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Best beginner/budget case

grcf450

grcf450

Member
Im looking to start building a gaming pc for the first time. I plan on buying part little by little. For example, this month I'll get the case and next month I'll get the motherboard and CPU. What case would you guys recomend as a starter?

Thanks
 
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The CM690 II is a great value and has all the essentials you could ask for if you don't mind a mid tower.
COOLER MASTER CM690 II Advanced $100 + $20 Shipping = $120

If you want to spend more on a case then I would go with one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811163121

Videos of the above mentioned cases:
Coolermaster 690 II - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGvBjEmXJnI
Coolermaster Cosmos 1000 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy3XS1KZaOE
Coolermaster HAF - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSe657KCJWM
Silverstone Raven RV01 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnw6Sq0IrvY&fmt=22
Silverstone Raven RV02 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFmbodtTq1o&fmt=22
Silverstone Fortress FT02 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMcKvI-zWi0
Silverstone TJ09 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdPQUIdSBGY
Corsair Obsidian 800D - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX87TPid_po
Antec Twelve Hundred - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j3MNAQLuIQ
 
The cases Slik posted are all very good. You could look at something like the antec 300 if you are on a lower budget. It should be about 50 bucks if its on sale.

Also depending on how long you want to spend putting your computer together, you may want to choose the parts that have less of a chance of becoming more dated. The case and power supply are very good place to get started.

For the cpu/mobo you may just want to wait around for a sale like the fry's combos.
 
the CM690 II Adv can be found for $100 shipped

I was also going to say that the Antec 300 is an excellent case for $50' I think I just seen it this week somewhere for $45
 
I've been really happy with cooler master elite series (matx) cases lately, I got 2 of them.
$40 and you're done, good quality for the price.
although I also own an antec 300 (atx) which runs for like $65 now on newegg, also good.
 
If you want beginner and budget, Antec 300 wins HANDS DOWN. Imo, there is no other case in that budget that is as nice as the Antec 300. Surprisingly roomy for a simple build. The CM 690 II is a very, very nice case, but for 50 bucks, the Antec 300 stomps all over it.
 
The Milkman said:
Lian Li Lancool PC-K62 due to it's tool less design. http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum...se-review.html

If you have the cash to spend buy a full tower like the Lian-Li A70F, full tower are a breeze to work in due to all the space. But do buy a PSU with longer cables like the Corsair PSU's. Plus it's also tool less
A70F review
Click to expand...

Not dissin' tool-less designs, but in my experience, they don't really make things easier enough to consider them a factor...unless of course you lack a screwdriver, two hands, and 15 seconds...

The build I did out of the CM 690 II had tool-less designs, but I've never really handled tool-less, so I was a bit annoyed...I like the feeling of security of screws holding something spinning at 7200+ RPM...Plastic clips just won't do me justice 🙁. Besides, isn't the whole point of building a computer to BUILD? 😀. If everything was tool-less, I, for one, wouldn't feel as accomplished 😛.

And a full tower is really unnecessary for a beginner/budget build. Better off modding the case to fit the wires where you want.

But from an un-biased view...pick whatever your eyes can live with.
 
For the OP, unless you catch something on sale, it is ALWAYS better to just save the money and buy all at the same time. There are many reasons, but the top two are:

- Your warranty starts ticking the moment you buy.
- Your return period (for DOA stuff) starts ticking the moment you buy.

MisterDonut said:
Not dissin' tool-less designs, but in my experience, they don't really make things easier enough to consider them a factor...unless of course you lack a screwdriver, two hands, and 15 seconds...
Click to expand...

I also do NOT like the majority of "toolless" designs. IMO it is only for poseurs who's only #2 Philips screwdriver is the crappy one from their $15 "computer tool kit."

If you're the type that tends to lose spare screws, just toss them all into a ziplock bag and tape the bag to the bottom of a spare drive bay.

How many cases are truely toolless anyways? Try installing/replacing a motherboard or fan or PSU (except for the recent Lian Li PSU straps).

I've also seen drives and video cards that have popped out due to the toolless design not holding them in securely.
 
