Need a nice looking, cool running case with good SSD support

[pulp]

I'm looking to upgrade my case because it doesn't have much room for cooling and I wouldn't mind a window and some better looks. The front panel USB ports also cause a USB over-current notice when I boot my PC.

So my requirements are:
Preferably mid, but full is okay
Width requirement: If down-mounted PSU ONLY the base width must be 8.5" or less, if PSU can be upward-mounted then other widths are okay too.
Space on the side(s) for 200-230 mm fan(s) while still using the Hyper 212 EVO
Adequate overall cooling
Support for atleast two SSDs and one HDD
Support for 11.5" GPU
Decent cable management
side window if possible

Specs:
i5-3570k
Hyper 212 EVO
ASUS P8Z77-V LE Plus
OCT ZT 650W
Crucial VLP 1600mhz 8GB
EVGA GTX 650 Ti Boost 2GB (Want to get a certain GPU which is 11.5")
Samsung 840 Pro 256GB
Kingston SSDNow V300 120GB
Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB
LITE-ON iHAS124-04

If the case requires add-on parts to accommodate multiple SSDs, please include those. The problem with my Rosewill Challenger is that there isn't much room between the board and the case, where the sata ports face outward from the edge of the board. There's also no way to use right-angle sata connectors on the SSD because they are so close together on the hard drive rack that the two cables physically cannot be plugged in. It's almost impossible to plug the cables into the motherboard because of the very limited room and the way ASUS placed the sata ports on the board.

Also wouldn't mind a fan controller, because my board doesn't support as many fans as I'd like to use. A touch screen would look nice, and I'd be interested as long as it functions well. One with knobs or sliders would be fine, functionality is more important than looks.

 

[pulp]

So, that connector powers the fan. What other connector comes off the fan?

Here's what comes from the front of the case panel that I don't have hooked up:
A molex with one end female and one end male and this:

http://puu.sh/4GsaK.jpg
(it has 3 pins there)

the other cables you see there are related to the fan controller

 

[tiny voices]

What comes out of the fan? how many connectors? With the fan connected the way it is not, you have it sinning but no LEDs?

Also, the case has a fan LED button, correct?

 

[pulp]

One connector per fan, with 2 pins.

yes the fans spin but the LEDs don't work.

the case does have a button to enable and disable the LEDs on the front fans.

 

[tiny voices]

So, there is only one connector on each fan? I though there were two. One for power and something connected to the front panel button to operate the LED.

 

[pulp]

Pretty sure I remember only one.. anyway the front fans are only using one connection each to connect to the fan controller.

The laziest way around this is to just go buy two normal fans I guess

 

[tiny voices]

There has to be more than one connector coming from each fan if you can control the led with a button. When you do is find the wire coming from the fan that connects to the led button on the case. You cut that wire and connect the 2 now exposed wires. This will complete the led circuit and the light will always be on when the fan is spinning. I have done this on multiple fans.

 

[pulp]

Maybe I can explain it better with these images...


View showing that the fans do have only one wire each: http://i.imgur.com/IJYDARi.jpg
Close-up of one fan: http://i.imgur.com/73fN8Pe.jpg
Fans from the front view: http://i.imgur.com/HboO02C.jpg

These are some of the unused cables I pulled out, the one with the white line is coming from the fan controller and the rest are from the Corsair 400R: http://i.imgur.com/HR87oQ7.jpg

This is the molex that has female/male connectivity and the two plugs (all come from the front panel of the 400R): http://i.imgur.com/tjlXGz5.jpg

This is actually what the connector looks like coming from the 400R's front fans: http://i.imgur.com/CMKxD43.jpg

Here's the connector from the NZXT controller that accepts the case fans: http://i.imgur.com/cVczdnE.jpg

 

[tiny voices]

I really don't know what to tell you.

What makes the case fans light up. What needs to be plugged in in addition if there is only one plug from the fan? If the fan is spinning and there is only one connector, it should light up, no? If nothing else gets connected to the fan, what makes it light up?

