Suggestions for a new case

[bdubyah]

Hey guys, I was wondering what a good case would be to replace my current Corsair 200R?

I wanna stay with a mid-tower because I just don't have space for a full tower. My main issue is cooling. The 200R just isn't cutting it. I'm also wanting to try an H100i or something similar and this case won't support it without drilling some holes and cramming it in.

I don't need a super fancy looking case. Just need one that has more room and better airflow than the 200R. I guess it needs at least 2 drive slots for my DVD drive and fan controller. Don't wanna spend more than $100 if possible.

Thanks guys!

 

[b-mac]

May I ask what's wrong with the cooling of the 200R? I have one and seem to have no issues with it.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Hey guys, I was wondering what a good case would be to replace my current Corsair 200R?

I wanna stay with a mid-tower because I just don't have space for a full tower. My main issue is cooling. The 200R just isn't cutting it. I'm also wanting to try an H100i or something similar and this case won't support it without drilling some holes and cramming it in.

I don't need a super fancy looking case. Just need one that has more room and better airflow than the 200R. I guess it needs at least 2 drive slots for my DVD drive and fan controller. Don't wanna spend more than $100 if possible.

Thanks guys!

Yes, that 200R could take a lot of work to turn $60-worth of case steel into a better-ventilated or cooled optimum.

The one I'd been looking at for myself is the Corsair Vengeance C70. Although I'm still "re-evaluating." But I've seen good things done with it.

You can mount a Corsair H115i in it, because I checked the compatibility chart.

I'm curious. Why do you need a front-panel fan controller? Is it something you'd grown fond of or accustomed to? Years ago I was all over the place looking for a means of thermal fan control. But now, it can all be done from the motherboard ports, with a Swiftech PWM splitter and either the system BIOS or bundled fan-control software.

 

[bdubyah]

Mainly, because I had it on hand. Haha. I'll have to look into the splitters. I haven't kept up with stuff in the last few years since I built this PC.

I actually was just looking at the C70. I also kinda liked the Mastercase 5.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

May I ask what's wrong with the cooling of the 200R? I have one and seem to have no issues with it.

Actually, my own remarks and perceptions from looking at that case followed yours. There's nothing "Wrong" with it. It's a $60 steel case of a more or less classic and mainstream design.

I acquired an i5-3570K and a Z77 motherboard with RAM for some small change, and my brother needed an upgrade. We had a Coolermaster Centurion -- another $60 case and in some ways similar to the 200R. I had a Noctua 120mm fan for the rear exhaust, and put in a 140mm Akasa Viper as front-panel intake. We haven't overclocked it, and the cooling is adequate.

But it needed better front-panel ventilation, and I had to jerry-rig the Akasa in the 5.25" bays as a "custom installation." I found a bag full of perf-steel front-panel bay plates from another computer, and used Pit Crew adhesive to glue them to the case -- inside out! It looks rather nice!

Bro doesn't complain.

I have this old Stacker 830 all aluminum wonder I've resurrected to "mod" without cutting the metal or doing any damage to it. I may post some pictures in another thread. But that case had all sorts of possibilities that I'd never conceived when it was in use through 2014. Especially useful is the CM proprietary "Crossflow" fan, given the way it fits my cooling strategy. That was once a $250 case, but I got it in 2008 for about $130.

Comparing it with the 200R or my Centurion and several other case designs, it has to be the most ventilated case you could ever acquire. And the trick to it is using some ( not all) of those ventilation options to get directed airflow. The rest of it gets blocked off with art-board or Lexan plates.

The budget cases don't give you those sorts of ventilation options, so plentiful that you're eager to block them off.

 

[bdubyah]

Yeah, for a regular non-OC'd system that isn't too extreme, the 200R is great. Until I recently moved back to PC gaming and OCing again, I loved it. Temps were good and it was damn near silent.

