Small/cheap mATX case

[kosha]

I really need a small/cheap mATX case. It needs to have two hard drive bays and doesn't need any 5.25" bays (I use an external dvd drive). It needs room for a possible future video card (currently using integrated video) and it would be great if it was a horizontal case. Any ideas?

 

[Quiksilver]

How cheap is cheap? Like <$100?

 

[kosha]

Yeah definitely under $100 preferably somehow below $50 or something but I"m doubting i would ever be able to find anything that low

 

[Zepper]

See the Athenatech A100 series and there are quite a few others like that. Here's a link to about 40 of them. Newegg's descriptions are so sloppy that you could probably find more by searching different ways. Try Directron.com too - next to the egg, they seem to stock the largest variety of cases.
And check eWiz.com for the Evercase microATX minitower. Compact, good air, takes a standard ATX PSU (of which I have several in my FS/T listing), just click the link in my sig below - one of the best of the type, IMO.

. And welcome to the forums if I haven't caught you before.

.bh.

 

[Quiksilver]

http://www.directron.com/sstlc13b.html
http://www.directron.com/htpc700ba.html

 

[LOUISSSSS]

http://www.performance-pcs.com...=304&products_id=20401
ultra microfly

 

[Zepper]

If you want a microFly, here's the deal: and they have more different models of the microFly if you'd rather, most with PSU.

.bh.

 

[gorobei]

Rosewill R379-SM Black/ Silver 0.8mm SGCC Steel MicroATX Slim Case Computer Case PSU ATX12V Flex 300W Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811147098

 

[manimal]

The ulta microfly is a good inexpensive choice. I built one up when they were 2o bucks AR and it cools better than my Sugo.

 

[Zepper]

The Rosewill R379-SM mentioned by gorobei requires low-profile add-on cards which limits your choices quite a bit.

.bh.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Zepper
The Rosewill R379-SM mentioned by gorobei requires low-profile add-on cards which limits your choices quite a bit.

Here's a review

There's a Radeon x1650 available and a Geforce 8600GT available as low profile. The Geforce is made by Galaxy, and might be available at NCIXUS.com. I have the Radeon, it is a Sapphire card with 256MB of 64 bit memory (most x1650 are 128 bit) so it isn't a speed demon, but Newegg was selling them for $40 with free shipping and a $10 rebate. I figure it's probably one of the best performing $30 cards on the market. It is Sapphire model 100164L-64 and it even comes with a low profile bracket - which very few "low profile" cards come with.

 

[gorobei]

Originally posted by: Zap

Here's a review

There's a Radeon x1650 available and a Geforce 8600GT available as low profile. The Geforce is made by Galaxy, and might be available at NCIXUS.com. I have the Radeon, it is a Sapphire card with 256MB of 64 bit memory (most x1650 are 128 bit) so it isn't a speed demon, but Newegg was selling them for $40 with free shipping and a $10 rebate. I figure it's probably one of the best performing $30 cards on the market. It is Sapphire model 100164L-64 and it even comes with a low profile bracket - which very few "low profile" cards come with.

[interesting. didn't even catch the removable drive cage part in the newegg summary. but i don't see where the listed internal 3.5 drive bay could go. it's a nice case, too bad there aren't many good low profile coolers that fit these kinds of uatx cases.]
I mentioned this case because the OP specified horizontal desktop ability. if igp is good enough for now, he probably isn't looking to throw a 8800gt in later. most slimline uatx cases dont have the psu for it anyways. BTW no footpads included if you do use it horizontal. (you can get a tube of silcone rubber caulking and make some though)

do a search of "low profile video cards" at newegg. the selection is pretty wide and covers a bunch of gpu(lots of older gen stuff). other than GF8400s, there's a radeon2400 and a GF8500. most come with the short brackets and/or a second short bracket for the d-sub15 port. HIS even sells a set of low profile brackets separately.(might not fit other brands, but if you're willing to dremel/tinsnip you could probably make it work)

 

[AmberClad]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: Zepper
The Rosewill R379-SM mentioned by gorobei requires low-profile add-on cards which limits your choices quite a bit.

