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[Revengeance]

Hey guys, first I want to say that this thread was absolutely invaluable for me when I did my first ever pc build back in May. Seriously, keep it up. I have an i5 ivy bridge, a 7850, an ssd, etc, inside a fractal R3, which, HOLY SHIT, is the best pc case I've ever owned. So pretty, so quiet.

My question is about the opposite end of the PC spectrum. My sister in law is looking to buy a cheap pc, for document editing, iTunes stuff, hulu, netflix, etc. Almost definitely not playing any games other than perhaps some educational stuff for their 2 year old.

My first thought was to recommend an all-in-one, for the simplicity, lack of cords for a 2 year old to choke on, and lack of ground level buttons for a 2 year old to press. Navigating the all-in-one market is a bitch though, and I'm a bit lost.

Help?

 

[Danielsan]

get a HDMI->DVI cable from somewhere, VGA is terrible terrible terrible man

keep the signal clean (digital), use DVI

http://www.kabeltje.com/hdmi-dvi-vergulde-aansluitkabel-25-meter-pf-197.html nu bestellen morgen in huis

Haha thanks for the link! I guess I'll go DVI - HDMI then.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

OK folks, I've been agonizing over a case for too long now.

I'm building the following (and have already purchased these parts):

Motherboard: P8Z77-V LK
CPU: i5 3570 (no K, not overclocking)
CPU Heatsink: Hyper 212 Plus
RAM: 8GB Mushkin Essentials
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB
Optical Drive: some Asus cheap ass optical drive
Power Supply: Seasonic M12ii 520W Modular
GPU: GTX 460 for now. Will probably upgrade in a few months.

I want a quiet case with decent cable management. I'm trying to decide between the NZXT H2 and the Fractal Design Define R3. The FDDR3 seems to be viewed more favorably overall, but I'm wondering if with so few components (and a modular power supply) that any differences between the two cases in temperatures and cable management capabilities will be irrelevant to me and I should just choose based on their noise profiles or case gimmicks like the H2's detachable front fans (which the OCD in me likes a lot).

 

[abunai]

So my Asus 670 arrived, installed it and everything ran great yesterday. Turned my computer on this morning, and in any game eventually the card starts green/red artifacts all over both monitors and the driver eventually crashes, recovers, and the game is then playing at 1/4 or less of the performance as before.

No overclocks, temps < 60c. Time to RMA? Trying different driver versions in mean time, hoping that it fixes. It ran a few heaven benchmarks 100% okay, and i left it looping for an hour or so with no problems. 5 minutes in The Witcher 2 or even Starcraft 2 and it crashes.

 

[gutterboy44]

I have a quick question about overclocking and PSU's. My new machine is finally coming together, and I want to get a smaller PSU than the one I got last time. Would this PSU be sufficient for OCing a i5 3570k (to around 4.5GHZ) and a GTX 670?

If you want a little more "headroom" and a better 80 Plus rating there is this Seasonic, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151098
Amazing PSU so far. I am running it with the i5 3570K (no OC yet) and a GTX 670 Gigabyte Triforce and the PSU fan has yet to even turn on yet. Very efficient PSU.

Fractal R3 purchased. First big step for me.

Love my R3. I knew I wanted it as my case almost a year before I finally got around to ordering all of my parts. The cable management took some work but I am very happy with the results. I still need to post some pics of my completed build.

 

[Kilrogg]

So is it me or have SSDs suddenly become way cheaper than they used to be just a few months ago?

 

[CambriaRising]

OK folks, I've been agonizing over a case for too long now.

I'm building the following (and have already purchased these parts):

Motherboard: P8Z77-V LK
CPU: i5 3570 (no K, not overclocking)
CPU Heatsink: Hyper 212 Plus
RAM: 8GB Mushkin Essentials
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB
Optical Drive: some Asus cheap ass optical drive
Power Supply: Seasonic M12ii 520W Modular
GPU: GTX 460 for now. Will probably upgrade in a few months.

