Buying a case that lasts

[IAMHHawaii]

Ok I am getting serious now...

I am looking for a good case, no a great case.

Here are my priorities (in Order)
Good Quality
Easy Access
Quiet
Good Ventilation
Small As Possible
Good Looking
Mod-able (possably in the future)

I am new to the whole case buying thing, but see it as really the most important descision when building a new comp.

Any input would be appreciated

I am looking in a bunch of price ranges, being new to the whole case thing I don't know which is best:

Ok so Here I go.
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$ 42
ASPIRE ATX Mid-Tower Case with 350W Power Supply (Green), Model "ATXB5KLW-GN/350" -RETAIL (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-144-045&catalog=7&depa=1)

Pros: price
cons: ?? price?

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For $76
ANTEC Aluminum Super Mini Tower Case with 350W Power Supply, Model "LanBoy" -RETAIL (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-129-126&catalog=7&depa=1)

Pro's: size

-------------------
For $120

Lian-Li PC-65-USB-B2 12-Bay Silvery Aluminum Cases Power Supply Sold Separately. (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-112-024&catalog=7&depa=1)

pros: removable Mobo
cons: no power supply


--------------------
For $135

ASPIRE Turbo Case Yellow Super Light Weight Heavy Duty Aluminum Server Chassis with Front Back-Lighted LCD Dual Temperature Display and 2 Fan Speed Adjusters, Model "ATXA6SW/500" (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-144-008&catalog=7&depa=1)

Pros: looks, Fans + control, 500W pwr
Cons: price, looks
---------------------
$ 158

Cooler Master Black Aluminum Mid-Tower Case With Large Side Window, No Power Supply, Model "ATC-201B-BXT" (http://secure.newegg.com/app/CustratingReview.asp?item=11-119-025)

pros: rem MoBo, black
cons: price, no power

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Ok so basically I am all over the place with possablilities.

Some basic questions I have are:
Removable MoBo:
Is this good? I want to hide the wires for air flow etc. If I do that will I still be able to remove the MoBo for maint, or is this feature just good in theory, but when all is said and done removing the MoBo means unplugging and unwireing everying so just is not worth it? Was pretty much the selling factor for the higher end ones

Plastic :( :
I don't like plastic on cases. I think it is tacky. I cant tell from these photos which have plastic and wich don't, any help here would be apreciated

Air Flow:
Anybody know wich of these will be good for air? or more to the point wich wont.

Front Panel USB etc:
I like the idea of front panel ports for USB, sound, Firwire etc. The last Case I got had this but to do it you had to pull a plug from the back ports on the MoBo, and through a hole back into the case (Tacky!!!) is there a better way? do the new MoBo's have internal USB etc ports? what are other solutions, a special card?

Ok I think that is enough for now. Any advise from you guys would be greatly appreciated. Links to other cases, reccomendations, whatever, I would really like get a great case.

p.s my spelling sux sorry :)

[heyheyhey]

lian li pc 60/65 is what you want.

[Nihilanth99]

i'd take the lian-li or the cooler master.

[deathBOB]

I have a coolermaster wave master, and am extremely impressed with it. The build quality is even on par with my dads mac... I think coolermaster has a pretty much standardized case design, so i would reccomend what you have there, as its internals are the same as mine. Just be aware: Once you see it in person, you wont be able to bring yourself to cutting it up for more fans...

[Rakinos]

I have had the 201b-bxt for a few weeks now and I would have to say that I'm definately impressed. every little detail is taken care of.

[Impact9]

Have to say the Lian Li as well. I love the one I have and get a nice antec truepower PSU.

on a different note...

What island are you on? I just left Hawaii after 4 years over there at Hickam AFB. God I miss that place. :(

[IAMHHawaii]

What island are you on? I just left Hawaii after 4 years over there at Hickam AFB. God I miss that place.

I am on Oahu. Yeah Hawaii Rox I am a NYC Native but have been her for 3 years and don't plan on going back.


Thanks guys for all the input. How about my questions? any advise? like is a removable MoBo worth anything? etc.

Also does anybody have any negatives? Like Oh don't get xxxx cause this sucked about it etc. I wanna know if there are any gotchas.

