ASUS RAMPAGE II GENE (Retail) : ROG. X58 m-ATX preview

[ReignsOfPower]

ReignsOfPower,

Did you measure temperatures before removing the yellow glue, and after applying the MX-2? I want to know if it's necessary or not, considering I read that Hardware Canucks article stating that replacing the stock yellow glue is not necessary - in their opinion of course.

Your system looks great, I saw the picture with the blue haze of the Antec Spot Cool and your LCD poster positioned neatly in the far right corner, almost a work of art actually. I would go so far as to say your build is a model system. My system will be very similar to yours when complete.

Different question, what sound card did you use? I wanted the XtremeMusic but it didn't have 2 x 5 Intel HD Audio connector for the front panel of my Antec Mini P180, so I opted for the XtremeGamer PCI card instead.

I measured ran the system on a testbench with stock NB cooling before I swapped the TIM and the NB cooler both at once. So it's inconclusive in terms of results. I know once changing both I dropped from 75 to 54 idle. I doubt it's necessary to change the TIM, but I did so anyway.

Thanks for the compliments, but its really not that hard to build the way I have. The parts work well with each other though. I got rid of the Spotcool fan for the moment.

I am using an Auzentech Prelude 7.1 Sound card.

A.T.M. I'm trying to decide which SSD I want to buy, or, if I want to wait. I'm looking at either a G.Skill Falcon or X-25M G2 (because they're cheaper).
I'd like to move my top HDD to the bottom near the PSU (3.5") and have the SSD somewhere up the top where it's less cluttered around the RAM area. Perhaps even thinking of removing the top HDD cage and mounting the SSD flat there along with another intake 120mm fan.

These look really cool, but I'd like to see a MOSFET/NB/SB 3-in-1 solution like there are for the Classified. That way you only need one loop to the CPU then one to that multi-cooling block and thats it. Nice and neat.