If you aren't overclocking, you do not need an aftermarket heatsink.

That said, you really should get the 3570k for future proofing if you are going with that heatsink.

 

[Smokey]

So is it me or have SSDs suddenly become way cheaper than they used to be just a few months ago?

truuuuuuuuuuuu

getting closer to 1$ per GB..some cases already there

 

[Kilrogg]

truuuuuuuuuuuu

getting closer to 1$ per GB..some cases already there

Of course I had to buy mine just a bit before that, when they were 50% more expensive :/.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

If you aren't overclocking, you do not need an aftermarket heatsink.

That said, you really should get the 3570k for future proofing if you are going with that heatsink.

Will it be quieter than stock cooling under load? I got that impression when I was shopping around.

 

[CambriaRising]

Will it be quieter than stock cooling under load? I got that impression when I was shopping around.

I can't really comment on that. But if you are intent on having it, you really should spend the extra money to get a cpu you can OC properly. The process has become incredibly simple in the last few years. If you are in the US, the K version of your CPU is only $15 more.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

I can't really comment on that. But if you are intent on having it, you really should spend the extra money to get a cpu you can OC properly. The process has become incredibly simple in the last few years. If you are in the US, the K version of your CPU is only $15 more.

Yeah, I'm considering sending it back and getting the K... The difference is $30 bucks at the moment, though.

Also, I've been living with an e6750 for over 4 years and it hasn't limited my gaming in any significant way. I honestly don't know if I want to go down the OC rabbithole.

 

[CambriaRising]

Yeah, I'm considering sending it back and getting the K... The difference is $30 bucks at the moment, though.

Also, I've been living with an e6750 for over 4 years and it hasn't limited my gaming in any significant way. I honestly don't know if I want to go down the OC rabbithole.

To be fair, this is just a future proofing measure so that you can get some more life out of the CPU. Really, at it's current performance level, it will run anything pretty well.

 

[Sarcasm]

Whats a good router? What do you look for?

 

[cametall]

Whats a good router? What do you look for?

If you just want to walk into a BestBuy and buy one then I'd stick with the Netgears. The new Cisco/Linksys routers seem to suck.

There are probably better niche or obscure brands out there though.

 

[CambriaRising]

If you just want to walk into a BestBuy and buy one then I'd stick with the Netgears. The new Cisco/Linksys routers seem to suck.

There are probably better niche or obscure brands out there though.

I can attest to this. New netgears are pretty great for the price point.

 

[gutterboy44]

If you just want to walk into a BestBuy and buy one then I'd stick with the Netgears. The new Cisco/Linksys routers seem to suck.

There are probably better niche or obscure brands out there though.

Completely agree. I was a long time Linksys user, and even with DDWRT installed I still eventually became fed up with their unreliability. My router for the last year and a half has been the Netgear N600 Dual Band Gig router and it has been flawless. The wifi coverage both N and G in my apartment is great and I have never had to reset it or do a factory default. Simple things like it auto checking for firmware updates go a long way too. Never going back to Linksys/Cisco again.

 

[Thraktor]

Well I have a 128gb ssd so far and I'm buying a 500gb caviar because it should last me this semester. My plan is to get an extreme6 if it drops in price again. If not I'm getting an extreme4 with 16gbs of ram to start with a 3820

I suppose the question is really how expandable do you want your computer to be? As I see it you basically have two options:

- The best machine you could build now, ignoring future upgrades, would be an overclocked 3770K (or even 2700K) on a Z77 board. The 3770K outperforms the 3820 even at stock speeds, and should overclock nicely to give even better performance.

- If you want to build a machine you can keep upgrading for as long as possible, then an Extreme6 board with a 3820 would be the way to go. It's going to be a little less capable than a 3770K-based machine now, but you have the ability to keep upgrading to the point where you have a hex or even octo-core* CPU with 64GB of RAM.

