Antec 300 vs Silverstone PS03B VS Cooler Master 430

franco_22

franco_22

franco_22

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http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-214-CM&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=29

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-068-SV&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=1092

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-101-AN

I've been looking at these 3 cases and it looks to me that the Cooler Master 430 is the best one.

It has a windowed side panel, all black interior, 1 front fan and rear fan included with the option 2x fans on top and 1 on the bottom.

The Silverstone looks really nice and seems to be well built, steel and mesh and has also a black interior but only 1 fan is included. I'd go for this if more fans were included but if buying an extra fan or 2 then the price is close to better cases.

and finally the Antec 300, 1 rear fan and 1 top fan. No black interior and I personally dislike the way the HDD cage is set up, I don't see anything special about this case and it's the most expensive out of the 3.

So my choice would be the Silverstone followed very closely by the Cooler Master 430.

My question is (perhaps I'm missing something), why is the Antec 300 always recommended and why do so many people have this case?

The Xigmatek Asgard also seems to be a solid option for people on a budget.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-002-XG
 
no experience with the others but i have the antic 300 and for the money it's great.i put a window in the side myself and it transforms the look.slight mods too the inside and the cable management is good too
 
Because if enough people tell you its the best you will start believing it. But you have done some research and found there are better cases that can be had for less money, well done ( i have never really been a fan of the 300).
 
vectisitch said:
no experience with the others but i have the antic 300 and for the money it's great.i put a window in the side myself and it transforms the look.slight mods too the inside and the cable management is good too
Click to expand...

But, for the money/time you invested into a side window + drilling holes for cable management or painting the inside black?

Couldn't you just have a better case in the first place :D?

I mean, I guess if modding is your hobby then it's justified but otherwise I don't see why do it.

beefybarn said:
Because if enough people tell you its the best you will start believing it. But you have done some research and found there are better cases that can be had for less money, well done ( i have never really been a fan of the 300).
Click to expand...



I hear ya, that makes sense. I personally owned an Antec 900 and it was terrible which is why I couldn't understand why so many people recommend a 300 which must be even worse.
 
Well. To retain some balance, I think Beefy will be in the minority regarding his opinion of the 300, although I have heard his comments echoed by a member who builds systems for a living.

The most important point is that what you buy should be down to personal preference, as much as practicalities.

I, personally, really like the 300, but I am now slighlty dismayed at the lack of cable management, and the continued absence of a black interior, which is becoming "de rigueur" in the PC building community. If, however, you really enjoy modding, then these problems are very simple to overcome, along with the addition of a side window.

What I like about the 300 are the looks, which are understated, but this is obviously subjective, hence the comment about personal preference. I also like the compact dimensions, but with the ability to fit all but the largest GPU's. And what does stand out for me is how solid it feels. You comment on fans, but I would question how valid that would be, as a reason for purchasing one case over another. As you are frequenting this Forum I would suggest that you probably wouldn't be happy with stock fans in any instance. Whilst a nice starting point, they are inevitably going to be replaced by more personal choices, and the cooling potential (with aftermarket/additional fans) of the 300 is really good.

Bottom line. The selection in your opening post is excellent, and I don't think you'll go far wrong with any of them. Choose your features, and buy what you want. :cool:
 
I've got the Silverstone case and think it's excellent for the price. Front and rear fans with either a 120mm or 140mm at the top. The fact that it's all black helps it look more expensive than it is. It even has a vent at the bottom for the PSU fan. It also fits a GTX 460 comfortably. It'll fit any GFX card that is max 10.5 inches long.

I wouldn't put anyone off buying it. Just don't expect any filters. :)
 
Avoid the 300 its a shocking case to build in with zero space.
I've used this case about 10 times now and hated every single one.

Silverstone case looks excellent for the money but I have never used one so can't comment.

Akasa Freedom Xone gets my vote for best budget case although its not on your list.
 
ManCuBuS said:
Avoid the 300 its a shocking case to build in with zero space.
I've used this case about 10 times now and hated every single one.

Silverstone case looks excellent for the money but I have never used one so can't comment.

Akasa Freedom Xone gets my vote for best budget case although its not on your list.
Click to expand...

Surely your comments would apply to any case with similar dimensions and layout? I like the more compact size of the 300, and certainly have never had any problems building in it. If you need lots of hardware, then opt for a larger case, but that situation hardly makes the 300 "shocking".

That Freedom Xone looks to be a great case, with the potential for much better cable routing "out of the box" than the 300, but I actually prefer the "inline" HDD mounting, as I feel that the HDD cages across the front seriously impede the front intake fan/fans.
 
Gepetto said:
Surely your comments would apply to any case with similar dimensions and layout?
Click to expand...

Disagree. Look at other cases in the £40-£50 price bracket.

Many of them offer superior internal looks, cable management & build quality.

The hard drives mounted the way they are take up valuable real estate which imo it doesn't have in the first place to give away.

If it was £25-30 I'd praising it but it simply does not offer anything like value for money when its costing the best part of 50 sheets.
 
The 300 was alright when it was £35 but £40+ is quite bad value when you think about what it is. At £35 it was quite a nice case as it was a good canvas to begin modding.
 
Was thinking of getting the Cooler Master 430 or Antec 300 myself.

After reading this thread I have been put off the 300 but still considering the 430.
Seen nothing for or against them in this thread so I am assuming hardly anyone has one.
 
The 300 is an excellent case to start modding in. A good starting point for adding windows, cable management holes, and just generally playing with.

At the end of the day if you trash it, it's dirt cheap anyway.

Mine: :)

IMGP2330.jpg


Removed the HDD bays and reverse mounted the drives in the optical bays, countless cable holes, an old PSU gutted and sat on the end of the proper one to hide cables in and the 5.25" blanking plate mod on the optical drive.

Still to do is add another 5830, and get either one or two SSDs and mount them somewhere, and add a window.
 
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No, there's no such thing as "cable management" without midding the 300.

In my opinion anyway. :p
 
They always make a difference, but it doesn't give you somewhere to route all the SATA cables, case switch and LED cables, HDD/Optical power cables etc.
 
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