Smaller microATX case to replace Thermaltake Soprano V900?

[highlanderfil]

My current system is housed in the aforementioned case which I really liked in photos, but didn't realize just how huge it was until I saw it show up on my doorstep. Think Leonard in the Big Bang Theory episode where he buys a time machine replica. I went through with the build but now I'd like to improve the aesthetics of my home office somewhat and this huge lunk of metal doesn't really do it for me, so I'm looking for something smaller and better-looking. My main requirements are:

- At least two external 5.25" slots (one for a combo drive, one for a fan controller/card reader, so either no door or one that can accomodate it)
- Able to house an XFX Double Dissipation Radeon R9 290X (11.61" x 5.63")
- Relatively quiet. To that end I am not against getting a different heatsink/fan combo for my i7 (most of the internals are from a re-homed Dell XPS8700, so the HSF are bone stock) - is the CoolerMaster 212 still the class of the bunch? I tried it a couple of times and found it very difficult to install.
- A welcome bonus would be if it was any color but black.
- Goes without saying, but it needs to be substantially smaller and lighter than the Soprano (which is 18 x 8.7 x 20"), but not as tiny as the BitFenix Prodigy, a substitute that I tried and found to be too difficult to work with.
- Under $150

I wouldn't be totally opposed to switching directions and going with a case that omits the 5.25" slots, but it would still need to house the GPU and the other components at a reasonable temperature and have some semblance of a cable management system. The Prodigy was very messy in that regard.

Thanks!

 

[Puffnstuff]

I'm curious as to what solution you come up with for this case. I've got a HAF 932 that is entirely too large now that I've quit water cooling and don't run sli anymore. In addition to being too large it's way too heavy and I was considering moving to a smaller atx case myself that has 3 external 5.25" bays and at least 3 3.5" internal drive bays along with enough room for my Enermax power supply and clearance for my hsf to clear the side.

 

[highlanderfil]

I'm curious as to what solution you come up with for this case. I've got a HAF 932 that is entirely too large now that I've quit water cooling and don't run sli anymore. In addition to being too large it's way too heavy and I was considering moving to a smaller atx case myself that has 3 external 5.25" bays and at least 3 3.5" internal drive bays along with enough room for my Enermax power supply and clearance for my hsf to clear the side.

I've been looking at a Bitfenix Neos, but it's kinda blah, in my opinion.

 

[aigomorla]

Not gonna get smaller then that for Mid tower.

Fractal Design r4:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...m_re=fractal_design_r4-_-11-352-020-_-Product

Corsair 450d:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139042

both have what ur looking for.
Both are great cases imo, and in the size your asking.

I think the Fractal is probably more best bang for buck tho.
Also has side panel noise damping material.

If you want smaller there is a lian li... however u may need to remove the drive cage for a larger card to fit in:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112468&cm_re=lian_li-_-11-112-468-_-Product


its best to let us know what size motherboard you have.
Because things can get smaller with a ITX board vs ATX board.
The prodigy is an ITX board base, so im assuming you have an ITX?

There arent many small cases with 2 x 5.25 inch bays that are tiny and in ITX size.

 

[highlanderfil]

Not gonna get smaller then that for Mid tower.

Fractal Design r4:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...m_re=fractal_design_r4-_-11-352-020-_-Product

Corsair 450d:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139042

both have what ur looking for.
Both are great cases imo, and in the size your asking.

I think the Fractal is probably more best bang for buck tho.
Also has side panel noise damping material.

If you want smaller there is a lian li... however u may need to remove the drive cage for a larger card to fit in:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112468&cm_re=lian_li-_-11-112-468-_-Product


its best to let us know what size motherboard you have.
Because things can get smaller with a ITX board vs ATX board.
The prodigy is an ITX board base, so im assuming you have an ITX?

There arent many small cases with 2 x 5.25 inch bays that are tiny and in ITX size.

I have an ATX - there's a version of the Prodigy that is ATX-compatible.

Appreciate the suggestions. I'd be OK going down a size, as well or going without optical, but it would still have to fulfill the other requirements.

 

[lehtv]

I have an ATX - there's a version of the Prodigy that is ATX-compatible.

No, there's Prodigy-M which supports microATX boards. There is no Prodigy for ATX boards.

I'd be OK going down a size, as well or going without optical, but it would still have to fulfill the other requirements.

Here are a few ATX sized options:

Fractal Design Core 2500 (37.8 liters, has 2 x 5.25")
NZXT S340 (38.4 liters, no 5.25")
Corsair 100R Silent (40.5 liters, has 2 x 5.25")

All could use an extra fan or two.

Your current case is 51.3 liters.

