Can you recommend a PC case to suit my needs ?

[jamieuk23]

Hi I am looking to make a new gaming build. I want a nice looking case with a side window for displaying nice Led lights around the motherboard. Case must be a small mid tower tho and be able to fit a large graphics card (5970 maybe) and a large cpu cooler.

I understand things mat get hot, but I only game once a week for a few bours so heat wont be a problem

Any ideas of a small case ? such thing as a min tower cube type case ?

[Biscuit]

For a full ATX or M-ATX motherboard?

[jamieuk23]

Well isnt it a bad idea to use min ATX for gaming because of the heat ? Thought I read some were that M/ATX is a no go as a gaming PC ?

If its possible then M/ATX it is

[Skulltrail]

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...ro-atx-w-o-psu

This is just about the only mATX windowed case I can think of. It goes for £72 and supports cards up to 10.5 long, so not quite a 5970, but a GTX580 will fit. However, if you want the power of a 5970, have a look at GTX 460s or 560s in SLI as for £240 or £380 their performance is hard to beat.

[Max Tractor]

Well isnt it a bad idea to use min ATX for gaming because of the heat ? Thought I read some were that M/ATX is a no go as a gaming PC ?

If its possible then M/ATX it is

Never heard that before, my server is a Asus M4A785D-M PRO(Matx) 6 hard drives, x6, 4850, all under full load 24/7.

Might want to have a look at the Antec Mini P180 Black

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140996

[Pob255]

Let's just get some terms straight
ATX
MicroATX (mATX or UATX)
Mini-ITX

3 things, different sizes.
There's nought wrong with mATX or mini-ITX for gaming . . . well in theory.
In practice there are some restrictions but not as bad as you might think, a lot depends on the motherboard.
Overclocking can be a major issue on mATX boards, not that they really lack the ability to do it just the BIOS support to do it.
mini-ITX board are more restrictive, the big issue here is power, their VRMs just cannot handle much in the way of overclocking.
Also multi graphics card setups tend to be impossible on mATX and are impossible on mini-ITX, again not because they couldn't do it just that they lock the pci-e slots to do it.

get yourself something like the asus p8p67-M pro and you can easily build a good overclocked dual gpu system off it http://www.scan.co.uk/products/asus-...gb-s-raid-matx

If your after a cube case, the blockbuster storm http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...ed,1901-5.html http://www.scan.co.uk/products/aplus...rewire-(no-psu)
CPU cooler can have some size issues because the psu over hangs it slightly and there's some structual bars that get in the way (if I remember correctly) however it can take up to 12" graphics cards (maybe longer)
If you want mini-ITX (you can build a good gaming itx system just not a superduperohmyp0wninggod one.) then look no farther than the Silverstone SG07 http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...e-2-full-slots a bit pricey but it does include a very good 600w psu, 13.5" graphics card support, very good cooling.
If someone would put a good VRM circuit on an mini-ITX board then you could build a superduperohmyp0wninggod gaming pc with that case.

[jamieuk23]

Thanks for the advice I do like the look of the blockbuster storm, but it looks so cramped inside and I dont see how a large graphics card could fit in there

If I leave out the need for a side window is there some better options ?

Just want M_ATX case with room for a single graphics card setup and CPU cooler

Can you not buy AMD chio small motherboards ?

Thanks so much !

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

You can buy mini-ITX AMD motherboards but they tend to more expensive when compared to similar Intel motherboards. The AMD socket retention bracket seems to take up a decent amount of space too which does not help either!

[Champman99]

I have no real experience with these but you can see a couple of more unusual options on Scan for M-ATX, but the Antec Mini P180 and Silverstone Sugo recommended by people above are probably going to be the best on offer.


Inwin Dragonslayer
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/inwin...ng-case-no-psu
review: http://www.overclockersclub.com/revi..._dslayer/6.htm

Nzxt Vulcan
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/nzxt-...tx-psu-fits%29


+ the already recommended Mini P180 -http://www.scan.co.uk/products/antec-mini-p180-black-micro-atx-tower-case-w-o-psu

and Sugo (various editions cheapest linked) - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...ro-atx-w-o-psu

The review of the Inwin actually makes it sound quite good, if I was building myself an MATX gaming system I would probably use the Silverstone Sugo though. Silverstone have a great reputation these days and that is pretty reasonable price for one of their cases.

