My vote goes out to anything Corsair and Silverstone. If there's two companies pioneering in the case design world, it's those two.
My vote goes out to anything Corsair and Silverstone. If there's two companies pioneering in the case design world, it's those two.
NZXT has done far more pioneering with cases of late than Corsair. Even Cooler Master has done better than them of late. The HAF XM, for example, is a mid-tower that can fit a 360mm rad with ease and Corsair's Carbide Air 540 is basically a HAF XB knock off. Corsair is just really good at branding themselves and hyping their products. They're not bad, but they're overpriced for what you get. OP isn't in the U.S., but if you really want to see some brands that are doing some interesting things without costing a ton, look at Rosewill and Azza.
Silverstone has stagnated a little of late, but they do have some really interesting and unique designs.
My vote goes out to anything Corsair and Silverstone. If there's two companies pioneering in the case design world, it's those two.
NZXT has done far more pioneering with cases of late than Corsair. Even Cooler Master has done better than them of late. The HAF XM, for example, is a mid-tower that can fit a 360mm rad with ease and Corsair's Carbide Air 540 is basically a HAF XB knock off. Corsair is just really good at branding themselves and hyping their products. They're not bad, but they're overpriced for what you get. OP isn't in the U.S., but if you really want to see some brands that are doing some interesting things without costing a ton, look at Rosewill and Azza.
Silverstone has stagnated a little of late, but they do have some really interesting and unique designs.
i've built about a dozen computers this year for clients and i find corsair cases to be the easiest to work with. I've used CM, Lian Li, Silverstones...all the big brands but that's just my opinion.
like i said above, i go with what is the easiest to build. cable management, convenience, tool less designs, quick connect stuff etc.
Remember the 800D? That thing STARTED cable routing holes. Not to mention the (arguable useless) hotswap bays in the front. Then there came the 900D recently, which is the epitome of an enthusiast case. Their larger cases are what they do best with, and they're always unique. Their smaller ones are great as well, though they may not be 100% unique. How about the no screw side panel design on the 650D and a lot of their other cases? I think they deserve more credit than they get some times.
i've built about a dozen computers this year for clients and i find corsair cases to be the easiest to work with. I've used CM, Lian Li, Silverstones...all the big brands but that's just my opinion.
like i said above, i go with what is the easiest to build. cable management, convenience, tool less designs, quick connect stuff etc.
I've worked with many of those as well, didn't find Corsair to be any easier than the others. Like I said, Corsair makes good cases, but my issue is what they charge for them and that their lower end cases are incredibly flimsy. I'd recommend Corsair cases if they weren't so overpriced. For example, I would never spend $130-140 on the 500R, not when there are better cases for the money; however, at $90-100, it's a great case. Maybe not my top choice, but still a great case.
And, going off what you said you go for, I've actually found Fractal Design and NZXT to be two of the easiest to work with. Silverstone cases require careful planning when you build in them, but you're paying for the build quality, the other interesting features, and the looks.Remember the 800D? That thing STARTED cable routing holes. Not to mention the (arguable useless) hotswap bays in the front. Then there came the 900D recently, which is the epitome of an enthusiast case. Their larger cases are what they do best with, and they're always unique. Their smaller ones are great as well, though they may not be 100% unique. How about the no screw side panel design on the 650D and a lot of their other cases? I think they deserve more credit than they get some times.
Note, I said of late, not in general. The 800D was a revolutionary case, but Corsair hasn't released anything revolutionary of late. Even the 900D you mentioned is nothing special. It's just a cheaper made and slightyly cheaper version of a CaseLabs case. I saw nothing in the 900D that hasn't already been done. Does that mean it's a bad case? Not in the least, but it's not revolutionary. And the no screw design is interesting, not revolutionary. I'll stand by my claim that the biggest innovator with computer cases right now is NZXT. I'm not a fan of how much plastic they use, but they are constantly trying out new things and bringing more features to the table that enthusiasts like, more so than Corsair.
My vote goes out to anything Corsair and Silverstone. If there's two companies pioneering in the case design world, it's those two.
