Computer Case

[VladTepes]

A largely theoretical Q at the moment but -


Looking at the various computer sites there are all sorts of super wanky computer cases available. Are there any actual useful PRACTICAL ones in the marketplace?

What I need or want:
Large enough that I can work in it without needing triple jointed wrists.
Large enough to allow for a couple of optical drives, a couple of permanently installed hard drives and maybe a swappable drive or two.
Large enough for a decent number of cards (e.g. graphics cards, TV tuner, and, well, whatever)
Quiet.
Metal case preferred (not plastic)

What I do NOT need or want.
A stupid door on the front you have to open to get to the drives
“Mood Lighting”
Stupid flashing lights everywhere like some 80s ghetto blaster.
(I lived through the 80s already thanks).

Suggestions?

[VladTepes]

Hmm his looks just about right.

Cooler Master RC-330-KKRA - $75.00 - Centre Com (http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/kkra-cooler-master-elite-p-29364.html'sort=2a)

[WhiteD3]

DON'T get an Antec Cube case. Too small, too hot. Nice desk footprint though.

[VladTepes]

yes that is horrible !

[sheerluck]

Vlad, not sure how deep your pockets are, but I like the Lian Li all aluminium cases. This one is quite well priced, and understated rather than garish: Lian Li PC-A05FN Black [LL-PC-A05FNB] - $139.00 : PC Case Gear (http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php'main_page=product_info&cPath=25_30_394&products_id=17738)

[Distortion]

I would recommend something in the P-180 series

Antec P183: The P182 Gets More Air | silentpcreview.com (http://www.silentpcreview.com/antec-p183)

I have a slightly earlier p-180 or P182 can't remember which but it's been fantastic for 3 or 4 years it is solidly made and is well worth the money

[VladTepes]

Funny you should say that because I was just raqding this
Quiet Computer Case And Fan - Tips To Reduce Noise (http://www.build-gaming-computers.com/quiet-computer-case.html)
and the Atec P182 case is specifically mentioned as a QUIET case.

I have no idea how the collermaster one would be in that depratment.

[Distortion]

I have a Coolermaster RC-692 as a case for a second computer and it's well made but I wouldn't want it in my office/in view

Coolmasters equivilent of the P182 is the Cooler Master Silencio which I'm told is very good as well.

The main reason I would reject the case you are looking at is the way hard drives are mounted. judging by the images I can see to install and remove drives you would need to slide them in passed the motherboard or through the front of the case.

Where as with the Silencio or P180 caddy(better option again) the drives are slid in from the side not passed the mb where video cards and cables can foul on them

[austastar]

Hi,
very happy with my Lian Li case. Easy to swap stuff out and get to things with out risk of slashing one's fingers on nasty sharp bits

cheers

[VladTepes]

wat lian li you have ?

[VladTepes]

I think I just realised why my computer is so... ordinary.

Just found the recipt for it while going through old filing.

Purchsed 11/09/2003 :lol2:

[Cannon]

wow, you got your moneys worth out of that one:)

[austastar]

wat lian li you have ?

Hi,
mine is the PC 60, but it is no longer produced apparently, I found a similar one in the 'historic model' section that looks the same size and shape, but mine is brushed Aluminium.
http://www.lian-li.com/v2/tw/product/PC-60%20PLUS%20II-b.jpg

cheers

[damo_s]

Budget?

You can get some really nice, sleek cases for around $200.

They are large, well built (metal), have excellent cooling and are not flashy or over the top.

I have an antec P182 which was mentioned earlier. Not sure if these are available, i think they are discontinued.

Check out these:

Obsidian Series® 650D Mid-Tower Case - Obsidian Series - Cases (http://www.corsair.com/cases/obsidian-series/obsidian-series-650d.html)

Define R3, Black Pearl - Fractal Design (http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&prod=48)

Antec - P183 (http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=MTgwOA==&lan=us)

Antec Solo Case [SOLO] - $115.00 : PC Case Gear (http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php'main_page=product_info&cPath=25_733&products_id=4336)


They aren't cheap, but they will last you years and years.

If these don't appeal to you, look around on PCCASEGEAR.com. Great website.

[incisor]

start with quality fundamentals

Fractal Designs ARC Mid Tower and a 675watt thermaltake xt power supply

Gigabyte X58A-UD3R and an intel i7 980

3 x 2gig sticks of DDR3 ram

and a video card to suit your budget

a 1tb sata3 hdd

windows 7 home 64bit

and you have the basis of an outstanding setup with plenty of upgrade room when you have more $ to throw at it.

staticICE - Compare Prices - Australia - Price comparison for gadgets and computer hardware (http://www.staticice.com.au/) to get some prices and get someone like me to build it if you cant cope :p

super box with plenty of upgrade scope on a tightarse budget

no doubt the magazine terrorists will beg to differ...

