Six Low-Noise, Performance-Oriented Cases, Tested

[banthracis]

[citation][nom]Luay[/nom]RV-03 pushes more air and cools better than the 02, but it's also louder.[/citation]

According Silverstone's Tony Ou, the RV03 at stock cools equivalent to a RV02. Also not sure where you're getting the louder from since it's 2 AP181's instead of 3 like the RV02E.

I'd be curious how the two 180mm fans vs. the three fans in the RV02 and RV02E impacts cooling performance.

Any input on this? Do you have RV02 or RV02E experience?

Our own internal testing has shown the RV03 to perform very similarly to RV02/RV02-E with Air Penetrator fans installed. This results is echoed with Bit-tech.net's test on the TJ11, which also has two 180mm fans:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2011/04/08/silverstone-temjin-tj11-review/3

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1600374&page=3

 

[ChromeTusk]

Aesthetics are very subjective, so everyone is entitled to his or her own options. In my opinion, the Sonata series and Define XL (even the PC-25s and H2 Classic) blend well in most office/home office environments.
[citation][nom]JohnnyLucky[/nom]I would think that hardcore gamers and enthusiasts would not be too concerned about noise because a lot of games can get quite loud.[/citation]
Unfortunately, for some of us, other members in the household do not want to hear all the noise coming from games or the PCs. Personally, I would love to use my 2.1/5.1 speaker systems more often, but it is not ideal during the middle of the night.

 

[dragonsqrrl]

[citation][nom]otherx[/nom]the rv03 is out at less $$$ you guys should do a rv02-E vs rv03 round in the cooling side and thats because the rv03 has more fans[/citation]
?? The RV02-E has 3x 180mm intake fans vs the 2x 180mm intake fans in the RV03.

 

[ChromeTusk]

?? The RV02-E has 3x 180mm intake fans vs the 2x 180mm intake fans in the RV03.

Maybe otherz got it mixed up with fan placement. I think the RV03 comes with 2 AP181 fans and a 120mm exhuast, but has options for upto 6 additional fans.

 

[greenback]

I'd stick with my nzxt phantom as it's not that loud with fans up and with headhones on while I game it wouldn't matter any way

 

[hellwig]

Any idea how the new Sonata IV compares to an older Sonata (circa 2003)? Not that I would buy the new one necessarily, but it would help to compare with these other cases. I'm hoping to upgrade just about everything if AMD ever releases Bulldozer, but I'm hesitant to spend another $150 on a case if my old Sonata isn't any worse than these guys. The only real difference between the Sonata IV and my case is the fans (old used multiple 80MM), but I used lower-RPM fans, they seem to run relatively quiet (compared to the stock Dremel motor running the fan on my old Radeon 4850).

 

[Crashman]

[citation][nom]hellwig[/nom]Any idea how the new Sonata IV compares to an older Sonata (circa 2003)? Not that I would buy the new one necessarily, but it would help to compare with these other cases. I'm hoping to upgrade just about everything if AMD ever releases Bulldozer, but I'm hesitant to spend another $150 on a case if my old Sonata isn't any worse than these guys. The only real difference between the Sonata IV and my case is the fans (old used multiple 80MM), but I used lower-RPM fans, they seem to run relatively quiet (compared to the stock Dremel motor running the fan on my old Radeon 4850).[/citation]You'll need to Google a Sonata comparison to see different generations of the case. Sorry, we don't have the older ones.

 

[ChromeTusk]

Any idea how the new Sonata IV compares to an older Sonata (circa 2003)? Not that I would buy the new one necessarily, but it would help to compare with these other cases. I'm hoping to upgrade just about everything if AMD ever releases Bulldozer, but I'm hesitant to spend another $150 on a case if my old Sonata isn't any worse than these guys. The only real difference between the Sonata IV and my case is the fans (old used multiple 80MM), but I used lower-RPM fans, they seem to run relatively quiet (compared to the stock Dremel motor running the fan on my old Radeon 4850).

Are you talking about the version with blue LED "headlights"? Here is a list of changes I have noticed:

Found on Sonata (gen.1)
2x 3.5" external drive bays
Firewire port
120mm fan mounting holes next to internal 3.5" bays, must use silicone mounts
internal layout is similar to Sonata III 500 -- 4x horizontal internal 3.5" bays

Found on Sonata IV
side vent (right, front) near internal drive bays
rear vent holes next to expansion slots -- used with Sonata Elite's blower fan
vertical internal 3.5" bays

My current rebuild inside the Sonata. Pardon the messy cable placement.

 

[gofasterstripes]

Just built a machine with the Fractal Define R3, lovely. Affordable, solid, nice cable management and quiet. The included fans are a nice balance of quiet and decent airflow, and the supplied fan controller is basic, but effective.

