Best case below $100?

[Dasda]

I got a list of a couple of cases I have been looking at but hoping others have some I may have missed out on.

The key factors in determining these cases were (1) size-I like big cases that give lots of room for easy installation (2) airflow- a mixture of good fans/ventilation and size allow for good airflow (3) Build quality/brand rep- The material used steel/aluminum, tool-less, and wire management features and (4) looks- side panel windows of-course look better but I emphasize on performance over looks so that doesn't really matter but would be nice to get both in 1 package.

The case can be a little over $100 but in same ballpark. $100 is soft limit and maybe $120 is the hard limit depending on performance and would like to avoid adding the extra $20 everytime I decide on a case cause there is always something better for a "little more".

Anyways now that I am getting tired of typing here is the list I have come up with in no particular order (maybe you can rank them in order if you dont know any other sub $100 cases) :

Cooler Master 690 II Advanced $99 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGvBjEmXJnI
NZXT M59 $69.99 with $20MIR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Tpk=NZXT%20m59
Thermaltake V9 Black Edition $115 with $15MIR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16811133074&Tpk=Thermaltake%20V9%20Black%20Edition
Antec 900 Two $115 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-058-_-Product
Antec 600 $91.99 http://canadacomputers.com/index.php...42&cid=CAS.664
LIAN LI Lancool PC-K62 - $99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ncool%20PC-K62

This is what I came up with. I hope there are more that people know since I really don't want to spend too much on a case other than to keep my parts cool. It has no effect on performance so I don't care too much other than good airflow and durability.

So Can you rank those in order and why you would pick 1 over the other or insert some new ones? Maybe both ? I personally like the #1 Cooler Master Advanced II, Antec 900 Two, and #3 Lian Li Lancool PC-K62.

Honorable Mention - HAF922 - A good $100 case but has no dust filters.


Thanks for reading.

 

[zagood]

What's going in the case? Water or air? Video card length? How many drives (optical and HDD)? What's your mom's maiden name?

Personally I'd get the HAF922 and add my own fan filters, or 690 II once the price drops. The Antec 300 overall is a great basic case if you want to save some cash.

 

[faxon]

Go with the 690 II Advanced or the HAF922 at the $100ish pricepoint. Based on ease of use alone I wouldn't get anything else.

 

[Occ]

I like the Lian Li K60B... clean and minimalistic design with nice features. It only has 4 hard drive bays though for some strange reason. The K62 appears to be the same case except with a window (something I'm personally not a fan of) and black interior (always bet on black). Also, it's a tool-less design. Just noticed there's a slightly older K58 on Newegg for $80 w/ free shipping...

That Cooler Master 690 II looks nice as well, though I doubt I would have need for those extra fan spots on the sides, so I would probably end up covering them in noise dampening material or something. Still, a useful option if you end up in need of additional air cooling.

Both cases use steel + plastic and weigh ~21 lbs. The cooler master is about an inch longer and taller.

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread, as I am also in the market for a new case. Look forward to further comments, and I do hope the OP provides an update with his choice and experience.

 

[Dasda]

I like the Lian Li K60B... clean and minimalistic design with nice features. It only has 4 hard drive bays though for some strange reason. The K62 appears to be the same case except with a window (something I'm personally not a fan of) and black interior (always bet on black). Also, it's a tool-less design. Just noticed there's a slightly older K58 on Newegg for $80 w/ free shipping...

That Cooler Master 690 II looks nice as well, though I doubt I would have need for those extra fan spots on the sides, so I would probably end up covering them in noise dampening material or something. Still, a useful option if you end up in need of additional air cooling.

Both cases use steel + plastic and weigh ~21 lbs. The cooler master is about an inch longer and taller.

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread, as I am also in the market for a new case. Look forward to further comments, and I do hope the OP provides an update with his choice and experience.

Hi, I haven't made my choice yet but If i was to go today then I'd probably take the Cooler Master 690 II advanced because of size/airflow, black on black lol, and the esata dock.

I'm not really a expert on anything and recently joined the site but I was hoping more people will be interested in finding a case in the $100 price range which could help everyone in the future. Maybe we could get a list going of 10-15 cases as we go on.

The the cooler master storm scout is nice too if people prefer the side window and is 99.99 before $20.00MIR at newegg with fsh. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-196-_-Product

 

[vshah]

i like my 902 a lot, but it is kinda cramped.

 

[nyker96]

haf 922 gets my vote.

 

[bob5568]

I bought the lancool k60b, based on the cooling fans plus the toolless gizmos. I can't do a fair job comparing to your other choices, as I re-used an older case for 5 years before buying the lancool.

All I can say is the lancool worked beautifully. I'd recommend it to anybody.

Bob

 

[solofly]

I just ordered this case for myself...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112235

 

[MisterDonut]

The 690 II is really easy to work with. A lot of pre-made holes, so no modding really necessary, not like my 900 which took a bit of work, but it was fun to do. The 900 is really brilliant once you get all the wires out of the way. Antec 300 Illusion is, imo, one of the best value cases. It's simple and has decent airflow. Cheap too. The 922 is nice, but I haven't done a build out of it yet.

For your money's worth, Antec 300 Illusion gets my vote. If you want something closer to $100, HAF922 or 690 II. Pick the Antec 900/902 if you want to do some modding.

 

[SpacemanSpiffVT]

i got the nzxt m59, it has alot of higher end features for a really cheap. the case itself feels kinda cheap and some of the features are kinda retarded (hdd cage placement,not enough room in the back panel for wire management and looking kinda stupid) but what do you expect for 40 bucks w/2 fans and leds.

its a good deal if you are cool with how it looks.

 

[deimos3428]

I have the Lancool K58, which is identical to the K62 except lacking the top fans and black interior. It's a great case. The toolless PCI slots are particularly handy and well-designed if you swap out components on a frequent basis.

 

[Alienwho]

Wow I think the K62 is my next case. I'll snag it as soon as I can get free shipping.

 

[RussianSensation]

Cooler Master 690 II or if you want something between Antec 900 and Antec 1200, the Azza Solano for $80 after MIR. I just got the Azza and my temperatures for the mobo power circuitry dropped from 65*C to 55*C, and CPU temps fell approximately 7-8*C on average. It's very quiet imo. I saw the Antec 900 Version 2 in the store and it's a bit smaller than the Azza; however, I think each of the fans has its own individual fan controller. The Haf 922 feels inferior in construction quality compared to the CM 690 II and the Azza imo.

Features wise: CM 690 II (2.5 to 1.8 inch SSD converter, top loading SATA dock, room for 2x 140 mm fans at the top, side access to HDD)
Airflow: Azza Solano - 2x 140 mm fans at the front and a 230mm fan at the top, with 2 removable drive cages with the fans for easy access at the front of the case. However, this case is too narrow, reducing the ability to use the sidefan with a tall cooler like Mugen 2 or Megahalems (without modding).

That Lian Li also looks good.