HardwareCanucks "Worst Case Trends of 2017"

[JimKiler]

I hate the trend of no front 5.25" drive bays. They aren't just for optical drives, but things like hot swap bays, fan controllers etc. Although I consider any PC that can't even rip a CD/DVD pretty weak. I like a PC that can do anything.

I have seen people suggest getting an external ODD, which totally defeats the purpose of a case!

As far as PSU shrouds i don't get them. They are for cases with tempered glass and which allows you to see your internals, yet you do not want to see the PSU? Why not. If I had bought a case with a shroud I would have thrown it away. I got a Be Quiest Pure Base 600 and it has 5.25 drives that i use and lots of space for HDD's. However compared to my old Antec 300 it has a lot less air flow from the front. I got a second intake fan and have both fans spinning high and quiet but even then when i initially had the HDD's higher up the CPU temp was too high so i dropped my HDD's to the bottom and my temps are now better. Still not as good as the Antec 300 but acceptable. But i have a Intel 4790K which is hot to begin with so hopefully an upgrade will get me lower temps.

 

[Crono]

I have seen people suggest getting an external ODD, which totally defeats the purpose of a case!

Not really. We're in a transition period away from optical media, although some people still use/need the drives. But if you really don't need the drive but want one if a need arises in the future, you still have one that's easily used and then but back into storage. It's the same thing we went through when floppy drives were on the way out and most computers stopping with one. You'll limit your case options right now if you are only looking for cases with optical drive bays, which is fine if you absolutely need one... but fewer and fewer people do.

External drives are also more handy for using with multiple computers or laptops. You're definitely not getting an internal ODD with an ultrabook, so if you have multiple modern devices an external drive can be more useful, especially for travelling.

 

[dlerious]

Not really. We're in a transition period away from optical media, although some people still use/need the drives. But if you really don't need the drive but want one if a need arises in the future, you still have one that's easily used and then but back into storage. It's the same thing we went through when floppy drives were on the way out and most computers stopping with one. You'll limit your case options right now if you are only looking for cases with optical drive bays, which is fine if you absolutely need one... but fewer and fewer people do.

External drives are also more handy for using with multiple computers or laptops. You're definitely not getting an internal ODD with an ultrabook, so if you have multiple modern devices an external drive can be more useful, especially for travelling.

I also use drive bays for my Aquaero. I haven't come across an external Blu-ray writer yet. Do they exist (at a reasonable cost)?

 

[thecoolnessrune]

I think the problem is that the case designers and people like the ones in this thread have two different viewpoints and there's a disconnect. This "restricted airflow" is only a problem if you make it a problem. They've been making servers who's front panels are completely filled with drives for years now but manage to keep not only a dozen hot drives sufficiently cooled, but two processors with small-ish heatsinks, a buttload of RAM, etc. This is where the disconnect comes in. It's not that you can't get enough airflow through these case designs. It that you don't want your computer loud enough to do it.

While it's understandable that nobody wants something that sounds like a vacuum under their desk, I think people have gotten a little carried away with trying to completely silence their PC's. Even if my computer was silent, I've still got a ceiling fan that squeaks, neighbors cats who love to mate in my yard, kids with fart cans on their cars, etc. At no point in time is my room going to be silent and if it was, that would honestly be more distracting at this point than some background noise. You need to find a balance between noise and cooling capacity. Can I hear any of my computers over the speakers I'm using? No? Then mission accomplished in my book.

Agreed. I have two gaming systems side by side and even when both are cranked up while myself and the wife play, both systems are completely muffled out by the Eaton 9130 UPS that sits under the desk. And if it's not that its the rack of equipment in the back room. There's a happy medium. Personally, I don't mind the white noise during my day.

 

[Mr Evil]

I have no drive bays in my case at all, neither 5.25" nor 3.5". Only M.2 drives, and an external optical drive that I almost never use.

I also use drive bays for my Aquaero. I haven't come across an external Blu-ray writer yet. Do they exist (at a reasonable cost)?

There are a few available. I have a Pioneer BDR-XD05. They're move expensive than internal drives, but not unreasonably so.

 

[dlerious]

I have no drive bays in my case at all, neither 5.25" nor 3.5". Only M.2 drives, and an external optical drive that I almost never use.


