Need a new case

[Xarick]

This is my current Case:

http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/antecplus1080amg/

It has been good, but honestly the airflow is terrible and the dust accumulation is massive. I would like a case that has incredible cooling and good dust filtration. Right now I have this motherboard:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813121035

and this power supply:

http://www.sunbeamtech.com/PRO...pply/NUUO/nuuo-550.htm

So I need the case to fit those. I would like something smaller than what I have now, but not too small. I only have one dvd, and two harddrives. So my current case has tons of empty space.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

What's your budget and do you have any style preferences?

Order these three in importance from highest to lowest: Silence - Performance - Budget

 

[Xarick]

I would love to stay below $150
If by performance you mean cooling then that is #1
Budget is #2
and silence is #3 - Right now I have 6 80s running in my current case so I can't imagine a case being any louder and this one doesn't bug me.

 

[MarcVenice]

Antec 900 stays within budget, cools really good, and is pretty quiet too. Personaly I love the Antec p182, it cools good too, fits the budget, and is a REALLY quiet case, depending on how high you run the fans of course. There's plenty more options though, like lian li's, the coolermaster 690cm, but I'm not to familiar with most of those myself. Personal preference, p182 though, so definately check it out, it's 90$ AR at newegg right now.

 

[Doclife]

Another vote for Antec P182. Newegg has it on sale for $90 (after $50 rebate and Free Shipping).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...2E16811129025&Tpk=P182

You can read the review of the P182 here

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article741-page1.html

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Ok, I'll give you my standard line-up then, in order of price

iStarUSA S9-B
Very good case, especially for the price. Based on teh Cooler Master Centurion 532 chassis. The hard drive cage is very restrictive to airflow, I usually reccomend removing it al together and using something like the coolermaster 4 in 3 hard drive cage or the Termaltake iCage for hard drive cooling and storage and some extra intake.
Antec Solo
again, a very good all around option from antec, again, not quite my style.
Tuniq 3 IC-TQ3
Essentially the same chassis as the iStar up above, originally a cooler master chassis very good cooling.
COOLER MASTER RC-690
Very cood from a cooling standpoint, especially for the price.
Lian Li PC-7B
A staple to me, may be outdone by it's new incarnation as the K7B
Lian Li PC-A05B
A very, VERY small case but, performs very well for it's size
Antec P182 <on a really good sale right now
An extremely popular case, not my personal style but, cools quite well.
Lian Li PC-K7B
A new comer but, with teh dual 120mm fronts and the spacing on the hard drive cage, looks really good.
Antec Nine Hundred
Not my favorite really from any aspect but, a very good all around case.
Silverstone Kublai
There is also a KL-01 with a door that helps with silence but hurts performance slightly
Cooler Master Stacker 810
Probably too big for you.

 

[Xarick]

Nice list. So far out of that list I like the antec p182, 900 and the silverstone kublai. Are there pros and cons to these? Not as fond of the silverstone as I am of the two antecs.

 

[Zepper]

Here's my favorite case for value:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811147083 - see my review here: http://www.techIMO.com/reviews/ - under Cases > Yeong Yang/Rosewill (the 5600 series are all the same but for the bezel. The Rosewill R6A or R6X series are good too, but a little tighter in the mobo area and don't have as much clearance behind the door (in those that have doors).

I also like the Silverstone Kublai series - but they are kind of pricey and probably only worth the extra if you really like the hot-swap cage feature (will be available swparately soon - about $40. including 4 SATA hot swap devices), I'm currently using the KL01 and its review is in the "Articles" section of TechIMO. I'[ll be upgrading to the KL03 soon, if you're interested in the KL01, PM me. I have four others for sale as well.

.bh.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Here's my favorite case for value:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811147083 - see my review here: http://www.techIMO.com/reviews/ - under Cases > Yeong Yang/Rosewill (the 5600 series are all the same but for the bezel. The Rosewill R6A or R6X series are good too, but a little tighter in the mobo area and don't have as much clearance behind the door (in those that have doors).

I also like the Silverstone Kublai series - but they are kind of pricey and probably only worth the extra if you really like the hot-swap cage feature (will be available swparately soon - about $40. including 4 SATA hot swap devices), I'm currently using the KL01 and its review is in the "Articles" section of TechIMO. I'[ll be upgrading to the KL03 soon, if you're interested in the KL01, PM me. I have four others for sale as well.

