Build a Mini-ITX LAN Gaming PC Cooled By The Hydro H50 Introduction Choosing a spacious chassis is a good idea when building a monster, quad-core gaming PC, since this makes it easier to install components and keep them cool, due to the larger volume of air. Corsair’s Obsidian 800D chassis is a great example of this, which is why it’s ideal for high-end PCs. By contrast, compact chassis concentrate the heat from components into a smaller space, resulting in hotter air inside the chassis, which reduces the cooling performance of CPU and GPU HSFs. This imposes a realistic limit on what CPU and graphics card you can use, since more powerful CPUs generate more heat. However, if you regularly attend LAN gaming events, or simply need a second PC, a smaller chassis can be a good idea. But how do you build such a system without compromising cooling and performance? In order to build a powerful, compact PC based around a quad-core CPU and DirectX 10.1 graphics card we need a powerful CPU cooler that can take advantage of cool air from outside the PC in order to maximise cooling performance. Well, it just so happens that Corsair has the perfect product – the Hydro Series H50 High-Performance CPU Cooler! But just how small can a quad-core PC really be? The answer, thanks to the cooling ability of the Corsair H50, is very small indeed. We’re going to show you how to build a monster quad-core gaming PC using a Mini-ITX motherboard, measuring a measly 6.7 x 6.7in. You’re pulling my leg, right? Nope. Thanks to the H50’s cooling prowess we can build a quad-core LAN gaming system in a Mini-ITX chassis that will run Prime95’s CPU torture test, stressing all CPU cores at 100% load for maximum heat output, at a CPU temperature of 53°C. We’re going to show you how, using an LGA775 Core 2 Quad Q9450 quad-core processor, a Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi Mini-ITX motherboard and GeForce GT 220 graphics card, 4GB of Corsair Dominator RAM and a 256GB Corsair P256 solid-state drive, all installed in Silverstone’s SG05 chassis. You could, of course, use one of the new P55-based Mini-ITX boards and combine this with a quad-core Core i5 or Core i7 Lynnfield CPU instead. However, we think that many of you will have Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad CPUs left over from previous upgrades to Core i7 or Core i5 platforms, and what better way to put one of these CPUs to use than in a shoebox-sized gaming PC?
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Build a Mini-ITX LAN Gaming
PC Cooled By The Hydro H50
Introduction
Choosing a spacious chassis is a good idea when
building a monster, quad-core gaming PC, since
this makes it easier to install components and keep
them cool, due to the larger volume of air.
Corsair’s Obsidian 800D chassis is a great example
of this, which is why it’s ideal for high-end PCs.
By contrast, compact chassis concentrate the heat
from components into a smaller space, resulting in
hotter air inside the chassis, which reduces the
cooling performance of CPU and GPU HSFs. This
imposes a realistic limit on what CPU and graphics
card you can use, since more powerful CPUs
generate more heat.
However, if you regularly attend LAN gaming events, or simply need a second PC, a smaller chassis can
be a good idea. But how do you build such a system without compromising cooling and performance? In
order to build a powerful, compact PC based around a quad-core CPU and DirectX 10.1 graphics card we
need a powerful CPU cooler that can take advantage of cool air from outside the PC in order to maximise
cooling performance. Well, it just so happens that Corsair has the perfect product – the Hydro Series H50
High-Performance CPU Cooler!
But just how small can a quad-core PC really be? The answer, thanks to the cooling ability of the Corsair
H50, is very small indeed. We’re going to show you how to build a monster quad-core gaming PC using a
Mini-ITX motherboard, measuring a measly 6.7 x 6.7in.
You’re pulling my leg, right?
Nope. Thanks to the H50’s cooling prowess we can build a quad-core LAN gaming system in a Mini-ITX
chassis that will run Prime95’s CPU torture test, stressing all CPU cores at 100% load for
maximum heat output, at a CPU temperature of 53°C. We’re going to show you how, using an LGA775