Got an old Antec 1040B

[CrimsonWolf]

This thing is built like a tank, but it's got to be damn near 10 years old by now.

Old review of it.

My biggest gripes are no usb ports on the front (but I "fixed" that with a $20 USB hub) and video cards are getting to be a pain to squeeze in without playing musical chairs with my hard drives.

Are there any new full size cases worth looking at? I'm about to do some digging. Is a new case worth it, or do I just have upgradeitis?

 

[ShockwaveVT]

I think moving to a newer case with 120mm (or larger) fans would be worth it. Also, HDD mounts in newer cases tend to be much easier to work with - many have rubber washers to dampen HDD vibration from reaching the rest of the case, or tool-less methods to secure the drives, allowing for easy swaps. Larger, modern video cards also require some creative placement of the HDD's in cases of that style. The plastic clips that hold the fans in those cases also tend to rattle quite a bit. Back in the day that design was a big leap ahead, now they are easily outclassed.

BTW, I've got the aluminum Chieftec Dragon version of your case along with the standard beige Antec no-door version of the case (cant remember the model) - both are sitting unused because of the HDD mounts & 80mm fans.

 

[jessieqwert]

This was my dream case for a long time. I don't understand the need to upgrade as long as ATX remains a standard.

 

[CrimsonWolf]

Thanks for the opinions. :thumbsup: I remember this case was pretty much the best back in day, and I'm glad to hear they've kept on making a bunch of improvements.

I'll probably go to the local shop and poke my head around. They have some newer Antec and CM cases.

 

[VeryCharBroiled]

I have that case albeit a slightly new model maybe (1080 AMB I think), it has 2 usb ports under a flip up panel in the front air grill. mine also has the side window with 80 mm fan mount.

its such a nice case I cant even conceive of not using it in some form or another. currently has my P4 in it with 4 HDs, , ZIP drive, floppy, 2 opticals, SB Live Drive bay and a fan bus plus a pile of expansion cards. its my bang around do a bit of everything computer.

well do a bit of everything everything except a want to move it around computer.. it seriously weighs.

 

[Cliff Couser]

Great case! I had the jet-black version (SX1040b) from Enermax.

This was my first real case as well, and the same case that made me never buy a case with doors again.

 

[DSF]

Maybe the P182? You could still run into video card clearance problems though, depending on which cards you're trying to fit.

 

[Ikonomi]

Originally posted by: VeryCharBroiled
I have that case albeit a slightly new model maybe (1080 AMB I think), it has 2 usb ports under a flip up panel in the front air grill. mine also has the side window with 80 mm fan mount.

its such a nice case I cant even conceive of not using it in some form or another. currently has my P4 in it with 4 HDs, , ZIP drive, floppy, 2 opticals, SB Live Drive bay and a fan bus plus a pile of expansion cards. its my bang around do a bit of everything computer.

well do a bit of everything everything except a want to move it around computer.. it seriously weighs.

I have the same case, and I still love it. I'm especially fond of the gunmetal gray finish.

If you have one of these, I don't see much of a reason to replace it unless it's too big or too heavy (they're very heavy). If noise from the 80mm fans is a problem, you can always undervolt them to 7 or 5 volts and still have good airflow simply by virtue of having 5 of them.

 

[rarebear]

I have that case and the 3 HDD model wich I look better as I hate doors on my PC

You must have a lot of HDDs to be running out of space..

You can see my Modded case here
http://home.comcast.net/~rarebearz/rarebearcomputer/

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

I'm bumping this because I had a similar question.

I have an old 1040B that's sitting around. Do you think it would be better to use this or do you think I would get a noticeable difference in temps if I went with something cheap like a Rosewill Challenger which has a slot for a fan at the top and a bottom mounted psu.

Why's everyone going with a bottom mounted psu nowadays anyway?

 

[fffblackmage]

Why's everyone going with a bottom mounted psu nowadays anyway?

Not really sure, but I did notice something with an old case I have. It uses a top mounted psu, but I replaced the dead psu (with the 80mm fan) in there with one that has the giant 135mm fan. Since the fan sucks air from the bottom instead of the front like the old one, there seems to be a pocket of warm air at the top area of my case. It doesn't cause any issues with my computer (nothing there to overheat, not even the DVD drive), but it's just a weird pocket of hot air that sits there.

 

[Dahak]

Why's everyone going with a bottom mounted psu nowadays anyway?

Initially it was a requirement of the btx form factor that did not really take off. atx case makers probably migrated that way to allow the top back and top case fans for exhaust

But personally I had the same case on my p4 build and loved it, cept the front usb died on mine but didn't care. Now using the P182 and love that one too.

 

[lsv]

I'm in the same boat with an SX1040B will be moving to P183 or P193 if I get splurgy at the shop.

 

[Martimus]

I had one of those. I currently am running a super lanboy, and plan to move to a HAF-X early next year.

TBH, the rails on the old Antec were far superior to my current case, and I still have some of them sitting around with drives in them. I am just now remembering some of the features I loved on that case that didn't seem to make it to the newer cases I have from Antec.

 

[msi1337]

I used to love the chenming knock-offs in multi colors and dragons on the faceplate

 

[EXman]

I'm still using one I have a rheobus for the fans and well I'm 225lbs and I can stand on the mutha. Built like a tank. i actually bought a huge window panel and a predrilled 80mm hole from directron for $100 for it I liked it so much and no case makers offered stuff like that in 2000-2003. I used to mod these and sell them in FS/FT but them everybody started offering them... second online business that I was ahead of the pack on. The other was farming on Everquest in 1999. Course it wasn't called farming til 2000. Sony sent me a letter from their lawyers...

 

[randomlinh]

BTW, I've got the aluminum Chieftec Dragon version of your case along with the standard beige Antec no-door version of the case (cant remember the model) - both are sitting unused because of the HDD mounts & 80mm fans.

I still use mine, it even has the USB ports in the front. You can jam 92mm fans in the 3.5" cages, fits perfectly. Use some hot glue and it gets rid of vibrations. Though, I just 7v my 80mm fans. Not as cool as single 120mm fans, but hey, I've gone through 3 generations of motherboards =) My only real gripe is it's a huge waste of space for me now.

 

[Vic Vega]

Ahh the good old days.

 

[mindwreck]

still rocking my cheiftec clone of it. its so cut up and modded that i just don't' want to change to a new case.

I actually like the hard drive thing. the 80mm fans are outdated but i cut 120s into mine and 3x120 up top for my radiator. plenty of flow for me. I love the solidness of it.

This thing is ridiculous strong but heavy. My case was knocked off a 2 ft stand once and I stared in shock for a bit, but actually, the only thing that broke was 2 clips of the front bezel. Made one helluva of earthquake.