The Extreme4 board is sort of an awkward middle between the two, as you get the ability to use hex-core CPUs, but you're still limited to 32GB of RAM, which is going to limit you in the future. Am I correct in assuming that you won't need it until term starts in September or so? If so, I'd wait until then to see if the Extreme6 drops in price, and if it hasn't by that point, and you absolutely can't afford it, then just go with a Z77 board and a 3770K.

Also, it may be worth posting in the GAF Video and Filmmaking Thread and asking what sort of set-ups people there use for editing and what they'd advise.

*I don't know what Intel's road-map is for the 2011 socket, so I'm just guessing at octo-cores here. It would probably be worth asking someone else here about how long Intel are planning on supporting the 2011 socket and what sort of chips are planned in the future for it. Obviously if you're building a machine to be upgraded for a long time, it's important to know this sort of stuff in advance.

 

[Sarcasm]

If you just want to walk into a BestBuy and buy one then I'd stick with the Netgears. The new Cisco/Linksys routers seem to suck.

There are probably better niche or obscure brands out there though.

I can attest to this. New netgears are pretty great for the price point.

Completely agree. I was a long time Linksys user, and even with DDWRT installed I still eventually became fed up with their unreliability. My router for the last year and a half has been the Netgear N600 Dual Band Gig router and it has been flawless. The wifi coverage both N and G in my apartment is great and I have never had to reset it or do a factory default. Simple things like it auto checking for firmware updates go a long way too. Never going back to Linksys/Cisco again.

Well I live in Taiwan and I seen no BBs over here. I was in a store kinda similiar (3C) they don't even have linksys/cisco here. I see they have buffalo (like the n450) and d-link (plus other brands).

I just don't want a cheapo or an expensive brick.

 

[Spl1nter]

I am looking to upgrade my graphics card from a 5770. Looking right now between the 570 and 7950 price range ($200-$350 CAD). I have a few questions regarding the upgrade.

1. Are there any other good cards in that price range that offer better value?
2. Is it worth the extra money to buy the 7950?
3. Will my x4 965 OC to 3.8 bottleneck the the performance gained?
4. Any new cards going to be introduced before september that fit into this price range/possible price drops?

 

[Sarcasm]

Isn't the 50 the low end of 7XXX? Why not shoot for the 70?

 

[Spl1nter]

Isn't the 50 the low end of 7XXX? Why not shoot for the 70?

I wouldnt call a $300 dollar card low-end... 7970 is out of my price range at $500.

 

[knitoe]

Will it be quieter than stock cooling under load? I got that impression when I was shopping around.

Generally, a aftermarket cooler should be more quiet than the stock. Aftermarket cooler lowers the temp that leads to lower fan speed which should be more quiet.

Completely agree. I was a long time Linksys user, and even with DDWRT installed I still eventually became fed up with their unreliability. My router for the last year and a half has been the Netgear N600 Dual Band Gig router and it has been flawless. The wifi coverage both N and G in my apartment is great and I have never had to reset it or do a factory default. Simple things like it auto checking for firmware updates go a long way too. Never going back to Linksys/Cisco again.

Guess, times have changed. I used to be Netgear user. You figure I would have given up after 1 or 2, but bought 4 of them. They were all shitty and have random reboot issues. Switch to a Belkin, and now, Linksys E4200 couldn't be happier.

 

[SoulClap]

Isn't the 50 the low end of 7XXX? Why not shoot for the 70?

You're thinking of the 7850 I believe.

 

[Shambles]

I can't really comment on that. But if you are intent on having it, you really should spend the extra money to get a cpu you can OC properly. The process has become incredibly simple in the last few years. If you are in the US, the K version of your CPU is only $15 more.

Even with a system that isn't being overclocked I would recommend an aftermarket cooler like the Hyper 212 Evo just for the noise reduction alone. Cooler temps probably help system longevity but it'll last a long time on the stock cooler as well.

 

[hypernima]

post.

