Case suggestions for new X2 rig

[VivienM]

Okay, so I'm not a total newb, but it seems that I have a good record of picking bad cases for past builds, so I figured I'd ask before ending up with yet another poor airflow noisy case and frantically asking for cooling advice...

Next rig will probably have:
- AMD Athlon X2 (the folks in the CPU forum convinced me to dump Intels...)
- some NF4 Ultra or maybe SLI motherboard (having trouble picking one)
- 2-3 7200 RPM HDs
- some 80+% efficient PSU (Antec Neo, Seasonic, whatever...)
- 7800GT or similar

So, I want a case with
- front USB
- black/silver (I'd MUCH rather have white, but Creative Labs has decided in favour of black for me... grr...)
- no power supply?
- good airflow
- lots of locations for (quiet) fans
- easy to work with
(no front audio connections, ideally, due to aforementioned Creative Labs, it'd be a bit silly to have ports I can't use)

That Antec P180 looks horribly tempting, but expensive... I was thinking about the Antec TX1088AMG, but saw it at the store, and the colour is just boringly industrial. What other cases are there out there that would do nicely?

Also, is a good aftermarket HSF a wise investment? I won't be OCing, but given that it seems aftermarket socket 939 HSFs need a baseplate, I'd rather not end up with another vacuum cleaner and have to take the whole thing apart to install this baseplate

 

[bdoople]

P180. I would look for sales and in the FS/FT forum. I got mine on newegg last week for $115 + 9.99 shipping. Pretty good deal if you ask me.

 

[VivienM]

Originally posted by: bdoople
P180. I would look for sales and in the FS/FT forum. I got mine on newegg last week for $115 + 9.99 shipping. Pretty good deal if you ask me.

We need newegg in this country so bad...

P180 is (CAD)$163 + tax at the nearby B&M computer shops...

 

[1Dark1Sharigan1]

Thermaltake Armor Silver Aluminum Edition. Great case. Looks great, light and great airflow.

P180 is also a very nice case. Can't really go wrong with either. Keep in mind the Armor is full tower though so roomier than the P180. $118 for a case like this is a steal . . .

The CM Stacker is an awesome case as well . . . HUGE but awesome . . .

 

[VivienM]

Originally posted by: 1Dark1Sharigan1
Thermaltake Armor Silver Aluminum Edition. Great case. Looks great, light and great airflow.

The local shop has a Xaser Armor VA8000SWA Aluminum Super Tower (Silver) w/ Transparent Side Panel for (CAD)$229. Is that the one you're referring to?

If so, unless that includes a PS... the P180 looks like a bargain.

 

[JBDan]

Originally posted by: VivienM
Okay, so I'm not a total newb, but it seems that I have a good record of picking bad cases for past builds, so I figured I'd ask before ending up with yet another poor airflow noisy case and frantically asking for cooling advice...

Next rig will probably have:
- AMD Athlon X2 (the folks in the CPU forum convinced me to dump Intels...)
- some NF4 Ultra or maybe SLI motherboard (having trouble picking one)
- 2-3 7200 RPM HDs
- some 80+% efficient PSU (Antec Neo, Seasonic, whatever...)
- 7800GT or similar

So, I want a case with
- front USB
- black/silver (I'd MUCH rather have white, but Creative Labs has decided in favour of black for me... grr...)
- no power supply?
- good airflow
- lots of locations for (quiet) fans
- easy to work with
(no front audio connections, ideally, due to aforementioned Creative Labs, it'd be a bit silly to have ports I can't use)

That Antec P180 looks horribly tempting, but expensive... I was thinking about the Antec TX1088AMG, but saw it at the store, and the colour is just boringly industrial. What other cases are there out there that would do nicely?

Also, is a good aftermarket HSF a wise investment? I won't be OCing, but given that it seems aftermarket socket 939 HSFs need a baseplate, I'd rather not end up with another vacuum cleaner and have to take the whole thing apart to install this baseplate

You described the P180 almost to a "T." It is easy to work with...It is NOT easy to wire neatly. Audio ports are there...just do not hook them up. If you can spring for it $ wise, I think you would find it well worth it. This coming from a P180 biased guy. With an aftermarket HSF (ie SI-120), you will acheive better performance at a quieter level than the stock HSF. You will also be able to run the case fans slower hence less noise. Any other cases that fit your bill? I don't know of many. g-luck

 

[1Dark1Sharigan1]

Originally posted by: VivienM
The local shop has a Xaser Armor VA8000SWA Aluminum Super Tower (Silver) w/ Transparent Side Panel for (CAD)$229. Is that the one you're referring to?

If so, unless that includes a PS... the P180 looks like a bargain.

Yes that's the one. And no PSU is included. $229 CAD? A little high I think. It goes for $170 US

But yeah P180 is probably a better bargain. I just couldn't stand no side window though . . . (yes you could probably buy a side window, if you can find one for it that is)

Armor would be lighter also I believe . . . (since P180 is mainly steel with a plastic/aluminum side panel)

 

[VivienM]

Originally posted by: 1Dark1Sharigan1

Yes that's the one. And no PSU is included. $229 CAD? A little high I think. It goes for $170 US

But yeah P180 is probably a better bargain. I just couldn't stand no side window though . . . (yes you could probably buy a side window, if you can find one for it that is)

Armor would be lighter also I believe . . .

Hmmm... roughly half the weight of the P180, that's true... but $60 more than the P180 would be better spent on a bigger HD or extra RAM or something, I think. (Though I'm looking at the Armor specs... the loudest fan mentioned seems to be 19 dBa? Tempting...)

Side window is not a huge issue either way for me... though I suppose now that I have a blue LED fan in one of my rigs (that Zalman in the other thread I started...), I'm starting to understand why people like windows. (Before you ask why I bought the LED version for a case without a side window... that's all the store had )

 

[1Dark1Sharigan1]

Originally posted by: VivienM
Hmmm... roughly half the weight of the P180, that's true... but $60 more than the P180 would be better spent on a bigger HD or extra RAM or something, I think. (Though I'm looking at the Armor specs... the loudest fan mentioned seems to be 19 dBa? Tempting...)

Side window is not a huge issue either way for me... though I suppose now that I have a blue LED fan in one of my rigs (that Zalman in the other thread I started...), I'm starting to understand why people like windows. (Before you ask why I bought the LED version for a case without a side window... that's all the store had )

I suppose you can always cut out part of the regular side panel for the P180 and glue some fiberglass to it. Hey, shouldn't be too hard to do. I'd do it to save $60 . . . you can even drill some holes in it to fit a 120mm fan or something on the makeshfit window . . . Of course it would probably ruin the sound-dampening function of the side panel but hey, gotta do what ya gotta due lol . . .

Yeah after putting three CCFLs in my box and with three LED fans, no side window would be out of the question for me lol . . .