All of these are sort of short versions of tower cases, the big advantage of these is that they use normal size PSUs, which is important for a gaming system as you want a high quality PSU and high quality M-ATX PSUs tend to be harder to find. The cube type cases tend to either come with their own (poor) PSU, or will only take a smaller PSU, although having said that there is a cube style sugo that will take a full size PSU

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...-%28w-o-psu%29

The details has some stuff about graphics card length, but perhaps might be worth checking that your graphics would fit. It says "full size card capable (12")" but I'm not sure on the specifics.

[oolon]

A nice matx case with 370mm clearence for a card Lian-Li PC-A04 would be my choice you can remove one of the drive trays for a full length card. So the case remains small. A scan url for you 85 quid a bit expensive but nice.

[Pob255]

Blockbuster storm with a 4850x2 in it, as you can see there's plenty of length for a long graphics card
don't be fooled into thinking it's a small case
here's a build with a TRUE cpu cooler http://www.aoaforums.com/forum/case-...ter-storm.html as you can see you have to have a tall cpu cooler sideways to fit.
so a large square cooler will not fit.

However originally you didn't ask about an mATX just a midtower, you could look at the old NZXT panzerbox, it's not a prefect case and you really need a modular psu to have any chance of cable managing it well but it's cooling is very good and it's not very tall or long (but it is wider than most)
I'd also look at the HAF 912+ again it's a wide case, although this is a good thing as it allows for larger 200mm fans for better air cooling and gives more space behind the motherboard tray for better cable management.
(both of these are full ATX but still fairly small mid tower cases)

If you want a small footprint, mATX (with full length carsds) and don't mind the cost, then look at the silverstone Fortress 03
it's not cheap and needs a slimline slot loading dvd drive, which is also not cheap, however due to the layout the foot print is very small and I think it looks great.
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...r-case-w-o-psu
+
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/samsu...sata-black-oem

A couple of points about some of the suggested cases
Inwin Dragonslayer - nice case, good build quality, however it's narrow so you cannot fit a 120mm fan based cpu cooler inside, if you want to water cool or use ont of the self-contained loops (eg the corsair h50) then this isn't a problem
NZXT Vulcan, again narrow, however the pressed out mesh side means you can fit some tall cpu coolers, water cooling loops or self-contained water coolers are an issue in this case however (it can be done but requires modding)
Antec mini p180 - not small for an mATX case, it's the size of a standard mid tower case, it's got great cooling and in general is a lovely case, shame it's not so cheap any more used to be great at £60-70 not it's £90-100 http://www.scan.co.uk/products/antec...r-case-w-o-psu

[Biscuit]

i do feel a little like i opened a can of worms and made things so much more complicated for you, sorry

[Pob255]

i do feel a little like i opened a can of worms and made things so much more complicated for you, sorry

I'd not worry about it Biscuit, you made a very good valid point and looks like you made Jamieuk33 think more about his options.

@jamieuk33, planning is a key set in a new build, there's various approaches and size and form factor are important decisions in the process.
The overall goal of a "good gaming pc" is a first step however there's so many hardware options that can fill that it's not going to help much in narrowing down a case.
You can build a pc around a case, find a case you love then select hardware that will fit, or the other way around, select the hardware then find a case that will fit it.
Smaller cases will reduce your overall hardware options and if you plan to do later possible upgrades then you need to take that into consideration.
Figuring out a rough budget/component cost will help narrow down the selection of possible cases.
personally I'm picky over cases and don't have much free cash atm which is why I'm still using the casecom 6788, it's far from perfect but as a budget case it's a decent option.

[Biscuit]

why dont you give us a budget and we can put together some full build ideas?

[jamieuk23]

£380 minus the graphics card as I would be looking to buy used from someone

100% just for gaming only

[Biscuit]

I went £10 over (remember free shipping and remove scansure) but this is a crack at a Mini ITX system

http://www.scan.co.uk/savedbasket/71...a42e5725f15328

If you already have hard drives and a dvd drive then your easily back in budget.

Here is a similar build but with AMD parts

http://www.scan.co.uk/savedbasket/7c...b87d59a57a7f4e

The Q08 can fit GPUs up to 300mm in length so that would comfortably fit an HD6970 or GTX580.