Slade configuration help

I'm putting together a Slade configuration and hope to get some questions answered so I can finalize it. Starting with a Level 4 config and tweaking from there. Bumping it up to a higher capacity PSU and a Titan initially and doing incremental upgrades to other components. Settled on the Slade because I'm looking for something quiet with good airflow / cooling and don't need anything flashy as it won't really be 'on display' where it will be situated. First clarifications...

One thing I'm looking at is adding the Strike-X AeroCool display. I'm assuming it takes up one of the 5.25" drive bays but wondering if it in fact takes two. It also notes that it "Requires chassis airflow upgrade" - what is that and is that something I need to select myself or is it automatically taken care of?

I'm also wondering under what circumstances I'd upgrade the Vortex 120mm radiator liquid CPU cooler up to an 'exotic' H20 Hydrolux config? It would be cool to have colored tubes running through it even if there's no case window to see them but not sure if it's really needed, per se. I'm not looking for SLI Titans or super overclocking support, so wondering if the Hydrolux might be a bit of... overkill.

Thanks for any words of wisdom.

Thanks. Right, I understand the display would be behind the front door which normally would stay closed but I saw that it opens both ways and can be left off. And yah, it would be more about a cool display than any must-have functionality. Thanks for the clarification on the size and fan upgrade.

I've also read the one linked review from the person who went with the top mounted 240mm radiator and understand how that would change the noise dynamics if I went that route. Probably make it more similar to my current full tower which has two top-mounted low speed fans. Not planning any kind of overclocking madness so don't see going full water like that, guess I can save me some bucks there.

Edited by chulett - 15 Jun 2015 at 6:19am

Sure, understood. Thankfully, I'm at a point where the money isn't an issue so mostly just wondering about how much I'm looking to... let's say 'future-proof'... this build. I've seen some benchmarks between the two, thanks for another to check out.

Originally posted by chulett Originally posted by bprat22 The Strike X display takes up 2 x 5.25" drive bays and DS requires the fan upgrade under Chassis fans. So just to make sure I've got the right thing, this fan upgrade is the first one listed as "Upgrade All Fans to Corsair Airflow Performance Edition (Up to 6 Fans) [+$99]", correct?

Yes

Pulled the trigger late last night and now officially at Stage 1... very exciting!



ps. Did not add any Hydrolux cooling and went with the 980Ti card, not enough bang for all that buck to go Titan unless you really need the 12GB of VRAM it would seem, which I do not. Yet.

   Boo YAH!