Thanks man this helps me a lot. I might just have to hit the labs and delay my build to get the things I need the most for this setup.

 

[kharma45]

I am looking to upgrade my graphics card from a 5770. Looking right now between the 570 and 7950 price range ($200-$350 CAD). I have a few questions regarding the upgrade.

1. Are there any other good cards in that price range that offer better value?
2. Is it worth the extra money to buy the 7950?
3. Will my x4 965 OC to 3.8 bottleneck the the performance gained?
4. Any new cards going to be introduced before september that fit into this price range/possible price drops?

In that sort of range the 7850 is well worth a look, that's what I upgraded my 5770 to.

 

[mkenyon]

Yeah, I'm considering sending it back and getting the K... The difference is $30 bucks at the moment, though.

Also, I've been living with an e6750 for over 4 years and it hasn't limited my gaming in any significant way. I honestly don't know if I want to go down the OC rabbithole.

It's not a rabbithole. It's literally two values in BIOS and you're set. It's worth every penny.

Will it be quieter than stock cooling under load? I got that impression when I was shopping around.

Yes, and if you get better fans, it's even quieter. If silence is a big priority for you, then it's well worth the price. The Corsair SP (for heatsinks and radiators) and AP (for case fans) quiet editions are crazy good for the price.

Generally, a aftermarket cooler should be more quiet than the stock. Aftermarket cooler lowers the temp that leads to lower fan speed which should be more quiet.

This pretty much. It's all about fan sizes and static pressure. Good 120mm fans push a lot more air at really low RPMs than a tiny stock heatsink fan does at high RPMs.

I can attest to this. New netgears are pretty great for the price point.

Identifying over a brand is kind of silly when it comes to networking equipment. It's all about the exact product being offered, because all of them sell absolute garbage as well as near-enterprise level consumer products.

I am looking to upgrade my graphics card from a 5770. Looking right now between the 570 and 7950 price range ($200-$350 CAD). I have a few questions regarding the upgrade.

1. Are there any other good cards in that price range that offer better value?
2. Is it worth the extra money to buy the 7950?
3. Will my x4 965 OC to 3.8 bottleneck the the performance gained?
4. Any new cards going to be introduced before september that fit into this price range/possible price drops?

1. Not really.
2. That can only be answered by you. Google '7950 review' and compare it to the 570.
3. In some games, yes. It's entirely game dependent though.
4. GTX660, and 670 might hit that area soon.

 

[Thraktor]

Thanks man this helps me a lot. I might just have to hit the labs and delay my build to get the things I need the most for this setup.

No problem. Do keep in mind that a 3770K and 16GB of RAM would make for a very capable machine, and should handle 1080p single-camera shorts with relative ease. The more high end components would really come into their own when you're doing longer, multi-camera videos, or if you decide to move up to 4K at any point.

Edit: Actually, while we're on the subject of RAM, could anyone advise me on the difference between standard Corsair/"Value Select" and their more expensive "Vengeance" line? I'm looking to upgrade my 2011 MBP to 16GB (it takes 1333MHz DDR3 SO-DIMMS), and can get the standard 1333MHz Corsair RAM (which is labelled "Value Select" in some of the photos on Amazon) for about &#8364;90, or the Vengeance 1600MHz for &#8364;120. There's also the "Mac Memory" line for about &#8364;100, but I strongly suspect that's just their standard stuff re-labelled. The Vengeance is almost certainly overkill, but I just want to know if the Value Select line is particularly low-quality before I order it.

 

[hypernima]

No problem. Do keep in mind that a 3770K and 16GB of RAM would make for a very capable machine, and should handle 1080p single-camera shorts with relative ease. The more high end components would really come into their own when you're doing longer, multi-camera videos, or if you decide to move up to 4K at any point.

4K res?

and I will most be doing multi cam vids with a DSLR in the future. I wanted the LGA2011 socket mostly to be able to get IB-E in the future. but If I can get away with a 3770k and LGA1155 for a more affordable price I'd be open to trying that.

