# Looking at a new CoolerMaster full tower case for my watercooling.



## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 4, 2009)

Thing is, I know this will sound dumb to you guys me wanting a new case because I own the SilverStone TJ07 BUT in my opinion, it's crap for hiding cables and I do kind of regret buying it but it's still a very nice and beautiful case but aside from that, I wish I'd bought either the following cases;

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=771271

or

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?CM-SCOUT

or 

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-170-CM&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=29

I have a quad radiator right now so a quad would not fit in either of those cases? I am thinking of the Cosmos S Sport because it has room for a triple up top and I could get a triple (Thermochill PA 120.3) and sell my current quad.

I will be watercooling just the Q9550 I have clocked to 4GHz currently on my quad with with 4870 x2. When I upgrade down the line, I'll only be watercooling the CPU (Core i7 920 for example) and everything else air cooled as normal.

Cosmos S? Any pictures of watercooling in it? Can a quad fit in it?

*Which is best for routing cables through?*


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## alexp999 (May 4, 2009)

iirc the Cosmos is rubbish for cable management and cooling from what a few people have said on here.

The Sniper is the best out of the two CM Storm's IMO (hence why I have one  )

Its is also a very spacious midtower, so its smaller than say the HAF but gives you bags of room.

Otherwise my CM690 is for sale http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?p=1361578

EDIT:

Oh and dont EVER buy from OcUK either


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## BumbleBee (May 4, 2009)

the HAF 932 is only 105 pounds on that website.


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## alexp999 (May 4, 2009)

BumbleBee said:


> the HAF 932 is only 105 pounds on that website.



I have seen it for £85 on scan.


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 4, 2009)

Hmmm, I was leaning towards the Cosmos S Sport though. I looked at pictures of it and has quite a few cable routing holes.


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## BumbleBee (May 4, 2009)

there you go 85 pounds. it has the best cable management in any case on the market.


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## crazyeyesreaper (May 4, 2009)

ive got the Haf932 and id gladly pay dbl what i paid $169 for the case best airflow layout and cable managment ive ever experienced in a case. Not to mention if your resourcefull the case could easily fit some BEASTLY water cooling kits


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## BumbleBee (May 4, 2009)

it has 4 stock radiator mounts no need to be resourceful. the case is very wide thats why you can fit those thick cables or a kilo of pablo escobars finest. lol


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## crazyeyesreaper (May 4, 2009)

maybe but im the kinda guy if i had some uber cash id throw in 2 4870X2's or prefferable the 4890X2's when there released with an i7 965 etc etc etc and then just overload the thing with water cooling to the point of extreme excess. because if your gonna do something go big or go home


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## MRCL (May 4, 2009)

Be aware that a Thermochill will not line up with the holes on the Cosmos S.


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## BumbleBee (May 4, 2009)

and if you don't like the looks of the HAF 932 it can be modded...











ok.. so it requires a lot of sheet metal and acrylic expertise


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## alexp999 (May 4, 2009)

BumbleBee said:


> and if you don't like the looks of the HAF 932 it can be modded...
> 
> http://gi61.photobucket.com/groups/h51/BWT0158P0H/DSC_4929.jpg
> http://gi61.photobucket.com/groups/h51/BWT0158P0H/DSCF8192.jpg
> ...



Yeah cus that looks so much better 

I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. I prefer the vanilla HAF to that personally.


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## BumbleBee (May 4, 2009)

I think you have been snorting too much of pablo escobar's finest lol


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## phanbuey (May 4, 2009)

alexp999 said:


> Yeah cus that looks so much better
> 
> I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. I prefer the vanilla HAF to that personally.



me too... I saw that and was like "Wow the skill it took to do that..." and then "ow my eyes."  That thing is ugly as sin.

Man you could build a monster WC system out of that case.  If they only got rid of the petrol can theme, I would own one or two of these.

Honestly, if you want to watercool... get the HAF, hands down, blows all the other cases out of the water.  But if you like the refined look, then you might wanna go for the cosmos...  another option would be a gigabyte aurora case.


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## BumbleBee (May 4, 2009)

once you "demilitarize" it ie pop the window out and replace it with a new one, cut out the grills, add chrome wire guards, change fans, paint it (powder coat, aerosol) it looks almost completely different.

Gigabyte's are nice too another modded one.


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## phanbuey (May 4, 2009)

Yeah drewT's Spoon is another awesome mod... its in the casemod gallery here on TPU.