There are a few available. I have a Pioneer BDR-XD05. They're move expensive than internal drives, but not unreasonably so.

Thanks. I was looking at https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136288 for MDisc support, but it's pretty expensive ($180-$300+) brand new when I found it in stock. Not interested in used where it runs around $100-$150.

 

[JimKiler]

Not really. We're in a transition period away from optical media, although some people still use/need the drives. But if you really don't need the drive but want one if a need arises in the future, you still have one that's easily used and then but back into storage. It's the same thing we went through when floppy drives were on the way out and most computers stopping with one. You'll limit your case options right now if you are only looking for cases with optical drive bays, which is fine if you absolutely need one... but fewer and fewer people do.

External drives are also more handy for using with multiple computers or laptops. You're definitely not getting an internal ODD with an ultrabook, so if you have multiple modern devices an external drive can be more useful, especially for travelling.

I definitely do not use my BD-R drive as much as I used to and I am sure my next case will be without one but i have a CD card reader as well so i can easily transfer pictures from my DSLR camera. I can use the cable but that is slower. I am sure i can get those wifi SDHC cards but it will kill the battery on my camera.

 

[XavierMace]

I have a Pioneer BDR-XD05. They're move expensive than internal drives, but not unreasonably so.

That's what I've got as well. It comes out of the closet to rip new Blurays, then goes back in the closet.

I definitely do not use my BD-R drive as much as I used to and I am sure my next case will be without one but i have a CD card reader as well so i can easily transfer pictures from my DSLR camera. I can use the cable but that is slower. I am sure i can get those wifi SDHC cards but it will kill the battery on my camera.

https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-mi...id=1522540120&sr=1-4&keywords=usb+card+reader

 

[chrisjames61]

I think the problem is that the case designers and people like the ones in this thread have two different viewpoints and there's a disconnect. This "restricted airflow" is only a problem if you make it a problem. They've been making servers who's front panels are completely filled with drives for years now but manage to keep not only a dozen hot drives sufficiently cooled, but two processors with small-ish heatsinks, a buttload of RAM, etc. This is where the disconnect comes in. It's not that you can't get enough airflow through these case designs. It that you don't want your computer loud enough to do it.

While it's understandable that nobody wants something that sounds like a vacuum under their desk, I think people have gotten a little carried away with trying to completely silence their PC's. Even if my computer was silent, I've still got a ceiling fan that squeaks, neighbors cats who love to mate in my yard, kids with fart cans on their cars, etc. At no point in time is my room going to be silent and if it was, that would honestly be more distracting at this point than some background noise. You need to find a balance between noise and cooling capacity. Can I hear any of my computers over the speakers I'm using? No? Then mission accomplished in my book.

The servers are kept cool by numerous tiny fans that run at obscene rpm's and are very loud. The environment they are in is also kept air condition 24/7 365 days a year. I wouldn't call that practical for a home user.

 

[chrisjames61]

I hate the trend of no front 5.25" drive bays. They aren't just for optical drives, but things like hot swap bays, fan controllers etc. Although I consider any PC that can't even rip a CD/DVD pretty weak. I like a PC that can do anything.

Still a [plethora of cases out there with 5.25" drive bays. My problem is for the most part the cases without the 5.25" drive bays are no smaller than the cases with the 5.25" drive bays. If you don't use a radiator they look ridiculously empty.

 

[XavierMace]

The servers are kept cool by numerous tiny fans that run at obscene rpm's and are very loud. The environment they are in is also kept air condition 24/7 365 days a year. I wouldn't call that practical for a home user.

Did you just ignore my second paragraph completely or what?

 

[DigDog]

I hate the trend of no front 5.25" drive bays. They aren't just for optical drives, but things like hot swap bays, fan controllers etc. Although I consider any PC that can't even rip a CD/DVD pretty weak. I like a PC that can do anything.

