How would you rate this case?

[Mosad]

Here it is. I am looking at this case for silence and performance... i am sick of my loud computer. I may go water cooling or air cooled... on that matter i am undecided, but i figured this case opens the door for both options. I think it looks good... better than anything else ive seen, but this is personal.

I, however, know relatively little in this field... and i would like your evaluation of this case, and perhaps other recommendations. I havent even decided on what cpu i am going, although im leaning for AMD... so therefore i dont know what motherboard... It will be running a high end grahpics card among other components... so i need it future-proof

Thank you in advance. Looking forward to hearing from you all.

 

[CraigRT]

I have an old school SX1030 which is probably 4-5 years old. still the same inside let me tell ya... it's a great case, it's not very loud, and it's built like a tank.
the included 430W power supply should also be enough to handle the rig that is in your sig pretty easily.

 

[BW86]

9.2/10

 

[Mosad]

craigrt.. you mentioned not very quiet... if i switch fans to silent ones... would it then be silent?

Anyone else?

 

[Corporate Thug]

same generic server case everyone and their mother has (including me)

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: Mosad
craigrt.. you mentioned not very quiet... if i switch fans to silent ones... would it then be silent?

Anyone else?

no i said not very loud
if you put a vantec stealth in the front, and one in the rear, it will be very quiet, and have sufficient airflow.
:thumbsup:

 

[Mosad]

so tell me... is it the fans that make the noise? or the psu? or perhaps the brackets are loose around the HDs... becaue i plan on replacing the fans anyway... its just the psu that i cannot alter... nor the brackets

 

[gotensan01]

Most PSU are very quiet if you get a decent one. Actually I think even crappy PSU's are very quiet. You will hear most your noise from the case fans, cpu hsf, and hdd (with activity). If you get a fan controller, you can reduce case fan noise significantly while losing only some air flow loss. If you tighten down your hdd and psu, I don't see the vibration making much noise. But you can always get the hdd silencers...which I've never tried.

I think that's a good case. If you plan on watercooling, you'll definetly need to space to make it easier.

EDIT: My statement about PSU's generally being quiet is just a general observation I've made throughout the multiple PSU's I've used before (both crappy and really nice).

 

[Painman]

Antec makes solid cases, but yeah, they're extremely common. Just get rid of the cheesy fans you get with the case and use a bunch of Panaflos. It'll run quiet.

 

[Mosad]

thanks for the replies... haha common... thats one way to describe it... you guys know of any better in preformance and looks? if so, please do tell.

In terms of silence... (im talking dead silent, sleep silent) i will most likely go with silenx fans... silenx.com shows em. they never go above 14 dba. if everything else remains silent... all should be well right?

 

[Mosad]

anyone?

 

[Mosad]

anyone?

 

[Paveslave]

I bought that very same case about 2 years ago almost, and I love it. I've recently did a blow hole mod too it to add to the cooling which you can see in this pic. It is a nice open case with some good cooling features (big open bay with plenty of fan space). Since I've added the 120mm in the top it has gotten a little louder, but that is never an issue with me. My case is by no means quiet, but I am more interested in cooling than anything. It is not bad, but it is noticable. If you play any games, you wont hear it over your sound so don't worry. I have an antec Tr. P. 550, with 4 80mm case fans, one 120mm, and a 92 mm CPU fan.

Pic of Case

Pic # 2

Pic # 3

Hope this helps

 

[peacemaker1ps]

Well, I have Chieftech dragon(same style as antec).
Case is excellent, lots of room to work on.
I have 2 80mm intake on front, 2 80mm exhaust on rear.
1 80mm exhaust on side panel.
2 fans on power supply.
80mm on cpu.

Keeps very cool all the time.

 

[Mosad]

thanks for your replies...

Now, paveslave - how quiet is it before you did the blowhole mod? Is the noise due to your fans? I keep asking the same question and i am trying to get a definative respones... i plan on putting fans in there made by silenx... which is no more than 14 dba... absoltely silent... for the cpu i will somehow mount another silenx fan there... so the only fans which i am worried about is my graphics card and power supply... to which i ask you - how quiet is the power supply? The case i find to my liking... very much so... but i aim for silence... to the point that i sleep 5 feet away from it and it wont disturb me in the least... your insight will be very helpful.


Peacemaker1ps - is your cheiftech silent as well? or are all cheiftech silent? I am looking at some of the bigger ones... not the dragon... but this. They look attractive as well.. now i need to make up my mind...