 

[mkenyon]

4K res?

and I will most be doing multi cam vids with a DSLR in the future. I wanted the LGA2011 socket mostly to be able to get IB-E in the future. but If I can get away with a 3770k and LGA1155 for a more affordable price I'd be open to trying that.

Here's how it'll stack up as far as encoding goes:

This test is programmed to take advantage of four threads/cores, so you can see how well it stacks up outside of n-threaded applications.

It'll basically beat out the 3930K in all programs that use four threads/cores or less. For everything that can take advantage of the 3930K's 12 threads, it lags behind a bit. It's still a monster, it's just less impressive than the 3930K considering that's what the processor/chipset is entirely designed for.

 

[hypernima]

would it be worth it to buy and resell two years from now?

and what are some good LGA1155 mobos that pair best with the 3770k?

 

[Hazaro]

Well I live in Taiwan and I seen no BBs over here. I was in a store kinda similiar (3C) they don't even have linksys/cisco here. I see they have buffalo (like the n450) and d-link (plus other brands).

I just don't want a cheapo or an expensive brick.

ASUS RT N16, then upgrade the firmware to Tomato. Only buy if you will flash the Firmware.
http://tomatousb.org/tut:installing-on-asus-rt-n16

So is it me or have SSDs suddenly become way cheaper than they used to be just a few months ago?

For sure. Price goes down everytime I update.

 

[mkenyon]

would it be worth it to buy and resell two years from now?

and what are some good LGA1155 mobos that pair best with the 3770k?

Reselling old hardware is always really hard. You're stuck between people it would work for (non gamers) who are better off buying a cheap pre-built with a warranty, and gamers who are looking for cutting edge tech. Ultimately, it's great if it happens, but don't ever bank on it.

Mobo's would be in the OP. I'd suggest looking at the 'enhanced' or 'excellent' choices.

 

[Thraktor]

4K res?

and I will most be doing multi cam vids with a DSLR in the future. I wanted the LGA2011 socket mostly to be able to get IB-E in the future. but If I can get away with a 3770k and LGA1155 for a more affordable price I'd be open to trying that.

Yeah, 4K res. 4K cameras are pretty expensive at the moment, but there are quite a few set to come out in the next few years, so competition may drive prices down to a more affordable level, and even if they don't, you may find yourself renting or borrowing 4K equipment at some point.

Ivy Bridge E does look pretty tempting, especially if they bring in 8-core consumer chips. As I say, though, RAM is more likely to be the limiting factor than CPU in most video work, so if you do go the 2011 socket route, focus on upgrading the RAM to 32GB/48GB before putting money into a CPU upgrade.

would it be worth it to buy and resell two years from now?

Yes. A 3770K with 16GB would be very capable, you could upgrade to 32GB in the mean-time, and then sell it off to fund a machine based on whatever the successor of the 2011 socket is in a couple of years.

Reselling old hardware is always really hard. You're stuck between people it would work for (non gamers) who are better off buying a cheap pre-built with a warranty, and gamers who are looking for cutting edge tech. Ultimately, it's great if it happens, but don't ever bank on it.

Mobo's would be in the OP. I'd suggest looking at the 'enhanced' or 'excellent' choices.

If he's doing a film or video course, then I'd imagine it wouldn't be too hard to find someone who's starting out the same course and looking for a decent, affordable rig to start editing on.

 

[mkenyon]

As I say, though, RAM is more likely to be the limiting factor than CPU in most video work, so if you do go the 2011 socket route, focus on upgrading the RAM to 32GB/48GB before putting money into a CPU upgrade.

I'm asking because I'm completely oblivious to this side of computer performance, but do you have any resources that goes over this with some hard numbers? Has me curious so I can help people out more with these sorts of questions.

 

[hypernima]

Right now I'm considering this
or this, the only 2 Mobo's with SLI support

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Alrighty dudes. I am WELL on my way to having all my parts purchased.
So let's chat about power supplies.

