Frustrated with case selection...

[69camaroSS]

By the way, can someone explain to me how that front intake breathes when the front door is closed?

-Brad

There is an air slot in the front of the case that pulls air in. dual 80mm cools this case just fine.

 

[bberson]

By the way, can someone explain to me how that front intake breathes when the front door is closed?
-Brad

There is an air slot in the front of the case that pulls air in. dual 80mm cools this case just fine.
OK, I see the air slots now that I checked the vendor's web page.

I'm sure the dual 80's cool just fine but I'm trying to keep noise down, so I'm sticking by my requirement for 120's. Period.

Thanks,
-Brad

 

[wimcle]

Do people really pay $100+ for cases??? Ive never paid more than $25 and thats with shipping. If it doesn't add to the fps whats the point

 

[WR2]

You should probably go with your first inclination.
I agree with bruce555 that the Antec 160 is a good choice. Its a quiet case, easy to work in and that rotating Firewire/USB bezel is excellent when the case is floor mounted.

 

[Natecannon]

that's like saying what's the point of having a nice paint job? It doesn't add to the horsepower.

Personally I paid more than $200 for my Silverstone TJ03 - it comes with a slew of features that make it a better case than some $25 thrift store p.o.s. I would never put my parts in a cheap case, I like having my hands free of cuts from crappy ass metal edges and enjoy being able to remove my mobo tray to make installation a breeze. Plus with the nice added fans my airflow is top notch.

To the original poster:

Personally, I couldn't really find any cases that fit all your criteria and think it's ridiculous to have so many restrictions for suggestions. Unless you make your own case, you will never meet all the criteria. Best bet is to pick a quality easy to use case with several of the points you need and deal with not having the rest, just in my opinion though.

 

[bberson]

Do people really pay $100+ for cases??? Ive never paid more than $25 and thats with shipping. If it doesn't add to the fps whats the point

I was initially inclined to ignore your attempt to hijack this thread and turn it into a series of banal wisecracks but... Guess what! A good case with superior cooling does increase fps on a Core 2 Duo. Or should I say, it prevents a decrease in fps when the CPU gets cranking and can't dispose of the heat sufficiently, and throttles back as a result.

If you're happy with a $15 case I'm happy for you. Now try saying something useful and relevant, if you can, instead of making a pointless attempt to raise your post count.

-Brad

 

[bberson]

Personally, I couldn't really find any cases that fit all your criteria and think it's ridiculous to have so many restrictions for suggestions. Unless you make your own case, you will never meet all the criteria. Best bet is to pick a quality easy to use case with several of the points you need and deal with not having the rest, just in my opinion though.

It's pretty much looking that way, yeah. The tough part is choosing the tradeoff(s) but with the generous help of many people here I'm well on my way to narrowing it down.

Take care,
-Brad

 

[bberson]

You should probably go with your first inclination.
I agree with bruce555 that the Antec 160 is a good choice. Its a quiet case, easy to work in and that rotating Firewire/USB bezel is excellent when the case is floor mounted.

Yep, it's probably going to end up being a choice between that Antec P160, the Lian-Li PC A16B, the Cooler Master Mystique 631, and maybe the Thermaltake Soprano. Gonna go scratch about it for a while...

-Brad

 

[sviola]

Have you tried the Thermaltake Armor?

This model does not have a side window, comes with 120mm fans and 90mm fans, has no front door, usb and firewire are on top, psu is on top and you can move floppy and power/reset bays as you wish:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811133163

Unfortunately, you have a top fan, altough you can select to disable.

It's also ready to take a wc system.

Edit: According to Thermaltake it can operate a total fanless system.

 

[bberson]

Have you tried the Thermaltake Armor?
This model does not have a side window, comes with 120mm fans and 90mm fans, has no front door, usb and firewire are on top, psu is on top and you can move floppy and power/reset bays as you wish:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811133163
Unfortunately, you have a top fan, altough you can select to disable.
It's also ready to take a wc system.
Edit: According to Thermaltake it can operate a total fanless system.

Nice case but the food processor (or food strainer, if you remove the fan) is the deal breaker.

Thanks!

 

[geofelt]

I have been a fan of the antec solo(or p150 if you like the PSU). The front has room for two 92mm fans which gives you tha airflow of 120's and more. The usb ports are about 1/3 up from the bottom, but you could always inastall some usb ports in one of the upper drive bays. I particularly like these cases because they have heavy insulated panels and are quiet. The front has a removeable washable filter which helps keep things inside clean.

 

[Space1Monkey]

I always like K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Here is the next case I plan to buy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811180043

Simple, sturdy, inexpensive. Pics make it look Grey, but is Black. Comes with 80mm fan, but I believe you can mount front and rear 120's in it.

 

[sviola]

Well,

This one doesn't have the "food processor", has 120mm fans, a stylish and sober look and its ports are on the top of the case:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811112108

The only thing you might not like is that it has an inverted position for the psu: psu on the bottom, mobo on top. From a thermal point of view this makes sense, as heat has a natural flow of going up to the top of the case, where the processor won't be.

 

[bberson]

This one doesn't have the "food processor", has 120mm fans, a stylish and sober look and its ports are on the top of the case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811112108
The only thing you might not like is that it has an inverted position for the psu: psu on the bottom, mobo on top. From a thermal point of view this makes sense, as heat has a natural flow of going up to the top of the case, where the processor won't be.

You're right, I don't like it.