The antec just has the reliabilty factor...everyone has the case, not a single dispeleased person..

to everyone else, what are your opinions on the antec we are discussing on this thread? Silent? Good looking? Any other cases that you prefer? Thanks

 

[footbal07]

im also running a chieftec dragon and i can contest that its a great case. im running a couple stealths and its decently quiet, it is also very roomy and rather solid. the only things i dont like about it are that mine has 80mm fans (i want to run 120s), and i would like a mobo tray.

 

[Zepper]

If it were me, I'd be looking at the Silverstone Berserker w/ perhaps the Silverstone 400W PSU w/ Active PFC (or the standard 400W if money is tight)...
.bh.

 

[akira34]

I have a case very close to that (slightly different model number), in black. I like the case a lot and will probably keep it for some time (I tend to change cases too often). The drive cages are very handy, allowing you to mount the drives into them and then put them into the computer. The rails for the optical drives are solid, which is good. I loaded mine up with Vantec Stealth (80mm) fans and it's not all that loud. In fact, it's quieter than many other cases I've had to deal with. If I had more room under my desk, I might have gone with one of their taller cases. As it stands, the case ends about an inch before the bottom of the keyboard tray.

The only mod I might do is to change the power and reset buttons to ones that stand out better against the black case. All black can make the buttons difficult to find in low light conditions. Otherwise, very pleased with Antec cases. The ones like these are very serious, no frills, cases. Very solid construction too.

I give Antec cases a 9 out of 10...

 

[HardWarrior]

Originally posted by: Mosad
Here it is. I am looking at this case for silence and performance... i am sick of my loud computer. I may go water cooling or air cooled... on that matter i am undecided, but i figured this case opens the door for both options. I think it looks good... better than anything else ive seen, but this is personal.

I, however, know relatively little in this field... and i would like your evaluation of this case, and perhaps other recommendations. I havent even decided on what cpu i am going, although im leaning for AMD... so therefore i dont know what motherboard... It will be running a high end grahpics card among other components... so i need it future-proof

Thank you in advance. Looking forward to hearing from you all.

It's kind of low-tech and plain, but I like it. There's a lot to be said for a big, steel case.

 

[0roo0roo]

that case + resorator.

its not a really quiet case, no hd isolation grommet mounts etc like the sonata.

 

[Tiamat]

That is the typical case that "everybody" once had or still has. I built a computer around a chieftec case that looks exactly like that for a friend. Stock fans were noisy, then the cheapo psu (random no name) was second loudest. This was without a mobo inside, i just shorted the psu to test noise of only fans.

With 2 panaflo L1A at 7V in back, and 1 panaflo L1A at 7V in front blowing on HDD, fan noise was minimal.

The CPU fan was was a 60mm was that was very loud even at 7V.

Radeon 9700pro stock fan was second loudest after CPU fan.

Most new harddrives are quiet at idle. Only harddrive i have that is loud at idle is the Western Digital 100GB 2MB cache, and the 120GB 8MB cache. They have an annoying metallic loud constant noise.

Good luck with your build. I dont see how you can go wrong with a classic good case.

 

[jose]

Get a case that house's 120mm fans, they spin slower & cool better than small 80mm fans. Here's a nice one:

http://store.yahoo.com/directron/cslx6a19.html

Regards,
Jose

 

[Mosad]

thanks, but i am leaning towards water cooling... and 5 80mm fans will suffice... i know antec is tried and true, and the case is attractive

 

[Operandi]

*Edit*

It sounds like you aiming for extreme low noise, as close to 0 dBA as possible? If that?s the case I wouldn't go with that Antec. Personally I'd get the CM Wave Master with 2 Panaflow L1A's, you'll prolly want to drop the voltage on them as well. For a PSU Tagan's are dead silent, 20dBA up 60% load here is the 380watt model, there is 480 watt version if you really need it.

Also check out the Zalman Reserator I for your water cooling.

 

[0roo0roo]

if your cheaper, the antec sonata is still on sale at frys for 59 i think. ends tuesday? don't the weekend deals ussually end then?
anyways, 120mm cooling with 380w truepower that can control the case fan too. heavy case, rubber hd/fan mounts. cheapest easiest quiet case out there. i just got one for my other comp, i'm impressed. my other two cases are chieftec towers. even with mods like cutting out fan grills the chieftec/antec dragon types aren't that quiet. mine even has a seasonic psu and fan controllers.. still not sonata quiet. dragons are for windows and looks. even with water your harddrives will vibrate and have direct opening for sound to leak out easily.