Whats the BEST case for a cheap price?

[bX510]

I am looking for a case that can hold 80mm fans and very good cooling and silent. Maybe a case that can use 120mm fans OR/and 80mm. I perfer steel or aluminum. Any recommendations? My budget is $60 and under.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Post this again 31 minutes later isn't going to get your more replies. Especially when the ones in GH are quite valid. Have you gone through FS/T like G-Y suggested?

 

[bX510]

Nooo, you took it wrong. I posted it in here, because i posted in wrong forum, and someoen told me to post here.

 

[Zepper]

The silver Beantech Igloo 1 at directron.com is by far the most case for the money I know of right now - I guess they are no longer made, so when gone they're gone...

.bh.

 

[Zap]

You want 80mm or 120mm fans and aluminum or steel... guess you covered just about all cases except the clear ones and ones using 92mm fans!

Antec SLK3000B is often recommended around here for that price range.

 

[bX510]

I can install a 80 mm fan even though its for 120 mm?

EDIT:
I have this FAN which comes with a FAN CONTROLLER.
http://www.thetechlounge.com/article/83/Thermaltake+XBlower/

I was wondering would that door beable to close if i put hte fan controller in.

 

[Zepper]

The 3000-B is designed for 120mm fans only f/r. Some other cases are set up to take any size fans. This one for example: ECE-4502. If you decide to get this one, you can get vibe dampers for your HDs direct from evercase as well as well as an extra hard drive cage if needed - you have to phone or fax as they have no eCommerce on their web site. Here is the web page for the evercase: http://www.evercase.com/newsite/2product/ece4502.htm . Scroll down the page a ways to find the list of accys that are available. I may have some of the cages and dampers available myself shortly.

.bh.

 

[KeithP]

I just purchased this case from Directron. It has a 120mm rear fan and a space for another 120mm up from. It is $38 plus shipping (no power supply).

I haven't built my system with it yet (parts are on the way) but I did look through it and it seems like a nice basic case.

-Keith

 

[Zepper]

Yes, the Compucase 6A19 series are nearly identical to the 3000-B/3700-AMB inside (all are actually made by the same OEM). They are excellent, but not designed to easily handle smaller fans - can be made to happen though with some simple modding. But the Ever Case unit comes from the factory set up to handle whatever fan you have. The 42x2 series of Ever Case(s) aren't set up to do 120s but can be modded. And they have better front ventilation design. So I'd recommend the 42x2 series for the OP if he wants to stay with those Tt 80mm fans. Excellent quietude OOB per SPCR.

.bh

 

[Kahlos]

Coolermaster Centurion 5. Simple, cheap and effective

 

[bX510]

Coolermaster Centurion 5, is it possible to put a fan on the side ? I like this case, but I want another place avalible for future fans.

 

[herm0016]

check out skyhawk cases. i have one and love it. its fairly quite with panaflo fans and a fan controler.

 

[Kahlos]

Dunno really check the site out

 

[lifeguard1999]

Q. Whats the BEST case for a cheap price?
A. The free one I picked up off the curb on garbage day.

 

[marincounty]

I second the vote for Skyhawk aluminum cases. Cooling is weak, but can be modified. Available from Dealsonic, among others.

 

[potato28]

Originally posted by: bX510
Coolermaster Centurion 5, is it possible to put a fan on the side ? I like this case, but I want another place avalible for future fans.

80mm fan can go in the top spot and a 92mm can go in the riveted area near the PCI slots.

 

[you2]

Alas the IGLOO1 are sold out I'm going to build a system and was thinking of getting one (I have a black kingwin kt-424 which i really like - only thing that bothered me about the igloo is that it was silver).

Guess I'll likely go with the more expensive Cooler Master PAC-to1 unless someone has a better suggestion. As you can tell I like plain squared off cases (not these things with curves and bends and flashing lights). Maybe the sonic ii would be ok. bleh. I really liked the kingwin kt-424. Then again at least the cooler master has better cooling!

 

[eljaye925]

I just saw this walking around the local Fry's.

Comes with a 380w smartpower and a nice matte black finish. I think they wanted $80, maybe it was $90.

Antec NSK4400

Nice clean look

 

[furballi]

SLK3000B with a decent PSU should cost about the same. Better case with excellent air flow.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Zepper found the antec SLK3000B at provantage.com for $31+ship. They are a bit high
on $hipping. YMMV

...Galvanized

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: eljaye925
I just saw this walking around the local Fry's.

Comes with a 380w smartpower and a nice matte black finish. I think they wanted $80, maybe it was $90.

Antec NSK4400

Nice clean look

The NSK4400 is an "upgrade" of the SLK1650B, while the NSK6500 is the same for the SLK3000B. I have to admit that this is something that I pretty much asked for -- a SLK3000B with better cosmetics. They threw in a PSU; can't blame them, but an option to buy a case without their default PSU choice (let me build whatever I want to build) would have been better. (I'm not entirely happy with, but don't consider the change from 1 120mm intake to 2 92mm to be very significant; it's a bit more of a hassle for sourcing, compatibility and downvolting, but could also work well.)

 

[Zepper]

Actually they are both more like the BQE series (SLK3700bqe, SLK2650bqe). They are definitely not Performance series cases. Nice that they turned the HD cage to the proper directon in the big one. The both have the vibe bushings for the HDs. The big one looks like they have the drawer type drive mounts like the Sonata and 3700BQE.
. The SLK3000-B is more like an OEM version for system integrators and VARs or hobbyist builders - it doesn't even have users' guide in the box - you have to DL it if you want one. I'm wondering if they'll make a similar version of one of those. We'll probably have to wait until the channel ls cleared of most of the 3000-B ($31.+sh at provantage). But it looks like Antec left off the 3.5" drive bays on the big one - big mistake IMO as lots of add-ons fit in those. I'm sure that decision will nip them on the arse... It looks like it would be considerably less expensive to make the 3000-B than the NSK6500, so maybe they'll keep on making it.
. If you want a similar case to the NSK6500 w/o PSU now, the Evercase/Ever Case/AMS EC-4292 or GC-4292 is it!

.bh.