SX830/1030 my vote for case of the year.

[moocat]

Can anything top these cases in the price/performance category. This is my first build with the SX830 and I can guarantee there will be more in the future. I love this case. I know you can buy better but I don't think anything in the sub $100 category comes close. Very well designed and a great value. ....end of testimonial

 

[vlad]

I just got my sx830 a couple days ago. This thing freakin' rocks. It's currently waiting for me to order a MB/CPU/Video card to build a new system in it. A friend of mine came over, i couldn't find a chair, so he used the case. After about 30 minutes of sitting, there was a sound like something broke. We examined it throughly, but didn't find anything. I then remembered Antec's website, where their fat CEO was jumping up and down on these cases. So after reaffirming that there was no damage, we continued to employ it as a chair. The only gripe i have (and this is a small gripe) is that you can't take the front panel that covers the drives without removing the side door. Anyway, I second this nomination, these are excellent products.

Vlad

 

[Eug]

Aopen HX08 isn't bad for <$100 and 13 drive bays.

http://english.aopen.com/products/housing/over08.htm

They both suffer from the ubiquitous SOFREAKINUGLYBEIGEBOX Syndrome though. What the problem with PC design people? Even the colour cases are damn ugly. So far the only reasonably nice looking and functional case I've seen so far is the one for the Mac G4, but even that isn't so great for some parts.

 

[AtomSmasher]

I've had an SX830 that I picked up at a deal on onvia for about $64 about a month or so ago. It is a great case. Lots of airflow and it looks really nice. Much better for real than the pictures on their website show. Even though it has space for 4 cooling fans, I only put 2 hi-flow sunon's in the rear of the case. Keeps everything nice and cool. I'd certainly buy another one. Now, if they'd only supply a little sturdier I/O shield with this thing ...

 

[moocat]

What...you don't like the aluminum foil I/O panel ?

 

[mrkodiak]

Ahem....I think a watergun could make a hole in that thang. Other than that, I is truely a great case. I got mine w/ floppy for $55 shipped. Got to luv Onvia and price protection.
Kodiak

 

[Seeko]

I love this case as well............except for the I/O panel. I ordered a replacement panel, but it's still made of tin foil. At least it's easier to attach than the one that came with the case.

 

[AtomSmasher]

Seeko, Where did you order the replacement panel from ??

 

[lilstevo]

i think seeko got it from antec. they ship it free via USPS. I got mine too but it only a bit better than the one that came with the case. oh wells but I still love this case. getting 80-90 degrees fairenheit on my k7 700 oced to 805 (default voltage). I love the lockable doors too but if someone really wanted to get in they could easily rip the whole thing out. eheh. SX830/SX1030 for most bang for the buck case of the year.

 

[lilstevo]

Oh hey did you guys not get the 2 fans in the case when u ordered from onvia? I got 2 replacements from antec but the fans look really cheesy. SLeeve bearing fans made in china.

 

[AtomSmasher]

Thanks lilstevo. I also got the 2 sleeve bearing fans. Took them out and put in hi-flo sunon's in the rear of the case. Total of 80cfm of airflow + whatever the power supply gives you.

 

[AznBruin03]

Hey, where did you guys find the SX1030 for under 100?? Everywhere I've checked comes out to about 100 or more after shipping.

 

[Mikewarrior2]

onsale or onvia, where htey have shipping for either very cheap or free + coupon .


Mike

 

[Jhhnn]

Have to agree with most everything that's been said already, the sx1030 was my choice, and is terrific. Yes, the i/o panel is flimsy, but how often do you fuss with it? Yes, the included fans are sleeve bearing, made in china, (aren't virtually all oem fans?) Yes, it is exquisitely and distinctively ugly, rather than plain ol' ugly, or truly hideous, both very common options. I caught a rumor that it will soon be available in black- that should establish it as the Darth Vader of computer cases!
There are a couple of things that you can't tell from the Antec-inc. website.
1. The front drive cover door hinges on the left, and can be removed in about 5 secs. it does help cut drive noise.
2. The keylock security wouldn't keep out my six-year old.
3. The front bezel is not at all easy to remove, but you never really need to, because the 5-1/4&quot; drive rails slide in thru the bezel, rather than behind it, truly unique.
4. Installing thumb screws on the removable side panel helps keep the whole thing more rigid, the holes are included.
As for the price, the onvia deal looks to be long gone, figure $115, including shipping.

 

[chottoed]

yeah awesome case...
got me a 1030...
wrote a review of it too...
check it out here for photos
http://www.tech-gods.com/Reviewlinks/Hardware/antec/sx1030/antecsx1030.shtml

 

[AndrewR]

I have the SX1030, and I do like it quite a bit. The I/O bezel is awful though, and I had to mangle it with some pliers to plug in my mouse and keyboard connectors. I like the internal drive cages and the rails for the external 5.25&quot; bays. The cooling fan location in the front is great for also cooling off hard drives, and all those fan spots keep it nice and cool, though it does sound like a turbine engine when I turn it on.

I just wish the motherboard tray were removable. Even though there's ample room in the case, I just prefer the ease of installing those tiny screws outside of the case. In terms of ease of installation, I think the InWin A500 (midtower) has the best system, with the slideout tray that includes the expansion slot bracket so you can install the motherboard AND all of the cards outside of the case.

Build quality on the SX1030 is very good though not quite as good as my PC Power &amp; Cooling midtower. The PC Power case was twice as much, however! Other thing that bothers me about the Antec is the Antec power supply -- POS. The PC Power (Sparkle/SPI) ran my Celeron at 550MHz, but the Antec choked on it. I don't know why everyone raves about the Antec PSUs.

 

[moocat]

I'm currently running 3 systems with Antec PSs. I haven't had a problem yet. I think a lot of thier popularity came from the Anandtech article. It really seemed to influence people even though it wasn't very &quot;scientific&quot;. I run them because I can pick one up in almost any store and they are pretty reliable for the money.

 

[lupin]

Another vote for the SX830. Kickass case.

A Black color is going to be great.

 

[Jhhnn]

Antec power supplies, hmm... I think POS might be a little extreme. The best? hardly. Much better units are available, at a much higher cost. Among the best at the price, with good availability? Probably. Antec is pretty proud of them, if I got one that wouldn't run anything short of a really loaded system, I would expect that they would replace it for the asking, I might be wrong.

 

[AntecCSR]

Normally we don't have a problem replacing a bad/defective power supply. Granted we only refund if you bought from us directly, but we can and have contacted retailers to take product back with the reassurance that we'd take it back from them. Although this last option is fairly extreme, and usually only works best with companies we deal with directly (like Fry's, which btw will be carrying the SX1030's soon).
SX1030 will eventually come out in Black. Also the SX1480 (full blown server enclosure) will be shipping in a couple of weeks. Next up in that line if a full tower (something like 6 5.25&quot; drive bays etc)

AntecCS

 

[Steven2050]

I'm buying the sx830 today. I've heard alot of good things about the cases. Hope it comes in black.