Case with easy PSU fitting ?

[cookie365]

Hi all

I currently have a Thermaltake VA3000 case. It's great except that to fit the PSU you have to slide it right over the motherboard with just a few mm leeway. And that's if the mobo has nothing in it.

Which I didn't notice until I installed my big CPU cooler. I've bought a quieter PSU (Corsair) but now find I have to remove the mobo if I want to swap PSUs.

My old Antec had a removable top panel so I could just drop the PSU in from above, but the Thermaltake has the audio sockets there, and in any case the panel is riveted on.

So I'd like to get a new case.

What I'm after needs to be:

• Easy to swap PSUs even with large CPU cooler without going near the mobo
• Quiet
• Reasonably good build quality
• Good attention to detail
• ATX with plenty of space around the tray
• Space for a single rear 120mm fan is fine, assuming it's traditional layout.
• Not too worried about side or front fans: space for one or two would be fine.
• Proper drive caddy with good vibration damping (I have 3 hdds)
• Not too worried about screwless PCI access but it's a nice to have.
• Simple black design, I don't want a spaceship or the front of an F1 car.
• Happy to pay up to about £75
• Did I mention about easy to fit PSU no matter how busy the mobo is?

I've liked Antec cases that I've used in the past, and the Thermaltake is fine except for this PSU fitting problem.

Any suggestions?
Thanks

[Pob255]

I'd have a look at the Antec 300, the lower psu mounting means the cooler is out of the way of the psu.

The other ones to look at are the antec NSK cases, I'm pritty sure the top panel on thoes are held on by screws.
The other that I knoe of are the Chieftec cases, although they are not easy to get hold of (they are mainly sold to the OEM market)

[cookie365]

Thanks Pob255

Funny you should mention the 300 - I've just been looking at that and am tempted.

Also tempted by the Coolermaster 590, the Xigmatek Midguard - despite the orange and the Lian Li PC-7B plus II.

Oh and also the new Casecom 6788 but I'm going to wait for someone else to buy and review it

I'm a newbie here so I can't post links, sorry.

[Pob255]

Actually there's another couple of lower PSU case to look at as well

Coolermaster 690, the Xigmatek midguard seem to be a copy of this case but with different front&top panel
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131551
EDIT: I prefur the midguard, I've never liked the usb&sound ports in the middle of the top on the 690

Coolermaster 590, based on the 690, different front panel and harddrive bay
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/147113

I'd look at getting the window side panel version/seperately as there are some issues with the fan vents on the normal one
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149224 (nvidia livery one)

There's the NZXT M59
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/NZXT-...r-Case-w-o-PSU
Although that looks like it's the same as the casecom one with a different front panel and more expensive, so I'm not sure about it.

Lancool K58
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Lanco...97-Audio-ports
Looks very nice, the harddrive bays look good

And finally the much overlooked Silverstone Precision PS02B
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Silve...r-Case-w-o-PSU
It's very basic inside, just a very standard case with the PSU below the motherboard, but it's also the cheapest (excludeing the casecom)

[cookie365]

Cool Thanks, I'll check those out.

[Brewster0101]

Lancool K58
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Lanco...97-Audio-ports
Looks very nice, the harddrive bays look good

Lancool K58 gets my vote or if you stretch an extra £10 the K62