1. nobody uses optical drives anymore
2. nobody uses hotswap bays. or maybe a few people do, but there's plenty of cases for you, you are not the majority of PC builders.
3. again, nobody uses fan controllers anymore, the mobo takes care of that. again, there's cases for you if you want this, but you are in the minority.
4. nobody uses optical media anymore. what are you going to do with that CD? seriously nobody uses them grandpa.

it's a trend because nobody uses that stuff and to good reason. most were never really useful and for years we've had to lug around this extra weight because of this what if someone needs to burn a dvd thing. why don't cases have an integrated grill just in case i need to cook me 2 eggs.

 

[UsandThem]

1. nobody uses optical drives anymore
2. nobody uses hotswap bays. or maybe a few people do, but there's plenty of cases for you, you are not the majority of PC builders.
3. again, nobody uses fan controllers anymore, the mobo takes care of that. again, there's cases for you if you want this, but you are in the minority.
4. nobody uses optical media anymore. what are you going to do with that CD? seriously nobody uses them grandpa.

I guess I fail this as I use 3 out of the 4 items you listed.

Also, I am now a grandpa apparently, because I still use CDs. I used to say people who still used records were "not with the times" when I was a teenager and CDs were where great audio was at. Now records are the new hipster thing for "quality", and CDs are for the elderly.

 

[dlerious]

it's a trend because nobody uses that stuff and to good reason. most were never really useful and for years we've had to lug around this extra weight because of this what if someone needs to burn a dvd thing. why don't cases have an integrated grill just in case i need to cook me 2 eggs.

Because everybody is trying to remove heat from their computer not add it and that grill is heavier than an optical drive, fan controller, and bay res combined. You're in the minority - get over it.

 

[DigDog]

I guess I fail this as I use 3 out of the 4 items you listed.

you certainly can. there are cases made just for you. and you will know full well that there are other cases out there that take into consideration needs not listed here. people that want 7 GPUs for mining. people that need EATX mobos, people that need 300 Tb of storage, LN overclockers, PC porn builders, HTPCs, whatever it is that you need, you can find. But the cases listed as "trending towards removal of drive bays" are all gaming cases, designed to house the classic "8700k" build, which doesn't need fan controllers, HDDs, hot-swap bays, and while it might occasionally still need to take a bluray or two, that's dying as well, considering that you can stream HD video right off of netflix.

and this is what people want. it doesn't trend because someone threw a dart at a board, it trends because everyone has been going to twitter to say "hey Fractal, can you make a case without drive bays" about a million times.
dude, i can see the pc in your sig .. doesn't have a HDD. Does it?

i don't want to make this about me - because it isn't, otherwise it wouldn't "trend" - but i have not touched a DVD or CD in idk how many years ... 2014? i think i bought a CD off ebay around 2015 or 2014. nobody that i know uses DVDs, i haven't even SEEN one in a year. It's ok to have a minority that uses vinyl, my last roommate used to be a professional DJ so he had a huge stash, but it's like saying that people that use straight razors are the majority and disposable blades are a bad trend.

there will always be cases for you. cases with plenty of drive bays for addons, for BluRay players, for fan controllers, for monitoring displays, for hotswap bays. There will always be case makers making them. Until they won't. Until these items will be so redundant that making a case that fits a hotswap bay on a gamer case will be like adding VGA ports to a overclocking mobo.

@dlerious i don't know if you genuinely do not understand or are trying to be offensive so i'm just gonna put you on my ignore list, ok? ok.

@UsandThem i also wanted to mention, HC ... is just a youtube channel. they often say things which are absolutely abysmal. In this very video he called for cases decorated with WOOD and FABRIC.
he's calling for case manufacturers to include the bridge required to install GPUs vertically with the case, which is just idiotic. I don't want to pay for a feature that is purely cosmetic and makes my temps worse. (speaking of which, your R5 is built for noise reduction, that's why you need to open the panel when folding. You could have gotten a HAF if you really wanted airflow.

I can go on; he's complaining about having PSU shrouds, purely for cosmetic reasons (he wants each shroud to be unique), rips on tempered glass (which HC themselves pushed hard years back) because of temps, while this is clearly a cosmetic item. I still occasionally watch their videos, but just to see the case, their observations most of the time mean nothing to me.

 

[Crono]

Because everybody is trying to remove heat from their computer not add it and that grill is heavier than an optical drive, fan controller, and bay res combined. You're in the minority - get over it.