On the advice of mkenyon, I'm going with a reference design GTX 680 in my SFF build. Since my case is a silver stone I was going to go with a silverstone sfx power supply rated for 450 watts. (actually I was gonna wait until the modular version releases later this month but it should be the same although the new version is rated gold rather than bronze.

Well I just noticed that the gtx680 says not recommended for power supplies under 550 watts.

My first instinct actually was just not to worry about it. I kinda figured there'd be enough headroom.mbut I wanted some advice.

Has anyone heard of athena power?
http://athenapower.com/node/180

This was first result for 550watt sfx power supplies on google. I know getting a reliable and well made power supply is more important than voltage. So whatchall think?

 

[mkenyon]

680 draws 173 watts. An overclocked SB is around 125 or so. 450 is enough. They probably put that on there because lower PSUs don't have the amps required.

Some other good choices:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151099

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151098

I always say, if you are getting a high end graphics card and trying to go down in price on a PSU, you shouldn't be trying to buy that high end graphics card.

 

[Yoritomo]

ASUS RT N16, then upgrade the firmware to Tomato. Only buy if you will flash the Firmware.
http://tomatousb.org/tut:installing-on-asus-rt-n16

For sure. Price goes down everytime I update.

I would not suggest doing this if you have more than 70 mpbs internet or so and want to use QOS.

Turn on QOS with tomato and it's wan to lan performance goes through the floor.

If you have really fast fiber or cable (I have 110 mbps docsis 3) you'll want the n66 which can also run third party firmware.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Sweet. I also wanted some affirmation on my CPU choice.

The Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge is good right. There's really no reason to go with an i7 for gaming.?And the K model is ok for overclocking too, right? I'm pairing it with the entry level corsair water cooler.

 

[·feist·]

So is it me or have SSDs suddenly become way cheaper than they used to be just a few months ago?

This is what happens when the few major SSD brands decide to drive the massive number of smaller players out from the market, while also capitalizing on the silly state of the HDD market, and projected trends. Along with the natural reduction in price over time, the most recent pronounced drops were a strategic effort to take smaller margins, in the short term, while crushing as many of your budding competitors as possible.

Sweet. I also wanted some affirmation on my CPU choice.

The Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge is good right. There's really no reason to go with an i7 for gaming.?And the K model is ok for overclocking too, right? I'm pairing it with the entry level corsair water cooler.

Yes, unless you multi-task while gaming, or are a power user. Aside from aesthetic reasons and select instances, a similarly priced, good entry to mid-level air cooler will generally cool better, at lower noise levels

 

[mkenyon]

Pretty much. The TPC 812, for example, costs the same as the H60 yet performs right on par with the H100.

That being said, I hate giant aluminum and copper blocks in the middle of my case. I'll admit it's the nerd version of "Dress-Me-Up Barbie" though. I also carry a purse. Sup.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Hmm I figured the water cooler would be better for my ft03 because it has limited heats ink clearance. I'll have to check the Manual but I believe its 83mm. An air cooler would be a lot simpler I'd definitely go with that if it fits and works just as well. Wanting to oc to 4ghz.

 

[gutterboy44]

I'm asking because I'm completely oblivious to this side of computer performance, but do you have any resources that goes over this with some hard numbers? Has me curious so I can help people out more with these sorts of questions.

Based off of our Architectural clients who use AutoCAD Revit 2011, the recommended RAM amount is 16GB. I am sure 2012 will be or is higher. Also many of these end users have several other programs open in addition to Revit. 32GB is not as mental as it sounds when you aren't building just a gaming rig.

 

[Thraktor]

I'm asking because I'm completely oblivious to this side of computer performance, but do you have any resources that goes over this with some hard numbers? Has me curious so I can help people out more with these sorts of questions.

