I have just built the following HTPC (installing Win7 now) at a reasonably price of just above 500 from ebuyer Item: Antec NSK 2480 MATX Desktop Case Black & Silver - With 380W EarthWatts PSU Qty: 1Cost: 76.63 Item: Scythe Mini Ninja Socket 478/775/754/939/940/AM2 Heatpipe Cooler Qty: 1Cost: 22.91 Item: Samsung EcoGreen F2 1.5TB Hard Drive SATAII 32MB Cache - OEM Qty: 1Cost: 63.87 Item: Samsung SH-B084L Blu-Ray Reader with DVD±RW SATA Black - Retail Box Qty: 1Cost: 67.50 Item: AMD Athlon II X3 405e 2.3GHz Socket AM3 1.5MB Cache Energy Efficient Retail Box Processor Qty: 1Cost: 64.33 Item: ASUS M4A785TD-M EVO 785G Socket AM3 DVI VGA HDMI Out 8 Channel Audio MATX Motherboard Qty: 1Cost: 59.88 Item: G-Skill 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz/PC3-12800 Ripjaw Memory Kit CL7(7-8-7-24) 1.65V Qty: 1Cost: 79.02 Not had chance to test its performance but I am sure it will all be fine. My one concern however is the noise of the tiny Mini Ninja fan, it is quite loud and high pitched compared to the rest of the system. Due to the fact that the 2 exhaust fans on the case are quite close to the Mini Ninja and I am only using a 45w CPU would it be fine to remove the Mini Ninja fan? Also I think in the past someone mentioned replacing the 2 case fans. Can any one recommend a couple that would suit this case nicely? Thanks in advance
I'd argue the Athlon II X2 240e was a better buy - higher clock, 45W and cheaper. It should generate next to no heat - I've got a 65W Phenom 7750 in my machine and the only fan in the entire system it is a Noctua on the CPU, and one in the PSU. Your PSU and hard drive will probably be the loudest thing in that case.
Crap, I thought id get the best 45w CPU I could find and assumed it was that X3. Never mind I am sure it will be fine. Cool thanks for your advice.
I've got an Antec Fusion (essentially the same case) with a Mini Ninja (no fan mounted) and Athlon 4850e. I'm using a single nexus at 5v (which is extremely low airflow) on one of the side exhausts (and the blanking plate on the other) and the processor never gets particularly warm. Get the fan off the mini ninja to start with, the stock fans on the case are pretty high flow and will cool it without problems. I'd expect a lower flow fan to suffice too. Try undervolting the CPU a bit, chances are you can get away with quite a bit less at stock speed.
dolphin, I'm curious . . . I'm building an HTPC with the same ASUS motherboard and Scythe Ninja Mini, and about to order a similar RipJaws set of memory DIMMs and was wondering if your Ninja Mini blades had any problem clearing the tops of the Ripjaws. (In a hurry, will post the complete system spec on the next reply.) Thanks.
Sorry pal I havent logged onto the forum for a little while. I dont think they did clear the heat spreaders so I had to put the memory in the 3rd and 4th slots. I have removed the mini ninja fan and it works perfectly, i might change the intake fans shrotly too as it all seems to be working fine. Thanks for the help.
