Blogs Case conundrums: Balancing cooling with aesthetics

I say we need more open case designs

 

I don't understand why there aren't more cases with a rotated motherboard layout. It allows a solid front panel, helps cooling, looks very clean and allows for a short (but tall) case.

Presumably the cable management out of the top and the PSU/Drive layouts are too much like hardwork for anyone that isn't Silverstone, which is a shame. I still really want an ITX scale version of the FT02, please make it happen Silverstone!

 

Corsair 450D High Airflow Edition.
High quality, affordable, plenty of airflow, room for lots of hardware and nice design.
Now if only they did an updated version of it with 4x USB 3 + 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C then it would be the perfect "normal" size case.

 

I have my chassis on the desktop for the first time, so my main focus is finding a case that meets my needs and is very quiet. Basically a
Fractal Define Mini C with optical bays. Most of my SSDs are in four hot swap caddies located in a 5.25" bay.

Problem is, most compact mATX cases with 5.25" bays are nearly 500mm deep for some stupid reason. I've resurrected my TJ08-E for now and I've lined it with sound damping material - but the 180mm AP fan will need replacing with a quieter model .

 

I know it's not a small case, but my Zalman Z9 Plus which houses my current main rig is due for replacement, with the rig itself. The case is an awesome cooling beast, but I am shrinking my cases, and my current 2nd rig is a Ryzen mATX build, the cooling is terrible, with only an 80mm exhaust fan and a 120mm intake, no space for a radiator. Having the PSU at the top of the case is also a really bad design in this day and age, and is something my mATX case suffers from. There is no need to have the PSU cooled by exhausting all the hot air from the case, yet it still crops up in far too many cases.

 

PSUs at the top of the case are fine, if'it's done right. The TJ08-E has the PSU at the top but draws air from a roof vent, not from inside the chassis.