Aspire X-Navigator case and 500W PSU

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rod
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R

Rod

Are these a well built case and is the PSU reliable?

I'm wanting to build a gaming PC for my son, and know he would like the
windowed side with LED fans. I was hoping to find a case I liked with USB,
Firewire and Audio on the front(which this one doesn't have audio). This
case is a little more than I'd like to spend but the other case I was
looking at, the Raidmax 668wbp, the PSU's ratings kind of bother me.

For hardware I was going to use the following, what would be a good PSU
rating for this equipment.

Intel 865perl(I'd use the on board audio)
3.0E H/T (Is Retail the way to go on this?)
Muskin 1 gig ram
XFX nVidia FX5900
Lite-On or Sony DVD +/- RW
Single sata drive (with plans to add one more down the road)
and probably an 8-1 card reader in place of a floppy.

If you have any other case/PSU recommendations, I'd be glad to here them. I
think he'd prefer a black colored case.

Thanks

Rod
 
Are these a well built case and is the PSU reliable?

I'm wanting to build a gaming PC for my son, and know he would like the
windowed side with LED fans. I was hoping to find a case I liked with USB,
Firewire and Audio on the front(which this one doesn't have audio). This
case is a little more than I'd like to spend but the other case I was
looking at, the Raidmax 668wbp, the PSU's ratings kind of bother me.
Click to expand...

Either/both of them have junk power supplies. You'd be as
well off buying a case with name-brand power supply of lower
wattage, for example an Antec case with Antec power supply.
For hardware I was going to use the following, what would be a good PSU
rating for this equipment.

Intel 865perl(I'd use the on board audio)
3.0E H/T (Is Retail the way to go on this?)
Muskin 1 gig ram
XFX nVidia FX5900
Lite-On or Sony DVD +/- RW
Single sata drive (with plans to add one more down the road)
and probably an 8-1 card reader in place of a floppy.

If you have any other case/PSU recommendations, I'd be glad to here them. I
think he'd prefer a black colored case.
Click to expand...

Since there's only 1, possibly two HDDs and an optical, you
don't need a big case. I'd advise against substituting the
card reader for the floppy... while it may not seem you
really "need" the floppy, it's those unanticipated times you
might really need it that count. Floppy drive is $10, there
are cases with 2 x 3.5" external bays.

Get the retail CPU if you want cheapest alternative with
"fair" heatsink. Go OEM if you want a better and/or quieter
heatsink, saving some $$ to put towards the 'sink. Some
like the retail warranty but "like" is about as far as it
goes, CPUs don't generally fail except in circumstances that
wouldn't be covered by the warranty.

Your system config suggest a minimum of a good name-brand
350W power supply. Even better a name-brand 400-420W. I
wouldn't use the Raidmax or Aspire of any (fictious "Peak"
labeled) wattage for those parts. The power supply isn't
the place to save $20 with hundreds of $$$ worth of parts in
the system.

Check out the Antec cases with 120mm rear fan, it has
potential to be quieter than most other alternatives.
http://www.newegg.com has among the best case pictures one
could hope for, I suggest browsing their selections even if
you buy somewhere else.
 
Rod said:
Are these a well built case and is the PSU reliable?
Click to expand...
Intel 865perl(I'd use the on board audio)
3.0E H/T (Is Retail the way to go on this?)
Click to expand...

Retail is the only way you get a heatsink/fan whose warranty includes
the CPU, and Fry's often has cheap retail boxed CPU & mobo
combinations.
Muskin 1 gig ram
XFX nVidia FX5900
Lite-On or Sony DVD +/- RW
Single sata drive (with plans to add one more down the road)
and probably an 8-1 card reader in place of a floppy.
Click to expand...
If you have any other case/PSU recommendations, I'd be glad to here them. I
think he'd prefer a black colored case.
Click to expand...

Get a case that measures at least 18.5" from front to rear if you want
to guarantee that the mobo and DVD and CD drives won't bump into one
another.

I haven't read great things about Aspire PSUs from any legitimate
review, such as www.silentpcreview.com, and I'd rather have a
lower-powered Antec or Fortron/Sparkle/Hi-Q/PowerQ PSU (see
www.newegg.com). A 350W should have no trouble running all your stuff.
 
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