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good aluminum case

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if u care about noise get p180/150 or whatewver. forget about silly flash. and aluminum isn't all that cool anymore anyways. its just more expensive, and so thinner and noiser per buck spent generally. if weights a problem..go lift some weights or somethin😉 silentpcreview.com has decent reviews and info on silence.
 
Originally posted by: ribbon13
who cares about 1C difference for 6db(a) more sound resonating?
Click to expand...
You wont get a 1C difference going from aluminum to steel. A case with good airflow will have identical temperatures regardless of construction material. Likewise, you wont get a 6 dB(a) difference from metal type either in a well designed case.

That said, you will see that much of a difference or more with crappy construction.
 
yea, theres no cooling effect from just having an aluminum case. just more costly material meaning u get thinner panels for the same money. only that zalman heatink case with the heatpipes that cost thousands of dollars works as a cooler.
 
i vote for the p160. its the best case i have ever owned. its nice and big, and you can fit stuff in there. and, its got 2 120mm fans, and, i like the nice big sidewindow.
 
Originally posted by: Googer
anyway, the super lanboy would be good choice, it can be had at compusa for $40 AR every other month or so.
Click to expand...

A small lanboy weighs as much as a full sized aluminum ATX case. But smaller cases sometimes have hotter thermals.
Click to expand...
with a 120 mm intake, 120 mm and PS for exhaust, i seriously doubt the lanboy has thermal problems. it is essentially a sonata II made of aluminum. and those are pretty good about the thermals.
 
Originally posted by: L00PY
Originally posted by: ribbon13
who cares about 1C difference for 6db(a) more sound resonating?
Click to expand...
You wont get a 1C difference going from aluminum to steel. A case with good airflow will have identical temperatures regardless of construction material. Likewise, you wont get a 6 dB(a) difference from metal type either in a well designed case.

That said, you will see that much of a difference or more with crappy construction.
Click to expand...

at the same price, the steel case will be if better construction than the aluminum case. Also, aluminum cases are subject to vibration as steel has a higher dampening effect due to its sheer mass.

If you had a 2.5mm thick aluminum case, it would probably dampen the effects of vibration better, but would cost 300-400$.

In the end, its just more solid, less noise, to go with a decent steel case. Antec 3000B is one example, P150 is an expensive example.
 
Originally posted by: ribbon13
Originally posted by: Googer
Winner
Click to expand...

What is it with everyone and the cheaper Lian-Lis? Snap in motherboard stand offs just plain suck.
Click to expand...

What is it ? Anodized aluminum looks good and with quality, vibration free fans, noise is
not an issue. Aluminum is much easyer to mod when compared to working steel.
The chips/dust of steel being magnetic will find a home in electric tooling(drill or Dremel).

I'm far from expert on the mechanics of rig building, so correct me if I'm wrong.

I have read that screwing down the mainboard hard will not permit for the slight thermal
expansion of the MB and this can lead to slight cracking or working of the traces.
The area around the MOSFETs can reach 90C under prolonged stress and general board
temps can range from near freezing to 70C.
In my reading it was stated not to over tighten board mounting screws when using brass
stand offs and that the snap-in stand offs will permit the board to work thermally even if
mounting screws are tight.

Note: I have two Lian Li mid-towers but a fanboy I am not.


...Galvanized


 
Thanks for the suggestions. Those value lian li are nice but i want a side window. Is it possible to hide the wires behind the mobo tray in the super lanboy?

I also found a cheap aluminum case called the aluminus case. The only problem is that i don't like the huge grill holes in the side panel. It has removable mobo tray so wires can be hid behind it. pics of it here http://www.techgage.com/viewimg.php?img...views/ultra/aluminus/aluminus_7.jpg%22

http://www.techgage.com/viewimg.php?img...iews/ultra/aluminus/aluminus_10.jpg%22
 
Originally posted by: kingdomwinds
Thanks for the suggestions. Those value lian li are nice but i want a side window. Is it possible to hide the wires behind the mobo tray in the super lanboy?

I also found a cheap aluminum case called the aluminus case. The only problem is that i don't like the huge grill holes in the side panel. It has removable mobo tray so wires can be hid behind it. pics of it here http://www.techgage.com/viewimg.php?img...views/ultra/aluminus/aluminus_7.jpg%22

http://www.techgage.com/viewimg.php?img...iews/ultra/aluminus/aluminus_10.jpg%22
Click to expand...

the mobo tray is not removable in the lanboy but the right side of the case is, so you should be able to run wires between the mobo tray and the right side pretty easily. sounds like the same sort of design as the P180.

heck, i run small wire (fans) under the motherboard between it and the tray.

the aluminus looks like the aluminum version of the standard chieftec case. they're very roomy. the steel version can be very quiet. you can probably find it without a window or vent. it's sold under a lot of names.
 
have a PC-75 myself. costed me 140. (had GCs thats why)

dropped my cpu temps a bit, like 3-4 degrees. plus, its freaking tall and it just looks cool.
 
