antec 1200 or gigabyte 3d aurora?

[eyi526]

antec 1200

vs

gigabyte 3d aurora


which case should i get? the pricing is almost the same (there is a store selling the 1200 at 169.99 in my area), yet the 1200 has more fans, but the aurora is very visually appealing.

 

[Zepper]

I always thought that it was stupid to make such a large case as the 1200 and it still not be able to accept an EATX mobo. The Aurora 3D 570 is basically a stretch Centurion which can take an EATX mobo and is significantly lighter than the 1200 as it's made of aluminum. But it has the same drawbacks as the Centurion. The toolless fastenings for the 5" bays aren't all that strong (but you can add screws) and the PSU bay can't really be accessed with the mobo in place in the normal size versions - the stretch 570 seems like you might be able to change the PSU w/ the mobo in place. On my C-M Mystique, I drilled out the pop rivets and mounted the cross brace with screws - that took care of the PSU access problem. If those were my only choices, I'd go with the Aurora 3D 570.

.bh.

 

[MarcVenice]

You find the aurora visually appealing? Heh, well if that's the case, then I guess Zepper makes some good arguments, although eatx is rather useless if you don't plan on getting such a mobo. I like the antec 1200 better, if I were shopping for a flashy case, lots of coolingpower, it would probably be the antec 1200.

I also like the door on the antec 1200, the black finish on the inside, the fact that the PSU is on the bottom and the fan on the top of the case.

 

[Jakeisbest]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
I also like the door on the antec 1200, the black finish on the inside, the fact that the PSU is on the bottom and the fan on the top of the case.

It has always seemed to me that having the psu on top is a much better setup. Then the psu can act as a fan and more hot air is not drifting up towards your video card.

Either way I am sure it is more personal style rather than any performance increase.

 

[RallyMaster]

I guess the real question here is...do you really need that big of a case?

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: Jakeisbest

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
I also like the door on the antec 1200, the black finish on the inside, the fact that the PSU is on the bottom and the fan on the top of the case.

It has always seemed to me that having the psu on top is a much better setup. Then the psu can act as a fan and more hot air is not drifting up towards your video card.

Either way I am sure it is more personal style rather than any performance increase.

Newer Antec cases have 1 or more large fans on top to exhaust heat. Also, those PSU fans are barely adequate in keeping themselves cool as the PSU can often be one of the hottest components in your case.

Many case makers have actually gone as far as compartmentalizing the PSU and the main HDD rack so that the hot air from both do not channel to the rest of the mobo and case.

 

[Krynj]

Depends on if you really need the cooling provided by the 1200. I have a 1200, and a buddy of mine has the 3D Aurora. Both are pretty decent looking cases, but, I definitely prefer the look and solid feel of the 1200. And being able to route all wires behind the motherboard is a great feature.

It's entirely up to you.