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Blogs Is there such a thing as the perfect PC case?

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Sifter3000, 19 Jun 2009.

  1. Sifter3000

    Sifter3000 I used to be somebody

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  2. Skiddywinks

    Skiddywinks Minimodder

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    Haha, I was thinking something exactly along these lines the last few days. Hell, this could have even been my blog post.

    I was also looking around for cases that beat my Cosmos S in terms of water cooling capability. Even though you can get more into a V2000 or TJ-07, I personally think they look ugly (or at least not as pretty as the Cosmos S), and the having to mod the case puts me off (since i have never done it, and would hate to start on a case like that!).

    Every case I have seen has always been a minimal upgrade at best from my Cosmos S, in terms of the overall picture and not just water cooling. Push come to shove, I can get another two 120mm rads in this, for (say) the NB, MOSFETs and SB, and have them on a seperate loop to my current CPU (Q9550) and VGA (4870X2) loop. I can't see how anyone would really want much more cooling capability, unless they had two 4870X2s or GTX 295's I suppose.

    After seeing those renders though, I think we may be on to a winner.

    Speaking of your desires for good airflow as well as water cooling capability, one of the benefits of a radiator that is no compartmentalised, is that it also acts as an exhaust . The triple rad on my Cosmos S exhausts air out of the top, and with a 120mm exhaust fan at the back, a 120mm intake on the front (HDD cage) and a 200mm intake on the side, it gets plenty of cool air that no longer has to transfer heat from anything worth mentioning. The water blocks take the heat, making the air inside the case cooler, which also benefits the radiator since the air it is using is only very slightly warmer than ambient.
     
  3. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    Yeah pretty impressive aren't they? I thought they were real at first and I was like OMG! Where can I buy this case!!!

    Cosmos S is a great case for looks and water-cooling potential. Thermochill's rads will fit it now too with their new 15mm fan spacing!
     
  4. phuzz

    phuzz This is a title

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    At the moment i'm looking for a case with the PSU at the bottom, and enough space for a double 120mm rad in the top, but either there's not enough vertical space for a rad and fans, or the few where there is space are over £200.
    ah well, the search goes on....

    (my current case is a CM Centurion that I won on a competition on here, so thanks for that Bit-Tech!)
     
  5. Skiddywinks

    Skiddywinks Minimodder

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    Well the Cosmos S has room for a triple 120mm rad in the top, with the fans on either (or both) sides. Obviously, I opted for both. Push-pull Cheesecake!

    PSU is also in the bottom.

    It is not much cheaper than £200, costing £150 at dabs.com, but it is not a bad price at all for what you get.
     
  6. thEcat

    thEcat What's a Dremel?

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    Mick64's renders are an excellent exercise in the design of a case custom made for water cooling. With a fully configured loop something like 90% of the full system heat load is exhausted by psu + rads, leaving only a few 10s of watts in the central section, easily dealt with by the 200mm and 120mm fans especially when the mb tray is rotated 180 degrees..

    On a personal note, I don't like rads mounted in the base, on a more general level, the case is big. Still, it's one of the best wc cases I've seen.
     
  7. TGImages

    TGImages Grandpa

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    My list also includes tool-less design as much as possible, space to work in it but not so large that it could literally be part of your desk and going that extra step (i.e. no sharp edges or other sloppy manufacturing).
     
  8. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    Yeah good point, it's little things like tool-less design that make a huge difference, especially if you're regularly swapping things around which I'm sure most of us here are! That's something I've found to be a real pain with Mountain Mods cases. Everything needs hundreds of screws to be undone to remove it!
     
  9. I-E-D

    I-E-D Minimodder

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    Well, every person has their perfect case, some like size, some like cooling, some like accessories. The list goes on.

    I think everyone should either make their own cases, or design a case (like the one pictured), and they send it to a company, who makes it for you, using your specs, the materials you want.
     
  10. alecamused

    alecamused Minimodder

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    I bought the Cosmos S about a year ago and hoped it would be the perfect case for me, but I'm not 100% happy with it. Now i have smiliar high hopes for the soon to be released Corsair Obsidian.
     
