Zalman Z11 Plus vs Antec 302

[ssj58trunks]

Hello I'm building a new rig and want a budget case under $60. Here are my parts: CPU: i5 3570k
GPU: Sapphire Radeon 7850 2GB
RAM: G.Skill 4 GB Ripjaws 1600
PSU: OCZ ZS 550W
HDD : 500GB Seagate Barracuda 7200 RPM
CD/DVD : Samsung 22x Burner
Mobo: ASRock Z77 Pro4
Im currently looking at the Z11 Plus : http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0386580 and the Antec 302: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0383857 . I really like the look of the Z11 Plus and the fact that it has 5 fans compared to the 2 of the 302. However I have heard of problems in cable managment in the Z11 Plus I also don't like the fact that you need to route the USB 3.0 cables to the back for them to work. Thanks for your help I just want maximum cooling and cable management.

 

[Maximilian]

Zalman looks like a tacky nightmare, i would take the 302 over anything zalman make. My old 300 is an awesome case, crap cable management but newer 300's and the 302's remedy this with more holes in the motherboard tray etc.

Whatever floats your boat though, maybe look at a cooler master for a 3rd alternative they've got a decent reputation for budget cases.

 

[ssj58trunks]

What about the Coolermaster HAF912? http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-...eywords=haf912 It is $50 is it worth getting a red LED fan to put as an intake in the front. Would that be better than an Antec 302 because there is no front fan slot for the 302. I do really like the look of red/blue leds on a case although these are not a requirement as I can buy a couple myself.

 

[Maximilian]

Yeah haf12 has a good rep, fugly IMO but functional. 302 has 2x 120mm fan slots:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/155/img0952m.jpg/

 

[infoiltrator]

Reviews are good on the Zalman.
The Antec 302 is an updated Antec 300. I am not sure it is any better than the NZXT Source 210 Elite.
Appearance is personal.
The HAF 912 is one of my favorite cases. It just works.

 

[ssj58trunks]

Well after reading more reviews I don't think the Zalman is for me so how does the Antec 302 compare to the HAF 912 in terms of cable management and airflow?