The "Ultimate" PC Case? No limits.

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Polska111

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Hi guys,

Ok so basically, I am looking for the ultimate PC chassis. Any mobo, any brand, and design (although the simpler the better).

Background: I recently bought a Corsair 900D, and I am getting sick and tired of buying $400 cases and seeing flimsy, thin plastic drive rails, wafer thin cages, and chassis frames that warp like a sheet of plex, wooping in the wind as they twang back and forth. When I pay good money for a PC case, I expect it to be perfect. Being not the case, my budget expands wherever it needs to.

I am struggling to find any PC chassis brand that makes any truly HIGH END parts. No compromise, no limits. I want to be able to kick this thing down my stairs and not have to worry about it breaking (exaggeration but you get the idea). For comparison (if availiable) go look at any truly enterprise level (I'm talking EMC/HP/IBM) storage racks or components. I want this level of quality.

I have seen/used all of Corsair, CoolerMaster, most of SilverStones and most of Lian-Li's cases and I'm yet to be left speechless.

Requirements: I have a twin GPU workstation/gaming PC with a H100i and 5 hard drives. These are my only stipulations.

Halp me out guize!
 
You'll want to look at CaseLabs. These guys are a defense contractor that sell PC cases when business is slow. Very high quality, high gage aluminum construction. Highly customizable. You'll pay for it, but you said that's not a problem.

http://caselabs.net/

Personally I really want the STH10, but it's huge and my budget doesn't quite allow for it... Perhaps some day. :)
 
Having seen many of the cases in person, they are amazing. Lots of build options, colors, and they can even do custom work if you are willing to pay.
 
K but what else?

Caselabs stuff have certain... Efficiency about them and a certain industrial look as a result. There has to be something high quality but different.

Oh... Have a look at this: it will be worth the wait.

Murderbox has become MBXForma.

http://mbxforma.com/

Edit: I'm not surprised the only well known hq case mfr is a moonlighting defense contractor. Things are pretty rough on niche PC part companies. This is partly why a company like EK has to or thinks they have to make some pretty cutthroat decisions here and there. Look at what happened to DangerDen. I don't know all the ins and outs but the economy has been absolutely torn apart pretty much worldwide ever since George w bush got elected. Literally we put all our money in gold just before the campaigns wrapped up because we predicted a huge recession. It was already happening when the towers fell. Things are still messed up but small business in particular got rocked.

http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2013/murderbox-mkii-gold/murderbox-mk2-gold.htm
murderbox-mkii-gold-01_zps6e92fbac.jpg~original
 
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Good point on the murderbox. Isn't it close to $1000 though? IMHO, even with cost as no-issue, the cost/benefit of that case is just too high to stomach. Quality and stylish, for sure though.
 
Mountain mod cases are nice, roomy and built pretty solidly. But IMO they are not even close to the quality of CaseLabs or the Murderbox brands.
 
Jorona said:
If you're looking for something abit more stylish then the MM/CL type cases, I'd recommend the Phanteks Enthoo Primo. Tons of space for high end water cooling, and just looks sharp.

http://www.phanteks.com/enthoo-primo.html
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Damn, I really like those cases. But why on earth do they have to put the buttons on the top is beyond me. And I'm not speaking just about them, almost every case has at least some of it's connectors and/or buttons on the top.
 
86 5.0L said:
Caselabs

Close thread
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This.

People are skeptical about Caselabs until they receive one.
I've went through 40+ cases, cheap to high-end, and my current Caselabs S3 tops them all.

I will never sell it. I will only add another CL case.
 
Well I'm sceptical too. They look very plain, almost like a test bench. I guess it's ok if that's the look someone is aiming for, but I wouldn't call them stylish. I believe that build quality is good, but that's no consolation for the lack of looks.

I think I'm going with the Coolermaster HAF Stacker as my ultimate case.
 
The CM HAF series cases do seem roomy and well laid out. I'm not inspired by the looks or the brand but I would get a CM if they made the cases a little more... sophisticated. They place themselves in the market about where their brandname suggests they should be, totally functional but somewhat targeted for a younger owner.

