Any MicroATX tower cases without an optical drive bay?

[tracerit]

I like the look of the Fractal Design Define Mini but prefer the interior of the Fractal Node 804's inside minus other side (hard drive/PSU side).

I like this layout linked below. Its straight intake to the CPU cooler to exhaust. No optical bay drive in the way obstruct airflow.
http://www.legitreviews.com/wp-cont...ractal-Design-Node-804-Install-mb-645x524.jpg

 

[Harpocrates]

Have you taken a look at the BitFenix Phenom M, it might suit your needs.

 

[tracerit]

looks intriguing for sure. and fits the bill with what i'm looking for but i'll have to take a longer look at it. thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Charlie98]

I like the look of the Fractal Design Define Mini but prefer the interior of the Fractal Node 804's inside minus other side (hard drive/PSU side).

I wish they would have designed the 804 like the 304... :\

...and that they would make a Define SuperMini... scrunch it down without the 6x HDD bays and the 2x OD slots. It's on my Christmas list.

OP, if you find something good, make sure you post it here!

 

[Carson Dyle]

How about the Antec NSK-3480 (or 3300)? Although it has an optical bay, you're not going to get much smaller in a microATX case that houses an ATX power supply. In that photo of the Node 804 above, note that the PSU is on the 'other' side, so a more typical case will also have to house a PSU.

The 3400 and 3300 have been discontinued, but I believe Antec makes a similar case today in the New Solutions line.

In this case, there are two 5.25" bays at the front of the compartment on top that house the PSU. Other than eliminating the 3.5" bay in the main compartment and _maybe_ making the case an inch less deep, there wouldn't be anything gained by getting rid of the 5.25" bays.

 

[Charlie98]

The Antec VSK-3000 is very similar in size and layout to the Fractal Core 1000. I looked at it when I was doing a recent build, but went with the Core instead, even with the goofy HDD layout.

EDIT: There is also the NSK3180, but it winds up being about the same, dimensionally, as the VSK.

EDIT x2:

Fractal shows 2 cases on their website smaller than the Define Mini... the Core 1300 and the Core 1500.

 

[IntoxicatedPuma]

I just got a Jonsbo U3 (sold in US as Rosewill U3) - I don't have many complaints about it although in China the price is about $57 but Newegg sells it for $100

It's ridiculously small and light for an mATX case though! - May also check out the Silverstone SG09/SG10.

 

[bonehead123]

Have you taken a look at the BitFenix Phenom M, it might suit your needs.

I've got the Bitfenix Prodigy, and I can tell you without a doubt that the optical drive bay does NOT impede the air flow from the front to the back of the case.

However, if you use both HDD cages, there is some blockage. But the case has so many ways of mounting drives, especially if you only use 1 HDD or a couple of SSD's like I do, there is really NO need to use the cages

 

[_Rick_]

Here's some:

(sorry for the german links, but you'll figure out what you need, I think)

http://geizhals.de/eu/inter-tech-mini-itx-e-d5-88881192-a1089071.html
http://geizhals.de/eu/cooltek-coolcube-maxi-schwarz-600046300-a947350.html?v=l
http://geizhals.de/eu/cooltek-u3-schwarz-jb-u3-k-a1012769.html?v=l
http://geizhals.de/eu/parvum-systems-s2-0-schwarz-weiss-mit-sichtfenster-s2-0-bk-wh-a1076379.html


Not sure if CoolTek or Inter-tech distribute in the US, and I've never even heard of Parvum before.
If you'll also accept slim ODDs, there are several other options.

 

[ElFenix]

I like the look of the Fractal Design Define Mini but prefer the interior of the Fractal Node 804's inside minus other side (hard drive/PSU side).

I like this layout linked below. Its straight intake to the CPU cooler to exhaust. No optical bay drive in the way obstruct airflow.
http://www.legitreviews.com/wp-cont...ractal-Design-Node-804-Install-mb-645x524.jpg

just use mesh drive bay covers. a big open optical drive bay doesn't block anything to any appreciable degree.

http://www.xoxide.com/lianli-blackmesh-drivebaycover.html

if you have three optical drive bays you can suspend a 120 mm fan in it, or try to find a scythe kama drive bay fan.

then duct the thing like spcr did for their hot weather antec P150. that way all the cool air from your front intake goes straight to the CPU rather than just wandering around in your case.

 

[aigomorla]

rosewell legacy series.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147210

 

[_Rick_]

rosewell legacy series.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147210

Ah, so that's the US equivalent to the Euro "Cooltek".

 

[Charlie98]

rosewell legacy series.

Holy crud! I never thought I would lust after a Rosewill case...

 

[TakBaseTech]

Corsair will release their mATX Carbide Air 240 soonish. It has an optical bay, but it's completely out of the way of the CPU/mobo airflow in a seperate side chamber.
http://www.corsair.com/en-us/landing/air240

 

[piasabird]

Bit Fenix has one or two.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-036-_-Product

I think this may have an actual Bay where the optical drive would go, but I think it can be removed. Looks like the top can hold a water cooler.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

The Rosewill is nice because you can always buy sheet-aluminum, aluminum angles, etc. at the local metals store -- in the event you want to mod the case design.

The Phenom M wins it for me hands down. It's all modular and seems to come apart with a wider range of disk-mounting options than I've seen in traditional ATX/m-ATX cases. In this later case, it appears that the popularity of SSD drives has opened up new possibilities for mounting strategies.