Case Suggestions (£50, no PSU)

[tickedon]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently looking for a case to stick a Pentium D based system into. The components are ones I've picked up over time or have been replaced with something else and so I've pretty much got everything I need for a "new" system with the exception of a case to stick it all in.

I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good case for around the £50 mark? I've already got a PSU so one isn't needed.

So far, I've seen a couple Coolermaster cases I like but I'm wondering if anyone can recommend anything else.

TIA.

[BUFF]

Scan currently have the Chenbro Gaming Bomb II on Today Only for just under £60 in silver.
120mm intake & exhausts, removable mobo tray etc.

[abeacock]

I have the Jeantech Phong II (£50 from PC World).
Custom PC rave about this case, and I think it's top too.
http://www.custompc.co.uk/custompc/r...-phong-ii.html

Great build quality, a 140mm fan on the front, 120mm fan on the back and fan controller knobs on the front.

[leeglf]

I have the Jeantech Phong II (£50 from PC World).
Custom PC rave about this case, and I think it's top too.
http://www.custompc.co.uk/custompc/r...-phong-ii.html

Great build quality, a 140mm fan on the front, 120mm fan on the back and fan controller knobs on the front.

i was going to suggest the phong II as my friend recently got one and he loves it!

[abeacock]

CustomPC suggest that it doesn't look the best but I would beg to differ. The inside of the case is painted a gun-metal grey colour and looks great, all the edges are smooth and safe (have sliced my fingers to pieces on another cheap case).

There are 4 USB, 1 Firewire and headphone/mic sockets on the front (behind the black panel) and all the CD/DVD drives are hidden behind hinged flaps.

If you got this case I don't think you will be disappointed!

[dave87]

Akasa Zen?

Looks good, works well, and best of all, fits well inside your budget

[abeacock]

Cheap but CustomPC reviewed it lower than the Phong II:
http://www.custompc.co.uk/custompc/r...akasa-zen.html

It also doesn't come with any fans (from what I can remember) and so the price will go up if you want any form of cooling.

[dave87]

But is that not better to have the choice of fans, rather than the pre-bundled (usually rather cheap) ones?

[abeacock]

I agree dave87 that having a choice is better than the normal crap manufacturers include. I think the Phong II is the exception to the rule as it's fans are quite quiet and shift the air pretty good.

As for buying fans, the Sharkoon ones did pretty well in a recent CustomPC labs test:
http://www.custompc.co.uk/custompc/l.../sharkoon.html

[Nacrisa]

I would nominate the Antec Solo, which can be found for around £50 (you can check froogle for stores).
Setup can be a bit fiddly with getting the drives flush with the front panel and no motherboard tray, but there are some nice features such as the elastic hard-drive mounting system. It has a nice style and finish to it too.

[davethechamp]

I'd throw another vote in for the Phong II.

Decent case, nice to work with, roomy and I found it was fairly quiet to!!

Dave

[Robbie G]

Lian-Li PC7+II.

[fredered]

Is it reasonably possible to replace the fans on the phong ii I have the original phong and I want rear silence but the front fan is prettymuch impossible to remove.

[scrandman]

Antec SLK3000B & spend the change at the pub!

[tickedon]

Seems the Phong is fairly popular - it seems to have features but the front of it is pretty ugly.

Anyone else want to chip their 2 pence in?

[kalniel]

Can't stand the jeantech one personally, think it looks butt ugly + cheap!

You said you don't want coolermaster recommendations, so I won't recommend the excellent Centurion ones, have you looked at some Antec cases? I think the Sonata looks ace, for eg.