Question Sleeper PC case question.

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Mr. Nine

Junior Member
Sep 8, 2020
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Real simple question. Looking to build a sleeper and research days the sleeper cases (even if ATX) may not fit TODAY'S ATX.

I'm just after aesthetics here. 90s kid. If modern ATX with the old beige look existed I'd get it. Are there any cases like this that would not require any modding on my end?
 
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Fanatical Meat

Fanatical Meat

Lifer
Feb 4, 2009
34,553
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Do you mean sleeper in the car sense. That means a boring looking car that is very powerful?
Like a PC case that looks very boring and old school but has great heat performance or very low sound?
I need more info as to what you are looking for.
 
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Mr. Nine

Junior Member
Sep 8, 2020
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Fanatical Meat said:
Do you mean sleeper in the car sense. That means a boring looking car that is very powerful?
Like a PC case that looks very boring and old school but has great heat performance or very low sound?
I need more info as to what you are looking for.
Click to expand...
Sleeper: the outer case is the boring, beige\grey you grew up with as a child. But inside, all components are modern and powerful.

Specifically, I'm asking if any such case exists that has modern amenities in mind. Proper atx accomodations, good air flow. So that I don't have to modify it.
 
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Fanatical Meat

Fanatical Meat

Lifer
Feb 4, 2009
34,553
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Mr. Nine said:
Sleeper: the outer case is the boring, beige\grey you grew up with as a child. But inside, all components are modern and powerful.

Specifically, I'm asking if any such case exists that has modern amenities in mind. Proper atx accomodations, good air flow. So that I don't have to modify it.
Click to expand...

Totally get it.
My Phantek P600 is pretty unassuming from the outside but has tons of great options inside, plus two hinged side doors!
There is a windowed and non windowed version. No beige.
There is that etherloo case I forgot the model but it’s pretty boxy and has the big vent on the front. No sure if there is a solid side option. No link but someone will know which one I’m talking about or do a search.
 
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Mr. Nine

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Sep 8, 2020
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Fanatical Meat said:
Totally get it.
My Phantek P600 is pretty unassuming from the outside but has tons of great options inside, plus two hinged side doors!
There is a windowed and non windowed version. No beige.
There is that etherloo case I forgot the model but it’s pretty boxy and has the big vent on the front. No sure if there is a solid side option. No link but someone will know which one I’m talking about or do a search.
Click to expand...
Hoping someone chimes in with a beige option.
 
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Steltek

Steltek

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Mar 29, 2001
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Brings back memories of those old Enlight 7230/7237 steel cases. SECC steel panels, came with a 300 watt power supply. They were also the ugliest beige you could imagine. But, they fit both baby AT and ATX motherboards, so you could build anything in them at the time.

BTW, if you find a case you can live with, pick up some beige spray paint, tape off the ports/LEDs, and go to town on it. Spray painting really wouldn't constitute what I'd consider "modding" a case.
 
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Mr. Nine

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Sep 8, 2020
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Steltek said:
Brings back memories of those old Enlight 7230/7237 steel cases. SECC steel panels, came with a 300 watt power supply. They were also the ugliest beige you could imagine. But, they fit both baby AT and ATX motherboards, so you could build anything in them at the time.

BTW, if you find a case you can live with, pick up some beige spray paint, tape off the ports/LEDs, and go to town on it. Spray painting really wouldn't constitute what I'd consider "modding" a case.
Click to expand...
It'll interfere with cooling and longevity and the paint only lasts for a few months.
 
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Fanatical Meat

Fanatical Meat

Lifer
Feb 4, 2009
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Mr. Nine said:
It'll interfere with cooling and longevity and the paint only lasts for a few months.
Click to expand...

Yeah you’d need to go to a body shop to get one painted well and durably.
Spray paint doesn’t cut it for something that is plastic & sealed metal unless you have amazing patience and skill to sand, prime and paint it.
 
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DAPUNISHER

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
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CU said:
What about old ATX cases doesn't work with newer ATX MB's? I haven't heard that before.
Click to expand...
Same here. I have replaced the internals 3 times now, in my M-I-L's system. Case is around 15 years old, looks like new. Looks like the one in the pic below, that I found doing a quick search.

img_20180305_110649-jpg.97971
 
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aigomorla

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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Can't Do Sleepers...
Boring cases do not offer the fan mounts needed unless were talking like a modern sleeper like a fractal.

TRUST ME on this..
Your much better doing a system out of per say a LianLi O11 over that chieftek, as you will have A LOT more cable routing options for cleaner build, as well as almost ever single compatibility for any modern GPU + rear board nVME + AIO Watercooler on the market.
Old cases do not offer USB3.0 3.1 or even type-C ports.

Leave the sleepers to modders with dremels and cars please.... do not torcher yourself in your build when you get a old antiquated case to build modern parts in. A perfect analogy would be, you don't want to drop in a hellcat redeye engine inside a old charger without extensive modifications.
Same can be said in the PC World... old cases even are limited to 92mm over the 120mm we more commonly use.

CU said:
What about old ATX cases doesn't work with newer ATX MB's? I haven't heard that before.
Click to expand...

This has to do with some cases which support underside nVME.
Also old cases do not have a hole in the rear of the motherboard plane like modern cases do.
This helps when installing a cpu which requires a mounting bracket without you having to pull the board out.

If the cases is honestly more then 5 yrs old, i always recommend a re evaluation on the case.
It may be time for you honestly to get a new one unless your absolute about not having RGB, which then you can replace the fans to non RGB ones.
 
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CU

Platinum Member
Aug 14, 2000
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aigomorla said:
This has to do with some cases which support underside nVME.
Also old cases do not have a hole in the rear of the motherboard plane like modern cases do.
This helps when installing a cpu which requires a mounting bracket without you having to pull the board out.
Click to expand...

That has more to do with being aggravating to work on than compatibility. Now cooling can be a problem on older cases. But, that is just a thermal design issue and depends on what you put in it. There are cool running modern gpu's and cpu's. You just cannot put the fastest cpu and gpu in a case with a few 80mm or 92mm fans in it and expect it to run without throttling.

Also the Chieftec is very moddable.
 
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aigomorla

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
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I did all my Liquid cooling setups using Zip Ties... i was called the ricer (also being asian) of liquid cooling back in my Xtremeforums days.... lol...

no clamps... bah... zipties ftw..

IMG_1260.JPG

Even The rad fans were held by zipties when i did not have the required screws.
IMG_1311.JPG

At the XS meet, people would joke, if they could not put a PC together inside a case, give me zipties, and i could do it.

Zipties has to be the greatest invention of mankind, next to velcro and instant noodles.
 
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aigomorla

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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Mr. Nine said:
!!!
What? Say more words?! I can get the old school aesthetic in a modern package? Please point me in the right direction!
Click to expand...

Look for the fractal design 7.
That is about as old school as your going to get.

Everything else is a bit high tech and modern with RGB's.
But i would honestly still as you to consider looking at a LianLi O11, and some Phantek cases as well.
NXZT also has a few which are pretty minimalistic, yet offer excellent options for fan mounts and USB 3.0.

I honestly would not and can not recommend you getting a case pre circa 2007.
You would have a heck of a hard time with cable routing, and not many of them are SSD 2.5" friendly.
 
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