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Recommendations for most builder friendly case?

C

crimson117

Platinum Member
What's the most builder-friendly case on the market, that doesn't look awful, and doesn't have really bad features?

SFF up to mid-tower.

Recommendations?
 
that's a pretty broad question. 🙂 Pretty much any screweless case with a removeable mobo tray should fit the bill.
 
Antec Super LANBoy
Thermaltake Tsuanmi Dream

Lian Li makes very very artsy bland cases... real geometric and plain, looks awesome.

I'd recommend the Tsunami Dream overall.
 
The next case I buy will have a removable mobo tray. That is the only gripe I have with my Antec 1080Plus, although it's a full tower.
 
Don't forget to check out Coolermaster...

I'm waiting for the case Vantec is working on to hit the market. When it does, I'll be taking a serious look at it...
 
Any of the Antec/Chenming/Chieftec cases should fine. None have a removable mobo tray though.
 
Thanks for all your replies so far...

I've had the extremes, kind of. I worked on compaq desktops from 2000-2002 at my university, and they had every build convenience I could think of: Thumbscrews, hinged side panels, or side panels that you didn't have to get violent with to remove, snap in action for drive bays, little vent/hoods that helped improve airflow, everything.

On the other side, I've used an Aspire X-Dreamer lately, and other than looking pretty sweet from the outside, everything is inconvenient. I had to squeeze the motherboard in, had trouble getting my heatsink to fit, all the aluminum drive bays make it nearly impossible to remove a cd-rom without unscrewing your power supply and the case-top fan, or taking out an SATA hard drive without pushing aside parallel cables. Some of this is caused by motherboard layout (Abit AN7)... I have a decent job so I could buy new stuff once in a while, but I am hesitant to reconfigure my computer just because of how inconvenient the case is. I've only had this case since March 04.

Does the Antec Sonata have convenience features like the compaqs I described above? How about the Antec Super LANBoy or the Thermaltake Tsunami Dream?

Is there any case that hardware/benchmark sites prefer, since they reconfiguring systems dozens of times a day for various tests?
 
If you dont like cramped cases, i cannot suggest teh SuperLanboy. Its really kinda a burden to replace teh motherboard esp with teh 120mm fan attached tot he rear of the case.

Kingwin 424, LianLi PC6x series - I have had good luck with them for roominess and easy of use. The LianLi case has these push pin rivots for the fans. Those are really handy for normal fans. Also these cases are much more sturdy, use thicker aluminum than the SuperLanboy. Although, they are 4 lbs heavier.
 
Places that do a lot of testing generally don't even use cases - they use a metal jig that the mobo sets on right out in the open. That can be approximated by using the bottom half of a full-sized desktop style case...
. Let me add the Silverstone Berserker - the removable mobo tray can approximate the jig as it has toolless mobo mounts. Extremely easy to build up and it can be had with several different fronts on it.
.bh.
 
Originally posted by: Zepper
Obligatory nod to the Kinwin 424 series.
Click to expand...
Everyone should have at least one chance to assemble a system in a case like the KT-424. Put everything in but the cables, right out where you can see it all. Never any question about orienting the heat sink, or being sure that the back side of the clip is secure! Then it slides right in, easy as pie. Most of the cabling work will benefit from leaving the drawer slightly "open" until you have it all plugged in (especially the power switch pins).

Absolutely a joy to work with!


😀
 
I have a couple Enlight cases (midtower) that I'm not that crazy about. I picked up a mid-tower case for $25 at a computer show that I like well enough. It has USB on the front, is roomy enough, has places for two exhaust fans on the back (I cut out the restrictive grill on one), and an L&C A350ATX PSU, 350 watt, that was well reviewed by Mikhailovitch. I modded the PSU, replacing the fan with a panaflo and I drilled a LOT of ~5/16 inch holes in the bottom of the PSU for additional ventilation (drawing air in from the case insides). It has all the bays I could want. Seems fine to me, disassembles and reassembles easily (and without frustration, which I wish I could say about my Enlights) and is a fraction of the cost of most other cases, especially the Antecs/Lian-Li, etc.
 
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