Please Recomend me a Quiet Case

[kingofbongo]

Hi there,

Before I say anything. I just wanted to commend the forums here at anandtech. You guys rock, especially when compared to flamers often found on other forums.

I recently purchase an Antec Sonata for a case I was building. The thing was nice, but it scratched easily and was pretty pricey. Also, despite its sound levels being low, I would prefer a quieter case.

So is there anything else which you guys could recomend? It should have good airflow and preferably be aluminum. Or do you guys think I should just settle with a Sonata (since it can be obtained for 80 bucks plus tax) and mod it to be as quiet as posible.

I appreciate any tips.
Thanks!

 

[Budman]

You're overclocking just about everything in your system, but how do you keep it cool? Share your secrets and classic cooling experiences here as well as discuss the answer to the age old question, "which case is best for me?"

Cases & Cooling

 

[50]

You probably want to put this in the cases and coolings forum...

 

[karmasalad]

Originally posted by: kingofbongo
Hi there,

Before I say anything. I just wanted to commend the forums here at anandtech. You guys rock, especially when compared to flamers often found on other forums.

I recently purchase an Antec Sonata for a case I was building. The thing was nice, but it scratched easily and was pretty pricey. Also, despite its sound levels being low, I would prefer a quieter case.

So is there anything else which you guys could recomend? It should have good airflow and preferably be aluminum. Or do you guys think I should just settle with a Sonata (since it can be obtained for 80 bucks plus tax) and mod it to be as quiet as posible.

Replacing the PSU in the Sonata will go quite a way in quieting it down. Look for something from Fortron or better yet, Seasonic.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Seasonic are at directron.com and supposedly at Frys. www.silentpcreview.com is a good resource for quietness.

Another good starting case for quieting is the Antec SLK3700 since it takes 120mm fans (run at low RPMs for the same or more airflow as a loud 80mm) and it has the hard drive grommets.

 

[karmasalad]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Another good starting case for quieting is the Antec SLK3700 since it takes 120mm fans (run at low RPMs for the same or more airflow as a loud 80mm) and it has the hard drive grommets.

Actually, if memory serves correctly, the Sonata is just a modified version of the SLK3700.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Actually, if memory serves correctly, the Sonata is just a modified version of the SLK3700.

They're similar, but:
- a different hard drive cage (both use grommets)
- different fornt ports location
- no side panel "antec" holes on the 3700 (so airflow is all from front to back)

Look at the pics at newegg to compare them. I have a server in the 3700 and it's a good case.

 

[karmasalad]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Actually, if memory serves correctly, the Sonata is just a modified version of the SLK3700.

They're similar, but:
- a different hard drive cage (both use grommets)
- different fornt ports location
- no side panel "antec" holes on the 3700 (so airflow is all from front to back)

Look at the pics at newegg to compare them. I have a server in the 3700 and it's a good case.

Yeah, that's what I meant by modified; that it was based on the SLK3700. 🙂

 

[ethebubbeth]

Getting a quiet cpu cooling solution might help you more than going for a quiet case, in my opinion

 

[karmasalad]

Originally posted by: ethebubbeth
Getting a quiet cpu cooling solution might help you more than going for a quiet case, in my opinion

Yes, it'd be helpful to know what the specs of your machine are. Even the "quietest" case won't help if you've got a pair of WD banshees howling away in your PC. 🙂 After quieting down my systems, the loudest thing has almost always been the hard drive.

 

[RalfHutter]

Originally posted by: karmasalad

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Actually, if memory serves correctly, the Sonata is just a modified version of the SLK3700.

They're similar, but:
- a different hard drive cage (both use grommets)
- different fornt ports location
- no side panel "antec" holes on the 3700 (so airflow is all from front to back)

Look at the pics at newegg to compare them. I have a server in the 3700 and it's a good case.

Yeah, that's what I meant by modified; that it was based on the SLK3700. 🙂

Naah, it's not based on the SLK3700 at all. The chassis is a different size, the sheetmetal is a different size and design. The door latch mechanism is completely differet. The front and rear panel/grills are completely different, the plastic bezels are completely different. All the interior drive cages are different designs and shapes. As far as I can see there is actually not one part (except the HDD grommets) on either case that will fit on or has been adapted from the other case.