New case and cooler recommendations?

Thinking about picking up a new case and a CPU cooler. My aunt actually sent me $100, and I’m planning to flip my old hard drive for $170. So yeah, things are looking pretty good on my end. 😁

Anyway, should I go with the Cooler Master Hyper 212 or the Noctua NF-P12? Which one of those two is better?

Also, what cooler should I get? Honestly, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 feels a bit pricey right now, so I'm hunting for a solid alternative.

I'm hoping to keep the whole thing under $167 max.

A Corsair AF Series paired with a Noctua NF-P12 would be perfect, especially if you move the fan from the top panel to the front. That’s probably the best setup $211 in the USA.

Underneath the Noctua, you won't find anything better than a single-fan cooler, and those cheap $200-$83 units are honestly way worse than what you get with the Corsair or Noctua options.

I’m definitely going with the Noctua NF-P12 in white for the case.

Still deciding on a cooler, though... Is the Corsair LL120 any good? I don't need anything crazy since I'm not planning on overclocking or anything. Just want to keep my Intel Core i3 running a little cooler.

In that case, there's really no need to bother with the Corsair AF Series... the LC CC 120 should be plenty. You might be better off putting that money toward a nicer case instead.

That's what I'd do, but if you think the Noctua is prettier, then go ahead and grab it. 😉

crimsonstag84 said:Then there's no point getting the Corsair AF Series... the LC-CC-95 will do just fine. You're better off putting that money toward a better case.

Like what kind of case are we talking about?

The Noctua NF-P12+ is a solid case, and it comes with three 120mm quiet fans—Corsair's, obviously. Honestly, for this price point, I don't think you can find another chassis that includes three decent fans (some sources even claim four!), dust filters, toolless design, and a built-in fan controller (though it really only handles two fans)...

I'm just gonna go with the Corsair and the Corsair LL120. Whatever happens, happens. I think a buddy of mine has some Corsair LL120s lying around, so I'll check with him first.

Corsair fans for $1
Noctua NF-P12 for $3
Noctua NF-P12+ for $4

Just ordered a Noctua NF-P12 from Best Buy. 😁 Still weighing my options on everything else.

Wait, why on earth would you need an aftermarket cooler for an Intel Core i3? Is it actually overheating? 😲

Adam Moore3 said:Wait, why would you even need an aftermarket cooler for an Intel Core i3? Is it actually overheating? 😲

I'm going to run some tests today and see for sure. If those temps are crazy high, I'll grab a cooler.

But honestly, my hard drive and GPU are running hot right now, so a new case is definitely on my list.

Chris Robinson25 said:I'm going to check the exact temps today. If they're crazy high, I'll just buy a new cooler.

But my hard drive and GPU are running hot right now, so getting a new case is a must.

A new case is fine. I think you mentioned somewhere that you're using some ancient case, so something new with three Noctua fans will definitely help your situation. It'll drop your temps for sure, but there's no way an Intel Core i3 is overheating. If anything is running hotter than it should, a new case will fix that. It's got a 53W TDP, right? You could practically hook electrodes up to a potato and still run it. 😬 It's your call, but I think you're throwing money away, since the CPU itself costs $50 more $33 than 😁

This CPU is basically just throwing money down the drain. I don't even know why I bother using it. Honestly, I could probably run Grand Theft Auto V on it even if I paired it with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060.

Chris Robinson25 said:That processor is a total waste of money. I do everything on mine. It would even run Grand Theft Auto V if paired with a 260.

I've actually got an Intel Pentium and a 260X myself.😁

Adam Moore3 said:Look, I'm running an Intel Pentium and a 260X myself.😁

Forget the Intel Core i7—dual core still rules. 🙂

I’m currently running an LC CC 120—any recommendations for an upgrade?
As for the case, I have a Corsair R1. Any suggestions there? Or maybe looking at a Noctua NF-P12 or even a Noctua NF-P12+... honestly, it's just a matter of personal preference. Though, I suppose the number of fans available is worth considering.

I ended up going with the Noctua instead. For one reason: I'm just not a fan of gates. 😁

I actually picked up the Cooler Master Hyper 212 specifically because of how easy it makes accessing the case. I mean, I rarely ever open the side panel, except when I’m doing some deep cleaning, but having that ease of access is nice. It really comes down to personal preference, though—it's all about what you value. As far as I can tell, the build quality remains top-tier regardless of that specific feature.

Grabbed this too.

Do I need any extra connectors to get everything running, or am I good to go?

Um... what are you planning to do with five fans? 😬 And from what I can see, you picked up the 2000RPM 3-pin ones? 🤔

There’s an adapter inside if you end up needing one.