Help me find a micro-atx case ( slim or shuttle style )

[Net]

Hello,

I have a

AMD Duron 1800+
Motherboard K7SOM+ 7.5c
geforce 2 mx-400 w/ s-video out

this system is going to be hooked up to my tv to play old school games

I'm looking for a micro-atx case for it. Something small, inexpensive and quiet.

this looks good but it cost too much (below). I'm looking for something around $30. That case is $48 plus shipping so it would be about $55.

btw will my stuff fit in that? the graphics card?

http://www.amazon.com/Inwin-De...&qid=1218901030&sr=8-1
[L=Text]her/dp/B000QELIZG/ref=pd_bbs

Or a micro-atx shuttle style case.

All I need is a the case and power supply.

 

[nerp]

I have an answer for you.

This

I have one. It's great. It would fit near a TV and looks like a somewhat 80ish VCR. It's a bit longer than the photo shows, so make sure if you put it in a cabinet with some depth. Check the dimensions before buying.

The only drawback to this case is the top exhaust fan is astoundingly loud. You WILL want to either not plug it in (shouldn't be much of an issue) or replace it with a much quieter fan. I have an Enermax marathon 80mm there now and I can't hear anything.

The PSU is OK. It's made by Apex. I'm using it to power rig #2 in my sig. It acts as an exhaust fan as well. Note it's a Flex PSU. I've seen a few made by FSP (good brand) and even some 80-plus models and the dimensions seem to match so I think you won't have to chuck the whole case if the supplied PSU dies. I'm contemplating ordering the 80-plus FSP just to maximize power efficiency since that was one of the primary goals I set out with when I built the machine.

*** The case WILL REQUIRE low profile cards. You can easily replace the bracket on a low profile video card with a half-height bracket.

 

[DSF]

That's double the budget he gave.

net, I don't think you're going to find what you're looking for with that low of a budget. A $30 case has to cut corners somewhere, not the least of which is noise-resistance.

 

[SergeC]

Your budget is too low for what you're looking for, unless you can find a used one from someone who is done with it, and owes you a favor.

 

[gorobei]

there's always something that fits the bill.
http://www.svc.com/ycc-1102.html
http://www.svc.com/ycc-s27.html

 

[DSF]

Originally posted by: gorobei
there's always something that fits the bill.
http://www.svc.com/ycc-1102.html
http://www.svc.com/ycc-s27.html

They're out of stock, and I can't say I trust any case that claims to be low-noise but comes with a 60mm fan.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: net
I'm looking for a micro-atx case for it. Something small, inexpensive and quiet.

Choose two out of the three, and you can find the perfect case, as long as you don't choose inexpensive and quiet together.

That's like me asking "I want a car that has 220HP, gets 35MPG and costs $22,000." I can dream, but that's all it will be.

The In Win case, Rosewill case and one of the two Global Win cases linked throughout this thread use only low profile cards (plus the CPU fan will be air-starved).

This $43 case isn't too bad, but the PSU may be iffy (though likely sufficient for your purposes) and without mods the setup won't be super quiet. Newegg used to have the same chassis with a much better PSU (270W FSP) but alas no longer listed. The one "mod" would be to use some controller to slow down the dual 60mm exhaust fans. System will run hotter, but unless you're overclocking a Duron shouldn't burn up.

 

[nerp]

The rosewill shouldn't be too air starved. It is vented directly over the CPU area and unless you block it, it should be able to draw in plenty of air. It might be problematic inside a cabinet or with another device stacked on top of it, but I think it should be OK.

 

[Zepper]

A decent low-power PSU will cost your whole budget. Don't skimp on the PSU, it's the cornerstone of a stable system. Does your mobo power the CPU from a 4-pin square connector (12V)? If so you'll need a diff. PSU than if the 20-pin ATX is the only mobo power connection (CPU powered off the 5V rail).

.bh.

 

[Zepper]

This one (Athenatech A-100SC) isn't bad: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811190003 but the PSU is for a mobo that powers the CPU from the +5V rail.

.bh.

 

[DSF]

If you need to change PSUs and the case accepts standard ATX units, Antec's Earthwatts line has some of the best budget PSUs you can get:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817371006

The only concern is that Antec switched OEMs from Seasonic to Delta, so the jury is still out as far as whether the units are the same quality last I heard. My understanding is that Delta has a pretty good reputation though.

 

[Zepper]

Only the EA-380 of the Earthwatts series is still OEM by Seasonic.

.bh.

 

[DSF]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Only the EA-380 of the Earthwatts series is still OEM by Seasonic.

.bh.

I had heard all the models were changing. That's good to know.