New build

[x88x]

Your 800W PC P&W will be more than enough to power this rig; no worries there.

For the HS/F, you can get an adapter bracket for your current one here, but if you weren't happy with it's performance on your current rig, I wouldn't expect you to be happy with its performance on a new one, especially since the i7 probably puts out more heat than your current proc (also, lapping usually only gives you ~5C compared to good thermal paste, iirc). Personally I wouldn't go with the one you have picked out, because of the all-aluminum construction; copper has a much better thermal properties than aluminum, for HSs. I would recommend one of these:
Scythe MUGEN-2 SCMG-2000
ZALMAN CNPS9900LED
Scythe KATANA 3

[Zephik]

I'd try to stick with the Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme. Even if you could find a better HSF, its not going to be that much better. Even when overclocking that HSF is a champ. Some review sites even list it as the best of the best as far as air coolers go, or at least on par with the best of the best. So not really worth it to buy a whole new HSF, especially when that bracket only costs like 12 bucks.

If that beast doesn't provide you with adequate cooling let alone inside of a case that could pass off as a miniature tornado creator, then something is wrong. lol

You would have to buy a pretty nice WC kit to not just be on par with it, but to even surpass it. I'm not sure if anything less than $300 would be able to noticeably out-perform it?

Its no wonder you were concerned about compatibility. lol

[Chewy_Solo]

Man, I wish HSF were a little more straight forward and easier to agree on, I think Ill try and get a few more opinions as you guys seem pretty split on it

@x88x: I was planning on getting some good Artic Silver 5 anyway.... But I also heard that some of the thermalright 120 eXtremes had a base that was warped so it doesn't make good contact with the CPU. So that was why i was thinking about it. I don't want to lap my CPU...

On another note, where should I put my Computer to achieve the best cooling? I currently have it as shown the in pictures, but would it be better off on the desk? (These aren't recent pictures...)

[Zephik]

I think with that setup it'll be fine regardless of where you place it. You really only have to worry when you're in an enclosed space, but that's all pretty open. So place it anywhere you want really, I don't think you'll see much of a cooling difference if any at all with a Twelve Hundred placed even up against a wall.

Nice setup by the way. /jealous

What are you getting right now for temperatures with that cooler? or if you don't have a thermo, is it cool to the touch, warm, or hot? Are you using a fan directly with it?

This thing should be cooling adequately. I mean holy macaroni doodle art, check out all the awards it has a the bottom of its product page. lol

[Chewy_Solo]

I Just am pretty sure a lot of heat gets trapped under the desk.

Thanks

As for the cooler, im getting about 45C average on idle, currently its ranging from 43-50 for the cores but its almost 80F in my house right now. its odd how my GPU always stays at 48C unless under load. Anyway, I do have a large fan on it, a high performance one.

Oh and under load it gets up to like 65C if im encoding a video or something, which I read is about as hot as my q6600 B3

[msmrx57]

I Just am pretty sure a lot of heat gets trapped under the desk.

As open as your desk is that isn't a problem.

[x88x]

Actually, I'd say that's pretty good temps for a Q6600. When I was running on the stock cooler on my Q9450, it would get about those same temps, and the Q9450 generally runs a good bit cooler than the Q6600, iirc.

[Chewy_Solo]

well now that its about 70F in my house my CPU temps idle around 44-36-40-43 for each core respectively

GTX 285 - 45C
7600 GS - 47C

[Chewy_Solo]

How do you guys think 2 150GB raptors would perform in RAID 0? that is if I can find another one.

[Chewy_Solo]

any comments/ideas?