So far I am hearing that I should spend 120-160, so it is a general consensus that a case < 100 is ... well how do I put it... not something you would want to bring home to the parents?

Also I am not going to be doing a lot of case moding up front, i.e. cutting new holes for fans etc so what is a good box that has cooling.

that "ASPIRE Turbo Case Yellow ..." looked nice cause it had a lot of fans out of box, what are the cons to getting a case like that?

[braidman]

OK I have a suggestion that meets the following:

Good Quality
Easy Access
Quiet
Good Ventilation
Small As Possible
Good Looking
Mod-able (possably in the future)

ok well all of them, but it is smaller than most.

Chenbro PC80568 M-ATX Desktop (http://www.case-mod.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21_38&products_id=117)

Yes it's mATX, and yes there are only 3 drive bays (one for each kind), but this is the best case I personally have ever used. I wish Newegg had it they would have more/better pics and a lower price. Let me describe this case to you.

As you can see it has doors covering the floppy drive the optical drive and the usb/firewire/audio ports. The optical drive isnt stealthed in the normal sense, that is a door. The drive could maybe push it open but it isnt meant to work like that, but that's ok cause the door has a more positive feel than your gonna find in most pc cases. I doesnt feel fiddly or like it's gonna break any moment. The same goes for the other two doors. They are actually hard to open, if you had a toddler that got into things this would actually be an ideal case.

Onto the inside. In order to get there you have to take off the top panel. Put down your screwdriver you dont need it. The only screws on this case hold down the mb (and the hd). There is a plastic tab you press down (after you unlock the case) that unlatches the panel and allows it to slide off.

Once the panel is off you notice the duct on the bottom of it, the blowhole on the top of the case is grilled, screened and ducted! When a standard mATX mb is installed this duct ends up directly on top of the cpu/hsf, allowing your processor to get fresh air directly from outside the case. Also on the back of the case there is a 60mm exhaust/intake fan, which pulls through a hexagonal grille and is held in by a plstic bracket.

Next the drives, the optical drive bay is removable, it has two metal tabs on each side, one is a hinge point and the other rotates around that, there is a metal spring tab that locks the bay in place. The drive is inserted by simply releasing the tab and pulling the bay out. Then inserting the included spring metal bracket into two screw holes on the drive, then sliding it into the bay, which locks rather securely, then flip the drive to vertical and swing it into locking into the case. :)

The Hd bay also swings up, and has a metal locking tab, but unlike the other drives it is held in the bay by screws. The floppy locks into the case via a metal bracket just like the optical drive, it requires removal of the front facia (push down two plastic tabs and pull) and then slide it in and lock it.

Now for the mb, like almost all cases it is screwed down, in this case you have to remove the optical drive (unlock tab, hinge up) so it is out of the way. Then just slide the mb in, and screw it down.

Lastly the expansion cards, since it is mATX you are limited to 4, but you have to ask yourself, are you actually using more than that? If you are get an integrated mb and quit worrying about it so much. The expansion cards are the fiddliest thing on the case, they are held down by another locking tab. The problem is they are ALL held down by this tab. It requires getting all the cards lined up perfectly and then simply cinching the thing down (you can also remove it and just screw the cards down instead) the problem with getting them all lined up is they didnt include the metal punch outs cards are designed to wedge down into, so the bottom of any mb based expasion brackets (usb and audio ports and such) just dangle free, which makes lining things up really hard.

Anyways, considering I have only found one fault on the entire case and it is only $50, I love this case. If you can deal with having a microATX case and only having one of each drive. Then I highly reccomend this case!...

[Psyker]

another suggestion, though it may be to large for you are the kingwin allumium cases. i have one and its a great all around case.

[olaf2821]

I would go with the Lian Li personally, though I would go with the PC-62. It's just a little longer, but it is so much nicer to work inside of than the PC-60, esp if you have any long compnents (say a 5900U). Plus the 62 is devoid of that idiotic window that ruins the look of the classic and sleek Lian Lis.

[obeny81]

removable motherboard is a good feature, not a make or break in my book, but definitely a +.

as for USB, you always have to a wire from motherboard to the case, and USB pins tend to be on the back of the mobo. afaik.