From a thermal point of view you're just trading heat around the CPU for heat around the PCI cards, which is why Lian Li had to add that extra fan over the expansion card area instead of just having some small ventilation holes strategically cut over that area to allow the rear exhaust fan to pull air across them.

I don't see the point of moving a problem, and I think the bottom mounted PSUs are an answer to a question that nobody asked. If I were that worried about hot air in the CPU vicinity I'd use a BTX/TAC solution.

-Brad

 

[sviola]

Well, this one might be what you're looking for:

No windows, no fancy looks, no top hole, 120mm fans, psu on top:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811166030

The usb and audio are at the side of the case.

 

[bruce555]

Personally I think that you don't need much more than the two fans. The p160 has great open flow; your intake is not restricted at all besides the air filter. With my temp sensors, they never show anything above 30C, usually 28C, and I have some warm stuff in there. Plus my girlfriend has the heat cranked always and I think my bedroom sits at about 25C always, I can't stand it!!

I mean the case is great to work with, it's light, the motherboard tray is great and installing a motherboard with it never been so easy, I love the way it looks, and it's not a bad price.

 

[bberson]

Well, this one might be what you're looking for:
No windows, no fancy looks, no top hole, 120mm fans, psu on top:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811166030
The usb and audio are at the side of the case.

Wow, Sunbeam. I was looking at one of their keyboards last year.

The link you posted shows a case with a window.

And the ports are a little low...

Thanks!
-Brad

 

[Space1Monkey]

Well now I'm just feeling ignored. I at least expected it to be picked apart if you didn't like it.

I always like K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Here is the next case I plan to buy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811180043

Simple, sturdy, inexpensive. Pics make it look Grey, but is Black. Comes with 80mm fan, but I believe you can mount front and rear 120's in it.

 

[sviola]

Well, this one might be what you're looking for:
No windows, no fancy looks, no top hole, 120mm fans, psu on top:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811166030
The usb and audio are at the side of the case.

Wow, Sunbeam. I was looking at one of their keyboards last year.

The link you posted shows a case with a window.

And the ports are a little low...

Thanks!
-Brad

Sorry about the link. But on Newegg was the only sunbeam Silent Storm.
In their site it has the same model without a window.

http://www.sunbeamtech.com

You might like looking at the Zorro model too.

The acrylic one also has all the features you want, except it it's transparent.

 

[Slappy_Slime]

go to tigerdirect and look in the mid tower atx section, they have a lot of cases that you are looking for. It only took me 15 seconds to find more than one. "no blow holes, usb firewire & etc midway up, 120 fans, no power supply and reset/start button spaced far apart. etc etc etc etc. Look at the GIGABYTE cases nice and simple. but no front swing type door? Good luck!

 

[bberson]

Well now I'm just feeling ignored. I at least expected it to be picked apart if you didn't like it.

I always like K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Here is the next case I plan to buy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811180043

Simple, sturdy, inexpensive. Pics make it look Grey, but is Black. Comes with 80mm fan, but I believe you can mount front and rear 120's in it.

Yeah, I was getting tired of writing things like CAN'T YOU F'ING READ, I WANTED 120MM FANS YOU F'ING MORON, I ALREADY HAVE A NICE TOWER CASE WITH THOSE F'ING 80MM NOISEMAKERS DAMMIT", back-spacing, then typing something polite and "thanks anyway".

Feeling better now?

Happy holidays,
-Brad

 

[xBlueBoron]

I also wanted a simple sturdy cases and found many to seem to flimsy and cheaply made.

This is the caseI bought and am very happy with it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811165008

 

[Space1Monkey]

Well, I thought that since you can build a computer and as you said money isn't an object, you would realize that grabbing a couple of 120 mm fans and installing them would only inconvenience you by about $15 and 15 minutes. I didn't realize that replacing fans was beyond your technical savvy. For that I apologize. Merry Christmas to you too.

 

[bberson]

Well, I thought that since you can build a computer and as you said money isn't an object, you would realize that grabbing a couple of 120 mm fans and installing them would only inconvenience you by about $15 and 15 minutes. I didn't realize that replacing fans was beyond your technical savvy. For that I apologize. Merry Christmas to you too.

Would you like me to pick you apart some more??

 

[Space1Monkey]

Edited from origional post.
I was hoping for:

A solid, sturdy, conservative mid-tower ATX case, not something that looks like it jumped out of an anime cartoon, price more or less no object, aluminum or steel OK...

No windows. I don't need to impress anyone and Lucite doesn't help with RF interference.

No power supply necessary, I prefer to choose my own thank-yew-very-much...

Conventional power supply location so I don't have to grit my teeth over wire routing or mount the PSU upside-down, which just irritates my increasingly prevalent OCD side...

With 120mm fans only, front and rear, for quiet running, no blow-hole necessary. I refer to the top holes as "food processors" if ya' get my drift...

Hopefully a removable motherboard tray but I can probably live without it...

And USB/Firewire/audio ports located no lower than mid-height since the case will be on the floor (save your dust comments please), and no ports stupidly behind a main front door since it's a good bet the audio ports will be occupied full-time. Side ports OK but left side only.

-Brad

I was just trying to show you a case that fit the bill, except needing larger fans, which the case can accomodate and the MB tray is not removable, which you said you can live without. I can understand picking suggestions apart, no problems at all with that. But getting rude only gets you rude responses and turns people off from thinking about helping you in the future.