With your 7700 you probably will see an increase in ambient temp if you run the intake tube type deal.
The only trouble with having a pile of parts on a piece of foam is protection - there's nothing stopping your components being damaged. That's why if you wanna try things like that, get one of those snazzy frames that shop techs use on test benches. But again, no good long term, the machine can't really be moved easily as parts - imagine turning up to a LAN and having to assemble it on the spot, then what would happen if someone trips on a lead and sends the motherboard hurtling to the ground...
It's all a compromise but it's one that ends up working well with some clever implementation.
WTF? Btw, my CNPS7700 is dying from a lack of air, there is one 3000RPM 92mm Zalman fan next to it and a 120mm fan above it, I think it would improve performance, how will it decrease it anyway? Diagram?
How about the grilles next to the GPU? I'm using an Accelero X2 and to mount the GPU fans I will have to mount them on the outside (not a problem though, it will look great with an 80mm fan grille LOL), should they be blowing in or sucking out? Theres a lot of air accumulating around the GPU area although its the only thing thats there.
Fans/Cooling.
92mm Zalman 3000RPM Drive bay under-bezel intake (I made the hole bigger for more air) (making a woosh, the tiny sound is being amplified by the case)
92mm Zalman 3000RPM Rear Outtake, on silent mode it still moves so much air compared to my "best" 80mm fan, starving the CNPS7700CU of fresh air.
120mm Coolermaster iGreen fan above the CNPS7700CU.
Stock northbridge heatsink, with AS5... how do I burn in a northbridge? I'm using AS5 on it lol... wait... the temps dropped like 2*C over the past two days... thats good
.
Btw, I think Zalman's aluminium northbridges (except for the compressed aluminium version) are only replacements for the northbridges with faulty fans. Do Zalman northbridges perform better than stock northbridges of the similar size anyway? Everyone goes "Oh I got a thermaltake <insert NB cooler here> and all this shit, but never answer my question.
Btw, um... would my cooling get affected if my X1950PRO and HDD left a small 5cm space between each other? My 92mm fan is completely under the HDD and I think the air is only going to stay low (blocked by HDD?). Should I mount the HDD lower? Like where the motor is.
Temps so far:
CPU:
Load: Don't know probably 50*C... seems too hot but the AS5 right now is equivalent to some cheap generic crap which takes 3hours to settle in, need to burn in.
Idle: 40*C
System:
Load: Nearly 48*C, thats why I need the vent anyway.
Idle: 40*C to 43*C
NB:
Load: 45*C
Idle: 40*C to 42*C
GPU:
47*C Load
40*C Idle, pretty cool.
It seems too hot for the rest...So what would happen if I:
-Installed the duct+grille side panel.
-Installed the ducting + 80mm fan
-Installed 2x80mm fan on the grilles.
-Both of them simulatneously.