As far as the buttons being on top, it allows them to be hidden from site when looking at the case from straight on. I thought this was a negative, too. Then I got a 450D (which is an awesome case for an aircooled or tight-fitting watercool setup) and the powerLED blinks when the computer is asleep, which is pretty much 24/7 for me. I want to be able to look at the computer and instantly know if it is sleeping, but I don't want to see that blinking light if I'm sitting down playing a game on my Wii. It's distracting. I decided I prefer the 760T with the buttons on top. I turn my computer on with my keyboard anyway. Also I prefer the USB ports to be vertical rather than horizontal like the 450D. I've bumped my USB drives a couple times and heard little creaking noises.

The CaseLabs designs (having never owned one) are totally configurable and you can make them look however you want. Take a look at all the builds going on with casemods involving acrylic panels and vinyl coverings like carbon-fiber print. The ultimate joy there is being able to semi-invert or completely invert the mobo tray, completely remove it for assembly so you aren't trying to install a 10pound straining and flexing motherboard with tons of blocks and fittings on it into a case. They have window panels and mesh options to make the cases look more like what you are used to, but it's the ultimate configurability that is the selling point. You can have CaseLabs build the case exactly how you want it for your highly-specific components like large radiators and then never have to do any case mods. I can *do* case mods right? But they look like shit. :(
 
M76 said:
Well I'm sceptical too. They look very plain, almost like a test bench. I guess it's ok if that's the look someone is aiming for, but I wouldn't call them stylish. I believe that build quality is good, but that's no consolation for the lack of looks.

I think I'm going with the Coolermaster HAF Stacker as my ultimate case.
Click to expand...

With Caselabs, you decide what looks good, not the manufacture dealing out a one-size fits all design.
Google a few images. You can start with teh STH10: https://www.google.com/search?q=sth...Q&biw=2498&bih=1355#q=caselabs+sth10&tbm=isch
 
Bluesun311 said:
The CM HAF series cases do seem roomy and well laid out. I'm not inspired by the looks or the brand but I would get a CM if they made the cases a little more... sophisticated. They place themselves in the market about where their brandname suggests they should be, totally functional but somewhat targeted for a younger owner.
Click to expand...
I agree generally, but the new Stacker is on the conservative side of things, I don't like the styling of the other HAF cases at all, but this one I can live with, and layout wise it's the best I've seen so far.
As far as the buttons being on top, it allows them to be hidden from site when looking at the case from straight on. I thought this was a negative, too. Then I got a 450D (which is an awesome case for an aircooled or tight-fitting watercool setup) and the powerLED blinks when the computer is asleep, which is pretty much 24/7 for me. I want to be able to look at the computer and instantly know if it is sleeping, but I don't want to see that blinking light if I'm sitting down playing a game on my Wii. It's distracting. I decided I prefer the 760T with the buttons on top. I turn my computer on with my keyboard anyway. Also I prefer the USB ports to be vertical rather than horizontal like the 450D. I've bumped my USB drives a couple times and heard little creaking noises.
Click to expand...
Because my case is located under the desk I can't have any case that has anything on top, not even vents. The Stacker shines here also, because it's configurable to vent the air to the side and not on the top. And the controls are on the front.
The CaseLabs designs (having never owned one) are totally configurable and you can make them look however you want. Take a look at all the builds going on with casemods involving acrylic panels and vinyl coverings like carbon-fiber print. The ultimate joy there is being able to semi-invert or completely invert the mobo tray, completely remove it for assembly so you aren't trying to install a 10pound straining and flexing motherboard with tons of blocks and fittings on it into a case. They have window panels and mesh options to make the cases look more like what you are used to, but it's the ultimate configurability that is the selling point. You can have CaseLabs build the case exactly how you want it for your highly-specific components like large radiators and then never have to do any case mods. I can *do* case mods right? But they look like shit. :(
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I've checked the pics, but no matter what build I look at, they all have that basic industrial look, and it just doesn't appeal to me, no matter how many fancy inserts are attached to it.

My Codegen case from 1998 had a removable motherboard tray too. It was a nice feature but one I can live without. Since you end up doing all the wiring after replacing the tray anyway. And I never had a problem with inserting an MB into any of my cases without removable trays. Tower coolers are great to hold the MB by, when you put it in :)

WorldExclusive said:
With Caselabs, you decide what looks good, not the manufacture dealing out a one-size fits all design.
Google a few images. You can start with teh STH10: https://www.google.com/search?q=sth...Q&biw=2498&bih=1355#q=caselabs+sth10&tbm=isch
Click to expand...