NZXT has done far more pioneering with cases of late than Corsair. Even Cooler Master has done better than them of late. The HAF XM, for example, is a mid-tower that can fit a 360mm rad with ease and Corsair's Carbide Air 540 is basically a HAF XB knock off. Corsair is just really good at branding themselves and hyping their products. They're not bad, but they're overpriced for what you get. OP isn't in the U.S., but if you really want to see some brands that are doing some interesting things without costing a ton, look at Rosewill and Azza.
Silverstone has stagnated a little of late, but they do have some really interesting and unique designs.
Remember the 800D? That thing STARTED cable routing holes. Not to mention the (arguable useless) hotswap bays in the front. Then there came the 900D recently, which is the epitome of an enthusiast case. Their larger cases are what they do best with, and they're always unique. Their smaller ones are great as well, though they may not be 100% unique. How about the no screw side panel design on the 650D and a lot of their other cases? I think they deserve more credit than they get some times.
I can definitely agree with that. Their connector-less fan system and their overall designs have been pretty sweet lately. I've been equally impressed with Fractal and Bitfenix too.
Tell me this isn't a sexy case:Show Image(http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1548277/flags/LL)
My vote goes out to anything Corsair and Silverstone. If there's two companies pioneering in the case design world, it's those two.
NZXT has done far more pioneering with cases of late than Corsair. Even Cooler Master has done better than them of late. The HAF XM, for example, is a mid-tower that can fit a 360mm rad with ease and Corsair's Carbide Air 540 is basically a HAF XB knock off. Corsair is just really good at branding themselves and hyping their products. They're not bad, but they're overpriced for what you get. OP isn't in the U.S., but if you really want to see some brands that are doing some interesting things without costing a ton, look at Rosewill and Azza.
Silverstone has stagnated a little of late, but they do have some really interesting and unique designs.
Remember the 800D? That thing STARTED cable routing holes. Not to mention the (arguable useless) hotswap bays in the front. Then there came the 900D recently, which is the epitome of an enthusiast case. Their larger cases are what they do best with, and they're always unique. Their smaller ones are great as well, though they may not be 100% unique. How about the no screw side panel design on the 650D and a lot of their other cases? I think they deserve more credit than they get some times.
My dad had an Antec case he got with his ABS PC in like 2004 that had a screwless lockable side panel. Man Corsair really got original there >_>
I can definitely agree with that. Their connector-less fan system and their overall designs have been pretty sweet lately. I've been equally impressed with Fractal and Bitfenix too.
I have an Arc Mini and love it, but FD has had some tolerance and QC issues of late. They've definitely pushed some ideas about cases, like you can't get a nice full featured thicker steel case for under $100 and that silence doesn't mean bad air cooling, but they grew too big too quickly and are still struggling with how to effectively scale their production and have proper quality and QC.
Bitfenix I hate. I got their Ghost for review and it was one of the worst thought out and most poorly designed cases I've worked with. On top of that, they had the audacity to charge $100 for the case when it competes in quality with $70 cases. I've been equally unimpressed with the Prodigies I've played with. Sure, just about every case is a step up from the Survivor, but the really have a long way to go on build quality, design, features, and so on.Tell me this isn't a sexy case:Show Image(http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1548277/flags/LL)
It's interesting looking, but it's just a HAF XB turned on its side. The big deal breaker for me with that case is how limited you are with storage. It holds all of two HDDs.
Tell me this isn't a sexy case: (http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1548277/flags/LL) (http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1548277/flags/LL)
Two 3.5" HDD's and a boat load of 2.5" drives as well. Not to mention, who uses more than two 3.5" drives anyway?
Two 3.5" HDD's and a boat load of 2.5" drives as well. Not to mention, who uses more than two 3.5" drives anyway?
I have 3 HDDs and, ideally, would have a minimum of 4 so I can assure data redundancy across drives. If I start doing more photography again, even 4 is too few. SSDs are great and all, but unless your computer is only a gaming computer and you don't have a ton of music, movies, and/or photos on your computer, 2 HDDs isn't enough for a lot of people.