  11. Ironpipe

    Ironpipe What's a Dremel?

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    I have no problem fitting a radiator with 2x240mm fans, pump and quick disconnect cooling to CPU, Video Card and Memory with the option of adding liquid cooling to hard drives completely enclosed in a Coolermaster Stacker 830. The only thing I did was to remove the 4x 120mm fan rack. The coolant never exceeds 30oC. while overclocking a E8600 3.33GHz to 4.25GHz as normal operation (can easily get more) and very stable. My only wish is that the case was 2.54cm wider. This is as close to a perfect case as you will ever get if you intend to use an efficient self build liquid cool system instead of the typical Mickey Mouse system or the not so efficient hugh clumsy over kill cooling ones. I don’t why, but I think Coolermaster has discounted the case.
     
  12. Elton

    Elton Officially a Whisky Nerd

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    So far the best Air Cases, are the P183(weird huh?), HAF 932, and maybe the Stacker 830 with the fan filled side panel.

    Perfect in features, the ATCS 840(for the price it's okay), the best is still the Lian Li PC-P80.
     
  13. Horizon

    Horizon Dremel Worthy

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    Short answer, yes. But my perfect is not your perfect.
     
  14. naokaji

    naokaji whatever

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    There are exactly two cases (one of them has not entered production yet) that I would consider perfect, the Lian Li Tyr 500 for Aircooling and the Mick64 Case for Watercooling.
     
  15. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    Agree with the Mick64 case, the TYR X500 isn't as good as you may think. In fact we found it to be pretty shocking in CPC Issue 63!
     
  16. Rkiver

    Rkiver Cybernetic Spine

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    I would love a case like the one Mick64 was working on. That'd be damn near perfect in all honesty. I have a Comos S, I love it, but that case design....ooooooooh. Want.
     
  17. yodasarmpit

    yodasarmpit Modder

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    Is there such a thing as the perfect PC case?

    No.

    Unfortunately there's no such a thing as a case that suits all situations, the cases posted on the article are all well and fine for a computer room, with the intention of overclocking, however would be wholly unsuitable in the living room as an HTPC.
     
  18. The_Beast

    The_Beast I like wood ಠ_ಠ

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    there are cases that come close but I doubt there will ever be a perfect case
     
  19. tron

    tron What's a Dremel?

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    Is there such thing as a perfect case?

    First, TBH, I disagree with Yodasarmpit that the cases posted are unsuitable for a living room. They are probably quieter than an XBOX 360. They also look nicer than the typical living room DVD players and AV units as well as the XBOX 360. Size doesn't matter, because we are no longer living in times where people expected to have AV equipment under their old CRT telly by default. Also, if you don't like the looks of your HTPC, you could put a HTPC almost anywhere in a living room with the use of extra long video cable. You could even have your PC conveniently right next to your sofa. Personally, I don't like to see anthing near the TV at all. When I go to the movies, I don't see AV equiment such as the amplifier with LED display sitting under the screen. It would be a distraction.

    A 'perfect' case for me would have:

    1) Large size for installation flexibilty and cooling.

    2) Minimal looks. I don't really like asymmetrical designs or out-of-place curves and angles. It should be a simple minimal design comprising 12 straight symmetrical lines. Front mesh 'air intake' design on the whole entire front of case.

    3) Ideal Colour: black.

    4) Material: Aluminium for 'heat release through metal' cooling and light weight benefits.

    5) Default option for massive array of hard drives. I don't understand case designs with multiple FIXED optical drive bays. The whole front should be modular and allow any desired arrangement of drives or multiple intake fans.

    6) No air grills on top of case. I know the benefits of expelling air through the top. However, I know someone who had a friend with a drink in his hand accidentally spill water down into his PC via the top fans. In this type of situation, gravity alone will cause maximum water intake. The spinning fans are also sure to spray the drink all over the internal components.

    Ideal case should be tall enough to have a 2 or 3 fan radiator at the rear of the case.

    7) Tool-less design.
     
  20. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    8) Modular. pop the faceplate and tack an extra compartment to the front, then put the face on it, etc...
     
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