Recommended Cases (Bitfenix/Corsair Style)

[Revolution 11]

I am in the market for a new case as I am buying my other parts. You can look at my part list below. My budget for a case is $100 but I would prefer something below $90. Rebates and codes are acceptable.

My brother recently bought the NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT for $80 AR and codes. The case arrived on Sunday, it is big, build quality looks excellent. But I can't look past the front and top case sides. It is not as flashy as some of Thermaltake's case designs but I want my cases simple, dignified, and black.

My dad's BitFenix Shinobi is the type of case design I want. It looks great but I am worried about temperatues. I have looked into the Corsair Obsidian line but am confused on which case would be better. Fractal Design and Lian-Li both have good styles but I have no experience about either company.

Should I just go for the NZXT case (about $80 AR) or are there good deals on simpler cases? Is the Shinobi that good of a case?

Brother's case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811146067

Part List
CPU = Intel i5-4670K (plan to overclock)
Mobo = AsRock z87 Extreme4
Cooler = Hyper 212 Evo
GPU = Radeon 7950 (planned)
PSU = Seasonic SS-660XP2 Platinum 660W
Case Fans = 2 120mm Fans (not sure on model)

 

[lehtv]

$80 AR is an excellent deal for the Phantom. It's a good case albeit quite plasticky and not exactly "simple, dignified and black". To fit those criteria I'd probably get Define R4, but at current prices it's just over your budget. It's been $80 after promo not long ago...

Currently nice deals:

Cooler Master N600 $50 AR
Corsair 500R Black $70 AR AP
NZXT H230 $60 (poor man's Define R4)

And a not-so-good deal but a good case nonetheless: Corsair 330R $90

 

[Zargon]

lehtv seems right on point

the nxzt h2 might fit the bill as well

 

[bononos]

........
My dad's BitFenix Shinobi is the type of case design I want. It looks great but I am worried about temperatues. I have looked into the Corsair Obsidian line but am confused on which case would be better. Fractal Design and Lian-Li both have good styles but I have no experience about either company.

Should I just go for the NZXT case (about $80 AR) or are there good deals on simpler cases? Is the Shinobi that good of a case?
......

The Phantom you linked is a good deal bigger with many 5.25" slots. For something like the Shinobi sized at <$100 theres no better deal than the Arc Fractal designs.
Arc is better because they manage to cram in removable side facing disk cages, holes for 14cm fans (2 14cm up front) all over, usb3 ports, a fan controller, good fan filter on the bottom and a sober all black no bling look. The other brands have some but not all of those features. Corsair is similar but seems to be missing a disk cage for better cooling, ok if you don't need plan to have many disks.

 

[Revolution 11]

The Phantom is a very nice case, I can admit it. And the price is also very good. But I can't get past the look. It's foolish and irrational, I know. Feel free to jump on the deal, I have seen the case in person, excellent build quality.

The Corsair 500R Black that lehtv mentioned is probably the case I will go for, while not perfect in style, it is still elegant. Thanks for the help, everyone.

 

[Entropism]

You can get the Corsair 400R for $50 refurb off the corsair site. I know it's a late reply, but I just got one and it looks brand new.

 

[Cebu]

You can get the Corsair 400R for $50 refurb off the corsair site. I know it's a late reply, but I just got one and it looks brand new.

You got a great deal on that case. I just went to their website and it's $99.00. Too bad because I would have bought it. Newegg has it for $89.99 with a $20.00 rebate. That is still a good deal but not as good as the one you got.

 

[Aikouka]

I was browsing Performance-PCs one day, and I stumbled across the Aerocool Dead Silence (DS) Cube. It reminds me a lot of a Bitfenix Prodigy, but unlike the Micro-ATX variant of the Prodigy, the board still lies flat in the DS Cube. I'd love to get one to tinker with it, but I can't seem to muster up a decent excuse to shell out the money for it.

 

[Z15CAM]

I recommend the Fractal Design ARC Midi R 2. Comes with 3 140mm Fans. you can mount a 280 Rad either on Top or in the Front. It's ideal for either the Corsair H110 or NZXT Fraken X0 AIO's . It will take a 360 Rad on Top if need be.

There's minor Mod to mount the Corsair H110 on top and OffSet it properly but you can easily clear the MainBoard with a Push-Pull Setup and still mount an Optic in the top Bracket.

I used to be a Bitfenix Shinobi fan but the Fractal ARC Midi 2 has it all over the Shinobi and it's generally a lot cheaper.