Anyone using Cooler master Elite Desktop?

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Hi, im in the process of building a desktop. I need to pick out a good desktop case, ill be using an intel i3 4150 CPU, mITX motherboard, 8gb ram, 500w PSU, integrated graphics. I was looking at the cooler master elite line of cases, specifically the elite 110. Will I need an aftermarker CPU cooler or liquid cooling for a case this small?

The computer will be used for internet and streaming Netflix.
Thanks!
 
With an i3? Nope. The stock intel cpu cooler is more than sufficient. You'll be lucky to see it hit 30W TDP under load (and by load, I mean under prime95). Coolermaster cases are decent, though I personally prefer Bitfenix, Fractal Design, and Corsair. I'd look at those and see what they have.

I'm frankly more interested in what PSU you picked. Mind linking it here?
 
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I have the elite 120 its a very nice case,

I'd avoid a generic 500w psu and get

something smaller and more efficient, its worth spending an extra 20$ on.

you also want to make sure you go modular power supply.. you dont want to have to hide cables all over.

I picked up a corsair cs450m 80+gold for 30$ the other day.. working great in the pfsense router box.
 
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Originally Posted By: Rand
I have the elite 120 its a very nice case,

I'd avoid a generic 500w psu and get

something smaller and more efficient, its worth spending an extra 20$ on.


This. You don't need a 500W PSU with integrated graphics, and an i3. It's overkill and inefficient. I'd get one of these. It's still more than plenty for your needs, and is extremely well made and efficient. It should last you pretty much forever. It's what I just bought for my 24/7 operation server.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...1-117-_-Product
 
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: Rand
I have the elite 120 its a very nice case,

I'd avoid a generic 500w psu and get

something smaller and more efficient, its worth spending an extra 20$ on.


This You don't need a 500W PSU with integrated graphics, and an i3. It's overkill and inefficient. I'd get one of these. It's still more than plenty for your needs, and is extremely well made and efficient. It should last you pretty much forever. It's what I just bought for my 24/7 operation server.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...1-117-_-Product





The efficiency of the power supply has nothing to do with its maximum rated capacity. Just because a power supply is rated for 500 watts doesn't mean it's going to be inefficient. A 1000 Watt power supply with an 80 plus Platinum rating will beat out a lower 80 plus bronze 500 Watt in power savings even if you're only utilizing 150 watts of the capacity.

Luckily efficiency ratings are mostly easy to find. 80 plus gold is my personal minimum preferred rating, but I also like to know what's inside the unit.

Stay away from cheap low efficiency power supplies, sometimes they go as low as 70% and don't have proper modern ATX layouts. There are still many over rated units on the market with 500 watts of available power with over inflated 3.3v and 5v rails while today's desktop computers almost exclusively use the 12v rail. Look for higher 12 amp ratings when comparing like wattage units. Avoid any unit that has more amps available on the 3.3/5v rail than the 12v.

Check out Jonny Guru for power supply reviews.
 
I cant agree with that, I hear you on 80+ platinum... but a 1000w platinum power supply will cost hundreds of dollars as in 200+
That's not what the OP is looking for.

also the 80+ certification only applies between 20-100% load

If your target system has a 25w idle power and a max of 150w
you are much better going with a smaller power supply.

first off you save 150$ when buying the power supply.
and you are within the more efficient range of the power supply.

even 80+ platinum is 90+% efficient between 20-100% load.

I usually shoot for something that will run about 50-60% under normal load


see this review
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story3&reid=361

the 1000w platinum was only 85% eff at 10% load.

obviously the best power supply would be a 80+ titanium that runs about 50% load off 230v where it is 96%+ efficient. but buying the one nick listed for 1/4 the price makes more sense.. than buying http://www.anandtech.com/show/7988/corsairs-ax1500i-released-a-1500w-80-plus-titanium-psu



ps: OP the elite 120 case is 25$ after MIR
case link here.



Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

The efficiency of the power supply has nothing to do with its maximum rated capacity. Just because a power supply is rated for 500 watts doesn't mean it's going to be inefficient. A 1000 Watt power supply with an 80 plus Platinum rating will beat out a lower 80 plus bronze 500 Watt in power savings even if you're only utilizing 150 watts of the capacity.

Luckily efficiency ratings are mostly easy to find. 80 plus gold is my personal minimum preferred rating, but I also like to know what's inside the unit.

Stay away from cheap low efficiency power supplies, sometimes they go as low as 70% and don't have proper modern ATX layouts. There are still many over rated units on the market with 500 watts of available power with over inflated 3.3v and 5v rails while today's desktop computers almost exclusively use the 12v rail. Look for higher 12 amp ratings when comparing like wattage units. Avoid any unit that has more amps available on the 3.3/5v rail than the 12v.

