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Case brand recommendations?

M

Mendayen

Guest
I'm looking for a < $50 ATX type case. The bigger the better, with a preference for a roomy internal area to make for easier installation.

I've always liked the look of Chieftec cases. However, Newegg no longer lists them, although I'm aware that other e-tailers still do. I have to admit though that I have never owned a Chieftec, so my experience with them is very limited. From my understanding, I have heard that there are other companies that sell rebadged Chieftecs. I'd like to know which companies currently do so.

Also, if anyone has any other brand names that they'd like to recommend or why I should not go with a Chieftec or Chieftec equivalent, your input would be appreciated.
 
Antec case - $48.50
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=11-129-121&DEPA=1

AOpen case - $33.00 I used this exact one in one of my builds, very nice case for the money.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-130-145&depa=1

Another AOpen case -$36.00 I've always been happy with AOpen cases
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=11-130-148&DEPA=1

Chenming case -$46.50
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=11-125-462&DEPA=1

Apex case - $22.00 I got an Apex for a client one time. Nothing fancy but it worked.
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=11-154-017&DEPA=1
 
I would also say look at Antec on newegg. Antec cases are good quality and some of them are priced very reasonably.
 
Like pretty much all other products, the question should be 'what model(s) do you recommend' not 'what brand do you recommend' because every single case has strengths and weaknesses, particularly when you're in the lower half of the price range of a product.

-Are we including shipping in the $50 budget?

-You wanted 'the bigger the better'.. do you want a full tower case as opposed to a standard mid-tower? Newegg, for example has NO full-tower ATX cases under $50, they start about $65 before shipping.

-Aluminum, or steel? (Aluminum cuts WAY down on your pool of canidates in your price range, to only a few...)

-If you spend 5 minutes looking through the cases on newegg, you will find the rebadged/cloned Chieftec cases.

-Most of the cases in the $50 delivered price range have some detail or another that could have been engineered better.

This one: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-156-106&depa=0
Basic clean looks. Space for four fans in front, but not enough in back. A couple of sharp edges inside.Side panel retention design not that great, especially when its not square. Otherwise, its what you see is what you get. It was delivered 5% squashed, spent two hours getting it close enough to square that I could mount anything in it.

This one: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=11-144-071&DEPA=0
This one comes with a 120mm output fan on the back (as opposed to the 2 80's it shows), and spaces for two intakes in the front, but they're somewhat starved by not enough ventilation, so I used a fan controller on em to quiet em down (intake airflow can be balanced by the side air intake). The one I got only came with ONE drive fasica (which doesnt work perfect, it sticks slightly open), which worked out ok for the user's current setup, but sucks for future expansion. Top dented in on this one, as delivered

One of the other 'under $50 crowd' cases (i'm out of time to go look it up, sorry) comes with a slick fan speed controller and front speed/temp display. Only problem is, is that when you power the system down, the controller forgets your speed setting and resets to the default (50% or so) speed setting and you have to adjust it to your preferred setting. And it beeps loudly with every key press. At least that one came with extra fascia's and wasnt dented or squashed.

:mad: Lately, almost every case I've bought from newegg comes only boxed in the original OEM's shipping container, and is either slightly squashed or dented, and I have to spend 20 minutes straightening the case back out.
 
I would vouch for Antec. I have build about 10 Rigs in a row and all have used Antec, love them and their PSU.
 
Another one worth a look, IMHO, is Enlight. Here's one from the egg that looks pretty good. They are very nicely finished and very easy to work in.

One thing I can say is that over the years, I've built way better than a hundred of these (Enlight 7237 variant) up. The supplies have been the 300, 350, and 360 watt version. These get used in our hardware lab at work, and they get the crap kicked out of them; started and stopped a million times, Vcc's shorted to ground, etc. I think I've replaced one supply.....

Also, ThermalTake's nice supplies are OEM'd by Enlight so I think you have a very good quality PSU with these folks. My previous P4 rig had a Tt 420 watt supply in it that was a great PSU.

FWIW - B.B.S.
 
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