Roundup: Four Gaming Cases Under $150

[falchard]

I think they all look tacky and cheap. BTW I own a red and black Thermaltake Xaser VI to put this in context. I think the selection makes sense as these are the latest entries of the top case manufacturers. However, I just don't like many things about these cases.

a) Bottom mounted PSUs. Poor Air Intake of PSU, and a heat element eminating from underneath the motherboard and GPU.

b) Gray paint in some of the cases. It doesn't look as good as a more purpose chosen color.

c) Cheap plastic look.

 

[enzo matrix]

I don't really think you can give a recommended buy award after only comparing 4 cases.

 

[blue shift]

"We also have to question why anyone would want top-panel ports on a case that’s so small, since its only practical placement is on top of a desk where top-panel ports are hard to reach."

I have a mid tower sitting on the floor next to my desk right now. What's wrong with that?

 

[KT_WASP]

Good article, always nice to see cases stacked up against each other, rather then individual reviews. Hope you guys do this more often.

What I would really like to see is a roundup of cheap cases.. you know, like $50 and under or something. Maybe a "Cases for Cheap Bastards" article, lol. We know of some of the cheap cases, but there are so many out there that it makes your head spin when budget shopping.

I think its harder to pick a decent case when getting into the lower price ranges as apposed to the more expensive cases. A lot of people have to buy on a strict budget and would rather that the lion's share of money be put towards the internal hardware instead of the case itself. Anyone who builds know this... $10 here or $20 there can buy much nicer internals and it is always a give and take affair.

Show us "Cheap Bastards" some love Tom's !!

 

[lunyone]

CM 690 II??? Where's the under $100 or even the under $50 price point. These would make more sense to me, especially if your looking for a budget case and want to use the extra $ saved for a good PSU.

 

[davendork]

What makes these "gaming" cases and not high end workstation cases? What would be a high end workstation case? When I call it a "gaming" PC instead of a "work" PC that can possibly game, my girlfriend bothers me.

 

[Onus]

NONE of these made me think "wow, that's my next case!" Most were just too huge, or had deal-killer shortcomings. I could see how their looks might appeal to the gamer-as-teenage-boy, but I don't think I'm the only one who prefers a more unobtrusive case.
I'd also like to see a cheap case article, which really wouldn't have to be a review since I doubt there's been much change in that minimalist segment for years. A comparison table that calls out key features might be useful though. Of greater interest would be a competition among THG authors. Each gets the same cheap case, and a budget of $50-$100 to improve it (cost of common modder tools like a Dremel not required in budget). More/better fans, foam noise dampener, etc; what mods make a cheap case really decent, if such is possible?

 

[dark_lord69]

Personally I don't think it's worth spending $100 on a computer case. Cases that cost less than $100 can still cool just as well and sure they may not have fancier features but all of those extra features are just fluff and not nessary if you ask me.

I have:
Antec 300 Paid $45 @ Best Buy (with employee discount)
I have 2 front fans (120mm each)
One side fan (120mm)
One rear fan (120mm)
One top fan (140mm)
That's a total of 5 fans moving air with that much airflow I am able to overclock my CPU using a stock heatsync.
Phenom II X4 955 Black @ 3.6GHz @ 42 degrees after stress tests.
(FYI, the Heatsync and fan by AMD is the new type with heat pipes)

 

[Keiki646]

They for got one tower that has been very good to gamers that is the Azza Solamo Black/Japanese Full Tower . They have a Red LED with Black Case and a Blue LED with Black case , Blue LED with Black case is only 109.99 and the Red with Black Case is 119.99

 

[KupuAnd1]

I know this is an article of new Cases but I think neither one of them wins over the HAF 922 or the Antec 900 II.

If new products are less superior than old products it would be a good idea to let that now to the readers.

Just an idea. What do you think?

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Interesting review. Interesting results.

 

[youssef 2010]

The panel design resembles a plane's control panel

 

[youssef 2010]

I meant the top panel design of the element V

 

[kevith]

I find it difficult to understand, that enclusures at 150$, stuffed with lots of big fans (although you remove some before testing...?) and all the knowledge of today, regarding to airflow, mesh, materials etc. is unable to keep a high-end, yet fairly ordinary CPU cooler than 64C above ambient at the best! I mean, is that good enough? For a 150$ case?

In my Antec Sonata III, with two extra intake 120mm fans and the Tri-Cool at the rear, all at 5V, my Athlon II X2 250 runs at 3,6 GHz 24/7 at 38C max at full load. And my 4770 is running at 55C max at full load. It´s not totally silent, but it´s very quiet.

Well, I know that it´s a not-at-all-so-beefy system as your testrig, but still? There are none of the competitors here I will run out and buy tomorrow.

 

[terr281]

I agree with dark_lord69, in that I am a big fan of the Antec 300 case... at least before the introduction of the ATI 5xxx cards. A year ago, an Antec 300 case, included 140mm top fan, and separately purchased quiet and efficient 120mm fans for the other 4 slots worked perfectly well for almost all air cooled platforms. (Most tower style coolers will not install when setup to exhaust to the rear, but that is why the 140mm top exhaust fan is there.)

But, the longer ATI 5850 + video cards are making it so that everyone will be forced to buy "larger mid-tower" and "tower cases" if they build a gaming pc. But, then again, maybe that is the point...

 

[Onus]

The only thing that concerns me about a top fan in a case is the possibility of a spilled soda destroying the PC. It would add another inch or so to the height, but I've seen some mods that create a hood over the top of the case, ducting the air out the back. Does anyone build a case that comes like that?

 

[HavoCnMe]

I would pick the Cooler Master because of its 10.13" width, which comes in handy when you buy a Cooler Master V8 HFS (HUGE). JMO

 

[youssef 2010]

If you ignore the radiator fitting issue,CM Storm Sniper easily wins(that works for me because,I will probably NEVER use water cooling)

 

[xsamitt]

Well I finally have on order the case that really wanted.Should be here in 10 days.
The insidious 800D.looks like I could put a couch in there.Ir a 5970.
Have a look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX87TPid_po&NR=1

 

[volks1470]

I just read a review on the coolermaster 690. Looked to be a very good buy at $70.

 

[tobyevers]

Well, they could have included the new, revised edition of the Antec 900. Well, newish anyway

 

[saint19]

Nice, currently I have a TT V9 and is a very good case, the only problem is the power and reset button in the top of the case, aren't very solid.

 

[Fozzy Bear]

[citation][nom]falchard[/nom]a) Bottom mounted PSUs. Poor Air Intake of PSU, and a heat element eminating from underneath the motherboard and GPU.[/citation]

I don't know about the other cases, but the CM Storm Sniper vents the PSU out the bottom and directs it out from underneath the unit rather than most which blow the PSU exhaust up into the case towards the video card fans. This is how my Antec 300 was laid out and I pretty much hated it.

 

[Fozzy Bear]

the top picture of the cases lined up is nice... too bad the table beneath it doesn't match up to the order of the cases....

c'mon folks, that would have been such a simple detail... especially after nitpicking cases and declaring a winner from a flawed batch, lol.

 

[knottydog]

Love the case except for one major problem. You cannot have the power supply sitting at the bottom and expect to fit a video card (released in the past 6 years)in the lower PCI slot. I have a P6X58D mobo. The power supply prevents the card from fitting in the bottom of three slots. So much for triple SLI!