Need Help Choosing a Tower Case...

[imported_Tango]

I will be soon building a new computer, and I am starting to research parts starting from my case and cooling devices.

Info on the system (might change a little):

CPU: i7 920 (mild overclock)

Hard Drives: 1SSD, 1 Raptor 150, 3 other 3.5" hard drives
Optical Drives: 1 Blue Ray, 1 DVD-RW

Video: 1 passive cooled card (don't know which one yet), 1 performance card (probably ATI4870, maybe ATI 5850)

Problems: finding the right tower case and CPU cooler to achieve decent temperatures and low noise.

Candidate one: ABS Aplus Black Pearl
Pros:
Cheap (99$ plus shipping), seems well built, has space for future expansion, looks nice.

Cons:
Weird (to me) airflow path, inverted MB (is this an issue?).

The case is shipped with one intake in the lower front (with seemingly quite suffocated positioning) and one intake in the back. Has space for 2 more fans (120) on the top, and 2 more 90 next to the PSU (different compartment).

Doesn't seem quite enough. I see many people in the forums reversing the back 120, and adding 2 more outtake fans on top, going for negative pressure. However, the case having a huge side mesh panel this might mean tons of dust inside the case.

Some people add an intake in the front using a 3-unit fan under the optical drives.

Would one of thiese solutions provide a good airflow inside the case? Being the MB reversed and the fans on top, would it make sense to use an aftermarket cooler for the VGA (blowing towards the top of the case)?

Candidate Two: Lian-Li A-70
Pros: still fairly cheap (~140$), lots of fans in a (to me) very logic path.
Cons: more expensive than the ABS, possibly harder to put cables in a neat way, no side opening at all.

I have never seen the case in person, so I don't know how good/silent/easy to work in this case is.
The fans positioning seems good on paper, but I don't feel experienced enough to really judge this.

CPU Cooler will be either the Corsair H50 (some people love it, some people hate it... opinions on this are appreciated) or an high-end air cooler (Mega, TRUE, other advice on this is appreciated).

Thanks for the precious help...

EDIT: any help in choosing case and CPU cooler fans is also very welcomed...

 

[yh125d]

Inverted MB is not an issue at all. I actually prefer it because you dont have the big ATX and CPU connectors stretched across the whole board to reach. I made the top two fans and the rear 120 all intake, the top fans blow fresh air down right on top of the GPU fan, the rear fan gives fresh air to the CPU, and with all the positive pressure it all vents out the big mesh side. Also the fan moun ts by the PSU are only 80mm. The only real cons to the cooling in this case is the front fan which is a little constricted, and if you have a heatpipe between your NB and mosfet heatsinks, but that doesn't extend to the SB, then the NB becomes the hot part of the loop. temps will be a few C higher in this scenario but nothing prohibitive at all

 

[Cliff Couser]

This

http://www.fractal-design.com/...uct&category=2&prod=32

 

[imported_Tango]

Originally posted by: yh125d
Inverted MB is not an issue at all. I actually prefer it because you dont have the big ATX and CPU connectors stretched across the whole board to reach. I made the top two fans and the rear 120 all intake, the top fans blow fresh air down right on top of the GPU fan, the rear fan gives fresh air to the CPU, and with all the positive pressure it all vents out the big mesh side. Also the fan moun ts by the PSU are only 80mm. The only real cons to the cooling in this case is the front fan which is a little constricted, and if you have a heatpipe between your NB and mosfet heatsinks, but that doesn't extend to the SB, then the NB becomes the hot part of the loop. temps will be a few C higher in this scenario but nothing prohibitive at all

Thanks a lot for your help. I didn't consider going for an all-intakes configuration but it sounds like it could work better considering the big mesh window.

Did you find it a good case to route cables and work in? I have built a couple of systems but I am still a novice..

 

[imported_Tango]

Originally posted by: Cliff Couser
This

http://www.fractal-design.com/...uct&category=2?=32

Very nice! However it looks like it is only for sale in Europe (I am in the US).