 

[pulp]

I don't know

 

[tiny voices]

We are missing a key piece of info. If the fan has only one connector, then it would light up when you connect it to power. Do you have it connected to the motherboard directly?

 

[pulp]

no, the fans are connected to the controller. I think I'll just buy two more XIGMATEK fans for the front.

Also need another burner because suddenly mine decides it doesn't want to open, even after trying to eject it with a pin in the hole.

Mouse pad bothering me, it's curling up closest to me and has been for some months now...

 

[tiny voices]

I cannot stand mouse pads. I bought a HUGE one. Its like 16"x16". that way my hand doesn't have to be anywhere near the edges.

The DVD burner is cheap. $15 so that shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[pulp]

I cannot stand mouse pads. I bought a HUGE one. Its like 16"x16". that way my hand doesn't have to be anywhere near the edges.

The DVD burner is cheap. $15 so that shouldn't be a big deal.

Yeah, "burners are cheap" is the same thing I said. Based on reviews I'll probably get this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0033Z2BAQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1B16S9HEII11V

Front (faint) purple LED 120mm 2-pack of fans: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AYA7752/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Also came across this and I'm thinking about trying it out.. looks interesting: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RWT2IY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1S9W9A986D3KF


The current cooling situation seems to be working out well: http://puu.sh/4Hha6.png

With Ungine Heaven 4.0 (Extreme profile) running 5 minutes: http://puu.sh/4HhcS.png

Prime95 Blend test 5 minutes (4.2Ghz): http://puu.sh/4Hhgz.png

Those are actually with the case open, because I had the side and front panels off and was messing with the DVD drive earlier.

 

[tiny voices]

Fans look fine and the DVD drive is good as well.

I don't know anything about the LED controller. I personally do not like LED strips in computers.

 

[pulp]

I've never had the chance to try it, so I guess I will find out.. lol

Oh and about mousepads.. I've been using a Razer Goliathus since February and it's a great pad but like I said it curls up after a while. I also like large mouse surfaces, this pad is 17" wide. Hitting the edge of the mouse surface sucks in general, and in shooters high sens makes no sense. All you need is to be able to comfortable do a 180, not 360 or more.. This mousepad has served me well in Enemy Territory and other games, but the curling is really starting to get on my nerves.

I use it with a g500 and hyperglide feet

Wow, Logitech finally made mousepads.. I think I'll try the G440, it's hard and 13" wide.

 

[tiny voices]

I use a Corsair M95 and a no-name 'over sized' mouse pad I bought from micorcenter.

I do not personally like a hard mouse pad.

 

[pulp]

I use a Corsair M95 and a no-name 'over sized' mouse pad I bought from micorcenter.

I do not personally like a hard mouse pad.

Haven't ever owned a hard pad.. hoping it will work out well.

 

[tiny voices]

I always had an issue with a scratching sensation every time there was a speck of dust between the pad and the feet of my mouse. It got rather annoying so I switched.

 

[pulp]

After a few days of waiting, Corsair replied saying that the fans can "only be used" with the front panel and not a fan controller. I'm not necessarily saying they are correct, just making a note that they aren't willing to even try to give a method. It's bad enough the connectors aren't the standardized ones..

 

[tiny voices]

Yeah, that does kind of suck. I would just replace them with standard fans then.

 

[pulp]

Yeah, that does kind of suck. I would just replace them with standard fans then.

Yeah, got two of the same kind of fans but in 120mm size with a slightly different tone of color

 

[tiny voices]

Sounds like a good call. They will connect right to the fan controller wit the 3-pin. The LED brightness will increase and decrease as you raise and lower the fan speed.

 

[pulp]

Sounds like a good call. They will connect right to the fan controller wit the 3-pin. The LED brightness will increase and decrease as you raise and lower the fan speed.

yeah just like the 140s

 

[tiny voices]

Exactly.