Check out Jonny Guru for power supply reviews.
 
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Thanks for the input! My psu is the CS450 gold corsair. I mistakenly thought it was 500w. So consensus on not needing any aftermarket cooling?
 
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Thanks for the input! My psu is the CS450 gold corsair. I mistakenly thought it was 500w. So consensus on not needing any aftermarket cooling?


With an i3 you definitely don't need aftermarket cooling. They just don't put out that much heat.

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: Rand
I have the elite 120 its a very nice case,

I'd avoid a generic 500w psu and get

something smaller and more efficient, its worth spending an extra 20$ on.


This You don't need a 500W PSU with integrated graphics, and an i3. It's overkill and inefficient. I'd get one of these. It's still more than plenty for your needs, and is extremely well made and efficient. It should last you pretty much forever. It's what I just bought for my 24/7 operation server.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...1-117-_-Product





The efficiency of the power supply has nothing to do with its maximum rated capacity. Just because a power supply is rated for 500 watts doesn't mean it's going to be inefficient. A 1000 Watt power supply with an 80 plus Platinum rating will beat out a lower 80 plus bronze 500 Watt in power savings even if you're only utilizing 150 watts of the capacity.

Luckily efficiency ratings are mostly easy to find. 80 plus gold is my personal minimum preferred rating, but I also like to know what's inside the unit.

Stay away from cheap low efficiency power supplies, sometimes they go as low as 70% and don't have proper modern ATX layouts. There are still many over rated units on the market with 500 watts of available power with over inflated 3.3v and 5v rails while today's desktop computers almost exclusively use the 12v rail. Look for higher 12 amp ratings when comparing like wattage units. Avoid any unit that has more amps available on the 3.3/5v rail than the 12v.

Check out Jonny Guru for power supply reviews.


As Rand pointed out, oversizing your PSU just means you waste money in both price and energy, as a 360W gold rated PSU will be more efficient at ~50W (which is about where the OPs system will idle) vs a larger unit. SMPS power supplies, specifically units made to hit 80PLUS standards, are most efficient at 20% and above. 10% really isn't a consideration. It's not unusual to see even 80plus gold units at 75% efficiency at low power levels, around 10%. A smaller unit will be more in it's design range, and so will be more efficient.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Thanks for the input! My psu is the CS450 gold corsair. I mistakenly thought it was 500w. So consensus on not needing any aftermarket cooling?


With an i3 you definitely don't need aftermarket cooling. They just don't put out that much heat.

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: Rand
I have the elite 120 its a very nice case,

I'd avoid a generic 500w psu and get

something smaller and more efficient, its worth spending an extra 20$ on.


This You don't need a 500W PSU with integrated graphics, and an i3. It's overkill and inefficient. I'd get one of these. It's still more than plenty for your needs, and is extremely well made and efficient. It should last you pretty much forever. It's what I just bought for my 24/7 operation server.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...1-117-_-Product





The efficiency of the power supply has nothing to do with its maximum rated capacity. Just because a power supply is rated for 500 watts doesn't mean it's going to be inefficient. A 1000 Watt power supply with an 80 plus Platinum rating will beat out a lower 80 plus bronze 500 Watt in power savings even if you're only utilizing 150 watts of the capacity.

Luckily efficiency ratings are mostly easy to find. 80 plus gold is my personal minimum preferred rating, but I also like to know what's inside the unit.

Stay away from cheap low efficiency power supplies, sometimes they go as low as 70% and don't have proper modern ATX layouts. There are still many over rated units on the market with 500 watts of available power with over inflated 3.3v and 5v rails while today's desktop computers almost exclusively use the 12v rail. Look for higher 12 amp ratings when comparing like wattage units. Avoid any unit that has more amps available on the 3.3/5v rail than the 12v.

Check out Jonny Guru for power supply reviews.


As Rand pointed out, oversizing your PSU just means you waste money in both price and energy, as a 360W gold rated PSU will be more efficient at ~50W (which is about where the OPs system will idle) vs a larger unit. SMPS power supplies, specifically units made to hit 80PLUS standards, are most efficient at 20% and above. 10% really isn't a consideration. It's not unusual to see even 80plus gold units at 75% efficiency at low power levels, around 10%. A smaller unit will be more in it's design range, and so will be more efficient.

Actually power supplies that are rated gold are often hitting in the mid to low 80s at 10% load. See reviews at http://www.jonnyguru.com/
However I also agree that the SeaSonic power supply linked would be perfect for that amount of power.
 
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just for comparison

My pfsense box idles at 21-22w with an evga bronze 500B

the corsair cs450m is 17-18w


I really swapped it out because the evga 500b had a massive rats nest of cables.

the corsair is semi-modular.
 
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