Any mid tower cases with only 1 or 2 5.25" bays?

[mfs378]

I'm planning on building a new computer one of these days but its not urgent so I've had a lot of time to look at different components. I've come to the realization that there really are very few good-looking cases out there. One pet-peeve of mine is the large number of external bays found on seemingly all cases.

I only have one optical drive, and I don't plan on having more than two hard drives. For me, extra bays only make the outside ugly or make the inside more cramped or cluttered.

Any ideas?

 

[mfs378]

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-tj08.htm

This for example I would be interested in, but it has two external 3.5" bays. Who on earth uses two external 3.5" bays these days?

 

[Zepper]

Who on earth...? Flash card reader, I/O panel, fan controller, lots of uses for drive bays. The nMedia 300 series is pretty compact.

,bh.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: mfs378
One pet-peeve of mine is the large number of external bays found on seemingly all cases...

My case would give you a coronary! It has 10 x 5.25" external bays... :laugh:

Like Zepper said, there are all sorts of things you can do with them -- put a flat panel display in there, a case fan, or whatever. Drive bays aren't just for drives.

 

[mfs378]

I guess I should have mentioned some of my other requirements. I want to use a 120mm-size heatsink, and have as good airflow as possible. That precludes most of the compact cases out there.

I also want it to be aesthetically pleasing; occupying the free bays just for the sake of occupying them won't cut it.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: mfs378
I also want it to be aesthetically pleasing; occupying the free bays just for the sake of occupying them won't cut it.

Yes... okay... a purist! Nothing wrong with that...

I think your best bet is to simply buy a case that covers the external bays, i.e. one with a 'door' or a cover of some sort. Out of sight, out of mind.

Otherwise, call someone like Mountain Mods and have them build you a custom case with NO external drive bays.

Simply pimple!

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Six out of the seven that Newegg has listed with only two 5 1/4 " bays are In Win:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi...78+1309321156&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=7

 

[Zepper]

OP,

It isn't clear whether a microATX mobo is acceptable. In any case, about the only limitation on HSF with the nMedia 300 series is height as the case is only 5.5" wide. If you had looked at the pic gallery on Newegg, you would have known that. Something like the Thermalright XP120 would fit just fine with a 120x25 fan. You aren't going to find an ATX case with only one or two drive bays that leaves all of your CPU cooling options open.

I don't have the time to try to help folks that don't even take the time to research the suggestons offered.

.bh.

 

[potato28]

P150? It only has 3 5.25 bays.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

I found the Enermax FS-2300BB case rather useful for a long time.

So the truth is, people have use for all kinds of number of bays.

My next case is likely going to be a Silverstone TJ05. With four external 5.25" drive bays, it has room for one of the Supermicro SATA enclosures to hold 5 SATA drives, and a optical drive... I'll likely put a fan controller in one of the 3.5" bays as well.

 

[Zepper]

AHey FMC, Still bragging on your compact fridge case, eh? The X version of the TJ05 has an integrated Eudemon fan/temp controller - no need to use a bay.

Tater, P150... Nice case - get the Antec Solo instead. Basically the same w/o PSU. Only three bays one of which is convertible 5 or 3.5" Anything much smaller in a standard shaped case and they'll have to be doing strange things with the PSU that may compromise HSF space, etc. If one thinks about it, the absolute shortest an ATX case can be in the normal configuration (PSU above the mobo) is about 16", so they might as well fill up that empty space on the front with something... If you dont like seeing the bays, get a case with a door.

.bh.

 

[VinDSL]

Are 'we' still talking about this?

Originally posted by: Zepper
If you dont like seing the bays, get a case with a door...

Yes, exactly! That's what I said above (too)...

What's wrong with this? (purdy pic)

Looks clean to me!

*edit*

N/M -- OPER wants a mid-tower. Hrm...

How about this? (nuther purdy pic)

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: Zepper
AHey FMC, Still bragging on your compact fridge case, eh? The X version of the TJ05 has an integrated Eudemon fan/temp controller - no need to use a bay.

Tater, P150... Nice case - get the Antec Solo instead. Basically the same w/o PSU. Only three bays one of which is convertible 5 or 3.5" Anything much smaller in a standard shaped case and they'll have to be doing strange things with the PSU that may compromise HSF space, etc. If one thinks about it, the absolute shortest an ATX case can be in the normal configuration (PSU above the mobo) is about 16", so they might as well fill up that empty space on the front with something... If you dont like seing the bays, get a case with a door.

.bh.

Of course. Sadly, it's going into storage, and the internals are being parted out for sale. It's too big, hot, and loud for where I'm staying now. And thanks for the info, but I'm using the bay enclosure more for want than needs. Makes it so useful for swapping out drives sometimes, so it's going to be storing my RAID 5 array drives.

 

[Zepper]

And I keep forgetting the Arctic Cooling Silentium series. It has only two 5" bays and two 3.5" bays. If Newegg doesn't carry it (they did for what seems a day or two), then it doesn't seem to get mentioned around here. Comes with a modified Seasonic 350W continuous/450W peak PSU for under $100. The AC open-frame fans should be eerily quiet if their bearings don't get damaged in shipping. If necessary, keep RMAing the fans until you have a set of good ones.

See the review at http://www.xbitlabs.com under Other.

How many of your buds can say their case has Swiss design?

.bh.