The CM Stacker case and some mods !!

[TheGeekMistress]

Try increasing the ilumination before taking pictures with the web camera, that can increase the quality a lot.

 

I had the same problem with my side panel, where the window is UV reactive and will glow with the UV lights. I managed to lower this effect by using a screen to deflect the UV light away from the window with out hurting the view too much, but i agree Coolermaster messed things up with this type of acrylic window.

those pix were purposly taken with low lihgt to no light so it would show the UV being lit up and the EL Wire glow under my mobo.

 

here's a close up of some water block mods i'm in the middle of doing.

 

with the lights on

 

 

there's more pix on my thread i made about building and modding my new system:

-nf3 250 LP-UT

-Newark 4000

-Asetek Waterchill

 

TGM

[TheGeekMistress]

if you all are interested, here are all my projects going on right now

 

<<>>

 

1.building my new nf3/Newark CM Stacker h20 system

2.upgrading my parents computer i built for them (whit&blue)

3.installing my current sig rig into another case (side view computer with the 120s; it's my Mobile 2600+ running at 2.6ghz idle at 29C)

4.the farthest back silver computer case is going to receive my P4 1.6a oc'd to 2.8ghz system that you can see laying around on the counter top)

 

if you guys are interested, i took some pix with my digi cam and i will post them on the "Official CASE pic thread! 56k BEWARE!!" thread.

 

TGM

[Sorrento]

those pix were purposly taken with low lihgt to no light so it would show the UV being lit up and the EL Wire glow under my mobo.

Yeah, sorry I didn't pay attention the first time I looked... it was as if I wasn't looking at the forest because these things, trees, were blocking my view

 

Very nice... I remember the Abit Fatal1ty board had something similar, but with red led lights around the backside near the edge of the motherboard. But contrary to the Abit this motherboard of yours really works :shake:

 

 

 

/Edit

 

I see you installed a chipset waterblock, I am sure it was not necesary specially with the Stacker extreme ventilation (with the XFlow fan of course). Does the nF3 has a temperature sensor in the chipset like the nF4 has? My nF3 Ultra doesn't, but that could be MSI's mistake

[TheGeekMistress]

Yeah, sorry I didn't pay attention the first time I looked... it was as if I wasn't looking at the forest because these things, trees, were blocking my view

 

Very nice... I remember the Abit Fatal1ty board had something similar, but with red led lights around the backside near the edge of the motherboard. But contrary to the Abit this motherboard of yours really works :shake:

 

 

 

/Edit

 

I see you installed a chipset waterblock, I am sure it was not necesary specially with the Stacker extreme ventilation (with the XFlow fan of course). Does the nF3 has a temperature sensor in the chipset like the nF4 has? My nF3 Ultra doesn't, but that could be MSI's mistake

yah, the Fatal1ty mobo is what gave me the idea, but i'm using EL Wire instead of LEDs.

 

yes, i'm unsing a water block my chipset just b'c i have a block for one.

 

here's a high quality pic of the undermobo glow with some other UV stuff. i'll be getting more uv stuff and more uv ccfl's in the future.

 

 

TGM

[Sorrento]

Pretty

 

I am sure the pic doesn't give the case its credit... all the pics I have taken from cases look not as good as the real thing.

[TheGeekMistress]

well, that was just showing a high quality UV only pic as someone, don't recall who, wanted a better quality UV pic since the last one i took was with my webcam.

 

well, that's the HQ UV pic.

 

i'll be taking more pix once i get this computer into the case. right now i've got it setup with a 948U HSF laying on my desk with some air foam underneath it and it's running 3000MHz / HT 300 Bus / DDR 430 2x512 TCCD 2.0-2-2-10-13-15-1T (so far) / 100% game stable; haven't tried running prime for more than an hour, but no errors there either.

 

http://www.twistedchick.net/dfi_forum/Stac...CPU+timings.gif

 

next up is the watercooled CM Stack and overclocks.

 

TGM

[blobby750©]

Got a Stacker yesterday. Really big, lotsa room, but don't know if I''ll keep it. I don't like the way you need modules to mount front fans. That's not much of a criticism I know, but it seems this large case would be ideal for watercooling, but if I'm not goin down that road, do I really need a case this big? This criticism has started since I began installing my drives.

