Help picking a decent home server case

jimbob200521

Diamond Member
Apr 15, 2005
4,108
29
91
So I've recently upgraded my home file/media server to an i7 rig and added a couple drives. My current case (an olderish Thermaltake I had) is getting a bit stuffed. I've got my boot SSD plus 5 3.5 hard drives. I'm looking for something a bit more modern as far as wire management, expandability, and cooling options. Ideally I'd like to be as cost efficient as I can but also don't want a POS case that puts me worse off than I already am. Below are my requirements as well as things I'd like to see:

Requirements:
Must have 6 or more internal 3.5 bays (don't have to be hot swappable at all)
Must have good room behind the motherboard tray for cable management
Half way decent cooling (5 or 6 HD's plus an OC'd i7 and 12gb of RAM)

Things I'd like to have:
Ability to install a dual rad (240mm dual 120) liquid cooling setup

And honestly, that's about it. Just needs to look half way decent but more importantly have good functionality. Like I said, I'm not looking to spend $300+ on a rack mount modular hot swappable server case but rather $100-$150 on a good functioning tower (or desktop style case) with looks as a 2nd priority as it will sit in the back room usually not seen.
 
Last edited:

smitbret

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2006
3,389
23
81
So I've recently upgraded my home file/media server to an i7 rig and added a couple drives. My current case (an olderish Thermaltake I had) is getting a bit stuffed. I've got my boot SSD plus 5 3.5 hard drives. I'm looking for something a bit more modern as far as wire management, expandability, and cooling options. Ideally I'd like to be as cost efficient as I can but also don't want a POS case that puts me worse off than I already am. Below are my requirements as well as things I'd like to see:

Requirements:
Must have 6 or more internal 3.5 bays (don't have to be hot swappable at all)
Must have good room behind the motherboard tray for cable management
Half way decent cooling (5 or 6 HD's plus an OC'd i7 and 12gb of RAM)

Things I'd like to have:
Ability to install a dual rad (240mm dual 120) liquid cooling setup

And honestly, that's about it. Just needs to look half way decent but more importantly have good functionality. Like I said, I'm not looking to spend $300+ on a rack mount modular hot swappable server case but rather $100-$150 on a good functioning tower (or desktop style case) with looks as a 2nd priority as it will sit in the back room usually not seen.

Fractal Design Define R4 or R5

8x3.5" internal HDD bays, 2x5.25" external bays and you can mount two SSDs or 2.5" HDDs to the back of the motherboard tray as well. Good cooling with 2x140mm fans blowing in across the 8x3.5" and another 140mm out at the rear. You can also add a side and/or top 140mm intake or exhaust fan(s). Very quiet as well. Heavy, heavy materials and sound dampening. Room for liquid cooling, too.

http://www.amazon.com/Fractal-Desig...9383&sr=8-3&keywords=fractal+design+define+r5

Need the same thing but a little more space? Try the XL R2:

http://www.amazon.com/Fractal-Desig...7&sr=8-1&keywords=fractal+design+define+xl+r2
 
Feb 25, 2011
16,777
1,466
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See also: Fractal Node 804. Not as expandable as the big towers, and only mATX, but it might do the job for you and it's smaller/prettier. (If WAF is an issue.)