Temp difference between a 'good' case and a 'bad' case?

[lkailburn]

Kind of just a general question to toss out there but is it possible to see substantial temperature differences between a cheap case and a 'good' case with air cooling? Assuming the 'bad' case isn't like a solid steel box with no vents on it. I've tried reading around this forum and google and you get a lot of mixed results that tend to be specific to the single case that was tested. My current case has only a minimal front vent and side vent. And the only two fans in it besides GPU are a Noctua 120mm exhaust and the 212+.

I noticed newegg has the 500R(which in white i think is a great looking case) for $120 plus a $30 MIR with free shipping bringing it down to a mere $90 shipped. It seems like a case worth keeping for multiple builds. Wasn't sure if its worth investing in or is it just something to consider if/and only if there are temp issues.
Share your personal experiences!

-Luke

 

[dma0991]

I don't think there is a bad case in terms of its ventilation. There might be a bad case in terms of features like cabling holes with grommet, positioning of HDD cage and basically anything that has to do with the layout of the case rather than ventilation.

Some cases are made for the highest airflow possible while some are made for silence where there are fewer vents or vents are sealed to contain the noise from seeping outside. Its a balancing act between each of these 2 characteristics and more of one would mean less of the other.

That being said, the Corsair 500R is made for more airflow than silence and I'm not too sure about the fact that it would last multiple builds. My Corsair 400R would probably not last more than 1 build, especially if I have very ambitious plans for a bigger watercooling setup. Wouldn't be a big deal if I used air cooling.

Cases won't make a huge difference in terms of temps. It is more dependent on how you manage the cooling in your case through bigger heatsinks, tidy cable management, positive pressure, negative pressure, etc.

 

[WiseUp216]

The Corsair 500r seems to be a case that some people love and others hate. Personally, I would recommend it.

I have the 400r and like it quite a bit. It is paired with a 212 EVO and a 670 reference cooler. I have a Bitfenix Recon fan controller with 5 temp sensors placed around the case and I've never seen a temperature that gave me any concern, FWIW. As far as I know, the 500r is basically the same case but with a different (better) side panel.

As far as noise, it isn't the quietest case you'll find. Some may even consider it 'loud'. It has never bothered me though, because my PC is ~8-10 feet away from where I sit.

I really like that it is a positive pressure design. It really keeps the internal components very clean. As long as you wipe the filters down every couple of months, it shouldn't restrice airflow. I have to since I have a dog that sheds a pound of hair a week.

It is hard for me to compare it to anything else, since this is my first build in 10 years or so. I don't have experience with any other modern cases.

 

[lkailburn]

Thanks for the feedback. Noise is actually on my list of important considerations since my PC is only 1foot from my feet under the desk. I'll be dropping in a new mobo/cpu(extreme4/3570K go figure!) next week and was just curious if my cheap Sigma case was actually hurting my temps. Now that i'll have some nice new stuff, it was on my mind.

-Luke

 

[WiseUp216]

Anandtech has a positive review of the 500r:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4972/corsair-carbide-500r-a-corsair-in-every-home

Looks like good thermals but noise levels are middle-of-the-pack.

 

[lkailburn]

Thanks for the link! Not a bad case at all. that was a really nice set of tests btw. The thor v2 looks great on paper, but I really don't want a full tower nor can i afford the gear to properly fill all that space haha. Will be keeping the 500R at the top of the list, maybe an XMAS gift to myself.

-Luke

 

[lehtv]

I would go with Antec 1100. It doesn't have as many fans but I like the space and the window and the overall looks better than the 500R. Noise/thermals are good, check out the reviews

 

[dma0991]

The Corsair 400R isn't that noisy even though I place it on my desk. Probably it is that silent because my fans are at a constant 50% speed or the sound is deadened by my headphones. How about the Corsair 550D instead? Has ample amounts of ventilation or silence depending if you would rather have more of either one.

 

[lkailburn]

The 550D does look nice but at that price it's outside what I would be likely be interested in spending. I can't see many differences between the 500R and 550D(aesthetics obviously) plus some foam on the panels?

 

[blastingcap]

A bad case either does not cool, or it cools at obnoxious volumes. A good case cools at good volumes.

I have a Corsair 300R and 500R and have used other cases. I can't really recommend the 500R at its price level. The fan controller is of limited use (use a mobo or dedicated fan controller like a NZXT Sentry Mesh), the build quality is mostly okay but the spring on one of the 5.25" bays popped out and it's almost impossible to put back in, and one of my USB3 ports disintegrated when I pulled a device out. Corsair customer service is a little slow but once they respond a couple of days later, they are very fast and good, so long as you're in warranty.

A Corsair 300R is a little too cheap imho, in that it doesn't even have mesh 5.25" bay covers or anything, just solid plastic. If they would at least drill holes into it, I could tape some dryer sheets to filter it myself, but nope, just solid plastic.

A Corsair 400R then, may be the best compromise in that series. The base fans should be adequate, and you can further dampen noise by getting rubber fan mounts and quieter fans that still offer some kick. You can also use AC filters or dryer sheets to paper over the huge holes that Corsair leaves in its side panels (can you say dust problem?!).

One thing common to all Corsair cases is how thick they are. That is important to fit 160mm tower coolers like 212/212EVOs and still have space left over for internally mounted side fans, AND have some decent space behind the motherboard to stash cables.

Antec is okay but suffers the same high-price problem Corsair suffers from.

If you want good but cheap, try getting a last-generation USB 2.0 case that is being discontinued just because it lacks USB 3.0 front ports, on sale for cheap. If you absolutely need front access to USB 3.0 ports, get a USB3 hub or extension cord to get access to the rear ports; or get a USB3 adapter to fit in your 3.5 or 5.25" bay if you have one.

Also know that unless you are watercooling or something, don't bother using the top fan mounts. Bottom fan mount, maybe.. if only to feed a power-hungry GPU or something. But top doesn't do much and can actually mess up your airflow. You'd be better off erecting a vertically mounted 120mm fan in your top three 5.25" bays (use foam packing material, tap, zip ties, whatever... and filter it!).

My favorite case ever: the CM Storm Sniper Black. Huge, quiet, sturdy, tons of bays, never broke on me, and the only reason I switched was because it didn't have native USB3 and I wanted to free up a bay that was occupied by a USB3-to-3.5" adapter. Stupid move on my part. Love that case, see if you can get it on sale for under $100 and add your own USB3 front ports via adapter if it matters that much to you (or a hub or extension cord).

 

[dma0991]

The 550D does look nice but at that price it's outside what I would be likely be interested in spending. I can't see many differences between the 500R and 550D(aesthetics obviously) plus some foam on the panels?

It is on the expensive side since it is part of the Obsidian series rather than the lower end Carbide series. Corsair will usually recycle some case design elements and interior of the 500R and 550D would most likely be the same like how the Corsair 600T has the same interior as the Corsair 650D.

What I like the Corsair 550D besides its silence is that the side panel comes off easily with a push of a button, much like the Corsair 800D. Non detachable thumbscrews are fine but definitely doesn't come close to the convenience of a button.

If you prefer more airflow than silence, then the Corsair 550D is not a better choice than the Corsair 500R. Its a matter of preference, performance vs silence.