.bh.

What I don't understand about that reccomendation is that it's the same price as the iStar and has similar looks but, the restrictive hard drive cage is not removable and there are only 4 5.25" bays because of the top 3.5" bay versus the iStar's 5 bays.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: Xarick
Nice list. So far out of that list I like the antec p182, 900 and the silverstone kublai. Are there pros and cons to these? Not as fond of the silverstone as I am of the two antecs.

you really are an antec fan. Can't fault you for it as they're good cases I've just never had one that I would call a great case. Out of those two based on your priorities the 900 is going to be a better fit, it cools better than the 182 but is notably louder. Still not going to be as loud as your current case that probably has a pretty good wine and some rattles by now. With the 120mm fans you can get higher airflow than your existing 80's and with lower noise. The 900 with the fan set on medium should be just about right for you.

 

[Xarick]

How does the k7b cool in comparison to the 900. The only thing I don't like about the 900 is the blue LED fans. I realize I could swap them out. The only thing I don't like about the p182 is the lack of a front panel fan. And the only thing i don't like about the k7b is the lack of a top fan. What I like about the k7b is it's simplicity of design.

 

[Zepper]

Very few users have more than four 5" bay devices and when the 5604 lived here, it kept my drives below 35 deg at a reduced fan speed - plenty cool enough. Room for 5 HDDs (only 3 cooled bays in the iStar) and I had a full house there for a while - room for air flow both above and below the drives - no need to remove the cage as there is plenty of room in the mobo area w/o having to - no need to for any other reason either.
. Don't have to disassemble anything to achieve good cable management if one cares to. I don't see any rubber bushings in those drive rails either and they are plastic instead of metal... Get a 5604 or 05 and you'll find out (even an 01 if you don't mind the dedicated floppy bay or are willing to mod the bezel).
. I've had several cases based on the "Centurion" chassis here over the last few years and they don't really impress me. Besides, not everyone and his brother has a 5600, while at least ten companies OEM that same Centurion chassis - I like to be different.

. Apparently you don't get any fans w/ the iStar and two 120x25 mm come with the 560x. The ones that came with my 5604 were decent, YMMV. I like positive pressure so I changed out the front fan anyway, but most won't need to. At least you don't have to shell out the best part of a 10-spot extra right up front... So that means they really aren't the same price. The 560x are $100. cases for $50. and the Centurion clones aren't (maybe $70. case for $50. ).

.bh.

 

[Xarick]

So right now I am liking the k7b or the k10, or the antec 900. Which of these would be better. I like the look of the k10 the best, but I am wondering if that door is going to seriously restrict airflow.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: Xarick
So right now I am liking the k7b or the k10, or the antec 900. Which of these would be better. I like the look of the k10 the best, but I am wondering if that door is going to seriously restrict airflow.

I wouldn't say seriously restrict airflow but, I would say will notably restrict airflow. Personally, out of those three I would bouy the K7B, it's the least expensive, though not by much, I know lian li are premium product as I've owned quite a few and it looks a lot nicer than the 900 IMHO. At this point I would round it down to the K7B and the 900 and pic which one you like the looks of better, buy that one, and swap the fans out anyway.

 

[Xarick]

My wife is saying she likes the cm 690. How does that compare to the lian li k7b

Oh.. nevermind about the cm690. I guess you can't use pata drives with it and I have a 200 gig pata I am not willing to give up right now.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: Xarick
My wife is saying she likes the cm 690. How does that compare to the lian li k7b

Oh.. nevermind about the cm690. I guess you can't use pata drives with it and I have a 200 gig pata I am not willing to give up right now.

Says who?

 

[MarcVenice]

You can quite easily fit a front fan on the p182 btw, in the upper HD case there's room for one. And the lower compartment fan might not be a 'frontfan' but it works like one anyways, sucking air through the HD's. And yeah, sais who ? PATA drives are physically pretty much identical to SATA drives.

 

[Tullphan]

Originally posted by: DerwenArtos12

Originally posted by: Xarick
My wife is saying she likes the cm 690. How does that compare to the lian li k7b

Oh.. nevermind about the cm690. I guess you can't use pata drives with it and I have a 200 gig pata I am not willing to give up right now.

Says who?

