Can anyone reccommend a simple looking PC Case?

[Andaho]

The look of PC cases scares me recently. I like a PC case that is box-like and practical.

My old case looks like this (but is an older model without USB on the front):
I think it's a beautiful case, and the most practical case I've had. But it's time to get a new black case to match my monitor, keyboard and mouse!


I found this by doing a google image search for enlight (the manufacturer of my current case):
If I could buy that at a good price (think my current case cost about £40) I would not have a problem in choosing a new case BUT... Enlight no longer sell this design in the UK!!!


Why the hell are ****ty aluminium cases all you can get in the UK? Apparently the UK customer are obsessed with aluminium cases because the brushed-aluminium looks pretty and it's light to carry to a lan-party (I guess a steel case is too heavy for a scrawny geek to carry?) - But aluminum cases are noisier than steel cases because they lack the sound dampening properties of the heavier steel!

I've been looking at the Lian-Li PC-7 and PC60 design and was almost going to buy it, then I found out, not only does it have a fan vent on the side (not shown in the below picture), but it also has fan vents on the top of the case! This is a problem to me, because I'm building a quiet PC, I'm not interested in overclocking and only planning to use 2 fans at most to reduce noise (2 fans, front and back is fine isn't it?). Also I'm not too keen on the crappy looking flap that hides the USB sockets:


Does anyone have any suggestions for a nice, simple case?

[[GSV]Trig]

Antec SLK1650, either in black or beige.

[Andaho]

Antec SLK1650, either in black or beige.

Yeah, that seems like a good case! Shame what they did with the design, putting fins/gills on the front though

[aidanjt]

<snip>

I'm sorry, I have to ask, but are you just here to troll?

I have that exact same Enlight case gathering dust, it's a horrible, ugly, noisy, cheap, flimsy piece of crap. Aluminium cases aren't just lighter, they're stronger, better built, which means less vibrations which means less noise. And when it comes down to it, most of the mass in a PC isn't the case, it's everything else anyway. And please don't confuse real geeks with CS:S kiddies, it's insulting.

Anyway, rant over. If you want simple, elegant design Lian-Li are your best bet, don't worry about vents, they don't automatically make a case louder just because they're there, they just provide a clear airflow design that way your parts don't overheat and explode because it's using the same air over and over.
Everyone else are too busy doing fancy, elaborate designs that make me .

[Steve B]

agreed. lian-li or silverstone :0

[[GSV]Trig]

Yeah, that seems like a good case! Shame what they did with the design, putting fins/gills on the front though

Ye need to get air in the case somehow...

[Andaho]

I'm sorry, I have to ask, but are you just here to troll?

I have that exact same Enlight case gathering dust, it's a horrible, ugly, noisy, cheap, flimsy piece of crap. Aluminium cases aren't just lighter, they're stronger, better built, which means less vibrations which means less noise. And when it comes down to it, most of the mass in a PC isn't the case, it's everything else anyway. And please don't confuse real geeks with CS:S kiddies, it's insulting.

Anyway, rant over. If you want simple, elegant design Lian-Li are your best bet, don't worry about vents, they don't automatically make a case louder just because they're there, they just provide a clear airflow design that way your parts don't overheat and explode because it's using the same air over and over.
Everyone else are too busy doing fancy, elaborate designs that make me .

Sorry if I insulted you with my comment about 'scrawny geeks' I guess "trolling" is a bad thing? What's it mean exactly? lol ...looks up in dictionary... "To fish by trailing a baited line" - No I'm not here looking to intult or start arguments, but since you've taken the time to rant at me...

Since I have answers.com open I searched "geek" - "A technically oriented person. It has typically implied a "nerdy" or "weird" personality, someone with limited social skills who likes to tinker with scientific or high-tech projects. The origin of the term dates back to the late 1800s. A geek was a carnival performer who bit off the head of a chicken or was part of a freak show."