But it just isn't flowing enough air to keep up now. I'm OC'd to 4.0 right now as I didn't dare go any higher with the temps that I have. I have a NH-U12S as it's about the biggest and best air cooler the case will hold and when playing a game or rendering a video and surfing the web it hits 80c way too easily. I could probably fiddle with my fan arrangement and make it better as I'm sure it isn't optimal because I was just trying some things out when I added the extra fans. I just don't think it's worth it though.

I did see someone mod their 200R where they cut the front panel out so that the 2 intake fans could pull air in through the whole front like a more traditional case instead of the 2 small side vents it has normally. Can't remember the exact difference it made but it was pretty substantial. I could probably try that but I'd rather just get a slightly bigger case that will flow better and allow me to use better coolers as well.

I've pretty much settled on the C70. Gonna go ahead and grab an H115i as well.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Yeah, for a regular non-OC'd system that isn't too extreme, the 200R is great. Until I recently moved back to PC gaming and OCing again, I loved it. Temps were good and it was damn near silent.

But it just isn't flowing enough air to keep up now. I'm OC'd to 4.0 right now as I didn't dare go any higher with the temps that I have. I have a NH-U12S as it's about the biggest and best air cooler the case will hold and when playing a game or rendering a video and surfing the web it hits 80c way too easily. I could probably fiddle with my fan arrangement and make it better as I'm sure it isn't optimal because I was just trying some things out when I added the extra fans. I just don't think it's worth it though.

I did see someone mod their 200R where they cut the front panel out so that the 2 intake fans could pull air in through the whole front like a more traditional case instead of the 2 small side vents it has normally. Can't remember the exact difference it made but it was pretty substantial. I could probably try that but I'd rather just get a slightly bigger case that will flow better and allow me to use better coolers as well.

I've pretty much settled on the C70. Gonna go ahead and grab an H115i as well.

I have either the NH-U12S or U12P sitting in my parts locker, and it's a better performer than a 212 EVO. I was doing "inventory" and discovered I had misplaced or lost the mounting kit for it, so I just ordered one to put aside. For that type of cooler, an item like this can help:

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/th12fandubl.html

For less than $10, a person could afford to "mod" it to better fit a cooler like the U12S, but it will work anyway -- as is. I'd get one for the C70 anyway if I were using a tower cooler in my forthcoming "plans." But in your "case" as well as mine, it wouldn't be part of the strategy with an AiO cooler.

 

[nitromullet]

Have looked into Phanteks? The Eclipse Series and Phanteks Enthoo Pro M have a great layout and are in your budget:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811854032
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811854027

Then there is also the regular Enthoo Pro, which is a bit bigger and along the lines of a more traditional full tower ATX.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811854018

I'm also pretty happy with my Fractal Design Define S:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352055

Good case with great airflow. The only downside is that it doesn't have a fan filter for the top. I keep the top closed, but it does limit the use of the top. There are third party filters available, but that does add to the cost.

 

[OCNewbie]

Then there is also the regular Enthoo Pro, which is a bit bigger and along the lines of a more traditional full tower ATX.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811854018

You linked the green one. The black one is currently on sale at Newegg for ~$74 shipped after a $15 mail-in rebate. I just picked one up and should get it tomorrow. I actually wanted a full tower though (with the idea that I might get into water cooling eventually, and I've never owned a full tower).

 

[nitromullet]

You linked the green one. The black one is currently on sale at Newegg for ~$74 shipped after a $15 mail-in rebate. I just picked one up and should get it tomorrow. I actually wanted a full tower though (with the idea that I might get into water cooling eventually, and I've never owned a full tower).

Good catch. Here's the black one...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811854003

I think you probably got the best full tower you can buy right now for under $100!

 

[lehtv]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811854003

I think you probably got the best full tower you can buy right now for under $100!

No doubt. Everything else in the under $100 full tower category is DIYPC, Raidmax, AZZA and other lower end brands. The next best thing is probably a Be Quiet Silent Base 800 for $139. And in the sub $100 category the only other good options are mid towers like Phanteks Eclipse / Enthoo, Corsair 400Q/400C.