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- Jun 9, 2003
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Hello all. At the moment I've I am thinking of adding a few rebuilds/upgraes to one or more of my PCs and I am contemplating on selecting nice, higher-end, new cases for these builds.
At the moment, I have an old Core 2 Quad based mATX server box, which primarily acts as a file server/NAS to handle SAMBA shares and whatnot. If it is able to do so concurrently without fouling up the file serving duties, I've considered using it as my platform for any games or VOIP dedicated servers I may choose to run for a relatively small/personal audience. At the moment, it is enclosed in an old Antec P180 Mini, which isn't a bad little box, but I'd like to modernize a bit.
I also recently have a Core 2 Duo mATX box that used to be acting solely as a self-built router/gateway distribution. Given my recent switch over to Verizon FIOS (Note: FIOS TV boxes HAVE to communicate with a FIOS-provided router over coax, and one can't just disable routing and use their own kit, because the coax TV set top boxes need routing and the like. When I had crappy-in-other-ways Comcast, the boxes didn't interact with the cable modem at all!), it seems like I have an 'extra' PC. While more than adequate for a router/gateway, given that it is an old Core 2 Duo/G31 I'm thinking it may need some new hardware. At the moment, its enclosure is my trusty old Silverstone Sugo SG01-E, but it has seen better days and wouldn't be sufficient if say... I wanted to make this into an altcoin mining rig.
So, I've come to a choice in enclosures! I know I definitely need mATX for at least the file server as it would be nice to be able to hold 4+ HDDs, and if either one of them I choose to use for altcoin mining someday, I'll definitely need mATX that is capable of handling 1 or 2 full-size GPUs (likely with dual slot cooling). Furthermore, I like that this later generation of mATX enthusiast enclosures thankfully supports both tower CPU coolers (I'm guessing MUGEN4) and liquid cooling rads, as well as full size PSU compatibility. Nice amenities like dust filters and whatnot are also very helpful. I have to say I like the "cube-style" aesthetics if well built, but I don't necessarily object to tower-style either. Either way, making it as easy as possible to work inside is important, so its nice to have those kind of design touche.
Thus far, I've been looking at the following
Corsair Obsidian 350D - Sleek, tower style, perhaps a nice replacement for the P180mini, nice Corsair amenities and will go nicely besides by 800D (perhaps soon to be a 900D?). Only possible concern is HDD space. Shouldn't be much of an issue if I can use the 5.25 bays for 3.5" storage drives.
Fractal Design ARC Mini R2 - Another sleek, roomy tower design. Wondering how it stacks up, but seems well made. Plenty of room for HDDs it appears, and everything else as well. Could this be a contender to the Obsidian 350D?
Fractal Design DEFINE Mini - Another minitower, looks to have many of the same benefits as the ARC Mini. Wonder how the two of them compare to each other...
Bitfenix Prodigy-M and Bitfenix Phenom-MATX - These seem to be well regarded cube style cases and finally there are mATX versions! Can anyone break down any functional differences between the two? I'm guessing that perhaps the Phenom seems perhaps a bit more designed for expansion, but I'm unsure as they are very similar.
That's really what's looking decent so far. I also looked at the Silverstone SG10 which seemed promising with lots of room for GPUs and tall CPU coolers, but only can hold 2 3.5" drives, and the LianLi 358 which has a nice HDD cage and plenty of room for GPUs, but only can only clear 130mm in height for CPU coolers. Neither of these are necessary deal breakers, but I have to wonder if, especially with the additional cost of these two, if it is worth it considering those I noted above are cheaper and may have fewer compromises.
So, is there anything else I should be looking into? Some other great cases I may have missed? I'll also say I'm open to a "smaller" full ATX case if it seems to fit the bill (ie perhaps the Corsair Carbide AIR 540 Silver Edition?), and especially if they're "cubes with decent room to work". Any ideas?
Thanks!
At the moment, I have an old Core 2 Quad based mATX server box, which primarily acts as a file server/NAS to handle SAMBA shares and whatnot. If it is able to do so concurrently without fouling up the file serving duties, I've considered using it as my platform for any games or VOIP dedicated servers I may choose to run for a relatively small/personal audience. At the moment, it is enclosed in an old Antec P180 Mini, which isn't a bad little box, but I'd like to modernize a bit.
I also recently have a Core 2 Duo mATX box that used to be acting solely as a self-built router/gateway distribution. Given my recent switch over to Verizon FIOS (Note: FIOS TV boxes HAVE to communicate with a FIOS-provided router over coax, and one can't just disable routing and use their own kit, because the coax TV set top boxes need routing and the like. When I had crappy-in-other-ways Comcast, the boxes didn't interact with the cable modem at all!), it seems like I have an 'extra' PC. While more than adequate for a router/gateway, given that it is an old Core 2 Duo/G31 I'm thinking it may need some new hardware. At the moment, its enclosure is my trusty old Silverstone Sugo SG01-E, but it has seen better days and wouldn't be sufficient if say... I wanted to make this into an altcoin mining rig.
So, I've come to a choice in enclosures! I know I definitely need mATX for at least the file server as it would be nice to be able to hold 4+ HDDs, and if either one of them I choose to use for altcoin mining someday, I'll definitely need mATX that is capable of handling 1 or 2 full-size GPUs (likely with dual slot cooling). Furthermore, I like that this later generation of mATX enthusiast enclosures thankfully supports both tower CPU coolers (I'm guessing MUGEN4) and liquid cooling rads, as well as full size PSU compatibility. Nice amenities like dust filters and whatnot are also very helpful. I have to say I like the "cube-style" aesthetics if well built, but I don't necessarily object to tower-style either. Either way, making it as easy as possible to work inside is important, so its nice to have those kind of design touche.
Thus far, I've been looking at the following
Corsair Obsidian 350D - Sleek, tower style, perhaps a nice replacement for the P180mini, nice Corsair amenities and will go nicely besides by 800D (perhaps soon to be a 900D?). Only possible concern is HDD space. Shouldn't be much of an issue if I can use the 5.25 bays for 3.5" storage drives.
Fractal Design ARC Mini R2 - Another sleek, roomy tower design. Wondering how it stacks up, but seems well made. Plenty of room for HDDs it appears, and everything else as well. Could this be a contender to the Obsidian 350D?
Fractal Design DEFINE Mini - Another minitower, looks to have many of the same benefits as the ARC Mini. Wonder how the two of them compare to each other...
Bitfenix Prodigy-M and Bitfenix Phenom-MATX - These seem to be well regarded cube style cases and finally there are mATX versions! Can anyone break down any functional differences between the two? I'm guessing that perhaps the Phenom seems perhaps a bit more designed for expansion, but I'm unsure as they are very similar.
That's really what's looking decent so far. I also looked at the Silverstone SG10 which seemed promising with lots of room for GPUs and tall CPU coolers, but only can hold 2 3.5" drives, and the LianLi 358 which has a nice HDD cage and plenty of room for GPUs, but only can only clear 130mm in height for CPU coolers. Neither of these are necessary deal breakers, but I have to wonder if, especially with the additional cost of these two, if it is worth it considering those I noted above are cheaper and may have fewer compromises.
So, is there anything else I should be looking into? Some other great cases I may have missed? I'll also say I'm open to a "smaller" full ATX case if it seems to fit the bill (ie perhaps the Corsair Carbide AIR 540 Silver Edition?), and especially if they're "cubes with decent room to work". Any ideas?
Thanks!
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