2.5" HDDs ;)
2.5" HDDs ;)
Smaller max size and more expensive for higher storage amounts. Why spend $180 on a 2TB 2.5" WD Green when you can grab a faster 2TB 3.5" HDD for as low as $100, sometimes lower? And why spend $90 on a 1TB 7200RPM 2.5" driver when you can get a 1TB 7200RPM 3.5" drive for $70-80?
Two 3.5" HDD's and a boat load of 2.5" drives as well. Not to mention, who uses more than two 3.5" drives anyway?
I have 3 HDDs and, ideally, would have a minimum of 4 so I can assure data redundancy across drives. If I start doing more photography again, even 4 is too few. SSDs are great and all, but unless your computer is only a gaming computer and you don't have a ton of music, movies, and/or photos on your computer, 2 HDDs isn't enough for a lot of people.
2.5" HDDs ;)
Two 3.5" HDD's and a boat load of 2.5" drives as well. Not to mention, who uses more than two 3.5" drives anyway?
I have 3 HDDs and, ideally, would have a minimum of 4 so I can assure data redundancy across drives. If I start doing more photography again, even 4 is too few. SSDs are great and all, but unless your computer is only a gaming computer and you don't have a ton of music, movies, and/or photos on your computer, 2 HDDs isn't enough for a lot of people.
2.5" HDDs ;)
Please find me a 3TB 7200rpm 2.5" drive for $110. I have a 256GB SSD and a 3TB 7200 with another 2 1TB 7200 drives, 2 hard drive slots is not a lot.
Please find me a 3TB 7200rpm 2.5" drive for $110.
- Corsair Carbide 500R (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-case-500rwt) - Good case, but overpriced IMO.
- Fractal Design Define XL (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/fractal-design-case-fdcadefxlr2bl)- great quiet(er) case and a full tower.
- Silverstone RV02 (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/silverstone-case-sstrv02bewusb30) - a little over budget, but great airflow, great cooling, and a unique case.
Thank you very much to everyone I think I'm going to go for the
Fractal Design Define XL R2
2.5" HDDs ;)
Smaller max size and more expensive for higher storage amounts. Why spend $180 on a 2TB 2.5" WD Green when you can grab a faster 2TB 3.5" HDD for as low as $100, sometimes lower? And why spend $90 on a 1TB 7200RPM 2.5" driver when you can get a 1TB 7200RPM 3.5" drive for $70-80?
My recommendations, depending on what you're looking for:Wow that aero cool x-predator looks amazing I also like that in Win GRone. But for air cooling the aero cool would be better? Do they sell those 2 cases by any chance in the US? And how much I tried finding them but can't also what fans do you recommend to buy for this cAse? I've heard good stuff about the corsair sp fans and also the noctua fans. And another question as far as performance goes is it better to get 4 120mm fans on the side or 1 200mm fan, which would give better cooling and be quiter? Thanks for the help I am going to be building a pc but an still looking for a case. Thanks for reading this :) ( not that I want to hijack your thread if you do not want this here I can easily delete this sorry for any inconvenience)
- Cooler Master HAF XM (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-rc922xmkkn1) - great case if you ever have any intention of water cooling
- Cooler Master CM690 II (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-rc692akkn5) - still one of the best mid-towers out there for cooling and what you can do with it (dual 240mm rads anyone?). And don't forget the sexy black and white version (http://www.scan.co.uk/products/cooler-master-690-ii-advanced-case-black-and-white-version-mid-tower-with-usb-30-and-x-dock-w-o-psu)
- Corsair Carbide 500R (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-case-500rwt) - Good case, but overpriced IMO.
- Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/fractal-design-case-fdcaarcr2blw) - fantastic case (I have the first version), though occasional QC issues pop up for some people.
- Fractal Design Define XL (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/fractal-design-case-fdcadefxlr2bl)- great quiet(er) case and a full tower.
- NZXT Phantom (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/nzxt-case-phan001wt) - good case, but with love it or hate it looks and too much plastic, IMO, but great for cooling.
