base at all.

wiredmarlin5 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Apr 2009

#347 · Sep 2, 2007

Wait, I just finished reading that and... honestly, I have to say, I don't quite see eye to eye with you on this one!

Casey Williams5 Active Member

55 messages
joined Sep 2007

#348 · Sep 2, 2007

Henry Thompson66 said:I've got a Gigabyte AM2 setup, but some sites are claiming 😢 none of those round-bottom Orbs will actually fit

I'm running the exact same socket and managed to get a Thermal ruby orb with the round base to work... though it wasn't exactly plug-and-play—had to use my own screws, tap out the threads on the fan clips, and stack about six washers under each clip just to get it to seat properly. It finally went in, but man, it was a project...

Henry Thompson66 Member

31 messages
joined Oct 2007

#349 · Sep 2, 2007

Casey Williams5 said:I’m using the exact same socket, and I ended up installing a Thermal Take Ruby Orb with that circular base. It was quite the ordeal—I actually had to use my own screws, notch the fan blades with some pliers, and shim each blade with six washers just to get it to seat properly!

Is there any way to install a Max Orb without all that massive hassle? If it's possible, I might just go ahead and buy the Max Orb. I've already opened up the non-FX version.

Casey Williams5 Active Member

55 messages
joined Sep 2007

#350 · Sep 2, 2007

Maybe! I honestly don't know—if I were you, I'd just grab one you're 100% sure will fit. Plus, if you're even slightly handy with some tools, installing it shouldn't be much of a headache...

Joseph Carter9 NewcomerOP

6 messages
joined Oct 2007

#351 · Sep 4, 2007

Here are some shots of my killer PC build; it’s got a serious shine to it 🙂. I ended up applying about 3 or 4 coats of lacquer—I mentioned doing this before, but now I’ve actually got the photos to prove it. Honestly, it looks even more brilliant in person; just look at how much light is reflecting off the surface in this shot.
http://i13.tinypic.com/5xdk9yv.jpg

fadedorca66 Regular

372 messages
joined Nov 2022

#352 · Sep 4, 2007

Joseph Carter9 said:Here are some shots of my rig. It’s pretty flashy (seriously, look at that shine). 🙂 So, I went ahead and coated my PC case with about 3 or 4 layers of lacquer. I think I mentioned doing this before, but here are some actual photos to prove it... honestly, it looks even shinier in person. Check out how much light it's reflecting in this shot.
[Link to image]

Do you take your PC to the doctor and the dentist too? 🤣

I mean, it looks alright, I guess.

Raymond Hernandez14 Active Member

108 messages
joined Mar 2007

#353 · Sep 5, 2007

It looks quite decent, and I know Joseph Carter9 is a firm believer in maintaining a clean aesthetic within a PC build... wouldn't you agree?
Could you perhaps provide some side-profile shots so we can appreciate the full silhouette? Furthermore, I must insist that you use a digital camera or borrow a high-quality device from someone; the clarity of these images is simply insufficient.
I suspect I am having a bit of a sensory overload here...

placidcanyon2 Member

11 messages
joined Mar 2010

#354 · Sep 5, 2007

It looks to me like that top vent is actually blowing air inward instead of pulling it out. I mean, sure, it looks cool, but still...

PS. Seriously though, you gotta check this out, it's awesome:
http://forum.pcekspert.com/showthread.php?t=58854

Joseph Carter9 NewcomerOP

6 messages
joined Oct 2007

#355 · Sep 5, 2007

I'm cleaning up my digital mess before my sister arrives in a few days.

A dentist?! Hmm... maybe, though I don't think that even exists yet.

@placidcanyon2/">@@placidcanyon2; that case is awesome, seriously top-tier stuff. I haven't quite reached that level of obsession myself; but if I actually had a modern case, maybe it would work. You have to keep in mind that mine isn't even shaped right; it's just a plain old box from about four years ago packed with low-end components... so I really don't feel like putting in TOO much effort.

The whole setup is shown under the link where it says "my machine"... except it doesn't have a potentiometer.
And on the right side, it looks like this (that bottom one is an 80 mm fan => blowing air in)
http://i2.tinypic.com/5077ip0.jpg

As for that 120mm fan, personally, I think it’s better to have it blowing air in because there isn't much in there for it to pull out... just my opinion; he's already got that one in the back for exhaust.

Casey Williams5 Active Member

55 messages
joined Sep 2007

#356 · Sep 6, 2007

You can pick up some individual potentiometers or maybe find some specifically for $50 right here in Washington, D.C.

Joseph Carter9 NewcomerOP

6 messages
joined Oct 2007

#357 · Sep 6, 2007

You can find some options at Micro Center, but they’re all overpriced; personally, I picked up my $100 at Best Buy, and honestly, it was worth every penny.

The selection for this kind of gear is pretty thin here in the States; take my word for it—I've scoured just about everywhere.

wiredmarlin5 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Apr 2009

#358 · Sep 6, 2007

Casey Williams5 said:Well, if you're looking around Washington, D.C., you can actually find standalone potentiometers or even some specific parts for $50...
.

Casey Williams5 Active Member

55 messages
joined Sep 2007

#359 · Sep 6, 2007

I'm thinking about picking up a Corsair tuner...

Henry Thompson66 Member

31 messages
joined Oct 2007

#360 · Sep 6, 2007

I picked mine up at Phoenix for $12 and it's running great after I repainted it black and silver.
Check out this budget option:
Newegg fan potentiometer

Here is the one I actually bought and customized: Link

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