Choosing a case...

I've sort of narrowed down my choice to these four cases, was wondering if any of you guys had these cases or would like to suggest better ones?


the slicker options:
Lian-Li PC-7 Plus (~£60)
Silverstone TJ04 (~£70)

the uATX option:
Silverstone SUGO SG01 (~£80)

and the cheap option:
Antec nsk 4000 (~£30) (same as the nsk 4400 but without a PSU)



Obviously the SUGO is only a choice if uATX seems like a good plan (I'm thinking 8800gts or similar and either an e4300 or an e6600 at the moment, with possible motion towards a quad core if prices fall) so I'm not sure if the motherboard choice reduction is worth it.

The new g33 based motherboards are plenty cable enough of overclocking etc.. so don't rule out uATX.

..however, I'd only get a uATX if you need something more portable or simply don't have the room for a normal size case as cooling can be quiet difficult especially if you're sticking a GTS in there.

I'm not bowled over by the PC-7..seems alright..and it seems to have a semi decent solution for gfx cooling.

The Tj-04 is pretty basic but it a nice looking case.

Which Sugo are you talking about..The SG-03 didnt have an extractor last time i checked which isn't great.

I'd spend a little extra on an antec p182.. can't recommend that case enough. Bit bigger and heavier than your choices though.

If it has to be one of your choices i'd go with the TJ-04 i think.

Another chance for me to recommend and say how pleased I am with my CM 830 Stacker :D Not cheap tho. If you have the space and the cash I really can't think of a better case.

I've got the Lian-Li PC-7 and it is indeed a solid case.

Looks smart, nice cooling options and a selection of removable bits.

Couple of things to point out though:

#1 - The case fan at the top can get in the way of your PSU depending on orientation and how far the cables come out (using my hiper with the sexy metal connectors, i'm basically not able to use the top case fan...or not use the top row of power connectors)

#2 - The 'slideable' motherboard thingy works really nicely ... unless you have a massive HSF (see my build pics)

http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=109687

#3 - although not shown very well in most pics they show of the case, it has a stupid black plastic strip on the top at the front - criminal tbh because it just seems so unneccesary and spoils a lovely case.

I hope that helps a bit :P

It needs to be conservative on the space front, so full and super towers are out :)

It's the SG01 I think.


P182 looks nice but again is starting to creep up in size. Does it come in Silver? :)


It'll be an OCZ 600W non-modular psu. Will find out in a week or so how far out the wires stick

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Originally Posted by jamena

It needs to be conservative on the space front, so full and super towers are out :)

It's the SG01 I think.


P182 looks nice but again is starting to creep up in size. Does it come in Silver? :)

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The 830 is not all that tall, it's a fair bit shorter than my last case which was a full tower, but it's very deep.

It comes in mirror finish for double the price haha.

The SG01 is a lovely little case. I'm hoping to get one for a second pc soon. It will fit a GTS no problem i'd just be a little nervous about the heat..

The suggested HSF for them is the NT06 lite which fits perfectly beneath the psu and so uses the psu's fan to cool it.

Problem is..it's a bit of naff cooler even with a fan blowing straight down on it.

Check out zalman's aero flower (the down facing fan versions) if you do go for it.

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Originally Posted by staffsMike

It comes in mirror finish for double the price haha.

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Brushed Alu > Black >>>>>> Mirror :D
Mirrored finishes attract dirt far too easily :rolleyes: ...I've become accustomed to the finish of my my Silverstone LC11 (which is a very much delayed media centre PC project) ...I like brushed Aluminium.

Everyone seems to love these p180 and p182 cases... it's just they don't quite look as good, at least not in the photos (imo ofc ;))

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Originally Posted by Trash Man

The 830 is not all that tall, it's a fair bit shorter than my last case which was a full tower, but it's very deep.

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very deep indeed!

Up close the p182 has a very nice finish..it just looks a little boring. It's not as nice as silverstones offerings perhaps but good none the less.

