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Thread: Best inexpensive (<£50), preferably USB3.0 compatible, ATX case?

  1. #33
    Senior Member Pob255's Avatar
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    Re: Best inexpensive (<£50), preferably USB3.0 compatible, ATX case?

    Be careful of reviews that give cooling numbers, esp if you try to compare two different reviews, all sorts of factors can skew the numbers.
    Two reviews from the same source are generally more reliable for a comparison but not 100%, pay attantion to their test procedures, pay attention to how they investigate anomalies.
    Also most reviews only test with stock fans, so the moment you add or change a fan you've changed the results.

    The idea of the Z front bezel of the Z9 blocking restricting the front intake I'm not sure I fully agree, it probably does restrict it slightly but the question is how much by? remember that the bit of plastic that make the Z are lifted up with slots in the side of them to allow air in.

    Actually looking at it looks like the Z9 shares the same internal frame as the Z11 and Z12, it's just the bezels front and top, and a few other minor things that change so they should all get similar results for cooling

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    Re: Best inexpensive (<£50), preferably USB3.0 compatible, ATX case?

    Yeah, don't worry, I was looking at articles directly comparing the two. I think it may be down to the included fans: Z9 Plus has 4x120mm fans, Z11 Plus has 3x120mm and 2x80mm. The 80mms are in that front bit over the HDDs that someone here (I can't remember who now, sorry) has already said is pants though, so it's really just got one less 120mm. It did occur to me that it may improve if both those 80mm fans were set as intakes instead of having one pull cool air from the front fan straight out the side of the case... They didn't try that in any tests though.

    That's true on the bezel I suppose, though I think if I get the Z9 (it's growing on me ) I might drill a grid of holes into the outer facing parts of that bezel, just to let a little more air through. Once I know everything in the case is working properly of course.

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    Re: Best inexpensive (<£50), preferably USB3.0 compatible, ATX case?

    Just to sum this thread up, found an un-windowed Corsair Graphite 230T for £48 and got that. Seems pretty decent all round and I prefer it to the Z9 for the front filters and lack of weird Z shape. Pretty sure I'll be happy with my buy anyways.

    And thanks for all your help!

  4. #36
    Senior Member Pob255's Avatar
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    Re: Best inexpensive (<£50), preferably USB3.0 compatible, ATX case?

    Quote Originally Posted by Frankenfurter View Post
    Just to sum this thread up, found an un-windowed Corsair Graphite 230T for £48 and got that. Seems pretty decent all round and I prefer it to the Z9 for the front filters and lack of weird Z shape. Pretty sure I'll be happy with my buy anyways.

    And thanks for all your help!
    Really nice to get the Corsair Graphite 230T for £48 I didn't suggest that one because it's normally around £60

    Only thing I'm not massively keen on is the plastic hard drive cage, people say it's fine I'm just not 100% sold on it.

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    Re: Best inexpensive (<£50), preferably USB3.0 compatible, ATX case?

    Yeah, I saw there were a few problems in various video reviews, that being one of them. All the flaws were pretty minor though and I think it's the best case I've seen in my price range so far (even if only just in the price range, haha) so I went for it.

    Anyway, at first, I'm only going to have a single SSD so the plastic cage wont be a problem. Eventually I'm planning on 2 SSDs and 2 HDDs (a pair each for windows and mac), but hopefully by the time I get to adding the first HDD I'll be able to spare a few more quid to buy/build a replacement cage if I need to... actually, I might do it anyway as the cage is way bigger than I need.

    Oh it's not terribly important but I'm just wondering as I'm here, are case feet usually just screwed on or are they glued/bolted etc.? Just because I saw that there's not much clearance at the bottom of the case and I have some little trolley wheels from something that I could replace the feet with for added clearance (and to make it unnecessarily mobile). I'll find out when it arrives anyway, I suppose, but I'm impatient.

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    Re: Best inexpensive (<£50), preferably USB3.0 compatible, ATX case?

    A nice case for the price man! The Corsairs are nicely made, lots of space etc... i agree with pob on the plastic cages, but i'm sure if you are careful all will be fine. TBH i think it's a nicer case from some mentioned with being able to have longer a GPU and cable routing (although i haven't read enough on it to say for certain ) A good deal for £48!

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    Re: Best inexpensive (<£50), preferably USB3.0 compatible, ATX case?

    Cheers, Jellyfish
    I can't wait for it to turn up! As soon as it's here I can start my first ever build!

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