Must throw in a word for tooless...the lancool k60b is my first "tooless" case. I enjoyed building in it. IMHO, the only part of assembling a computer that I would be happy to do without is fumbling with the screws on the expansion cards, and motherboard. For the motherboard, lancool provides screws with a tall head on them, tall enough to get fat fingers on them in most locations. For the three that are most inconvenient, the screw heads are even taller. Sure helped me.

I get no thrill from screwing and unscrewing screws....so not having to when installing video cards, works for me.

And the harddrive cages and case fans are nicely padded to eliminate noise. I liked that.

The only thing I didn't like was the hole in the motherboard tray wasn't properly located for an 1156 socket. Installing a big hsf, meant I still had to pull the mobo. Still, pulling this mobo is much easier than it used to be in my old fashioned case.

Bob
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-196-_-Product

love this case. Comes with 14cm top fan, 12cm front and rear fans. PSU on the bottom and looks great. Newegg has it shipped free with rebate, so good purchase if it fits in your budget. The back of the motherboard tray has a cutout so you can swap out the HSF without having to remove the whole thing, which is nice for when you upgrade from a retail HSF.
 
Also an additional tip.

If you cut out/dremel the fan covers off, the amount of noise from your case will drop a ton.
 
bob5568 said:
Must throw in a word for tooless...the lancool k60b is my first "tooless" case. I enjoyed building in it. IMHO, the only part of assembling a computer that I would be happy to do without is fumbling with the screws on the expansion cards, and motherboard. For the motherboard, lancool provides screws with a tall head on them, tall enough to get fat fingers on them in most locations. For the three that are most inconvenient, the screw heads are even taller. Sure helped me.

I get no thrill from screwing and unscrewing screws....so not having to when installing video cards, works for me.
Click to expand...

My Lancool PC-K7B admittedly has the best toolless optical drive mounts that I've ever encountered. I mentioned that in my mini review of the case.

For a screwdriver, I like to use one that I purchased from Menards. It is their house brand, so cost under $4. The shaft is 12" long (that's what she said? 😱 ) so it reaches near everywhere. The metal is pretty durable as the tip doesn't strip as easily as cheaper screwdrivers. The best part is that it is magnetized. This really helps with ease of use, plus can retrieve dropped screws.
 
Magnetized screwdrivers have saved me so many times. There's absolutely nothing worse than getting everything assembled in a cramped case (like my NZXT Rogue, and even that's not very bad at all), then dropping an expansion slot screw and having it roll under the motherboard and get stuck.

I'm not a violent person, but there was one time that I was in a rush and had it happen TWICE. I nearly threw the case and all components out the nearest window...

Anyway, back to your normally scheduled program.
 
CurseTheSky said:
Magnetized screwdrivers have saved me so many times. There's absolutely nothing worse than getting everything assembled in a cramped case (like my NZXT Rogue, and even that's not very bad at all), then dropping an expansion slot screw and having it roll under the motherboard and get stuck.

I'm not a violent person, but there was one time that I was in a rush and had it happen TWICE. I nearly threw the case and all components out the nearest window...

Anyway, back to your normally scheduled program.
Click to expand...

I did that in my P183 a few weeks back; I dropped a fan screw between the front bezel and couldn't find it for an hour (literally). Kept tilting the case every-which-way, and heard some rolling, but didn't figure it fell in the small slit since the case is so damn bag, it's hard to lift and see at the same time.
 
personally I think depending on budget a beginning case should be one that allows you to grow when you get more savvy later, such as:
haf 922, haf 932, cm 690 II. the antec cases although good are not as feature rich as these and costs similar, I'm afraid once you start to get good at this, you will not find some of the better features like top notch cable management, cpu back plate hole, huge side fan, enough width to accommodate even the best cpu coolers on the market etc. things that will become important to you as you get better at this.
 
I build all of my computers the way you do. A little by little. I also agree that its best of buy all at once but I enjoy the deal hunting.

Anyway I say get an Antec 300. You don't know much right now. Get a quality, low priced case now and spend the big bucks later when it actually matters to you what case you have.
 
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