I like the aurora, dunno if the design is as good as the HAF tho for cables and rad-mounting tho.  All the aurora builds ive seen on the web look practically wireless.


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

HAF will fit a triple/quad radiator up top?


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## BumbleBee (May 5, 2009)

only triple however you might be able to mod it to fit a quad. in my HAF 932 Cooling Guide look under 'Radiator Placement' section. link is in my signature.


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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)

itll fit a quad on the side door no?






This says it all.  Its even got a fillport.


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## BumbleBee (May 5, 2009)

no you can fit two 120mm x 240mm on the side panel. the fillport hole is compatible with a T-Line and the Cooler Master Aquagate.


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

The triple up top in that picture... are the screws holding both fans and radiator? And is that the only correct way to install a triple up top? Are the screws going from bottom to top or top down?


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## BumbleBee (May 5, 2009)

not sure. thats an upside down push configuration I believe the fans are blowing through the radiator into the case. it depends on the radiator thickness and fin density what configuration to put them in.


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

Would a Thermochill PA 120.3 be ok up top with 3 Scythe Kaze 2000RPM fans which are 120x38


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## BumbleBee (May 5, 2009)

why wouldn't it? it will fit.


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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)

BumbleBee said:


> not sure. thats an upside down push configuration I believe the fans are blowing through the radiator into the case. it depends on the radiator thickness and fin density what configuration to put them in.



negative... those fans are in a pull configuration I have those exact same ones - you can tell by the support struts on the fans.  Most radiators come with screws long enough to mount them along with the fans and a grill.

Also, thermochills WILL NOT FIT. They have a different mounting hole pattern.


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

Well I'm not sure.


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

They're the only good rads!?


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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)

AllHopeIsGone1 said:


> Well I'm not sure.



they won't, different mounting configuration.   And the XSPC RX series rads are about the same, a little worse, but not by much.  the rad itself is not the only determining factor in a loop.


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## BumbleBee (May 5, 2009)

the Thermochill PA 120.3 and XSPC fit perfectly.


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

Make your mind up guys lol. PA 120.3 would be nice but fit or not?


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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)

BumbleBee said:


> the Thermochill PA 120.3 and XSPC fit perfectly.



not unless youre willing to drill the case.


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

THey should fit.


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## BumbleBee (May 5, 2009)

they will fit, Pete just installed an XSPC in his and you can google 10 images of each rad installed in HAF 932. by the way those are Noctuas isn't the OEM sticker supposed to be facing the push side or is there a sticker on each side?


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=37_73&products_id=932

That's the same as my quad radiator but obviously a 480mm. Will that rad be ok?

My fans on my radiator have to have NO sticker to push air. So I have just black in the center of the fan that pushes and with the logo side, it like pulls.


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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)




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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)

phanbuey said:


> http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7999/hwlabs480gtxvspa12032um3.jpg



the one on the left is a standard rad mounting system, the ones that BIX swiftec and XSPC use... the one on the right is a thermochill... see the difference in the holes? yeah.  They won't line up on the case.


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

^^ My current radiator looks same as the left one.


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## BumbleBee (May 5, 2009)

they will fit you knuckle head lol the BIX 480 won't fit but you could put a radbox on the back.

Thrmochill PA 120.3





XSPC RX360


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

So the HAF will be my choice for now but will this radiator fit up top:

http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=37_73&products_id=932

??

No where to mount my EK Multioption 250 reservoir is there? :/

Thinking of getting 2 4890's in crossfire too 

Would I need a 360mm grill too and where?


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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)

the XSPC will fit... i dont think you're understanding what im trying to tell you... it will FIT but the thermochil holes will not line up with the case, so you will have to either drill the case or drill the rad.  Of course they will "FIT" but you cant mount the thermochill without mods.

the top picture is a modded HAF to hold that rad


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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)

BumbleBee said:


> they will fit, Pete just installed an XSPC in his and you can google 10 images of each rad installed in HAF 932. by the way those are Noctuas isn't the OEM sticker supposed to be facing the push side or is there a sticker on each side?



all fans have the support bars on the side of which they push air out of, unless they are arctic cooling fans.