Looses a couple of points for no USB3 front connector [addressed in this review I think - available later?] and not having a HDD light. I just attached a resister to a 3.6V bright blue LED, hooked it to the correct size mini plug, and glued it to the opposite side of the plastic section the power light illuminates, providing a blue-pink flash in the clear ring when the drive is accessed [looks great, this - why did they not think of it?!].

Overall, I can't compare it to the cases listed here, but it's quieter than my Cooler Master Storm Scout [which isn't noisy] and has muuuch better cabling.

I'd say 9/10 for that model.

GfS

 

[balearic]

corsair 650D is also a quiet case. I wouldn't trade it for any of these wannabe's. It goes for $159 at directron.com

 

[gm0n3y]

Would like to have seen the Antec P183 instead of the Sonata.

*EDIT* I own a Sonata (v2?) and a P183 and the P183 has vastly better cooling and better acoustics. It is a little too large and relatively expensive, but its works extremely well. That's not to say that the Sonata isn't good (I've done 3 Sonata builds for friends), its just not as good as the P183.

 

[computertech82]

I always have an issue when it comes to "noise" test. Like WHERE is the mic when testing? head level of someone sitting in a chair? beside a desk, no desk? wall or no wall near by?
would be nice to see a review that actually applied to someone's house/room/desk.

 

[zulutech]

[citation][nom]Tamz_msc[/nom]i7 2600K at 34.5 GHz? [/citation]
Hah, I saw that too =P

 

[Crashman]

Taken at 45° from the front-left-side of the case in an open room.

 

[Crashman]

[citation][nom]zulutech[/nom]Hah, I saw that too =P[/citation]I looked for it...didn't see it...where is it?

 

[The Halo Don]

Awesome!

 

[Guest]

I assume this is Antec's fault, more than the reviewer's, but why on earth was a Sonata used in this comparison? Clearly the P183 would have been a better choice?

 

[gm0n3y]

Just noticed that the Fractal Design Define R3 is on sale at NCIX.com for $99CDN. Not sure if its on sale for their US site too.

 

[Thronsen]

Another vote here for the Antec p183. Easily the quietest case I have ever owned, even with 3 HDDs, 24GB ram and an i7-970.

This is a really important topic to some readers, and I would love to see a 2nd effort at it. Seems there was some confusion on the part of the manufacturers with what was sent to you guys. There are quieter cases out there, surprised none of them made your list.

 

[Guest]

Sorry to say this "Fractal Design Define R3" wins hands down, I own one and I have been looking for a rival but no matter how hard I look, comes close to the style or spec's for the same price. Sure if you want to invest half of your budget in the case you can finde better. And if you are anygood at modding you can make it even better

Cash

 

[justjc]

Too bad you started working on this review before the Cooler Master Silencio was made available. I would have liked to see how it would manage the task. If nothing else it should be more quiet and cheaper than most of the tested cases and the design looks a lot more clean than even that on the Fractal Design one. Also it has a USB 3 port naturally so that alone should put it on top ;-P

 

[Guest]

Antec rules! 1st of all you can easily mount a 120mm inside the front face aimed squarely at the HDD's for intake. The PSU is easily upgraded if you need it as Antec PSU's are rugged and rated conservatively. It is the most handsome, quiet, & reasonably sized performance chassis in the group. FYI my techs custom build servers and gamers in the Sonata regularly. If you want a big ugly chassis, Antec is not your solution.

 

[Crashman]

[citation][nom]garypop1[/nom]Antec rules! 1st of all you can easily mount a 120mm inside the front face aimed squarely at the HDD's for intake.[/citation]No, you cannot.

 

[Guest]

@garypop1
I am from Denmark, Here the price for a Sonata series is 20% or more, the Proto is the same price point as "Fractal Design Define Rx" series, and the "Fractal Design Arc Midi Tower"

My main problems with the Sonata series, 1. Top mount PSU, 2. No side Fan, NO front intake fan (yes you can mount a 120 on the HD rack inside but then you get problems with the long GFX cards), and it looks like it from the 90's. and you only get one yes you read right ONE fan 120 read mounted thats it. and the case isnt built for more, Fractal you get two 120 and you can add 5 more if needed, but wait there is more, Fan controller, and not one of thos with 2/3 settings.

and if you want style and dont want to pay an arm or a leg take a look at the "Fractal Design Arc Midi Tower" it costs the same as the R3

so Fractal wines hands down.

FYI I have been building systems for the past 25 years.

 

[WebHostIndia]

Nice to know that most of those are very lightweight. I would like to see few more in the list for comparison.