You can use PATA drives with a CM690 assuming your motherboard has IDE ports.
It has all the cooling you'll need...front, side, top, back, bottom, behind the mb tray. Excellent cable management, pretty much tool-less design.
I have a CM690 that i'm selling...if interested, PM me.
Remember, if the wife's happy, everyone's happy!

 

[BlueAcolyte]

The CM 690 is great! Even with only three fans... Why can't you use a PATA with it? They should have the same form factor? The cooler master isn't totally silent (mesh lets noise as well as air through) but it cools great.

I'm thinking about putting LED fans on the back and bottom so it looks like it's hovering in the dark.

 

[Zepper]

The 690 can take PATA, SATA, SCSI, what have you HDDs - the cabling goes toward the right-hand side of the case. I had a 690 sitting next to the desk until yesterday with all the panels off, right, left, top, front, and even that way it was quiet enough for me with all fans going. Surprisingly quiet for as perforated as it is. C-M made some poor choices in the final design, but they can be worked-around if you want. It won't work in my situation, mainly I have a multicolor collection of drives, so I really need a door, so I'm selling it too. PM me.

It looks like the K10 has the same issue as the KL01 with the front door being more designed for looks than for cooling. I'll have to wait for a competent review to see exactly how that door is ventilated. Right now it looks like the mesh is it - pretty restrictive - lets noise out but tends to block air. I found a reasonable way to mod the KL01 for more air. I haven't done it to the one here but if the KL03 is similar, it will be, it will be...

.bh.

 

[Xarick]

ever review I have read of the cm 690 says that the HD drive bays do not allow for the connection of the pata connectors nor the molex connectors in the hd cage. I have read quite a few reviews and they all state the same problem:
Here is an example:
http://www.fpslabs.com/reviews...ster-690-review/page-4

"The picture above shows two SATA HDD's installed perfectly with both the power and data connectors fitting fine as they should. However because of the steel cage that wraps around the back slightly you are unable to install any IDE (PATA) HDD. This is because when you install either the IDE cable or the four pin molex cable you have to forcefully shift the drive to the left or right just a tiny bit in order for either connector to be fully inserted. That's the problem. Once you hook up one connector, it's impossible to connect the other. We triple checked with multiple drives to make sure it wasn't just a fluke but unfortunately every drive tested was blocked by the case itself. Talk about disappointing, we're sure you know that most hard drives on the planet still revolve around the IDE/PATA connection, so to lose that entire customer base and make it so you're only able to use SATA drives is a huge blow for both Cooler Master and consumers interested in the 690 alike."

The other thing I have read says that it cannot pin down dual slot video cards like the 8800 very well.

 

[Zepper]

I've edited my earlier message extensively.
You may not be able to use the plastic card locks to hold a dual card, but screws are still usable and you just leave the clips out of the way - they latch in the up position as well as the down... I'll post a pic of an PATA drive in place shortly. The competence of these fan-boy reviewers leaves a lot to be desired - they write things without actually collecting any valid evidence or verification, just like your major media "journalists"... <sigh>

Here ya go: http://i52.photobucket.com/alb...er0/690withTwoPATA.jpg - no fiddling required or pressing one way or another. If it was any tighter, one might have to resort to that, but the measurements leave a little wiggle room. 80-pin and 68-pin SCSI go in just as well.

The only thing really wrong with the 690's HDD mounting system is that you have to open both sides and move it away from your desk (assuming it is next to or under your work space either on the floor or raised up some to help with dust rejection) to do any serious HDD fiddling... This is because the cables have to go to the right due to the unidirectional design of the drive trays - they could have just as easily made them bi-directional, but they didn't. You'll have to mod the trays to make things easy.

.bh.

 

[Xarick]

do you have a dual card? can you post a pic of it installed? Oh.. and anyone know where there are any deals on the cm 690?

 

[Zepper]

No I have no dual card - you can bet they didn't really verify that either. With the clips locked up out of the way (or removed, which they can be, one at a time), the card slots are as generic/plain vanilla as you can get. I don't have a dual card, but I'm 99.999% sure those will fit. Give me the name of a dual slot card, and I'll take a look.

I just looked on the Egg and there are several dual slot cards right on the index page for the Vid card section. No problemo. The stiffeners on the slot separators of the 690 are on the outside and the RFI fingers between the slots can be removed individually if necessary. So now I'm absolutely sure - 100%!

.bh.

 

[Xarick]

using an 8800gts myself.