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I havent bought a mag in years Inc,,,:angel:
If you buy it right you shouldnt need to be inside the box at all--
Best box I ever had,, solid and above all

quiet.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

its actually a mirror finish,,
and after 3 years it still is:cool:

[twr7cx]

read this twr7cx??
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/134453-aulro-free-stuff.html

[OffTrack]

This one meets all those criteria:

http://www.apple.com/au/macpro/design.html

;)

[incisor]

or you can run osx on the hardware i listed above for half the price, in native mode or in vmware or both :p

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/1175.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/niknodave/6104572187/)
osxonwin7 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/niknodave/6104572187/) by NiknoDave (http://www.flickr.com/people/niknodave/), on Flickr

[abaddonxi]

I havent bought a mag in years Inc,,,:angel:
If you buy it right you shouldnt need to be inside the box at all--
Best box I ever had,, solid and above all

quiet.

http://hi-techreviews.com/reviews_2007/Antec182/p182_q.jpg

its actually a mirror finish,,
and after 3 years it still is:cool:
Antec P182 - Misc Peripherals - Peripherals - Reviews - PC & Tech Authority (http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Review/111293,antec-p182.aspx)

[OffTrack]

or you can run osx on the hardware i listed above for half the price


Not to mention a quarter of the style. :angel:


That said, I've had pretty good results with the Antec cases. It's a while since I built a PC but the last one used a SLK3000B http://www.silentpcreview.com/article210-page1.html and is still going strong. My guess is the Sonata III 500 is probably pretty similar in spec.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

seeing you are listening in Inc,,

are the PSU leads generally longer these day??

I did have trouble (3 years ago:angel:) with PSU 2 MB length,,

[incisor]

power supplies listed as being with cable management usually are, but there are exceptions..

as for the lack of style comment, bah, much as i like my macs i really like my fusion arc case with filters on all the mesh panels and the so easy to do anything with...

but to each his own....

[VladTepes]

The problem with the Antec cases is that you seem to have to open a fricking door before you can open a drive bay ? Screw that.

[VladTepes]

Inc further to your above - whats a good brand of RAM ?

[incisor]

is a mine field

you intending to over-clock or just let it run standard?

no over-clock then team ram is good value for money with a low failure rate. no experience with over-clocking but will know by the end of the week :p

if you going to over-clock then you need to sit and think it through and see what sort of rating you require for the sort of work you might want to do with it.

crucial and g.skill are well rated and i don't see many dead ones.

ocx is well rated but can be problematic to get stable

a bit of a layman's basic run through on the links below

Kingston Technology Company - Tools - Ultimate Memory Guide (http://www.kingston.com/tools/UMG/default.asp)

Memory Buyer’s Guide: The Best RAM For Your PC | Gizmodo Australia (http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/09/the-memory-buyers-guide-whats-the-best-ram-for-my-system/)


and it will pay you to have a look at this to work out what power supply you may need for your particular setup

http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/index.jsp

[VladTepes]

Thanks.

I have no intention of overclocking. KISS principle applies.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

why is a door over the drives a problem?
because you have to open it to insert/retrieve a disc???
you are one lazy man Vlad--:wasntme:
or do you just get off by looking at drives?:twisted:
besides,, discs are so yesterday--;)

[damo_s]

I dont see any point going for an i7 980 and an X58 mobo. They are old tech now have have been surpassed.

The new socket 1155 cpu's are the go, as well as the Z68 mobo. I have an i5-2500K and a Gigabyte Z68X-UD4-B3. The only need for i7 is if you are doing very cpu intensive stuff which can make use of the hyperthreading (gives 4 extra virtual cores, iirc). Otherwise there is no gain :)

[incisor]

I dont see any point going for an i7 980 and an X58 mobo. They are old tech now have have been surpassed.

surpassed, really...

you still get 3 year manufacturers warranty on the stuff, sata iii, usb3, ddriii @2000, etc etc

sure there are more recent options, that doesn't mean they are better performers or better value.

as the guy that dropped in $3.5k worth of the newer gear, all magazine recommended, for us to assemble for him, observed, when his cinebench rating was down on my old tech, new $1500 box.

be boring old world if we were all the same.