Help me find a small(er), quiet(er) case, please!

[Gigantopithecus]

The case needs to accommodate 1 5.25" optical drive, 1 2.5" SSD, minimally 1 3.5" HDD but room for 2 3.5" HDDs would be better, standard PSU, mATX board. Priorities are size and noise - the smaller and quieter the better. Cooling for a 95W TDP CPU is a close second priority, so it needs to have good airflow and facilitate good cable management.

In the past, I've always appreciated Antec and Lian-Li esthetics, though certainly they're not the only manufacturers who make nice cases.

I'm currently using an Antec 300, but this was chosen to house a large video card that I no longer use, as well as 6 3.5" drives that have since been moved out of the system and into my lab's computer. It's too big, and it's too loud.

 

[raf051888]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KUV2BK

I use this case myself. I came from a Haf 912.

 

[krunt]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...sonata&x=0&y=0

I use the older version of these cases and find them to work well with just enough room to fit stuff, but sometimes it is a tight fit. they are quite and have decent airflow,


Also check out the mini p180 from Antec. I have not seen it in person but it looks great on paper and I have heard good things.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Thanks for the recommendations. The Sonata is nice - I used one for over two years until I moved to the 300 so I could fit more hard drives. However, I'd like something smaller than the Sonata. It definitely is quiet, though!

 

[krunt]

ah, well then check the cases reviewed here. You can't get much smaller

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4282/nettop-and-miniitx-buyers-guide

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Those are all mini-ITX cases. Besides, whoever wrote that article has no idea what they're talking about.

Wait...

 

[mnewsham]

Those are all mini-ITX cases. Besides, whoever wrote that article has no idea what they're talking about.

Wait...

Yea, whoever wrote that needs to keep their day job :sneaky:

Seriously though, what is your price range?

 

[dawp]

what about an ATX case?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112218

what about a desktop/htpc case?

Do you need full height cards?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112186

 

[Gigantopithecus]

what about an ATX case?

Full-size ATX cases are likely going to be too big. Smaller than a 300, please. Edit: D'oh, didn't realize that many smaller cases are designed to fit a full ATX board and are referred to as ATX mini-towers. Those would be fine. I like that second Lian-Li you linked.

what about a desktop/htpc case?

Hadn't really thought about an htpc case...Derp, thanks for the tip.

Do you need full height cards?

Don't need any cards at all. My home desktop got cut down to bare bones!

Yea, whoever wrote that needs to keep their day job :sneaky:

Seriously though, what is your price range?

Like to keep it under $200. (I didn't quit my day job. :sneaky

 

[WoodButcher]

No cards? I'd find one of these, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119211.
The only thing you need to quiet is the CPU fan and maybe the PSU.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

That won't accommodate a 3.5" drive with a mATX board. Plus, it won't fit a standard PSU.

 

[irse]

How about a case like this?

http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=Mjk=

 

[Zap]

Antec NSK3480, as long as your ATX PSU is not deeper than around 5.7". It comes with soft silicone grommets for two 3.5" HDDs. No 2.5" drive mount, but some double sided tape will fix that. It will fit tower CPU coolers.

Why does it have to hold an ATX PSU? You can go much smaller like this. If the included PSU isn't quiet enough, SeaSonic makes a 300W TFX PSU that should fit.

 

[bunit]

http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&prod=58

Fractal Define Mini. Supposed to be due out in May, if you can wait that is...
Should satisfy a) fairly small b)quiet. Planning on housing my next build in one of these myself actually, pending reviews.
Flexibility to stick a big old video card in there (esp with drive bays removed) if you ever want to in the future, too, though its a little deeper than some of the smaller cases because of that.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&prod=58

Fractal Define Mini. Supposed to be due out in May, if you can wait that is...
Should satisfy a) fairly small b)quiet. Planning on housing my next build in one of these myself actually, pending reviews.
Flexibility to stick a big old video card in there (esp with drive bays removed) if you ever want to in the future, too, though its a little deeper than some of the smaller cases because of that.

Looks like I found my next case.

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[Silenus]

Alternately check out the Fractal Arc Mini:
http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&category=2&prod=59

This one leans a little more towards better cooling where the Define leans towards silence. I'd bet the Arc Mini won't be very loud though with fans on low speeds.

Down side is (again) the case is not yet out but supposed to be out within the next month or two.