It's offers great cooling, near silence, great build quality and is cheap for what you're getting.

I'd take it over the TJ-04 and Lian-Li ..the other two don't really compare as they are totally different.

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Originally Posted by staffsMike

Up close the p182 has a very nice finish..it just looks a little boring. It's not as nice as silverstones offerings perhaps but good none the less.

It's offers great cooling, near silence, great build quality and is cheap for what you're getting.

I'd take it over the TJ-04 and Lian-Li ..the other two don't really compare as they are totally different.

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I always feel like I'm wasting all that space in a case, or rather that the case is wasting space outside if you see what I mean :) - It'll only every have one 5.25" drive and one or two 3.5" drives, perhaps three at the very most if I get carried away ;) Probably only the graphics card (I and my wallet don't believe in SLi :rolleyes: ) and perhaps a sound card if the onboard audio isn't good (is it ever?)

Now that you mention the G33 as being good I'm more tempted by the SG01 again. I see they sell a LAN-carry case for it :D

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Originally Posted by staffsMike

Problem is..it's a bit of naff cooler even with a fan blowing straight down on it.

Check out zalman's aero flower (the down facing fan versions) if you do go for it.

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Yes, not a lot of room for the CPU-cooler there. Kind of a case for some sort of heatpipe that can pull the heat to another location where a sink/fan can be more easily mounted...but heatpipe's don't seem to be that easy to customise just yet afaik!?


The PSU typically sucks air out the case though - the nt06 looks like it should work well in that setup, maybe a small fan under it blowing up through it to help push the air from it straight into the PSU?

It'll work no problem with stock settings just dont set your heart on overclocking with it.

There are a few low profile coolers with fans that will fit I think but since the psu sucks air up and the hsf will suck air down you might have some interesting results.

I don't think you would be dissapointed with the SG-01 at all it is a lovely little case and if you get the windowed one you could mod it easily to take some side fans.

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Originally Posted by staffsMike

I don't think you would be dissapointed with the SG-01 at all it is a lovely little case and if you get the windowed one you could mod it easily to take some side fans.

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You mean the window would be acrylic I suppose, making it easy to drill? I'm still not sure about windows ... I'd want to clean the inside of the case then! Hmmm :juggle: going to have to think about suitable motherboards now!

The Lian-Li PC-A05 is a good compact ATX case. Certainly one of the smallest ATX cases I've seen with good cooling in it. The only problem is that hot air can get trapped at the top, so either mod a blowhole in it or get a slot blower (which is what I did).

i to am after a new case to downsize mine. i thought about this:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/produ...oductID=611430

sorry for thread jacking but anyone recommend one of these either:

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/126236

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Originally Posted by jamena

You mean the window would be acrylic I suppose, making it easy to drill? I'm still not sure about windows ... I'd want to clean the inside of the case then! Hmmm :juggle: going to have to think about suitable motherboards now!

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Yeah but you might get on fine with it. I don't have any reliable data on how they manage temps..

If you want the motherboard right now you are limited to these if it's g33 that you want.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...Thumbnails=yes

There's an asus board on the way though.

otherwise the abit fatlity uATX and asus P5B-VM are quite good.

I'm looking to downsize from a p180 to a lian li pc-a05b :) just for reference like

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Originally Posted by Gerrard

The Lian-Li PC-A05 is a good compact ATX case. Certainly one of the smallest ATX cases I've seen with good cooling in it. The only problem is that hot air can get trapped at the top, so either mod a blowhole in it or get a slot blower (which is what I did).

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The PC-A05 looks very nice! ...but... The PSU being at the front scares me a little. Doesn't the PSU exhaust (and the other exhaust) blowing straight into the front door of the case severely hinder airflow? At least the back of a case is a few inches from the wall? As you said You'd be wanting some sort of venting towards the top of the case.


review here: http://www.pcdvd.com.tw/showthread.php?t=691148
don't know what it says but there's more pictures of it at least :)

Thanks for all the input guys - lots of interesting cases and suchlike out there I didn't know about, even if some of them are harder to find than others!

