XPS Gen 2 - The Tornado

[japlatt]

I recently decided enough was enough. I love my XPS, but was fed up with the lackluster cooling... Doom 3, Half Life 2, Battlefield 2... even WOW caused some serious problems if played for more than half an hour.

I decided that if I was going to do this, I was going to do it ALL, and I was going to do it RIGHT.

I began with removing the stock Dell fans and replacing them with 3 Vantec Tornado 92mm case fans. The two rear fans were flipped outward to become dedicated exhaust, and the entire ducting system removed, with holes for a 92mm drilled into the front grill.

With those attached, I added ANOTHER Vantec Tornado 80mm case fan to my CPU, facing airflow downward over the stock heat sink.

The heat sink was removed, the remaining thermal grease cleaned off, and a fresh coat of Arctic Silver applied liberally.


STATS UNDER LOAD

ROOM TEMPERATURE: ~70F

STOCK: CPU ~70C CASE ~50C

MODIFIED: CPU ~40C CASE ~30C


All in all I am pushing over 400CFM out of the 4 Tornados... and at an average of ~55DB per fan, I believe it. Unless I get a noise complaint from the neighbors (yes, they're that loud) I think my cooling troubles are over.

I don't have any pictures yet, but I will get some posted soon...


P.S. I renamed my system "Tornado" ;D


EDIT: I also removed all of the stock plastic clips (over video card / cables / etc) rerouted wires to improve airflow, and replaced all of the stock IDE cables with Vantec round IDE... ;D

[Deleted]

You sir, are more of a man than I.

[crusier]

Hmmms.....you can get a handle on those rpms n dbs.....check out www.coolerguys.com/840556041498.html

[TRow]

japlatt said:

All in all I am pushing over 400CFM out of the 4 Tornados... and at an average of ~55DB per fan

Thats what im talking about right there, when in doubt, pump up the volume.

[japlatt]

On the one hand, I would like a quieter system...

Then again, theres something to be said for having the loudest meanest system on the block... I'd just love to go to a LAN party, and everyone KNOW which system "Tornado" was...

...

Also, I STILL can't get the CPU to break 40C under load ;D

...

EDIT: I'll get those pics posted tomorrow, the mods are clean but not flashy, it LOOKS like a sleeper at least...

[ben]

i want to hear it, do a sound clip or video. ;D