case feedback

[gabags]

Hi everyone. I have been looking at lots of cases over the past couple weeks and would like to ask for your feedback on several models. I prefer cases that:
- do not have doors on the front
- do not have much plastic on them
- do not have windows or lots of fancy decorations on them
- are fairly quiet

I will have an average system (a Core 2 Duo E6300, no overclocking, modest video card), so I doubt cooling will pose a huge problem. The cases that have caught my eye are:

Coolermaster Centurion 5 - link

Coolermaster Centurion 534 - link

Lian Li PC-G50B - link

Lian Li PC-61 USB - link

Lian Li PC-7B plus II - link

Lian Li PC-60B plus II - link

Most folks seems to be very satisfied with the Coolermasters. Are Lian Li cases really worth the extra money? Any feedback you can provide on these cases (or others that you feel very strongly about) would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for any help that you can lend to an indecisive soul!

 

[Operandi]

Having the used the Centurion and several Lian Li's I would say the Lian Li defiantly worth the extra cost.

The Centurion's steel & plastic construction feels cheap in comparison to the all AL Lian Li. The tool less hardware mounting is also more trouble then its worth; the plastic card holders are particularly worthless.

I would go with the PC-7 personally for it's use of 120mm fans.

Welcome to the forums btw.

 

[Zepper]

Something like the Antec Solo might do you.

.bh.

 

[pkme2]

I recommend the LL PC-7B because of its 120mm Intake and exhaust fans. I've added a side intake & top exhaust YL 120mm fans. My cooling results have been excellent.

 

[VinDSL]

If I was you, I'd get a Coolermaster Centurion 5.

If I was Zipper, I'd get a Antec Solo.

I'd get a Mountain Mods U2-UFO Horizon.

Everybody else should get a Lian Li... 😉

 

[gabags]

Thanks for all of the replies so far. I know these topics get beat to death sometimes, but it is nice to hear from folks that have experience with the products.

Zepper - I actually looked long and hard at the Solo, but a couple of reviews indicated that it had lots of plastic on the front. That is the only reason it got removed from the list. Do you have one, and can you confirm just how much plastic is on the front?

The Coolermasters are off the list (I never really like the toolless bit anyway). For the PC-7B and the PC-60B, what is the difference? Based on the pictures and specs, the only thing I can see is the number of included case fans. Am I missing something?

One final question - do you guys have a cheap/reliable vendor? Newegg has good prices on some, but seems a bit high on others. Is pricegrabber the tool of choice?

Thanks again to all of you.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: gabags
One final question - Is pricegrabber the tool of choice?

I have about 20 places bookmarked, where I check prices. Some are better than others, depending on the item, but my tools of choice are Froogle & Pronto...

Both are in beta, so take them with a grain of salt! 😉

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Originally posted by: gabags

The Coolermasters are off the list (I never really like the toolless bit anyway).

I am using a Coolermaster Centurion CAG 5 for my game machine. There is no external plastic on it, other than the on button. I don't know about the Centurion 534, but I liked my CAG 5 well enough to get a Centurion 531 for my next build. It runs cool and quiet (I did modify the airflow situation slightly, since there was room for a 92 mm intake fan, I removed the 80 mm in that mount).

One final question - do you guys have a cheap/reliable vendor? Newegg has good prices on some, but seems a bit high on others. Is pricegrabber the tool of choice?

For cases and power supplies, I often find that Directron will have something on sale at a reasonable price that no one else is meeting, and in fact I can afford to buy from a Texas vendor (they are in Houston) and pay the state's sales tax. I use Pricewatch a lot, but Price Grabber is good as well.

 

[Zepper]

I don't worry about plastic or metal in what is basically a snap-on dress panel...

.bh.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

You weren't the one telling the OP that Cooler Master cases were flimsy plastic compared to Lian Li's stratospheric priced products. They are marketed to different segments, I am sure. One crowd has other financial obligations and can't drive a Mercedes or use a Lian Li. The other pays no attention to budget considerations.