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## BumbleBee (May 5, 2009)

unmodded PA 120.3


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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)

BumbleBee said:


> unmodded PA 120.3
> 
> http://images.ncix.com/forumimages/90622AF9-13EE-7967-9AD2105D63ACB22B.jpg



That is a modded case.  Read his thread.

lets try this again





  This is the mounting pattern for the HAF.






  the rad on the left will line up with the mounts, the rad on the right will not.   That's not to say that you cant ghetto mount with 4 middle screws...


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

Guys, I'm here, the OP haha. Quit argueing! Do I need a 360mm grill and where would I need to position it? Would this radiator be ok up top? 

http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=37_73&products_id=932

??

I could have my pump to the right of the PSU (looking at the case directly from side) and etc. Reservoir somehow on the motherboard tray?


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## BumbleBee (May 5, 2009)

you can google and a lot of people have a Thermochill in this case. either way i'm sure you will make it fit. BIX 360 will fit because Feser fits and Feser has the same hole spacing. i'm sorry for calling you a knuckle head. buy this case and bend the laws of physics or fold the space time continnum with it already, thats it i'm done.


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## phanbuey (May 5, 2009)

BumbleBee said:


> you can google and a lot of people have a Thermochill in this case. either way i'm sure you will make it fit. BIX 360 will fit because Feser fits and Feser have the same holes. i'm sorry for calling you a knuckle head.



its ok... i'm just trying to prove a point I know to be true... that pic where you said it was unmodded: 

this is a direct quote from the guy who built it:

"no u cant it is very tight and hard to measure where to *drill ur holes*, for the back of the rad... 
for me i only have 1 blu-ray burner and the other a reg dvd burner 
so it is all good i do have room for a card reader but thats about it 

and yes *it does cover the fill port* if this case was just a bit longer* it would be perfect i think that next time coolermaster or anyother company should really lookat making a case for the thermochill*"

-source: Cryostage
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...+HAF+case&hl=en&client=opera&rls=en&sa=N&um=1


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

I decided on the Cosmos S instead guys. 

I found this link:

http://www.watercoolinguk.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=835

Lists all compatible radiators and the Black Ice GT's will fit so I'm gonna buy a 360mm and cool the CPU.


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## n0tiert (May 5, 2009)

AllHopeIsGone1 said:


> I decided on the Cosmos S instead guys.
> 
> I found this link:
> 
> ...



if u go for more gpu,mb get another 120 or 240 then, and the Cosmos(S) is a good choice..... !


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## AllHopeIsGone1 (May 5, 2009)

Hmmm, the HAF... is it a really good choice for a triple radiator up top? Spacious, good cable management and quiet?


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## BumbleBee (May 6, 2009)

I like the HAF 932 over the Cosmos 1000 I think the HAF 932 is the best bang for buck case it has more features than cases double it's price point but it has no removable motherboard tray but one could argue that it is a little useless when you have a liquid cooling setup and Cooler Master did include a motherboard access hole (however I wish it was bigger like Lian Li's motherboard access hole). I tried to like the Cosmos 1000 when it came out but my heart was set on the Stacker 832 at the time I thought the Cosmos 1000 had better cable management even though it wasn't very good. The Cosmos 1010 was a small improvement over the original with the ESA technology and side fan but at the time the price between the two was about $40-60 which made it a expensive upgrade overall the Cosmos 1xxx Series was more suited for oem or office cases they never had the cooling potential the Stacker Series had. The Cosmos S had some liquid cooling improvements, 5.25" bay improvement and air cooling improvement but I don't like how you are stuck with the 200mm side fan, no ventilation on right side panel, no rubber lining around edges to prevent cutting yourself or cables like the Cosmos 1xxx, no back filter like on the Cosmos 1xxx, the side panel is harder to remove than the Cosmos 1xxx and no ventilated expansion slot covers (you would be surprised what a improvement they make) overall Cosmos S looks more suited for the gamer.


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## icon1 (May 7, 2009)

AllHopeIsGone1 said:


> I decided on the Cosmos S instead guys.
> 
> I found this link:
> 
> ...



Yea, Cosmos S is also a good choice. It has the standard 15mm spacing at the top, a 360 rad with the 15mm hole spacing should work perfectly at the top of the case, and still has the option for another 120 or 240 rads at the bottom or front part of it, if you plan to have a dual loop setup in the future. 

Thermochill pa 120.3 can be mounted at the top of the case but requires some modding though.
I have one TC pa 120.3 and it has 25mm hole spacing, put some adapters (reducer G3/8"-G1/4" thread) so i can use my rotary fittings.. Performance is great with low speed/cfm fans


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