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Is Apex MI-008 Power Supply Enough Power?

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Not in that case you will not. Max CPU cooler height for the case is 120mm - cooler height is 125mm.

Suggest the http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608073&cm_re=nh-c14s-_-35-608-073-_-Product instead. Good for up to 95W with Skylake CPU with K and medium OC, and only 115mm with the fan underslung to the fins.

Thanks for pointing that out. Which measurement is it that I should be watching for?
I see now that the NH-U9S has 125mm x 95m x 95mm w/ fan (I assume that's h x w x d)?
I was looking at the measurement in the name "92mm" and thought that was the size :/

With the suggested NH-C14S it measures larger @ 5.60" x 5.51" x 6.42" w/ fan.
Hoping to understand what I should be looking at.

** Edit: I see now in the description it talks about Low Profile Mode.

Looking into some other builds with Skylake CPU, this looks like a good budget cooler that seems like it would fit:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...8566&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=afc-%zn
 
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The problem with that Apex case/PSU combo is that the PSU sits directly over the CPU cooler. Not an ideal design, especially if it will run 24/7. You could go with the CM Elite 130 case and then choose a more powerful, gold rated PSU. Seasonic makes some that are in the 350-400 watt range. Then you won't have to worry about the quality of the Apex PSU and a failure that could damage your other new components. I'm not sure who even makes the one that they include.

The PSU can be seen here, leaving almost no clearance over the CPU cooler. The stock Intel cooler is even difficult to use in one of the these, has to be lower profile. That's why the Thermaltake cooler is listed in the CustoMac Mini build.

Which has always left me wondering, "Why do we recommend the Apex case when it has such a fatal flaw?" Surely there's another compact, inexpensive case out there without this serious problem?
 
Looking into some other builds with Skylake CPU, this looks like a good budget cooler that seems like it would fit:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...8566&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=afc-%zn
Height from base to top of fins in the determining factor in a small case - in your chosen case the spec says up to 125mm (4.91") height is maximum.

While the NH-L9i may fit in the space, it does not have the heat dissipation capacity you need for a 95W i7 CPU with OC. Look at the noctua table for heat capacity and OC headroom - http://noctua.at/en/tdp-guide and choose a cooler with what you think is good cooling then look at the height of the cooler - it has to be equal or less than the maximum height allowed in the case specs.
 
Hello

Since lots of things discussed here touch upon my current plans, I decided to chime in and give a point of view.

I have an MI-008 equivalent case and a Skylake i3 in it. I have the 450 W Corsair power supply, because the case's power supply was unpleasantly noisy. I think that is the same with all three variations of this same steel chassis, namely Thermaltake Element, Spire Powercube and Apex MI. The Corsair supply is practically fanless up to 50 % power. That is fine in what comes to noise, but useless in moving any air.

To help move air out of the case, I have two 80 mm Noctua fans at the right hand side (viewed from front), set to the slowest possible speed and with low noise adapters. They have been doing fine.

I have the Noctua NH-L9i CPU cooler. This is a problem. At first I had trouble tightening it. If I would have turned the screws all the way, the motherboard would have been bent totally out of shape. So I was forced to leave them at tightness where the motherboard is barely but still slightly bent. But the real problem is that the fan makes a rising and falling howling sound. I don't want to run it full speed all the time. And it sounds nice when I am doing nothing, although it could be quieter. But as soon as I do anything, I hear the machine working by the sound of the fan.

My real problem was trying to fit a hard disk into the 3.5" bay with the leads going out from the power supply.

I think now that if I'd rebuild this machine, I would first obtain an M.2 solid state disk and do away with the lower hard disk. Then I would see if any of the Corsair liquid cooling systems would fit into the case. If anyone has their machine nearby, I'd love to know how much space is there between the back of the front panel and the motherboard edge. Mine is buried behind and under some other devices and would require me to disconnect and remove everything to get my hands to it.

Then another question is the lower drive bay. If the need arises, I would remove it to make way for the liquid cooler. I'd cut a hole to the bottom of the case and have the cooler blow out of it. Then I'd get some taller feet for the case.

Thermaltake side.jpg
 
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