Case advise for new gaming rig

[alexsan]

Hello all,

I need help picking a suitable case for my new PC and I hope you guys can provide me with some good advise as its the last part I need to decide on.

I guess I will be running a common configuration:
Z87 Mobo, 4770K CPU, 8GB of RAM, 2 SSD's and a GTX 770.
I will be air cooling with probably a Noctua so I need some clearance for a large heatsink.
I have no plans on running multiple graphic cards

I prefer a stylish case. Im not looking for anything with flashy disco lights and prefer a closed design although I must say I like the looks of some windows cases like the Corsair 750D.

I'm prefer something with decent cooling performance so my components are well taken care at a decent noise level.
I'm not looking for a verry compact case, it can have some volume.
A build in fan controller would be nice, as well as front USB 2.0 and 3.0.
Dust filters are a must and it would be great if it has SSD support so I dont need to work with brackets/converters.

I don't have a maximum budget set. I'm just looking for a quality case that fits my needs.

I hope you guys can recommend me some cases as I like to pick something quick so I can finish my shopping list

Thanks

Alexsan

 

[ahenkel]

I just got a fractal design R4 really like it a lot. Has a built in controller for 3 fans. Its clean looking, good cable management. solid build. You can mount the SSD to the motherboard tray.

My two complaints it's kind of heavy and the it only has 2 5.25 bays, but I don't use optical drives anymore.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811352020

 

[alexsan]

I just got a fractal design R4 really like it a lot. Has a built in controller for 3 fans. Its clean looking, good cable management. solid build. You can mount the SSD to the motherboard tray.

My two complaints it's kind of heavy and the it only has 2 5.25 bays, but I don't use optical drives anymore.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811352020

I noticed this case is recommended a lot. please correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this case more focussed on "silence" in expense of cooling capability? I under that impression but perhaps I am wrong.
Will it be able to keep my components cool, also when overclocking?
Is this case used a lot in gaming PC configurations and will stock fans do the job?
It looks like a decent design and tbh its less then half the price I would expect to pay for a good case
What are my options when we double the price of the R4? Will I get much more quality and better performing cases in terms of cooling at reasonable low noise levels?
Im looking at review over review and some cases seems to do right but came on the market years ago. Will I be better of with a new case which is released last year?

If I double the price of the Fractal Design R4 will I end up in a better segment of the market and will I be able to get something better in terms of cooling, low noise, build qiality, design and options/features?

 

[Teizo]

You will have no problems cooling your components. There is room for 6 140mm fans, and if you get either Phantek's 140mm or Fractal's R2 140mm fan...there will not be any increase in noise.

I have 4 Fractal R2's and 1 Phantek fan running on medium with the specs as listed in my sig and have no trouble with keeping my components cool. My 760s are clocked at 1280/7200.

There is a link in my sig to a pic of my rig as well. Top HDD cage is completely removable, and the lower HDD cage can be moved as well. I rotated mine backwards so the drives slide out the back rather than the front.

 

[Charlie98]

I noticed this case is recommended a lot. please correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this case more focussed on "silence" in expense of cooling capability? I under that impression but perhaps I am wrong.
Will it be able to keep my components cool, also when overclocking?

Just because the case is quiet, doesn't mean it doesn't have good thermal efficiency.

My desktop used to be in a CoolerMaster HAF922... a very open, mid-sized ATX tower with 2x 200mm fans and then some. I swapped my build into a very small (comparatively...) Fractal Define Mini (smaller, even, than the R2/R4) and I get better thermal efficiency than I do with the 'open' case with less fans. Just so happens it's very quiet, too.

The key is positive case pressure... which you cannot get from a 'open' type case. Do not be afraid!

 

[alexsan]

Well, ... the R4 sounds like a good choice.

Can anyone explain how the fan controller works with this case? Its build in am I correct? Can you control it in the BIOS or with additional software?

Also, If I want to control it from the outside of the case will one of those separate fan controllers work? Not sure how this works and how to install this.

If I decide to buy the case and want to invest in some additional fans straight away do you guys recommend 1 extra front intake fan and 1 extra fan at the back as an exhaust?

 

[Alan G]

I have the Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 which is pretty much the same design as the R4 but lacks the insulation. It runs pretty darn quiet. The fan controller is a switch mounted on the top of the front top of the case and has three voltage settings: 5, 7, 12 where 12V is the full setting. You don't need to do anything with the BIOS at all. I'm running an i5 CPU with a GTX660 GPU, and cooling with an Enermax ETS T40. I'm not a gamer but have played Metro Last Light which came free with the GPU. The system runs very cool while gaming and I've only needed to run the case fans on the middle setting.

The filters on the case are easy to clean. The PSU filter is at the bottom and just slides out and the front fan filter has press release catches that release it. You shouldn't have to worry about the top filter since it's for exhaust rather than intake but you can easily vaccum it periodically if you want (make sure the system is off).

I strongly recommend this case.

 

[alexsan]

Thank you. I will go for the R4.

One last question. I will buy additional fans with the case just to be sure,...What type/brand/rpm of fans do you guys recommend?

 

[Rezist]

I do believe on the front 2 fans and the bottom fans have filters so I would probably just run 3 fans, 2 intake and 1 exhaust, if you add the side fan you wont have every intake filtered.

 

[lehtv]

if you add the side fan you wont have every intake filtered.

In addition, the integrated fan controller supports up to 3 fan headers

 

[chubbyfatazn]

I know you said you'd go for the R4, but I just wanna throw in a suggestion for the R4 XL V2 (or whatever it's called, it's in my sig). Basically a full tower version of the R4, all perks included.

Keeps my 2500k at 31C idle and 7950 at 32C idle (71F ambient). Fractal's support is great too, they sent me a free fan and a few other goodies when I told them my case's headphone/mic jack wiring was switched.

 

[lehtv]

I don't see how idle temperatures are relevant? They're going to be the same no matter what case you use, cooling solutions and ambient temperatures being equal.

Great case though.