- Silverstone RV02 (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/silverstone-case-sstrv02bewusb30) - a little over budget, but great airflow, great cooling, and a unique case.
- Silverstone RV03 (http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/silverstone-case-sstrv03bwa) - not as good as the RV02, but still good and within budget.
- In Win GRone (http://www.scan.co.uk/products/inwin-gr-one-gaming-case-full-tower-case-white-with-usb-30-and-hdd-swap-dock-side-window-w-o-psu) - it's a wonky looking case, but cools well and has some nice features.
- Aerocool X-Predator (http://www.scan.co.uk/products/aerocool-x-predator-black-full-tower-gaming-case-with-usb-30-w-o-psu) - The same case as the Rosewill Thor V2 and it comes in a ton of colors. It's a full tower and one of the absolute best cases on the market for air cooling, but sucks for water cooling. If you want a full tower and will only be doing air cooling, it's a top contender.
Wow that aero cool x-predator looks amazing I also like that in Win GRone. But for air cooling the aero cool would be better? Do they sell those 2 cases by any chance in the US? And how much I tried finding them but can't also what fans do you recommend to buy for this cAse? I've heard good stuff about the corsair sp fans and also the noctua fans. And another question as far as performance goes is it better to get 4 120mm fans on the side or 1 200mm fan, which would give better cooling and be quiter? Thanks for the help I am going to be building a pc but an still looking for a case. Thanks for reading this :) ( not that I want to hijack your thread if you do not want this here I can easily delete this sorry for any inconvenience)
Wow that aero cool x-predator looks amazing I also like that in Win GRone. But for air cooling the aero cool would be better? Do they sell those 2 cases by any chance in the US? And how much I tried finding them but can't also what fans do you recommend to buy for this cAse? I've heard good stuff about the corsair sp fans and also the noctua fans. And another question as far as performance goes is it better to get 4 120mm fans on the side or 1 200mm fan, which would give better cooling and be quiter? Thanks for the help I am going to be building a pc but an still looking for a case. Thanks for reading this :) ( not that I want to hijack your thread if you do not want this here I can easily delete this sorry for any inconvenience)
As said in the post, the X-Predator is sold as the Rosewill Thor V2, Newegg's house brand.
Fans depend on your budget, but Corsair fans are nothing special.
Personally, I never use a side mounted fan. If anything, they make my cooling performance worse, though that's not always the case.
Remember the 800D? That thing STARTED cable routing holes. Not to mention the (arguable useless) hotswap bays in the front.Both were taken from long established Supermicro workstation cases.
Sorry for me getting confused, about the case. But if i were to get the Thor v2 you would recommend taking off the side 200mm fan? Or what would you recommend doing? And thanks for clearing up my question with the case.Wow that aero cool x-predator looks amazing I also like that in Win GRone. But for air cooling the aero cool would be better? Do they sell those 2 cases by any chance in the US? And how much I tried finding them but can't also what fans do you recommend to buy for this cAse? I've heard good stuff about the corsair sp fans and also the noctua fans. And another question as far as performance goes is it better to get 4 120mm fans on the side or 1 200mm fan, which would give better cooling and be quiter? Thanks for the help I am going to be building a pc but an still looking for a case. Thanks for reading this :) ( not that I want to hijack your thread if you do not want this here I can easily delete this sorry for any inconvenience)
As said in the post, the X-Predator is sold as the Rosewill Thor V2, Newegg's house brand.
Fans depend on your budget, but Corsair fans are nothing special.
Personally, I never use a side mounted fan. If anything, they make my cooling performance worse, though that's not always the case.
Computer cases are for N00bs.
Pros just leave the box open.
you can run all the fan on the lowest setting, and it still out performs vs when you close the case.
I don't see why the quotes from people you have blocked show up? Also why don't we have a flag for spam button? Anyhow my Fractal Design XL R2 arrived today, freaking huge! Haven't even got it out of the box yet, need a second person :(Make sure to tell us how you liked it when your done ;D. Some pictures maybe? Anyways good luck and hope you enjoy it!
Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/VAkLhNO.jpg)Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/zfxb9SP.jpg)
Happy so far, slight problem if anyone can help. With this case the fans are plugged into the case not the motherboard, this means every time I turn on the PC i get a message warning me there are no fans connected (Even though they are) and I have to press F1 to boot, this is only a minor pain in the arse, anyone know how I can turn this off/stop it popping up?
I have a Corsair 500R and that **** looks dope in arctic white. Tons of cooling and room for even more fans if you want, easy access side panels, plus all the cords get tucked behind the left wall and keeps them out of the way. I would defiantly recommend it.Bit late, I've already bought and built it :D
Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/VAkLhNO.jpg)Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/zfxb9SP.jpg)
Happy so far, slight problem if anyone can help. With this case the fans are plugged into the case not the motherboard, this means every time I turn on the PC i get a message warning me there are no fans connected (Even though they are) and I have to press F1 to boot, this is only a minor pain in the arse, anyone know how I can turn this off/stop it popping up?
Sorry all the case fans, CPU fan is into motherboard.
Is there an option in your bios to turn off the checking? I don't have any fans plugged into the motherboard in my case--all connected to a Bitfenix Recon fan controller. What motherboard are you using (brand / model)?
Just realised none of the case fans are actually running... No idea how to fix this now.
Thanks for your help everyone, I found out what it was, the Fan Controller wasn't connected :3
Can I just say, love this case to bits, It's bloody huge, if you have the space grab it with 2 hands!Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/mSNm2k5.jpg)
First case I've had which allows for decent cable management!
Also (thanks again leslieann) I'm just going to purchase another fan at some point and hook that into the motherboard, but I don't mind pressing 1 button too much.
What I would like to do in the future is upgrade my graphics card (currently a 6870) to something which is better (so vague I know) another 1tb hard drive, a reasonable SSD, and that's pretty much it.
What I would like to do in the future is upgrade my graphics card (currently a 6870) to something which is better (so vague I know) another 1tb hard drive, a reasonable SSD, and that's pretty much it.
A SSD is 100% needed imo, makes everything so much faster.
What I would like to do in the future is upgrade my graphics card (currently a 6870) to something which is better (so vague I know) another 1tb hard drive, a reasonable SSD, and that's pretty much it.
A SSD is 100% needed imo, makes everything so much faster.
Do you type faster on a computer with an SSD?
What I would like to do in the future is upgrade my graphics card (currently a 6870) to something which is better (so vague I know) another 1tb hard drive, a reasonable SSD, and that's pretty much it.
A SSD is 100% needed imo, makes everything so much faster.
Do you type faster on a computer with an SSD?
No but it does enable you to get your programs that you write in to load a lot faster ;)
I'd like an SSD, but I still don't fully trust the technology, plus the pain to upgrade the HDD in a Mac mini is not worth it to do every year or two.
Also the failure rates of SSDs are lower than those of spinning disks by a factor of ten, especially if you're using an Intel SSD.
What I would like to do in the future is upgrade my graphics card (currently a 6870) to something which is better (so vague I know) another 1tb hard drive, a reasonable SSD, and that's pretty much it.
A SSD is 100% needed imo, makes everything so much faster.
Do you type faster on a computer with an SSD?
No but it does enable you to get your programs that you write in to load a lot faster ;)
OMFG, I save two minutes (that don't even matter because I'm making tea while my system boots) a day. That's totally worth €100+.
Tell me this isn't a sexy case:Show Image(http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1548277/flags/LL)
My cooler Master HAF XB of course.
Best case if you want everything to be ergonomic.
Motherboard flat and on top (almost an open tech case if you leave it open).
I have it sideways (motherboard facing forward) so that I can place it in my desk.
Regular price $100 (did a search and Cooler Master has it for $50!):
http://www.cmstore-usa.com/cooler-master-haf-xb-lan-box-and-test-bench-computer-case-refurbished/
(Attachment Link)
900D, Biggest and baddest case aroundCaselabs makes one that are twice as big