NZXT S340 vs CM N600 and others.

[Randy Squirrels]

My current case is really annoying me. There are no dust filters anywhere and I haven't seen any place around here that sells canned air. It has 2 80mm fans that don't push any air at all and my cpu temperature is 67 Degrees Celsius according to SpeedFan

I really like the look of NZXT's S340 but it doesn't include any front fans and apparently you can hear the drives vibrating. I also like the look of CM's N600, Corsair's 230t and perhaps Fractal Design's Core 3000 USB 3.0.

Could anyone help me on deciding which of these to choose between the ones I mentioned above or perhaps some other ones you know about?

All help is appreciated

 

[King Kevain]

Every case will get dusty regardless, filters or not, if you do not have your fans setup correctly.
You want the case fans to draw slightly more air in than they evacuate to create a positive pressure in the case - this avoids dust being drawn in from the rear PCI slots, drive bays and any other gaps or open vents. You want the Air inside the case looking for all those gaps to try and squeeze out of, not the reverse.

Largely the case selection will come down to your existing Hardware you want to put in it - you will need to find the form factor of the PSU and GFX cards you have installed, and how tall the Cooler on CPU is. If you have a Radiator, how big is it and could it be front of base mounted instead of top Rear (i.e. how long are the tubes). Less critical, how many drives do you have? SOme cases you only fit the larger GFX cards if you remove the drive bays, so if you have more than 3, it can be a problem.

 

[Randy Squirrels]

All the cases I have chosen are compatible with my build, I've done my research. Which case would you choose?

 

[Trossa]

You again.

The small mid towers (that seems to be what you're going for) around that budget that I like are the 230T, S340 and the N600. Not too sure on the Core 3000

230T: Best stock cooling (probably). Meh build quality, no grommets included for hiding those cables
Pretty much dustproof with its positive air pressure. Have to pay extra for small side panel window.

N600: Rubber grommets included for a cleaner look. Hard to access front fans. The most USB ports of the 3. Includes a nice acrylic side panel window.

S340: The biggest dust magnet of the 3 with the fans in the stock positions. Good airflow because there aren't any obstructions. Great cable management with the bar that's included. HUGE side panel window that scratches easily. Best build quality with >90% metal construction. My favourite.

Decide from the features of the 3 to decide which one you like the most.

 

[King Kevain]

Agree with Trossa's comments - I'd go the N600, but that front panel is ugly as sin. Personally, I think a case should make a statement and if you work of the theory that you manage your air to control dust, the sealability/airtightness of the unit isn't that important as long as you filter the intake.

That said, my current case is this one - http://www.aerocool.com.tw/index.php/2013/08-august/36-case/pgs-b/129-xpredator-x3evil-black-information so not sure if I'm qualified to comment on 'ugly' cases

 

[Randy Squirrels]

Thank you both, going to go with the S340 because of the steel. Had a look at some reviews and the only thing about it I really don't like is the bottom PSU filter.

 

[Randy Squirrels]

Just so you know, I ended up going with the Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 because I found it on sale. It's going to arrive soon.

 

[King Kevain]

*Thumbs Up*