Side Air Duct or Backwards Fan?

[Clobbersaurus]

Hi. I am having a problem deciding between two cases and I hope someone would give me their input. It is between Aspires X-Navigator and the X-Plorer.

X-Plorer
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811144104

X-Navigator
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...&Subcategory=7

I want a 500W psu for it whichever I get, and the X-Navigator comes with one. But from the reviews I have read, the Aspire psu are really lousy.

The MAIN issue is that the X-Plorer has a side air duct, while the X-Navigator doesn't have one. I guess I could turn one of the fans around to blow air out, but would that really make a difference as opposed to having the air duct?

Any thoughts on the cases and/or airduct??? Please!

[rspassey]

Uh, your second link just goes to a list of cases... but Aspire PSUs are good quality, and as for the airduct goes - If your cpu isn't going to be coming close to over heating them personally I don't think you need the airduct to help direct air to it.

[weremonkey]

Personally, i would try and buy the Navigator, but it might be more cost efficient to get the X-plorer. Are you sure you need 500 watts of power?

[Clobbersaurus]

I am not sure, that is what a tech told me I should use. These are my specs, although I might go with another vid card and I am not sure which RAM I am getting yet but it will probably be 2gb.

P4 3.4ghz(64EMT)
ASUS P5P800 MoBo
SB Audigy 2 ZS Platinum
ATI Radeon X850PRO
WD 250gb HDD
WD 160gb HDD(OS)
Windows MCE 2005
Logitech Z5300e Speakers
WinTV PVR-150 tuner
NEC DL DVD Burner


Here is the X-Navigator link, sorry about that
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811144091

I keep reading about people overheating with 3.4ghz chips, so I want a case with LED so I could see the temp, a good amount of fans, and something with good air flow.

If I could save money, that would be great. But I don't want to save money and have something happen later.

[Med]

I have the x-plorer, and I actually took off the side air duct after the first day. With my motherboard, the duct was actually about 1" - 2" too high for the heatsink. Right now I have the window flipped upside down so the fan is blowing on my video card anyway. If it's a choice between the two, you may want to go with the navigator. I just didn't like the style of it. I don't know if the navigator comes with a PSU, but the X-Plorer doesn't. You will want to replace it with a high quality PSU anyways.

[FLG]

Looking at your specs, and the direction that computing is going...its better to be safe then sorry. A 470w good quality psu should suffice, though with stuff comming out you might want to go with slightly bigger psu.

And aspire psu's are very cheap quality, there manufactured by DEER and just have an aspire logo on it.

The airduct being placed on the side may make a *slight difference in temp, honstly probly not to the point whether you have to decide which case to get based on it. Most side fans are intakes btw, and i think its better (temp wise) to leave it intake then make it an exhaust fan.

[Nav]

In all honesty, dont look at which has a 500w psu. just because its rated for 500w doesnt mean it will provide that much power. Do yourself a favour and get a psu from a reputable brand from enermax, antec, xclio, fsp. No name psus are notorious for taking other parts when they die. your decision in the end though.

[Clobbersaurus]

If I didn't go with the X-Navigator, I was going to get the X-Plorer with a Rosewill psu. Another reason I suggested the X-Navigator is because it has a fan on top, but some psu's are too long and then you have to take the fan out. I don't want to take the fan out, so I figured I would just go with the X-Nav since the psu it comes with should fit without having to remove the fan, don't you think? So I am worried about getting a psu that might not fit.

[blue60007]

I wouldn't use aspire, DEER, or Rosewill PSUs, from what I've heard they are HORRIBLE and could take out your whole system when it dies.

[weremonkey]

Originally Posted by blue60007 I wouldn't use aspire, DEER, or Rosewill PSUs, from what I've heard they are HORRIBLE and could take out your whole system when it dies.

In my limited experience I've heard that too. But it in the end its all up to you and how you want to spend you're money.

[blue60007]

Here is the PSU reference guide, it lists all those brands as el cheapos. And your right, nobody will stop you from buying an el cheapo, that's all up to you.

[FLG]

Clobbersaurus, every ATX psu is almost exactaly the same size (some could possibly be a tad longer) . I highly doubt there is a long enough atx psu out there that will be too big to keep the fan. And either way the fan is above and behind the psu, and they cant make psu's any bigger in size without changing the form factor of the case.

[Clobbersaurus]

Originally Posted by FLG Clobbersaurus, every ATX psu is almost exactaly the same size (some could possibly be a tad longer) . I highly doubt there is a long enough atx psu out there that will be too big to keep the fan. And either way the fan is above and behind the psu, and they cant make psu's any bigger in size without changing the form factor of the case.

You would think so, but there are some reviews on NewEgg of people saying they had to remove their fans because the psu's were too long. I'm just relating what I read.

Thanks for all of the help so far! I still don't know which case to get, but I will be looking at this list right now for a good fan.

[Med]

My Antec SP400 is about 1/4" too long, and forced me to put the top exhaust fan on the outside of the case. I've been looking around, and it seems that PSUs with the 120mm fan on the bottom (like this one, or for a more affordable PSU, this one) would fit just about right. I haven't had the time/money to verify for sure. If you want to take a ruler with you while shopping for a PSU, it is exactly 6" from the back of the case to the fan.

[FLG]

But on the navigator the fan is above and behind the psu, so say even if it is longer, its still sits above the psu and should have clearence. Look at the pic's and you will see what i mean.

[Med]

My bad, I thought he was referring to the X-Plorer. On the X-Navigator, there appears to be plenty of clearance, since the PSU doesn't sit snug against the top of the case.

[Clobbersaurus]

I still don't know what to do. This stuff is so complicated. I am trying to keep the cost down, so I would like to go with the X-Plorer and get a psu seperate. But then I run the chance of the psu being too long and having to take out that top fan. But then I could go with the X-Navigator and possibly getting a lousy psu, and paying $50 extra for than if I bought the X-Plor and a psu. I don't know how anyone can do this sanely. My friend just kept telling me to get a Dell and avoid all of this hassle. I'm starting to think I should have listened to him. I still don't know what to do.

[Med]

If money is not a big issue, get the one that you like for looks. Either way, you will have to buy a PSU. The X-Plorer does not come with one, and the X-Navigator has one that you do not want to trust for anything more than a tester to swap out if you think your main one failed.

I don't know if anybody on here can verify if the PSUs I listed or ones similar to it are less than 6". At the very least, if you do get the X-Plorer, and the PSU you get is too long, you can always attach the fan on the outside of the case. It doesn't look all that bad.