Unfortunately not. All the performance numbers I've found have been from tests based on short clips, often compressed 720p, which would barely trouble 4GB of RAM to be honest. To get a really good idea of how performance scales with RAM you'd want to have the computer work with something like a 3-hour concert video shot with three or four high-bitrate 1080p cameras shooting at high ISOs, or even better some 5K RED RAW footage (although at 5K you could become CPU-limited). I'd imagine they're looking to go through their benchmarks quickly, so choose a short clip to test with.

That said, a usual rule of thumb with video editing (as with Photoshop) is that the optimal situation is to have enough RAM to keep all the project files in RAM at once, so if you're editing 10GB projects, then 16GB of RAM should suffice, if you're editing 25GB projects, 32GB would be plenty, and so forth. Performance should keep seeing big improvements as you add RAM up to that cut-off point. The reason I say "more RAM is always better" is that HD video can quickly take up a lot of space. My (fairly low-end) Canon 550D gets about 3 minutes of footage per gigabyte, so for a 10 minute short with two cameras and an average 4 takes per scene, you're going to be working with over 26GB of files. As you start working with longer pieces, more cameras, more takes, and higher bitrate footage, it escalates quite considerably from there. If you're doing big professional projects even 64GB of RAM could start to be a limit (assuming the software makes proper use of it).

 

[mkenyon]

That said, a usual rule of thumb with video editing (as with Photoshop) is that the optimal situation is to have enough RAM to keep all the project files in RAM at once, so if you're editing 10GB projects, then 16GB of RAM should suffice, if you're editing 25GB projects, 32GB would be plenty, and so forth. Performance should keep seeing big improvements as you add RAM up to that cut-off point.

This is exactly the information I was looking for. Great explanation, thanks!

 

[·feist·]

Hmm I figured the water cooler would be better for my ft03 because it has limited heats ink clearance. I'll have to check the Manual but I believe its 83mm. An air cooler would be a lot simpler I'd definitely go with that if it fits and works just as well. Wanting to oc to 4ghz.

That's a very conservative frequency, and will take comparatively little cooling. A Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo would suffice. For better cooling in a similar size, a Thermalright Venomous X will do the trick. I don't currently recall what clearance is like with a Thermalright True Spirit 120/140 in an FT03, but the True Spirit cools better than the Hyper while being similarly inexpensive.

The FT03 will also take high-end dual towers, if you remove the 120mm intake near the CPU. If you do opt for a sealed water cooler, a Corsair H70/80, Antec 920 and the like will fit easily, so an entry level AIO like the Antec 620 is no problem.

http://www.abload.de/img/10elyrlq1yn1.jpg

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7945/dsc00036ga.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/sohjen/P1010689.jpg

http://www.alecela.com/pub/images/computing/ft03_cooling_(640x478).jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i303/rjkoneill/FT03/IMG_6219.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i303/rjkoneill/FT03/20120630_191044.jpg

http://www.b0n3z.com/images/screenshots/FT03_01.jpg
http://www.b0n3z.com/images/screenshots/FT03_02.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/1747/img1124hu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/veiWh.jpg

http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/a5/350x467px-LL-a5d7b68c_ft03.jpeg

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/7497/dsc00567kc.jpg

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/1517/componentsn.jpg

http://images.sanhaostreet.com/News/2011/2/20110215092440623.jpg
http://images.sanhaostreet.com/News/2011/2/20110215092440849.jpg

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Whoops I meant I have the ft03mini. Still though, very appreciated advice. I was sorta dreading installing the water cooler.

 

[Thraktor]

This is exactly the information I was looking for. Great explanation, thanks!

I would qualify that a bit by pointing out that my experience is on Macs with Apple's Final Cut Pro X, which will basically take as many CPU threads and GBs of RAM as you can throw at it. I'm fairly certain that Adobe's Premiere scales fairly well over extra CPU threads and RAM, but the important thing is that, by the time upgrading to 64GB or 128GB is affordable, you can be pretty sure that Premiere will be updated to make the most of it, even if it doesn't now.