 

- None of the screwholes on the drive rails match up with the screwholes on my drives, wtf?

[TheGeekMistress]

i dunno, i've had no quality problems at all.

 

as for the fanage, just zip tie two more 120's inside the front.

 

TGM

[THunDA]

I don't like the way you need modules to mount front fans. That's not much of a criticism I know,

Thats something you should have seen in a review online before you bought it.. I'll be honest I dont like the modules that much either but IMO the quality and size of the case makes up for that one little thing..

but it seems this large case would be ideal for watercooling, but if I'm not goin down that road, do I really need a case this big?

The stacker is known to be a great case for water cooling..!! I like the fact its so big because it gives me plenty of room to work inside while all my stuff is installed..

- None of the screwholes on the drive rails match up with the screwholes on my drives, wtf?

Thats strange they all worked for me and Ive had a few different drives installed..

 

Please dont take offence to this.. But the few things like drive modules and size is something you should have known about from reading a review or two before buying it.. So maybe before you buy something you might want to check out some reviews first.. Just a friendly suggestion..

 

About your drives not lining up.. Like I said I havent had any problems with the multiple drives that ive used in my case.. Maybe you got some defective drive rails or something..

[blobby750©]

No, I'm not saying it's a quality issue, everything is well made and well finished. I thought the drive rails screwed onto the drives but as it is, I've just got the drive rails attached to my 5.25" drives without screws and it seems to work out OK. Yeh I can sort something out with the fans, but it aint ideal. Thought I'd have to sacrifice a 120mm fan for my floppy drive but it's worked out OK now. I'll wait until I have it all together to check out the temps and noise before making up my mind.

 

 

 

Re:Thunda. Yeh I've read loads on this case and I knew about the modules, I just don't like it!lol.

Don't get me wrong, I've been thinking about getting this case for quite a while, I like the design, the space, and ease of installation and removal of hardware. I'm just still deciding on whether to keep it or not.

[Sorrento]

...but it seems this large case would be ideal for watercooling, but if I'm not goin down that road, do I really need a case this big? This criticism has started since I began installing my drives.

 

- None of the screwholes on the drive rails match up with the screwholes on my drives, wtf?

Well I had a Xaser III V2000A (aluminum) case on my main system and it was a disaster in ventilation, 65º C chipset temperature because of the two 6800GT's heat around it. I have a Centurion V on my bedroom system and the ventilation is great with just one 120mm fan on the back, but the very cleaver front mesh thing that lets air go thru.

 

I moved into watercooling, yes, but in my opinion even with air cooling the Stacker would be an ideal case. A lot of people tell me the LianLi cases are better, blah blah here, blah blah there... the truth is the Stacker doesn't need any modification to be a great case, maybe thats the only "problem": a modder likes things to be a little more rough. Right now my chipset and PWM temperatures are way cool: chipset never leaves the 30's while the PWM got as far as 44º C when I had the 3700+ @ 2.99 ghz, now with the Opteron 175 @ 2.7 ghz the temperature got up to 50º C... with another case I would probably require a fan since temperatures would reach 90º C for sure, upon experience with the Xaser case.

 

Give it a try, also get the X-Flow fan... I am sure your temperatures will never be as cool with this case than with another one. Size might be an issue if you move your computer and/or go to LAN-Parties... the case is huge and heavy indeed.

 

 

What drive rails are you talking about? I had problems figuring out the way to install the floppy, as I thought it was a quick removal like the CD-Roms when in reality it is screwed directly over the case thru those two adapters. The CD Roms don't require any screws, just the left/right plastic things to slide them in place.

 

I hope this helps, good luck.

[supershanks]

The 4in3 fan bays that your talking about are graet I use 1 in my CM Centurion 530 although i beefed the fan up replacing the stock with a silverstone 120. For cooling the casr their great The front mesh as Sorrento says is perfect.

 

So hope u enjoy it but if u do get fed up of it throw it over here :shake:

(but shout 1st wouldn't want 1 on my head :tooth:

 

luck