This is my first rig and I'm learning a crap-load every day. Recently, I learned that despite all the cool-ass fans, cable routing, LEDs, more drive bays than I'll ever need... [e-v-e-r]... it's probably better to just go naked (that applies to so many different situations, doesn't it?!
).
I tore the guts out of my [expensive] HAF X case and am now running everything in the buff. No cooling fans anywhere (except the GPU fans - which are on hairdryer mode). It was 97deg F outside today - and this junk is in my garage (read: no A/C). I'm
still running a few degrees cooler and a whole lot uglier - but I 'feel' more tech savvy (read: nerdy). Anyway - pic of my rig is below. I've got 3 x 6950s (non-reference
) NOW sitting on flexible risers, that I've tweaked the bejesus out of - they're giving me an honest 1.0 GHash/sec, and I don't think I can get anything more from them. That'll do. I have a 5830 and a 5850 in the mail. I have 5 16x PCIe slots - but I think I'm limited to 4 GPUs by Win 7 (right?) - so one of the incoming 58xx will join these three and I'll just have to start a new rig for the other (oh darn!
).
Anyway, check out the Watts this thing is using. Shedding the HAF X saved about 20-30W, but it was still WAY less than I expected for 1.0 GHash/sec. In case you can't see it in the picture: 633W! Pretty sweet.
Critiques welcome!
