Over the next month or so I will be buying parts for a new PC built around a Core 2 Duo CPU (which will then be oveclocked). Not sure which model I will be going for yet, but probably the E6700. I'm sticking with air cooling rather than water cooling because the PC will be moved around a lot. So I need help with choosing a quality case with excellent airflow (without resorting to any or too much modding). These are some of the ones I've singled with some of my concerns: Akasa Mirage-62 if I can get the one with a metal door rather than the plastic one otherwise the price seems a bit daft for something that's the same as the Eclipse-62. That seems to be the only con. Antec Performance P180. Just a bit concerned about the placement of the 38mm deep intake fan between the PSU bay and the hard drive bay. Heard it doesn't leave much space for bigger PSU's. Does anyone know if it can be flipped over the hard drive side of the partition? Otherwise it would mean switching to a standard depth fan,if my choosen PSU turns out to be too long, thus reducing airflow even if I stick another 120mm fan below the 5.25" drive bays. Lian-Li V1000 or V2000. Love the build quality of Lian-Li's. I would do something to the small holes at the front to prevent dust-bunny invasions. The V2000 might be too big for my needs, but I would allow space for another 120mm fan added to the front. And that's my main concern of this model, there's no direct airflow into the motherboard chamber. Lian-Li V1100 or it's bigger version. I'm very unsure whether this case has any decent airflow without a proper front airvent. Would definitely have to mod this one a little, but it is a nice looking case. Can anyone indulge me in their pros and cons of the above cases or make a suggestion of other cases I should consider? I'm not bothered on price as I've just been given two mint 75Gb WD Raptors so I've already saved some dough on the build.
Hi there, V1000+, PC7+, Akasa Eclipse and the Antec Solo are my favourite cases. Check out the Coolermaster mystique 631 too. All of the cases mentioned are great and I think its just a term of reading reviews and seeing what you like best! Good luck!
Read plenty of reviews and still stuck on choosing (call me indecisive). Just want to hear some honest opinions to balance my decision. And I'm right in thinking that the Lian-Li V1000 and V2000 do not have a restart button?
Had a P180, even my Hiper was a tight fit. It weighed a ton too... I didn't like it. When it fell over during painting and warped, I trashed it. It was a waste of money, to me. Others may feel differently, but that's my opinion.
im not sure on the V-series cases of the Lian-Li cases but i do know that my PC7 has a reset switch, tbh a reset switch isnt really needed anymore as u can have the power connector connected to the reset pinouts aswell as the power ones.
Akasa Mirage-62: I use the eclipse 62 and it's the best case for airflow that I've come across. Because of its size it's really excels at watercooling but that won't interest you. If you're moving about a lot bear in mind that this case weighs quite a bit. Antec Performance P180: Good case but the airflow is not as good as the Eclipse/Mirage 62. It does have the advantage of being smaller and looks nicer. Lian-Li V1000 or V2000: Lightweight, good airflow but expensive Lian-Li V1100: As above If you're moving around a lot and just air cooling look for a lightweight aluminium case with 120mm intakes and exhausts - Lian Li do some great standard sized ATX cases as well as the V series.
True, I've read in a few reviews that the 7950GTX cards nearly didn't fit in the P180. With DirectX 10 card round the corner it's probably a given that the top of the range will be even bigger!
The Lian-Li PC-V1000 Plus is looking very tempting. It's got that extra "squirrel" (that's what Lian-Li call it) fan blower above the rear 120mm fan. Then I wouldn't have to mod up a 3 bay filling mesh fan placement to add an extra 120mm fan blowing into the motherboard bay. Though I would probably do this anyway as the fan blower may just end recycling hot air being exhausted out of the case's rear. Shame the fan blower can be reversed and used as an exhuast. The V1000 Plus also comes with two sets of pin headers for the power switch which would allow me to do what atanum141 suggests.
I've got my system inside a LL V1000 for now until I get my other one painted and prepped. I might keep it because it's very nice. My Raptor and 250gb HDD are in the front disk bay on the bottom, directly infront of a low RPM fan, so they're pretty cool and they fit securely and quietly. The PSU is a Silverstone ST60F (600 watt Modular) and its long cables reach everything easily, but are easily routed for better airflow/looks. I've got a 92mm Zalman HSF on my E6700 and a VF900 on my 512mb 7900GT. With two opticals and everything else, the case used to accumulate warm/hot air on top and it would cause my video card to overheat, but I added a big blowhole with an 80mm fan (they're listed at MNPCTech.com as "Urban Assault" grills) and that has solved the problem. I've got a green ring Bulgin switch as my power button and LED, but plan to drill another one below the first for reset/HDD LED. The other option could be to add the BUlgin switches to a drive bay and leave the stock switch for looks only.
I love my V1000... One problem, though... As the motherboard is upside-down, some heatpipe-cooled chipsets will overheat on it. I know for a fact that the ASUS P5N32-SLI (and the P5N32 SLI SE variant) will overheat. And no, it doesn't have a reset button. If you really want one, though, it could be modded in.
Thanks for the heat-pipe tip. Will probably hold off buying the case then until I know exactly which mobo I'm going for.
Wish I knew about that before i splashed out on one =P Now I have to settle for aftermarket cooling on my soon coming P5B Deluxe =| Ah, the the case is really solid though, by far the best build quality of any case I'ver seen.
I think this is the case I will be going for, Lian-li PC A10. Once I seen more than one review and somebody starts selling them in the UK. Layout and design looks virtually identical to the Antec P180 barring the additional 120mm fan mount at the front. So it should be good one hopes.
That one has a nice layout. It reminds me mor eof that expensive Silverstone case though. If I weren't so enamoured with the PC-767 I'd give that a serious look
I don't believe the P5Bs use heatpipes... A passive heatsink will still work fine, it's just some heatpipes that don't like the upside-down orientation. (edit) And that A-10 looks cool. If I hadn't spent 200$ on a V1000... (/edit)
As said on tones of vairous posts on this forum, even if the mobo is upsaide down it dosent matter as the heat pipes wiks via convection and the hottest area will move to the cooler spot, so even if upside down it will still work as it should. EDIT: jesus Darth...that case looks freeking mahoosive!
Only on more expensive heatpipes. For example, the ones used in the P5B deluxe and the P5W DH definately don't work upside down - theres a couple of threads on the xtreme forums about that issue.