So you call yourself a "real geek"? I prefer to think of us computer-savvy people as nerds, if anything, (as it has a less insulting origin), although these words geek and nerd both only exist and were created to be an insult... such as faggot and queer to be aimed at gays as an insult. - The people you refer to as "CS:S kiddies", I consider geeks - and the couple "geek" mates I know in person, hardly know jack about PCs So, as a final word to that, if you're going to call yourself a geek, you have to be prepared to take it light hearted! Gees! Chill! In the more light-hearted meaning of the word geek, we're all geeks on here! - all talking about the minor details of computers!

As for the Enlight case - you definately must have a different one from me... because the case I have is very strong and quality build (I stand on it to get to a shelf above my PC)! The power and reset buttons have a quality feel to them. The hard drive rack is removable with screwless clips, and the optical drives are installed by screwing rails onto the sides and have clips like the hd rack. BUT - when I got it new, being the kind of person that hates the hum of a PC, I cut off the fan grills, and it's a beautifully quiet PC that has no vibrations. Also, I can't see how you think it's ugly, it's a simple and square design, similar to Lian-Lis! - If Lian-Li were to make a budget steel case with a plastic front, it would probably look like this! - In saying all that, my case is probably 5-6 years old, and if you have a newer one, they might have dropped their manufacturing standards - and if that's the case (no pun intended!), I'm glad that they're not sold over here anymore - cause I would have bought one and been dissapointed.

Anyway!...

I think I found a case I could live with, and well under my budget @ only £20! Has anyone got this case? or know anything about the quality build of Asus cases?...
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=539676

[MrP]

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=548064

my boss has the old version of that case, and i belive you can get foam and deadenign already cut to size to make them quieter

[Clunk]

I dont get it, you think that that plastic monstrosity is nicer looking than the Lian Li?

Beauty certainly is in the eye of the beholder in this case (pun intended ).

[Million]

LOL @ Clunk

Antec Sonata? Simple, good build quality, quiet, and a damn sight better looking IMHO

[Andaho]

I dont get it, you think that that plastic monstrosity is nicer looking than the Lian Li?

Beauty certainly is in the eye of the beholder in this case (pun intended ).

No, of course it's not nicer than the lian-li - But it's a lot cheaper! The other thing that's putting me off the lian-li is because the space where I want to put the case is only 20cm wide (just under 8'), and the lian-li case is just over that. - It's not like I have an aluminium monitor/mouse/keyboard to match the case to - they're all plastic! I'm not realy fussed with aluminium at all - I probably shouldn't have posted this thread in the case modding sub-forum, where all you case-modding enthusiasts would disagree with me not seeing the point in aluminium

LOL @ Clunk

Antec Sonata? Simple, good build quality, quiet, and a damn sight better looking IMHO

Yeah, that does look nice, But I'm not keen on the practicality of having a door to get to the optical drives, as I use my drives a lot.

So is there anyone that's had experience with Asus cases? - or does everyone here think they're ugly?

[Steve B]

theres a difference between not seeing the point in aluminium and not wanting to pay for it. i hope you're one of the latter, as you'll get stoned if you're of the former
I've got a lian-li case for my media centre, its lovely. Fair enough I paid over the odds for it, but I wouldn't change it for anything else
By the same token, I also have an Antec NSK6000, which is also lovely. Its slightly more expensive than the Asus one, at ~&#163;36 but I'd say it was worth the extra.

[MilkMan]

Look at the Gigabyte range of cases - very nice, clean and good built-quality.
Gigabyte have both metal and Alluminium cases available.

See here for more detials:
http://www.gigabyte.eu/Products/Chassis/Default.aspx

[ash_rm]

Antec Solo is a good choice

[Pob255]

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=402904
coolermaster centurion

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=450661
Gigabyte Triton

Unfortunatly your going to have problems with quite and only 200mm wdie, the reason is that for quite you want good 120mm fans and that limits the width of the case too around 200mm at the minimum.

[mr mister]

i recommend silverstone cases highly, very well built and good cooling potential