Need a new case

[ShadeZeRO]

Hey all,

I've got a budget of about $150 (shipped).

I'm thinking of getting the Antec Twelve Hundred (as per the newegg special I found).

What are my other alternatives? And is there anything bad about the case?

Thanks

 

[WoodButcher]

oops!

 

[videogames101]

I love my Antec 1200, but if you mind noise, it comes with 8 case fans, so, lol.


(Tons of room)

 

[Gillbot]

CM Stacker?

 

[Zepper]

I have a Silverstone KL03 - it's what used to be called an entry-level server size case. It's about the same as the old Tj03/05 - deep but only a bit taller than the high side of the mid-tower range. Not as big as mentioned above, but there is room for the longest cards and to hide some wiring and is just a bit more than your budget (the non-window versions). The Rocketfish RFFT (made for BestBuy by Lian Li and sort of a cross between the A70/A80 cases) is also a good large case - maybe you can find one within your budget. The last I saw on fleaBay were selling for around $100. (didn't see any available now, but you can search (advanced) for completed listings to see what the average selling price was) + shipping. Perhaps you would live close enough to a seller to allow for reasonable shipping. When I sold mine, I could ship to the left coast by DHL and keep it under your budget. Maybe Woodbutcher could do it (IDK why he retracted his offer of an RFFT) if he carried it to a local drop-off point to save the pickup charge - I know that I shipped a good sized case from here in central NY to someone in the Panama City, FL area and the DHL ground shipping wasn't too bad. They've moved my case shipments by ground pretty quickly too.

BTW, Amazon and/or Provantage often beat the Egg on Antec cases - worth a look.

.bh.

 

[faxon]

CM Stacker or HAF 932 seem right up your alley. the 1200 doesnt have tool free drive bays though which is a downside to some. the more noise obsessed would have to disagree though, since tooled drive bays can use those rubber spacers to reduce vibration noise better. might also want to check out the thermaltake armor while you're at it. doesnt have a removable motherboard tray like some newer cases do, but its still a great case with lots of space to work in. seems lacking in features though by todays standards. again, no removable mobo tray, and also no behind the mobo tray cable routing, which some people have become reliant on.

 

[roid450]

Originally posted by: videogames101
I love my Antec 1200, but if you mind noise, it comes with 8 case fans, so, lol.


(Tons of room)

must be smoking soemthing, mine came with 6 fans.

theres no noise at all from this case if they are all set on low and they still move good air on low.

the max that you can have on the 1200 is 7 fans, mine doesnt have one on the side panel.

 

[Zepper]

I forgot to mention the Ultra m998 - a bit bigger than your average mid-tower case. One of the few cases with both a mobo drawer and 120mm rear fan. Also the XClio/Tagan WT (windtunnel)/Monolith (both are the same case).

.bh.

 

[Cheesetogo]

My vote is for the 1200. I've used the 900 before and found it to be pretty roomy, so I would imagine that the 1200 will be a great choice for you. It's a nice looking case with fantastic airflow.

 

[Gillbot]

I have a CM Stacker that you might be able to talk me out of. I just hope Aigomorla doesn't see this post!
http://img160.imageshack.us/im...77/img239631rc4qz9.jpg
http://img513.imageshack.us/im...38/img240071ra3bw0.jpg

 

[roid450]

gillbot, what are all those switches in the front of the case for? and is that a custom made piece that hold the switches, or can that be bought?

 

[Zepper]

Switch panels look custom made using some bay cover plates from one machine or other, perhaps the Stacker itself. I use bay filler plates for stuff all the time - make a nice fan holder/filter unit from them which can look like it was standard equipment or a factory accy. if carefully done. Only really need them when you have lots of lighting, water cooling, etc. I also recently saw a new Silverstone case that is a variant on the TJ07 design called the Fortress FT01 - it might interest you. Here's a link: http://www.silverstonetek.com/...nts.php?pno=FT01&area=. Cheapest I've seen is about $200... Unfortunately it has a window

.bh.