Another "Reccomend Me A Case" Thread

[LstBrunnenG]

Requirements:

1) Windowed
2) Must have some sort of front lighting, preferably blue
3) 120 mm fan mounts (unless lit fans are included)
4) Reasonably priced (I'd say $125 is absolute max)
5) GOOD COOLING
6) Look really cool

I'm moving away from my Antec Sonata. I think I'm going to sell it to a friend and use that to go toward a new one. Part of my frustration is the lack of good cooling - the system ships with 2x120 mm fan mounts, right? Well I recently bought two thermaltlake blue LED fans, and used them to fill the front mount and replace the existing fan. I was just stress testing, and, after removing the front fan, CPU temperatures dropped nearly five degrees! Enough's enough.

I'm currently bouncing between the Antec P160 and the Antec Super Lanboy. I already read a review of the Coolermaster Wave Master that makes me shy from it - apparently it has the same problems as the Sonata, with its two 80 mm fans mounted over a grille barely adequete to move enough air for one 80 mm. The Sonata has a similar problem, with the front intake consisting of only two small slits, with even more plastic crap in the middle of the bezel to mix things up. Don't get me wrong, it's a good case, but it could be better.

 

[wordomouf123]

both of those antec cases suck, get a real case like a lian-li

 

[LstBrunnenG]

Don't post comments like that. They're not helpful. If you have a specific suggestion to make, make it, but don't simply assume that my taste matches yours.

 

[Bad_Boy]

wordomouf123 said it kinda harshly, but the antec lanboy IS pretty fugly, the Antec P-160WF is ok, but not really my type. theres not many cases out their that have 120mm fan mounts, and look good while having em.

you could always try taking a good looking case and modding it

 

[LstBrunnenG]

What about these two cases makes them aesthetically unpleasing? I rather like the look.

 

[Aztlan]

I just got the antec p160 with window side panel

I love the case, is light, feels sturdy, the bay where the harddrive goes, it makes my raptor drive very quiet, i can barely hear it,

I highly suggest buying that case,

there is a review here

http://www.moddershq.net/reviews.asp?reviewid=37

 

[Kupe]

If you like the Wavemaster, but have a problem with the intake, you might check out the Coolermaster Praetorian. The interior is pretty much the same as the Wavemaster, but I like the front better, as it doesn't have a door and has a filter with two fans directly behind it. Nothing blocks the air from getting in. And if you absolutely must have some sort of lighting, two lighted fans would look nice behind the filter. The stock fans are very quiet and don't push a whole lot of air, but they work well for me. You could probably get this thing pretty cool with some better fans though. As for a window, I've seen a windowed version of it, but I don't care much for windows so I haven't searched for a place to buy it.
Anyway, It may not be a Lian Li, but it's a lot cheaper, and I love it.

Newegg has it on sale today too:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-119-035&depa=1

And check out the review at Adrenaline Vault
http://www.avault.com/hardware/getreview.asp?review=praetorian

But really, I think you would be really happy with the p160. It's the case I wanted to get until I saw the Praetorian.

 

[Falls Included]

that coolermaster (prehistoric, or whatever) looke EXACTLY like my raidmax POS. the drive cage especially. do the pci slots break out, or are they reusable?

im enjoying my antec 1000amg, it has no 120mm fans, but its a nice case.

 

[LstBrunnenG]

Now I'm thinking of modding my Sonata. A window and some cold cathodes would cost $25, and I found that if I take off the first part of the bezel, hack off part of the second, and hold second fan there temps drop immensely, meaning a more permanent mount there would not only add front lighting, but take care of ventilation problems too.