Toolless Case?

[Cygnus X1]

Can anyone here recommend a completely toolless case, mid or full tower, roomy, user friendly, window or not. Looking for my first build, as Monarch built my last one and I want to try.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

What do you mean by toolless? Just buy a couple of screwdrivers and a whole world of case options will open for you

Just about all screws with phillips or slot heads can be replaced by thumbscrews if you like.
Really nice cases are in the $75-$150 range. There are a few decent cheap cases.
What cha got to spend on a case? Tip: Buy the PSU seperate from the case. $50-$100 for a good PSU. Are you going high end gamming? Do you requior 120mm case fans?
Talk to us OP.

...Galvanized

 

[potato28]

The CM cases r very good in the tool-less design. Their Cavalier or Centurion cases r almost completly tool-less, ull only need a screwdriver for mobo installation. EDIT: and ull need a pair of pliers to tighten the standoffs for the mobo.

 

[aLeoN]

Search around for the ThermalRock/Thermaltake Eclipse. It's featured in AT's mid-tower roundup.

 

[0roo0roo]

antecs have some tooless bits.... u acn't avoid some screws.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Well, Dell makes some decent tooless cases, though you have to buy a Dell.... I think everything but the motherboard is tooless in the current Dimension series (that and putting the rails on the harddrives and DVD/CD-ROM drives...)

 

[Zepper]

If you can find a Silverstone Berserker (it is mostly an OEM case now and not listed on the SST site anymore), it is completely toolless for the following parts:

- mobo
- two 5.25 half-height drives (e.g. opticals)
- two 3.5 x 1" hard drives
- one floppy-sized drive
- add on cards
- side doors

PSU requires screws - but I used thumbscrews with washers on mine.
There is room for many more drives, watercooling, etc., but those will need screws and/or adapters.
It has cages for up to four 80mm fans and you can add a 120mm in the front bottom using screws, rubber pins or plastic lock pins, but I'd want to cut out the grill plates as they are quite restrictive. I used a CoolerMaster 4-in-3 HD cage in the bottom bays which solved that problem, but I had to cut on it a bit too... See my review of my Berserker at http://www.techimo.com/reviews/

I think some Thermaltake and/or Aspire cases have the snap-on mobo mounts too. And there are lots of cases with some toolless features like the Antecs, the Kingwin 424 series, the Evercase 42x2 series, etc...

.bh.

 

[pkme2]

Lian Li makes a toolless case, in all different configurations to fill your needs. Its really cool.
http://www.lian-li.com/main.htm
Look under product tab, scroll down and look at different models. Prices can be found at NewEgg or eBay, your choice.
The different models have slide out components and mostly large knurled screws, for easy removal and replacement of items. Never got any skinned knuckles. No sharp edges and sturdy construction. Since its aluminum, its very light as compared to the same sized steel dinosaurs.
There are other good models out there, but since I've built all my new computers recently with Lian-Li, I have no experience with them. Correct that, for my students' new video rigs, we got some great deals on eBay on cases. Sure beats the old steel boxes.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lian-Li-PC-7-alumin...47QQcategoryZ51059QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[cooliodealio]

Why the strange obsession with a completely toolless case?

 

[pkme2]

For guys like me, on the older cases, I always had to look for a Phillips screwdriver. I solved that problem mostly on all the cases I worked on, I used the nylon knurled screws which was nice when I had an immediate diagnostic in taking apart a computer case.
the new aluminums have large finger grabbing screws. That's what I called them. It sure makes everything easier. Rated as a super nerd, I can appreciate all the help I can get.

 

[tyborg]

I'm happy with my Thermaltake Kandalf full tower. Armor's supposedly the same thing for less money and no pretty front... thing.

 

[ribbon13]

Bah, get a Gigabyte Aurora, has a built in tool-box!

 

[LED]

A-Tops work fine...