The top 6 cases on Amazon (excluding Raspberry Pi cases) don't have optical drive bays, and plenty after that. That's in line with what I've seen here, on Youtube, and other PC enthusiast communities: most people don't need them. There are plenty of people who do (same like any other niche, like HTPCs, server cases, etc), but they aren't the majority.

Case manufacturers aren't just making these decisions authoritatively without regard for consumers, they are responding to demand. Granted, sometimes things do shift in the industry and they may pull back from it, but right now there's a plethora of tempered glass, RGB, minimal front (or now a return to mesh) cases because most users want one of all of those features, or are at least ambivalent about them. ODD isn't a priority feature at all.

 

[Mr Evil]

...they often say things which are absolutely abysmal. In this very video he called for cases decorated with WOOD and FABRIC...

Most people using PCs are not enthusiasts like us. They include all sorts of people with all sorts of ideas about aesthetics. Half the people in my house would probably love to have a case made of wood or fabric rather than metal and plastic.

 

[DigDog]

because you only see it from the perspective of the guy who receives his wood & fabric case; but that would mean manufacturers would have to retool and redesign and source and the idea of using wood in cases is just as retarded as wanting to use wood in cars. remember when wood was used in cars, 50 years ago? today wood is only used by rolls royce and bentley, because of the HUGE cost associated with working these materials. HC should not call for manufacturers to make things worse, but better. Cheaper, more solid, better built, not drive the cost up, introduce a new material due for years of mishandling and bad design due to it being new and them having no experience. Also, you seriously want flammable fabric in a computer?
If some company wants to build a case enclosed in denim, let them do it, it will be a unique model with a very high cost, NOT a consumer line.

i must remind you that the cases we are talking about are the best cases for the consumer market, not for specialists. Not for people who want a decoration piece, or that want to run a home server, or for some-guy's wife who has never seen a PC before. These are PC Master Race cases and they are made for their target audience.

 

[Mr Evil]

...but that would mean manufacturers would have to retool and redesign and source...

Which they have to do every time they do anything new. Wood is pretty easy to work with - just pop a bit into the CNC machine, and then a finished peice pops out the other end. In fact that's overcomplicating it - mostly you just ask the Chinese factory to do it, and they are happy to make almost anything.

...the idea of using wood in cases is just as retarded as wanting to use wood in cars...

For cars, wood's lack of consistency makes it hard to rely on it for strength, and it's hard to make it resistant to the elements. Those are not problems faced by PC cases.

...Also, you seriously want flammable fabric in a computer?..

No more flammable than plastic, and natural fibres don't release toxic fumes when burnt either.

...i must remind you that the cases we are talking about are the best cases for the consumer market, not for specialists. Not for people who want a decoration piece, or that want to run a home server, or for some-guy's wife who has never seen a PC before. These are PC Master Race cases and they are made for their target audience.

We enthusiasts are a more diverse bunch than case manufacturers are willing to cater to. We're the same lot that will go as far as to create our own cases in myriad styles not provided by the market, including wood and fabric.

 

[DigDog]

you are saying that fabric is no more flammable than plastic? so if i hold a lighter for say, 3 seconds under a piece of heat treated plastic, or under a piece of fabric, they would have the saaaaame flammability. i would end the conversation here but for your privilege, i would let you know that wood in a car is far safer than in a pc case. cars will not deform as much as a few pounds of aluminium. the wood can be bolted in rather than having to rely on epoxy (or the threat of adding substantial weight) and the contact surface on a car dashboard is far greater than in a pc case. Hey, but i guess all those datacenter admins were wrong and wood is the future.

you are totally free to cover your case in denim, but stay away from my FD Meshify. wood is a lovely material - aside from the fact that it warps with humidity and thermal contractions - that has no place in a computer case, where there are small tolerances for deformation. If you want a custom-made desk-case, feel free to spend time and money (two things you do not consider when linking links which i have not clicked on, but already know point at milliondollarpc) on it, but when it comes to mass produced cases for PC components, we want no wood, no fabric and NO REDACTED DRIVE BAYS.

No Profanity in the Tech Sub-Forums.
Not even with asterisks.