 

[Tullphan]

I agree w/yh125d on the inverted motherboard not being an issue.
I have a LL V1000BW & it runs just as cool as a CM Sniper I had (that I thought would run cooler due to its' huge "quiet" fans) & a little more quiet.
Mine's set up w/a side intake (over my GPU...a 4850 w/a Accelero S1 & Scythe 120mm fan), rear exhaust & top exhaust. Of course is has a 120mm intake in front of the drives as well.
I've very happy with it. I just don't think you can beat a LL as far as quality & construction goes (w/the exception of the few crazy designs they've put out).

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: Tullphan
I just don't think you can beat a LL as far as quality & construction goes (w/the exception of the few crazy designs they've put out).

Another reason to get the ABS, it's a rebadged LL PC-V2000b

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: Tango

Originally posted by: yh125d
Inverted MB is not an issue at all. I actually prefer it because you dont have the big ATX and CPU connectors stretched across the whole board to reach. I made the top two fans and the rear 120 all intake, the top fans blow fresh air down right on top of the GPU fan, the rear fan gives fresh air to the CPU, and with all the positive pressure it all vents out the big mesh side. Also the fan moun ts by the PSU are only 80mm. The only real cons to the cooling in this case is the front fan which is a little constricted, and if you have a heatpipe between your NB and mosfet heatsinks, but that doesn't extend to the SB, then the NB becomes the hot part of the loop. temps will be a few C higher in this scenario but nothing prohibitive at all

Thanks a lot for your help. I didn't consider going for an all-intakes configuration but it sounds like it could work better considering the big mesh window.

Did you find it a good case to route cables and work in? I have built a couple of systems but I am still a novice..

I'd definitely say it's easy to work in. With a case this big there aren't that many small corners and areas like you get with mid tower cases. The only are I'd wish for a little more space, is around the CPU power connector, sometimes it can be hard to reach that screw or the latch on the power cable, but that's a problem on almost any case, and a little more room between the bottom expansion slot (which is on top with the inverted design) and the top fans. if there was an extra 1/2" or so it'd be easier to get to that expansion slot

For cable management it was also surprisingly good. I thought when I bought it that management would be a pain, but it really wasn't - even with 6 hard drives

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

It's a hell of a deal for 99$ - bought one myself and I am loving it!

 

[daw123]

I own a PC-A70A. I don't know how it compares to the other cases you are considering, but I like it. Lots of space inside when you remove the superfluous stuff like the 3.5" front drive bay cage, rear top 120mm dia. fan and the central pillar.

Inside shots:
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG00046.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG00028.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG_0919.jpg
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...123/IMG_0885Copy-1.jpg

Excuse the crap cable management. I'm not sure whether its due to my laziness and poor planning or because the case has poor cable management.

Front External:
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG_0918.jpg

Side External:
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG_0929.jpg

Top External:
http://i429.photobucket.com/al...wilson123/IMG_0931.jpg

The removable MB tray is a very useful feature. I also like that you can mount the PSU either in the bottom or top of the case. You can mount a 360mm long rad in the top of the case if you are willing to mod the top panel. If not, you can always buy this..

Overall, it's a well-built cheap Lian Li full tower case.

 

[Tullphan]

Since the black pearl is a rebadged V2000, I think i'd go with it since I know how my cable management is w/my V1000.
I'll post pics later, if you're interested.

 

[Idontcare]

Hey Tango, check out this thread on the ABS black pearl, lots of cable management photos in there towards the end.

Yeah temps are no issue and just setup your top and rear fans to be all intake, the huge mesh siding provides basically no air resistance.

The upside down mobo thing isn't any sort of an issue whatsoever.

Build quality is top notch, capable management is great. It is by far the best case I have ever had the pleasure of owning and working in/on/with.

 

[imported_Tango]

I wanted to thank everybody for their precious help.

I'll pull the trigger on the ABS tonight.

One last question: should I get particularly long cables (SATA, Power, etc...) or the case doesn't call for very long cables?

 

[yh125d]

Some long SATA cables help. 18" cables can usually reach the top couple of HD mounts, but 24" are long enough to reach all, and have some extra length making it easier to hide

 

[Jumpem]

Antec 902.

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: Tango
I'll pull the trigger on the ABS tonight.

You won't regret it, awesome case and a great price.

If you do pull those DVD drive door covers out of the case be sure and follow the procedure correctly so you don't scrape up the surfaces. Other than that there isn't anything tricky about the case.