 

[highlanderfil]

No, there's Prodigy-M which supports microATX boards. There is no Prodigy for ATX boards.

How's this different from what I said? There's a version of the Prodigy that supports a version of ATX.

 

[lehtv]

How's this different from what I said? There's a version of the Prodigy that supports a version of ATX.

You didn't say "supports a version of ATX", which would've been obscure and imprecise anyway, given the vast array of different versions of ATX. You said "is ATX-compatible". If a case is ATX-compatible, it has to have the necessary space and mounting holes for an ATX-sized motherboard. That's what ATX-compatible means. Prodigy-M is not ATX-compatible, it is microATX-compatible.

 

[highlanderfil]

You didn't say "supports a version of ATX", which would've been obscure and imprecise anyway, given the vast array of different versions of ATX. You said "is ATX-compatible". If a case is ATX-compatible, it has to have the necessary space and mounting holes for an ATX-sized motherboard. That's what ATX-compatible means. Prodigy-M is not ATX-compatible, it is microATX-compatible.

Fair enough. I guess microATX it is.

 

[highlanderfil]

Thread title edited, thanks, lehtv.

 

[lehtv]

Pretty much any microATX case will be a lot smaller than what you have - so I'd suggest not worrying too much about size and focusing on the features. For a quiet setup using a 290X graphics card, cooling is a big factor so you definitely want a case with at least 3 fans.

This is a really good case: Phanteks Enthoo Evolv mATX Gray $120
- lacks 5.25" slots in front, but can fit one 5.25" in the rear above the motherboard, using the included bracket
- max GPU length 12.52"
- 1 x 200mm fan in front and 1 x 140mm fan in the rear -- cooling performance is pretty good by default, and it'll be quiet as well as long as you adjust the fan speeds in motherboard BIOS
- fits any air cooler easily
- very good cable management
- 41.4 liters, or about 10 liters smaller than the Soprano - and much of that is due to extra width compared to other mATX cases. Otherwise it's quite compact - 4.3" less deep than the Soprano
- 19.80 lbs, it's actually a little heavier than the Soprano, but still quite easy to handle given the smaller size. You don't really want a quality case of this size to be much lighter than that (unless it's all aluminium)

If you want to go down a notch in size and weight, I'd suggest the cheap but not cheaply built Fractal Design Core 1500. It's almost another 10 liters smaller than the Phanteks, and weighs only 5.2kg / 11.4 lbs. It's a little more tricky to work with given less space for cables etc, and you'll want an additional 120mm fan or two.

 

[highlanderfil]

Ended up buying a DIYPC Cuboid-G for $59.99 from NewEgg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...i5Izao_hy4hNqHNjmGpiIaAhyh8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds)

The SD card slot sold me. this way I can ditch the fan controller (which was a nice throw-in feature for a front panel I essentially bought for its card reader) and retain the optical drive.

 

[lehtv]

I have to say, an integrated card reader is not what I expected to sway your decision. You can get a decent enough USB card reader for a few $ to use whenever and wherever you need it. But hopefully you'll like it . That's essentially the same case as SilentiumPC Alea M50 sold here in Europe, it's a Polish company and Polish reviews of the case have been favorable:

http://www.benchmark.pl/testy_i_recenzje/silentiumpc-alea-m50-test/strona/23836.html

Pros:
- plenty of space for CPU cooling
- plenty of room for expansion cards
- five seats for fans (two included)
- place on the radiator type 240 or 280 mm
- filters and anti-dust caps
- plenty of space for wiring arrangement
- very attractive price

Cons:
- soft touch coating is susceptible to soiling
- Problems mount the upper filter

http://itpc.net.pl/recenzja-silentiumpc-alea-m50/6/

Advantages:
- Comprehensive front panel with a card reader
- Compatible with micro ATX boards
- curious look
- Both panels of plexiglass window
- dust filters
- Good ventilation
- The versatility of the interior
- Price

Disadvantages:
- Too short cables from the front panel
- There are no rubber feet
- One USB 3.0 port

Just make sure your power supply is not longer than 160mm, especially if it's modular. There's not a lot of space for cables next to the hard drive tray. The power supply in this photo is 160mm deep:

 

[highlanderfil]

I have to say, an integrated card reader is not what I expected to sway your decision.

Thanks for the details.

Yeah, I wouldn't think it would be this important, either. I saw plenty of cases that I liked that didn't have 5.25" bays (the Raijintek Styx Classic is gorgeous, especially in blue and actually has a slim optical slot on the side, although I did just find out my GPU won't fit), but I really don't want to deal either with USB readers or hooking up my camera via USB those few times that I will need to do so, so...go figure. I never thought an auto pop-up trunk would be the most important for my wife in her car selection, either.