Iron Woode
Super Moderator

 

[Mr Evil]

you are saying that fabric is no more flammable than plastic? so if i hold a lighter for say, 3 seconds under a piece of heat treated plastic, or under a piece of fabric, they would have the saaaaame flammability...

Like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skE1o0mkotA

...i would let you know that wood in a car is far safer than in a pc case. cars will not deform as much as a few pounds of aluminium. the wood can be bolted in rather than having to rely on epoxy (or the threat of adding substantial weight) and the contact surface on a car dashboard is far greater than in a pc case...

Wait... are we talking about the same thing here? I didn't realize you were considering what would happen to a PC in the event of a crash. I've never even seen a PC driven on the road.

...links which i have not clicked on, but already know point at milliondollarpc..

I see. Clearly I have been feeding a troll.

 

[UsandThem]

Ok, this thread needs to take a collective deep breath..

If someone wants to build a case with shaggy green carpet, or one with 5.25" bays, it's their choice. Heck, someone could build one with a miniature water tower inside and I wouldn't care. Just because we individually feel something isn't personally needed anymore, doesn't mean that all people share the same feelings.

I like cases with drive bays. Why? I still buy used CDs and rip them onto my PC. I also occasionally throw in concert DVDs and listen while I work. But at the same time, I am not telling anyone they have to do what I do.

Take it from a "grandpa", different strokes for different folks.

 

[DigDog]

i was seriously hoping you went for this

rather than that monstrosity you linked.

and regarding fabric, we're talking DECORATIVE fabric. You want to have some ugly ass material like the one you linked, i can guarantee you HC would not consider that a step forward.


we are discussing how Harware Canucks have stated that they would like these two elements to be featured as cosmetics in modern cases. NOT if nasa has invented flame retardant fabrics based on glass fiber. And i'm telling you here, nobody, wants a pc covered with this fabric here:

try the flammability test of this. see how well you do. Hey i wonder how the thermals are here.

i wonder how the thermals are HERE. No fans, no vents. No airflow.

Speaking of trolling, mr guy with 200 posts, you're just being stupid on purpose. We're not talking if some desperate guy can build a pc case out of wood, nor are we talking if someone willing to spend five grand can make an artistically pleasing wooden case with proper functionality (and metal inserts, because good luck otherwise with the internal components).

We aree talking about having THIS

accented with THIS

CAN YOU SEE THE PSU SHROUD? He wants THAT replaced with wood. He wants wood accents internally, he wants wood and fabric decorations applied AS ADDITIONS to his case of the year, the meshify c. He does NOT want a box of wood. And he wants all this is a mass produced, economical, functional and practical case that should perform as well if not better than the aluminium counterpart.

 

[walk2k]

Front fans are overated anyway, unless you have HDD's you need to cool. Front is going to be closest to your head, in most cases, so you'll hear it most. I can run a back 120mm fan on full speed and barely hear it, but not so for a front fan. I use 0 front fans.

Case trends I hate - no side fan or vent. A side intake fan blows cool air RIGHT on your GPU and CPU. Right where you need it (unless you're using a radiator I guess). Also not enough or no dust filters! You put 8 fans inside a case, it's gonna basically be a vacuum cleaner, sucking up all the dust and hair from the room! Gross....

Antec 300 forever! (I have 2 of them...) Top 140mm fan, side and back 120mm, no front fans (though the case can fit 2 of them.. I never use) with dust filters. My PC stays really clean inside, barely any dust after 1 year+.

 

[JimKiler]

That's what I've got as well. It comes out of the closet to rip new Blurays, then goes back in the closet.



https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-mi...id=1522540120&sr=1-4&keywords=usb+card+reader

Thanks for assuming i wanted black over pink. That is what I will use once i get another case in 10 years or the current card reader drive i have dies.

Still a [plethora of cases out there with 5.25" drive bays. My problem is for the most part the cases without the 5.25" drive bays are no smaller than the cases with the 5.25" drive bays. If you don't use a radiator they look ridiculously empty.

Agreed and why do they have these closed fronts when there is no 5.25" drives? Make them like the old Antec 300 where there i a huge dust filter and it is open so those of us who want adequate cool intake air can get it. I know some cases do but not enough.