Case Recommendations

[Poulsonator]

I'm gettting ready to build a minor gaming pc, and I'm looking for a good case. I've started with Anandtech's recommendation of the Antec SX630 case.

This is obviously a good, budget case. My question is, is this the best case for a minor gaming system? I'll be putting a ABIT KX7-333R mobo and an Athon XP 1700+ in it. Is the 300 watt power supply fine?

Any other recommendations on a better case?

 

[DongTran]

this case is the one I been using a lot lately. Works good, tons of space to expand, comes with 2x fans, and most important a quality enermax power supply. You love it.

EDIT: should mention I am no way affiliated by enermax nor I am being paid in terms of cash or goods by enermax or anybody else to promote them.

 

[blade]

That is one good case with great features for the price. And with an enermax power supply included, that IS a deal!

 

[Jhhnn]

Not to rain on anybody's parade, but the sx-antecs are easily the best for the money, imho. Between the X-heavy construction, solid psu's, great cooling and all the convenience features, their package is unbeatable. They'll also swallow the largest boards/weirdest capacitor placements while allowing full use of all the 5-1/4" bays, something that can't be said for the Enermax.

Not that the Enermax isn't a good case, not at all, it's just not a SX.

 

[clumsum]

I agree with Jhhnn on the Antec SX630 or SX635.
There are many other good cases/psu's available .......... but the Enermax 300W that's recommended here ..... is not rated very high on the +3V and +5V rail (Combined 170W) .......... that's on the low side for a 300W psu, ..... at least when using an Athlon CPU.

There is a good reason for the Anandtech case/psu recommendation ....... input from numerous forum members who have experience with this product.
I'm not saying it won't work OK (the Enermax) but the SL300S Antec psu is rated higher at the +3V and +5V rail (220W Combined).

 

[mechBgon]

Just to clarify a bit, Antec has revised versions of the SX-series cases now, going under the Performance II names. For instance, SX630II, SX830II and SX835II, and SX1040BII. These come with the new beefier PSU's that clumsum mentioned, and they have front USB ports under a flip-up hatch too. So I would recommend the SX630II, or the SX830II if you'd like some extra fan positions (it has two exhaust positions and three intake positions for 80mm fans, as opposed to one exhaust and two intake).

 

[clumsum]

Thanks mechBgon, ......... I was in the middle of a http linkage battle ....... and I lost focus!

 

[blade]

Of course the Antec cases like those mentioned are better, but they are also more expensive. Considering the price/value of that enermax case I think makes it a good deal. But if one can afford it, get an Antec of course.

I have the antec plus660 now and it is a very fine case, no doubt about that. Especially luv that truepower power supply and the front washable filter. Among other features. 🙂


And about that power supply, from antec:

In evaluating a power supply, one important thing to look for is the ?+3.3V and +5V combined output? rating.
The total amount of power you can draw from those two output circuits combined is typically much less than
the sum of the individual ratings for 3.3V and 5V listed elsewhere on the box. An example from a
competitor?s 430 Watt model:

+3.3V rated 38A = 125.4 Watts
+5V rated 44A = 220.0 Watts
+3.3V plus +5V : 220 (Watts) Max.

Thus, according to the label, if one fully loaded the 5V circuit in accordance with the manufacturer?s
specifications, there would be essentially no power left on the 3.3V line. Note that the total power available
on the 3.3 and 5 volt circuits combined is barely more than half of the 430 Watt rating of the unit as a whole.
TruePower has dedicated output circuitry for each voltage line, which means that there is no combined output
limit other than, of course, that of the entire power supply. Each voltage line can perform up to the
specification on the label, without regard to or interaction with the loads on the other lines, until the full
capacity of the power supply itself is reached.