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Originally Posted by staffsMike

If you want the motherboard right now...

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Motherboard in a month or so I hope! (as can the case and cpu - very few of these can be found on the £10 off google thing and anyway once the price increases it becomes a better idea to go somewhere good like scan :)

So far I've picked up a few things through deals and the £10 google saving :) ...things I figured would pretty much hold in value (note: no CPU! :))
OCZ 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Gold GX XTC CL5
OCZ StealthXStream 600W PSU
320Gb Hitatchi Deskstar SATA


If overclocking will be limited maybe an e6600 would be a better idea over the e4300 (and Q6600 might just be a pipe dream - one that's just too hot). They've come down in price so much ... :D I will start a new thread concerning the cpu/mobo in a few weeks I think, by which time I will hopefully have decided on a case and will know if I'm limited to uATX or if I can get ATX :D

You have to see this...
That Lian Li PC-A05 review with google trying to translate

"rapid installation of preventing earthquakes groove."
they must get some seriously badly vibrating hard drives over at google translators HQ
"The other side, there is enough room for Cypriots power supply line"

hehehe

explains a few instruction manuals I've had in the past

Late entry !! Coolermaster Mystique ? !!:juggle:

I'd be interested to see how you get on with that psu. It should be really good.

It you have doubts though the corsair 520w HX whisper is a peach.

I mentioned it another thread here recently, but if you want more information/pictures of the PC-A05, there's a rather large thread here.

In regards to the airflow at the front, it isn't that bad in my machine. The PSU doesn't get very hot, even with warm air passing through it and my hard drive operates at a temp of about 40 degrees. The front of the case gets luke warm at the exhaust, but that's about it. The slot blower does seem to shift a fair amount of hot air though and I think that's the main concern with this case, which is fairly easy to fix.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gerrard

I mentioned it another thread here recently, but if you want more information/pictures of the PC-A05, there's a rather large thread here.

In regards to the airflow at the front, it isn't that bad in my machine. The PSU doesn't get very hot, even with warm air passing through it and my hard drive operates at a temp of about 40 degrees. The front of the case gets luke warm at the exhaust, but that's about it. The slot blower does seem to shift a fair amount of hot air though and I think that's the main concern with this case, which is fairly easy to fix.

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Do you find the slot blower noisy at all? I've got a fair few quiet fans lying around that I could put to use - perhaps a modded hole in the top/back of the case somewhere rather than a slot blower. I'd have thought most of the heat collecting there was courtesy of your 8800?

actually I see there's a Lian Li BS-01 fan that is designed to bolt onto that grill above/by the PCI slots.

The system in your profile is more or less exactly what I'm aiming to build :D which is encouraging

Kustompcs seems to be the only place selling either of those two items in the UK though?

The slot blower is no noisier than the graphics fan (probably due to both being very similiar). I got an Antec Cyclone Blower that has a 3 speed switch, so I just leave it on the lowest setting and it still seems to dot he job. A blowhole would be more efficient, but I don't have the skills, tools or patience to mod one! Also wouldn't block 2 slots. I would agree that the heat generated is mainly from the GPU.

Kustom PCs are out of stock, however I think Advance Technologies has some in stock.

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Originally Posted by Colossous

Late entry !! Coolermaster Mystique ? !!:juggle:

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I don't think it would benefit my Zen ... :cool:


Lian Li have an awful of of awfully similar cases. Scary amount of ever so slightly different choices in there! eek.

It was the G50 that actually first got my atention. It is almost identical to the PC-A05 except for placing the PSU at the back over the CPU. The side panels are even interchangeable! If I was going to watercool my CPU, I may have decided on this one instead. The V600 is a another similiar case with the PSU at the back over the CPU, but is based more on a scaled down V1000 and slightly different styling.