Please help me choose a case...

[cpp214]

Well, here I am again, calling upon the help of this great
community. In particular, I need advice on choosing a new
case.

I currently have a Rosewill Destroyer http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147144]
All things considered, it's not a bad case. In fact, I'd say it's one of the better cases you can get for it's price.
However, the included case fans are noisy, very noisy. At the very least, I'm going to have to look into getting
a fan controller, if not a fan controller + new, quieter fans. I could only plug one into my motherboard, and turning it
down doesn't help much at all. I have 4 total fans (120 mm) in the case.
On top of that, I am seriously thinking about overclocking my core i5 processor. In order to do that, I'm going to need a
good aftermarket cooler. I have narrowed my list down to these two:

Arctic cooling freezer: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134
Cooler Master 212: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

The Rosewill case is only 7.41 inches wide, and I'm concerned that I'm going to have issues fitting any aftermarket
CPU cooler into it.

As far as potential cases go, Newegg has some pretty good deals on right now.

They have the HAF 922 for $89+free shipping with a promo code.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197
The Antec 900 is $99+9.99 shipping right now.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021
The Antec 902 is $109.99+9.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129058
The Cooler Master Storm Scout is also $99+free shipping+$20 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119196
And this Lian-Li is $99+19 shipping right now:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112239

I'm definitely leaning toward the HAF 922. That seems like a pretty great deal
with the free shipping. If I wind up getting it, would you recommend that I add
a 200mm side fan, or are side fans overrated, as a lot of people seem to think?

All of these look like great cases with great airflow. Pretty much all of them
are about an inch wider than the Rosewill, and the 922 is like 10 inches wide.
It's pretty much a Full Tower. Do any of you have experience with any of these cases,
and if so are there any on this list you would recommend? I'd also be willing to
get a full tower if you think that's the best option, but I wouldn't want to spend
more than $150-60 max. I think newegg has the HAF 932 blue edition for like 149+9.99 shipping
as well. That would be about as much as I'd want to spend.
I should have looked into my case choice a little more thoroughly at the time.
But then again, I wasn't planning on overclocking then.

I'd like to have a case with built in fan control, but if it doesn't have one, I could just order a fan controller.
As far as fan controllers go, this one seems pretty good for about $40 including shipping:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811998038
This Zalman looks okay too, but it doesn't come with adapters. It's about $32 with shipping:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813999251
Are there any other cheaper, equally effective alternatives to these two, if I wind up needing
a fan controller?

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated. I just want to make the best possible move
here and choose a case that will provide great cooling as quietly as possible, while offering good room for expansion and upgrades.
I really should have thought of this before getting the Rosewill, I know. But it seemed like a great deal at the time for $60 and free shippping. It's not a bad case at all.
But I really think I should go ahead and upgrade the case now, instead of regretting it later on.

Or, do you think I should just relax, get a fan controller, and stick with the Rosewill?
Also, am I wrong in thinking that a good aftermarket cooler would have trouble fitting in this case?

 

[o1die]

Too many fans doesn't always equal a cooler case. All you need is one in the front and one in the back; both preferably 120mm. I found an atx htpc black case for only $30 on craigslist. I'll never go back to a big multi fan mid tower. Mine has only one 120mm fan that shoots air crossways, and a 140mm fan on the ps. Newegg has one 4 fan controller for only $12.99 plus shipping, but I don't know if it has adapters.

 

[fafner]

Both the HAF's have very quiet fans. They use 3pin connectors which mean you can connect them to you mobo and slow them down to make them even quieter. Both HAF's are wide enough to take pretty much any CPU cooler.

You may also want to check out the Cooler Master 690 II Advanced and Silverstone Raven 2. Both are the very best cases in their respective price range. Fans on the Silverstone are close to inaudiable on low setting yet its thermal performance is top notch. The 690 has the best features out of any $100 case I have seen.

 

[cpp214]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I've pretty much decided on the CM Hyper 212 heatsink.
It seems to be just about the best value in CPU cooling right now.
I'm a little uncertain as to whether I should add a second 120mm
fan for a "push pull" setup though. I've heard it can take an additional
2/3c off the cpu temps, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra $13-$18 for
a decent 120mm fan.

I looked at the Siverstone Raven you mentioned fafner, and wow, that's the best looking case I've seen by far. I just love the design and the cooling of that case.
I could get it for about $194 shipped with a coupon code I've got with Newegg, but that's a little higher than I wanted to go.

I've also narrowed my case choices down to the following:

HAF 922--CM Storm Sniper--Lian Li Dragon Lord K62

I guess I'm leaning toward the Storm Sniper right now, because it has most of what I'm looking for: 4 fans=great airflow, built in fan controller, dust filters,
and it's as big as the 922 which basically makes it a full tower for all intents and purposes. And I can get it for $144 including shipping. I'm just wondering if it's worth $55 more than the 922? I guess I'll still be struggling with this decision for the next day or so, but I don't want to wait too long, because that $89+free shipping deal on the 922 won't last long.

I guess the moral is, don't scimp on a case boys and girls. Don't be like me.
Do your homework. I'd even say that the quality of the case is now up there with PSU quality for me. Not to be taken lightly. Those two items will probably outlast the other components in your system by at least a couple years. Make sure you pick the right chassis to house your baby.

 

[fafner]

You can't go wrong with any of the 3 cases. All of them are good. The HAF doesn't have filters but you can do a ghetto mod. Google "jmcmtank Pantyhose Filters".

For my money I would still pick the CM690 II Advanced over them.

See it for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGvBjEmXJnI

 

[cpp214]

Well, I wound up ordering the Storm Sniper today.
It really has everything I'm looking for in a case.
After a $10 coupon I had, it was $144 including shipping,
which is a tad high, but for what you get it's not a bad deal.
Hopefully this case will last several years, and offer a lot
of upgrade room. Thanks for the advice.

 

[cpp214]

Best answer selected by cpp214.

 

[fafner]

Thanks for the advice.

No problem, dude. The Sniper has been around for quite a while and is very popular. If there is any hidden problems they would have been surfaced by now. It's a tried and true product.

As it happens I also ordered a case yesterday for a semi-new build. Have fun with your build!