Thread belongs in C & C...

If you want Lian Li quality (both of design and build) at a budget price - heavy aluminum (2mm bezel 1.5mm body), lots of modern conveniences: <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://search.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/nsearch?catalog=directron&query=bea
tech+igloo&.autodone=http%3A%2F%2Fdirectron.com%2F">Beantech Igloo</a> . The Igloos are basically the same as the Kingwin 424 series, which has been on many short lists for a long time.

And as was mentioned above, http://www.geeks.com has been selling the CM Wavemaster at nice prices.

SundialMicro.com has some versions of CM cases unavailable elsewhere.

Both dealsonic.com and newegg often have some good prices

Finally, there is the new Kingwin 523. If one doesn't look too closely, one might not notice that it is mostly steel. Newegg et al. carry it.

I agree with G-Y that some flex in your mobo mounting scheme is a "good thing" as it allows for thermal cycles (heating-cooling) of the mobo materials. I use those red fiber washers to introduce some flex into those mounting arrangements that otherwise lack it.

.bh.
 
Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
Originally posted by: ribbon13
Originally posted by: Googer
Winner
Click to expand...

What is it with everyone and the cheaper Lian-Lis? Snap in motherboard stand offs just plain suck.
Click to expand...

What is it ? Anodized aluminum looks good and with quality, vibration free fans, noise is
not an issue. Aluminum is much easyer to mod when compared to working steel.
The chips/dust of steel being magnetic will find a home in electric tooling(drill or Dremel).

I'm far from expert on the mechanics of rig building, so correct me if I'm wrong.

I have read that screwing down the mainboard hard will not permit for the slight thermal
expansion of the MB and this can lead to slight cracking or working of the traces.
The area around the MOSFETs can reach 90C under prolonged stress and general board
temps can range from near freezing to 70C.
In my reading it was stated not to over tighten board mounting screws when using brass
stand offs and that the snap-in stand offs will permit the board to work thermally even if
mounting screws are tight.

Note: I have two Lian Li mid-towers but a fanboy I am not.


...Galvanized
Click to expand...

are the fans separated from the case with silicon grommets? as for modding, u generally don't have to unless you've bought a lousy or obsolete case in the first place. there was a time when most cases were designed hideously, but now days, getting a well engineered case in the first place is the best way to go. like a p180 or 150 or whatever. you could mod a cheap case all you awnt and you wouldn't match them in quality or noise control.

aluminum is either for ultra high end where they use enough and anodize it, or low end flash. must have a novel change from the early days when steel cases were all you could choose..really really heavy steel cases. then before the internet u had lan parties and carrying around pc's was asn issue i guess.now the internet makes lan parties less important, and even steel cases aren't all that heavy😛 panels made of sandwitches of plastic and metal to dampen noise.

and forget windows. those just leak noise
 
Originally posted by: ta8689
NZXT Nemesis elite. About 100 give or take 15 dollars. 3 120mm fans. soo awesome
Click to expand...

Do you have a link? And I do not think it will beat a $69 Aluminum Coolermaster.
 
Originally posted by: Googer
This should be the case to win this contest- Coolermaster Wave Master $69 All Aluminum
Click to expand...

That a very attractive case at a more attractive price. It has one major flaw.

Behind the vertical bar at the lower front are a series of sad, small holes=restrictive.
The two 80mm intake fans are mounted about 25mm AWAY from the inner front panel
so they draw no real air through the sad little holes.

If these sad holes were larger and the fans had a duct sealed to the inner front panel
I'd buy this case.


...Galvanized

 
Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
Originally posted by: Googer
This should be the case to win this contest- Coolermaster Wave Master $69 All Aluminum
Click to expand...

That a very attractive case at a more attractive price. It has one major flaw.

Behind the vertical bar at the lower front are a series of sad, small holes=restrictive.
The two 80mm intake fans are mounted about 25mm AWAY from the inner front panel
so they draw no real air through the sad little holes.

If these sad holes were larger and the fans had a duct sealed to the inner front panel
I'd buy this case.


...Galvanized
Click to expand...

From all the reviews I have seen the Wavemaster is pretty good at keeping hardware cool. It's much better than many cases that cost the same price or more.

Thats easily fixable with cardboard or any other material to cover the gap between the grill and the case. But as long as the rear fans are sucking fresh air should be entering the case some how. Also can you show me a link of what you are talking about.
 
Sorry Googer, you can be right. Over in C&C several have had to do reworks inorder to get cooling air to AMD chips not hot Intels. But you be right along with BobtheLost.


...Galvanized
 
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