All I see is the same plain case in multiple color configuration. Yes you can make it flashy on the inside with fancy cables and fans, but most builds look like skeletons, like the wind swept away the covers from the case. And the ones that have covers look like a plain rectangle.
 
The most versatile case ever is Lian-Li A17, if you can still find one. No plastic, minimalist look, very light.
 
M76 said:
All I see is the same plain case in multiple color configuration. Yes you can make it flashy on the inside with fancy cables and fans, but most builds look like skeletons, like the wind swept away the covers from the case. And the ones that have covers look like a plain rectangle.
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Just depends on what you want to spend your money on. Looks or function.
After many cases, function last much longer. Future better looking cases will always change your mind about your last purchase.

But when you buy a case that can hold any config imaginable, it will last much longer.

The best looking case to me is the RV01, and if I still had one, it would be wayyy behind my needs of today.
My CL case will keep me ahead of any future build.

Hey I can only recommend. But I've been down the looks path and it never paid off.
 
I was about to go with the CaseLabs Magnum STH10 (I went with a Lian Li X2000FN instead, since my setup is without WC for now). I like how it looks, and I understand CL makes Grade A quality, but the thing's just too fucking huge! Not only that but I started to get a little put-off by CL charging mucho dinero for every little additional feature.

I'm all for going overboard, but it's big to the point of being an eyesore unless you enjoy your tower overshadowing everything else in your office. I'd like that in a server farm, but not when I'm sitting down and notice the top of my PC is at eye level with my monitor -- while sitting on the floor. And in terms of value, when will you EVER need that much space for a single system?! Here's a hint: you won't. If you actually do, you'll have moved on to a rackmount setup and ditched towers altogether. I'm not saying the extra space isn't nice when tinkering about and upgrading shit, but that's what a bench is for, not a $1000 ePeen fapper.

And I'm more of a minimalist when it comes to style, so the other space-station looking cases of Mountain Mods and CaseLabs really didn't do it for me. Must every PC builder enjoy making their custom rigs look like the Starship Enterprise? I do like Little Devil, but the boxiness and rectangular edging to their cases always cheapens their otherwise great looks IMO
 
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Just sounds like you were going for something above your needs.
Tough to criticize something you didn't need to being with.
 
eh yeah, I guess you're right.

CaseLabs are quality. I guess I'll end up going to their side once I stop being lazy and ditch air for water
 
CaseLabs is great, and they serve a great purpose in the community to guys who want to buy their product. But they fulfill a very different need than we do. We have very different customers and very different price points. There's a little overlap at our very high end but even then, they're focusing on creating special edition race parts, whereas we're focusing on making mass market stuff that occasionally gets up to the level of super performance.

Kind of like comparing BMW to McLaren or something.
 
WorldExclusive said:
Just depends on what you want to spend your money on. Looks or function.
After many cases, function last much longer. Future better looking cases will always change your mind about your last purchase.

But when you buy a case that can hold any config imaginable, it will last much longer.

The best looking case to me is the RV01, and if I still had one, it would be wayyy behind my needs of today.
My CL case will keep me ahead of any future build.

Hey I can only recommend. But I've been down the looks path and it never paid off.
Click to expand...

But I'm looking for function too. Both are useless without the other. My mentioned Codegen case from 1998 would functionally suffice today as it did back then. I still ended up scrapping it, and buying a new one.

Redbeard said:
Kind of like comparing BMW to McLaren or something.
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I'd rather compare CaseLabs to Gumpert then, expensive and ugly.
 
Haha Gumpert, Christ almighty that's a conflicted car if I ever did see one.

CaseLabs looks pretty epic. Anybody else doing flatpack PC's now days? Or anything that competes on quality?
 
M76 said:
But I'm looking for function too. Both are useless without the other. My mentioned Codegen case from 1998 would functionally suffice today as it did back then. I still ended up scrapping it, and buying a new one.



I'd rather compare CaseLabs to Gumpert then, expensive and ugly.
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You're not going to find a case with both. I tried 40+ times.

Until you realize that cases aren't made to be a centerpiece of your living room or office, you'll try a Caselabs case.
Caselabs has all the function in the world.

If you just want to buy a beautiful case off the shelf then do that.
But soon as you open it up, you'll be disappointed.

And to your car analogy, the worst offenders of visual critique are car guys.
They criticize cars they never drove, owned, or will own in their lifetime.

Polska111 said:
Haha Gumpert, Christ almighty that's a conflicted car if I ever did see one.

