Best air flow with AIO cooler option ATX case?

[Kilgore23]

I have never bought a mid sized case before and looking now to buy a couple for myself and family. I was wondering with so many of them out there could anyone help me figure out which non full sized ATX cases are best for cooling and was intended for an AIO or liquid cooling setup?

 

[Essence_of_War]

I was wondering with so many of them out there could anyone help me figure out which non full sized ATX cases are best for cooling and was intended for an AIO or liquid cooling setup?

Most cases designed in the last few years have been designed with AIOs in mind. It's hard to give any specific advice if you don't also have a price point, and a retailer(s) which you're planning to buy parts from.

That being said, here's a great case w/ rad support for $110 from newegg US.

It comes with excellent air cooling out of the box (200mm front intake, 140mm rear exhaust), and it includes up to triple 120mm, or triple 140mm rad support on top that will work with thick or thin rads.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

My current favorite is the Coolermaster HAF XB.

 

[Kilgore23]

Most cases designed in the last few years have been designed with AIOs in mind. It's hard to give any specific advice if you don't also have a price point, and a retailer(s) which you're planning to buy parts from.

That being said, here's a great case w/ rad support for $110 from newegg US.

It comes with excellent air cooling out of the box (200mm front intake, 140mm rear exhaust), and it includes up to triple 120mm, or triple 140mm rad support on top that will work with thick or thin rads.

up to a 200 price point or less, any manufacturer, ty for your post

 

[Kilgore23]

My current favorite is the Coolermaster HAF XB.

Wow that looks really cool, but it kinda seems like it would take up a lot more space on the floor since it's square

 

[Kenmitch]

Might be easier to narrow down with more info.

Which AIO do you want to use?
What style of case do you like? Simple? LED fans? Color?

Lots of variables on cases out there.

Maybe quick intended build info. Dual gpu, 8 hdd's, optical drives, etc. would also help.

 

[Kilgore23]

Might be easier to narrow down with more info.

Which AIO do you want to use?
What style of case do you like? Simple? LED fans? Color?

Lots of variables on cases out there.

Maybe quick intended build info. Dual gpu, 8 hdd's, optical drives, etc. would also help.

would like to use a corsair AIO with either 120mm or 140 mm radiator/fans

Style wise, LED fans would be cool or simple, color doesn't matter too much

1 gpu is all that's necessary, not going to use too many hdds maybe 3, only plan to use a single dvd-rw burner

I'm trying to keep most of my options open, I just want whatever will support the 120 or 140mm AIO coolers with the best possible air flow for the fans

 

[YBS1]

I'm trying to keep most of my options open, I just want whatever will support the 120 or 140mm AIO coolers with the best possible air flow for the fans

Like mentioned previously, if you can deal with the more square footprint, you can't beat the HAF XB. When mounting the AIO with the fans as intake and paired with the optional 200MM (silent) top fan there simply is no way for the heat off the radiator or the GPUs to linger in the case....straight out it goes.

 

[Kenmitch]

would like to use a corsair AIO with either 120mm or 140 mm radiator/fans

Style wise, LED fans would be cool or simple, color doesn't matter too much

1 gpu is all that's necessary, not going to use too many hdds maybe 3, only plan to use a single dvd-rw burner

I'm trying to keep most of my options open, I just want whatever will support the 120 or 140mm AIO coolers with the best possible air flow for the fans

It doesn't look like a extreme build.

Have you looked at the Fractal Design Arc Midi R2? Simple looking, smaller ATX design, decent fans, roomy, drive bays can be removed, rotated, moved. The hdd bays are airflow killers in a lot of cases.If you look at Fractals site they have a image of the hdd bay configs.

AIO cooler your thinking about using?

 

[Kilgore23]

I'm thinking about using a corsair h55 or h90, either 120mm or 140mm radiator for cpu

 

[Essence_of_War]

If you're going with a mid-tower, unless you have specific aesthetic reasons, I think the usual 2x120mm rads might give you bettter cooling potential.

If all you need is a single GPU, a single 5.25'' bay, and 2-3 HDDs, you could go with an Obsidian 350D. Should fit all of those components in a compact mid-tower with no problems, and you can pick up the H100i to mount in the top 2x120mm slots for your AIO. It's very close in cost to the H90, but the larger rad surface means it will probably perform a bit better.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Next year, when I build my "E" system, I'm going to consider custom water-cooling with at least two 200mm-square radiators. I think an outfit named "Phobya" makes them, although there might be similar of different makes.

I can make that work in a case like a HAF 922. I'll have to look at the offerings, though. That Phanteks Enthoo looks like a great case, and has been much touted here. the Fractal also has its applications.

Thing is -- the way I might want to do the next project -- I might find an "optimum" for some particular case and a plan to modify it.

I have very definite ideas about cooling and airflow, but custom water-cooling will definitely be an "expanded experience."

 

[aigomorla]

Next year, when I build my "E" system, I'm going to consider custom water-cooling with at least two 200mm-square radiators. I think an outfit named "Phobya" makes them, although there might be similar of different makes.

fail!
as there are no great 200mm fans with static.

You wanna hear my opinion on the 140mm rads even?

Again FAIL!
as the 120mm fans dominate static charts even when compared against a 140mm fan..

Also note.. the larger the fan... the larger the center dead zone...

unless u start using shrouds... which then again... your back to fail!
because 120mm fans trump 140mm fans in the area of static.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

fail!
as there are no great 200mm fans with static.
.. . .
You wanna hear my opinion on the 140mm rads even?
. . .
unless u start using shrouds... which then again... your back to fail!
because 120mm fans trump 140mm fans in the area of static.

I appreciate that, and it's true about static pressure. That's why I picked an AP-30 for the purpose I had for it. But a couple 200mm can pressurize the case, even for poor static pressure.

I guess I'm thinking that the larger the radiator, the less important the static pressure.

Did you ever try some of those 200x200mm radiators? You told me about a rig you built with an auto heater core or something -- you'd done a lot of exotic custom work with water-cooling.

 

[aigomorla]

Did you ever try some of those 200x200mm radiators? You told me about a rig you built with an auto heater core or something -- you'd done a lot of exotic custom work with water-cooling.

I had 20inch box fans connected to that..
There is no consumer brand 12Vfan which can outdue a 20inch box fan from lasco.

 

[Azix]

thermaltake has a core v51 being released. Looks like a more manageable core v71 and seems to have ventilation in mind.