Help me choose

[eric335]

Here is a list of the cases that have caught my eye, What im looking for in a case:
-full tower or large midtower
-great airflow
-LED
-side window

Those are all a MUST. The cases ive compiled:

Cooler Master HAF X Blue Edition $170

Cooler Master HAF 932 Blue Edition $140

Antec Twelve Hundred V3 Black Steel ATX Full Tower Unbeatable Gaming Case $160

Antec DF-85 Case $140 + $13 shipping = $153

NZXT Switch 810 $170 + $6 S/H = $`176

NZXT Phantom and buy the side panel later $ 160 ish

NZXT Phantom 410 $110

Edit: Added this case:

Cooler Master Storm Series Trooper $160


So, help me choose which one, and if you have one you think i would like that meets my specs, post it!

 

[stratosrally]

I vote for the NXZT Switch 810. The new Special Edition (SE) models have a couple minor tweaks that were mainly to add more liquid-cooling options, but they are just as great as the previous models for going all-air.



Also - the SE versions introduce 2 new colors that are the best, IMHO - matte black or gunmetal with matte black trim. Non-SE models are avaiable in gloss black or gloss white. I find the styling to be very sophisticated and modern.

There are 10 mounts for 140/120mm fans...and I suppose if tose weren't enough for you (!) you could get a custom side window and add more. I personally dislike side window fans because they end up being the noisiest and hardest to filter.

I've checked out the Switch at my local Fry's Electronics - spent 30min removing panels, fan filters, and studying its features - and it is a beauty. So many interesting and imaginative bits inside!

The rear I/O panel is LED-lit with a front panel button to turn them on/off. Comes with an SD card reader and a hot-swap bay. You can close the ventilation slots up top to quiet down the system if you aren't gaming/folding.

All filters are very easily removed without tipping the case sideways - they spring partway out by pushing on their edge. The rear exhaust fan can be mounted at various heights to clear motherboard components.

This is especially helpfull if you go with a Corsair Hydro Series CPU cooler, you can get the thickest radiator that you want and not have fitment issues - even if you have another radiator up top with push-pull fans installed.

The hot-swap bay can be turned into a normal 5.25" bay by removing a couple screws and removing the internal backplane. You then have 4 5.25" external bays.

It comes with a stealth optical drive cover - that way if the face of your CDROM/DVD/BluRay player doesn;t look good with the color scheme it doesn't matter - you just put the cover on and it looks like it was made for the case.

The HDD bays are independently removable and can have fans mounted in the adjustable-angle mounts on the inside - you can tilt them up to 15deg towards your CPU and GPUs. You still have fans in front of them providing airflow across your HDD/SSDs.

The CPU cutout behind the motherboard is almost the biggest I've ever seen - no problem tightening down your CPU cooler after the mobo is installed whatsoever. Tons of cable routing grommets and big heavy-duty thumbscrews.

In fact it's hard to find the rivets - most spots use screws of one sort or another. You can disassemble almost every bit of the case without drilling out rivets - making it easy to mod and/or paint somedy in the future.



I guess by my ramblings you've realized I'm nuts about this case and am getting one shortly...

 

[eric335]

I vote for the NXZT Switch 810. The new Special Edition (SE) models have a couple minor tweaks that were mainly to add more liquid-cooling options, but they are just as great as the previous models for going all-air.



Also - the SE versions introduce 2 new colors that are the best, IMHO - matte black or gunmetal with matte black trim. Non-SE models are avaiable in gloss black or gloss white. I find the styling to be very sophisticated and modern.

There are 10 mounts for 140/120mm fans...and I suppose if tose weren't enough for you (!) you could get a custom side window and add more. I personally dislike side window fans because they end up being the noisiest and hardest to filter.

I've checked out the Switch at my local Fry's Electronics - spent 30min removing panels, fan filters, and studying its features - and it is a beauty. So many interesting and imaginative bits inside!

The rear I/O panel is LED-lit with a front panel button to turn them on/off. Comes with an SD card reader and a hot-swap bay. You can close the ventilation slots up top to quiet down the system if you aren't gaming/folding.

All filters are very easily removed without tipping the case sideways - they spring partway out by pushing on their edge. The rear exhaust fan can be mounted at various heights to clear motherboard components.

This is especially helpfull if you go with a Corsair Hydro Series CPU cooler, you can get the thickest radiator that you want and not have fitment issues - even if you have another radiator up top with push-pull fans installed.

The hot-swap bay can be turned into a normal 5.25" bay by removing a couple screws and removing the internal backplane. You then have 4 5.25" external bays.

It comes with a stealth optical drive cover - that way if the face of your CDROM/DVD/BluRay player doesn;t look good with the color scheme it doesn't matter - you just put the cover on and it looks like it was made for the case.

The HDD bays are independently removable and can have fans mounted in the adjustable-angle mounts on the inside - you can tilt them up to 15deg towards your CPU and GPUs. You still have fans in front of them providing airflow across your HDD/SSDs.

The CPU cutout behind the motherboard is almost the biggest I've ever seen - no problem tightening down your CPU cooler after the mobo is installed whatsoever. Tons of cable routing grommets and big heavy-duty thumbscrews.

In fact it's hard to find the rivets - most spots use screws of one sort or another. You can disassemble almost every bit of the case without drilling out rivets - making it easy to mod and/or paint somedy in the future.



I guess by my ramblings you've realized I'm nuts about this case and am getting one shortly...

hahaha wow what a reply! ill definitely take a closer look at the NZXT Switch. the only thing i have a problem with is the price

 

[my-name-here]

i hate all of those but the switch... but i'm picky.