Here's a review

There's a Radeon x1650 available and a Geforce 8600GT available as low profile. The Geforce is made by Galaxy, and might be available at NCIXUS.com. I have the Radeon, it is a Sapphire card with 256MB of 64 bit memory (most x1650 are 128 bit) so it isn't a speed demon, but Newegg was selling them for $40 with free shipping and a $10 rebate. I figure it's probably one of the best performing $30 cards on the market. It is Sapphire model 100164L-64 and it even comes with a low profile bracket - which very few "low profile" cards come with.

Hey...that might be just the thing for the budget HTPC I'm planning. Thanks guys.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: gorobei
i don't see where the listed internal 3.5 drive bay could go. it's a nice case, too bad there aren't many good low profile coolers that fit these kinds of uatx cases.]
...
BTW no footpads included if you do use it horizontal. (you can get a tube of silcone rubber caulking and make some though)

For case feet, just go to your local dollar store/Walmart/Big Lots and look near the tapes/adhesives area. They'll have various stick-on solutions ranging from felt to rubber to cork.

As for the internal HDD bay, it resides underneath the two external bays, at a 90º angle from them. There are little tabs for mounting screws.

Stock coolers work in these slim cases. The Intel coolers are especially good because they are cageless.

Originally posted by: AmberClad
Hey...that might be just the thing for the budget HTPC I'm planning. Thanks guys.

How budget and were you looking at the low profile Rosewill case? If so, check out SVC. They have this $20 Global Win case which seems to be similar but cheaper and comes with an Enhance branded PSU. I have that case and it works well. Main drawback is the exhaust fan is 60mm instead of 80mm like the Rosewill, but being that this case is aluminum, perhaps an easy mod.

 

[AmberClad]

Yep, I was referring to the low profile Rosewill case. I had a compact case in mind, one that I could just stick next to the TV, beside my consoles. That Global Win looks like it might fit the bill too - thanks!

 

[Zepper]

I'd pick this one as it can take full size cards. In either instance, a lot of case for the money. I Froogled both and SVC wins even with their absurdly high shipping charges... I might get one of each just for grins.

There was a fellow ATer here that built a custom job in the 1102 and I think he may have been looking in vain for another. If anyone remembers who s/he is, LMK. It was Zap, who reported the Global Win lo-pro case above...

.bh.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Zap
How budget and were you looking at the low profile Rosewill case? If so, check out SVC. They have this $20 Global Win case which seems to be similar but cheaper and comes with an Enhance branded PSU. I have that case and it works well. Main drawback is the exhaust fan is 60mm instead of 80mm like the Rosewill, but being that this case is aluminum, perhaps an easy mod.

I have that case as well. I built two rigs in it, one for my mom, and one for me. It works well, one rig has a C2D Celeron 440 and a Gigabyte 865G micro-atx board that takes C2D (no longer sold, sadly), and mine has a Foxconn 6150-based micro-atx board with a 3800+ in it. In mine, the 200W PSU gets very, very warm. I'm not sure if that's because of the power that I'm pulling, or the somewhat poor case cooling, but I'm afraid to overclock that machine, for fear I overload and burn out the PSU. It's kind of a custom size for the case, so I don't know where I would get another.

I have one IDE HD and IDE DVD-RW in it. I'm using a 24" rounded IDE cable, that just barely stretches between both the HD and the DVD drive.

All in all, I like that case. It helps that it's fairly cheap too.

There is a minor drawback. There is a beveled ridge around the ATX I/O panel. The 6150 board that I have has a DVI port, but it is spaced right to the bottom edge of the ATX I/O panel, and with that ridge around it, I cannot fit a DVI cable in there. It just doesn't fit. The VGA port on the board is offset a little bit, so I have to use a VGA cable. Not really a problem though, I don't notice the difference between DVI and VGA on this display.