CaseLabs looks pretty epic. Anybody else doing flatpack PC's now days? Or anything that competes on quality?
Click to expand...

Not that I've seen. You'll have to see a CL case in person to appreciate it.
Looking at pictures doesn't tell the whole story.
 
WorldExclusive said:
You're not going to find a case with both. I tried 40+ times.
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I'm not giving up just yet. And I'm not going to pay $500 for an empty metal box either.

Until you realize that cases aren't made to be a centerpiece of your living room or office, you'll try a Caselabs case.
Caselabs has all the function in the world.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you're getting at. For a case to be functional it has to be ugly?
If you just want to buy a beautiful case off the shelf then do that.
But soon as you open it up, you'll be disappointed.
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I'm not disappointed in my Fractal Design Node 304. As an itx case it hase every function I can ask for.

And to your car analogy, the worst offenders of visual critique are car guys.
They criticize cars they never drove, owned, or will own in their lifetime.
Click to expand...
I don't have to drive it, or own it, to be able to tell that it's ugly. Guess what the car I own was also visually assessed by me before driving or owning it.


Not that I've seen. You'll have to see a CL case in person to appreciate it.
Looking at pictures doesn't tell the whole story.
Click to expand...

Well I'm sorry, they have to be able to sell it to me. And Caselabs fails miserably at that. But if anyone wants to send me one so I can be enlightened go ahead :D
 
Aluminum can't bend into the shapes that appeal to many people without dramatically increasing the cost.
The TJ11 and the new IN-WIN cases are examples of that.

So if materials used doesn't matter to the buyer, Caselabs may not be on your list.
If the user is just fine with steel and plastic, Corsair, Fractal etc has many cases with style to choose from.
 
If someone will build me a case that has pneumatic covers for the radiator openings to prevent dust entering the chassis while the system is powered down, that would be pretty hot.
 
Bluesun311 said:
If someone will build me a case that has pneumatic covers for the radiator openings to prevent dust entering the chassis while the system is powered down, that would be pretty hot.
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Dust gets into the system when it's powered on, not when off. Unless you plan to put it in the desert, and leave it out in sandstorms, I don't see the point.
 
My former case was the Antec P180, very heavy and made of STEEL not aluminum. And the steel is very thick. The other parts is 3 layers (steel, plastic, steel sandwich) for soundproofing.
 
So what did you settle on? I'm looking at the Caselabs Mercury S8 as my top contender for an X99 build. The Murderbox Xforma looks amazing, but I don't see it anywhere for purchase, and I'm going to assume it's into 4 figures which is a little more extravagant than I'm presently willing to go.

My Lian Li is holding up very well, and it's tempting to keep it too though. I wonder what I'd get if I sold it.
 
Most off those STH10 pics have less personality than my (temporarily) Reebok boot box-turned-computer-case.

Sure, they're impressive, but not very interesting.
 
Tych-0 said:
So what did you settle on? I'm looking at the Caselabs Mercury S8 as my top contender for an X99 build. .
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This is exactly the route I'm going. I have to agree with many of the initial first impressions people have mentioned about the Caselabs. However, the final selling points for me were the ease of build and the sheer volume of radiators you can put inside the case (none externally mounted). I like the notion of a case that will grow with the build, without actually increasing in size or changing the outer appearance (those of you that are married, likely, appreciate this quality).

Plus, those cases aren't mass-produced, and that is where they excel. You can get a Corsair, or a Lian-Li, or a Silverstone of supreme build quality, but you may also get the 5:00pm on Friday version. Plus, when something goes wrong, you are one of 100,000 customers on one of 100 different product lines. When something goes wrong with a Caselabs case, you are one of 1000 customers on their only product line. I'm not knocking those other guys, but as even the Corsair rep pointed out, they are catering to completely different markets.
 
Has anyone ever had something like the Magnum STH10 side by side with a TJ11? There's a level of customization you get with Caselabs that you obviously don't get with Silverstone, but I'm curious about the build quality.

Because I've been a little disappointed with some things about the TJ09 (flimsy and rattle prone side panels being the main problem) but the TJ11 is really in a completely different ballpark compared to Silverstone's other stuff. I've probably owned the 5 PM on Friday Silverstone TJ09, but I don't see it happening with the TJ11. The things built like a brick shithouse. Pretty sure the side panels will take a 9mm slug at 25 yards.
 
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