A new case for my needs (and new conroe)

Amadeus

Amadeus

Amadeus

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Kent
Well im finalising my new conroe system and read many many posts on cases. Having built my first system 3200 AMD in an Antec Sonata, im now prepared to go that extra mile and put together a nice system with some cpu cooling and investigate overclocking.
Hence my needs for a case are
1. Easy to work with
2. Good cooling
3. Quietish but having lived with my old machine without a side panel for 2 years not too fussed :)
4. Easy fit a bigger cooler such as Scythe or whatever else is big :D
5. Looks good and classy, something that people will look at and think hmm looks powerful
6. Cost - not worried as the case will prob stay with me for a few years im willing to fork out up to a couple of hundred if needs be and it fits my needs
7. What i have looked at so far - Akasa mirage, eclipse, all of the Lian Li range, TJ0's etc, I think I prefer all aluminium cases although I realise the Eclipse seems popular and 'Yewen' seems to love his Lian-Lis :D , the TJ03 took my eye recently, there seems to be some good reviews of it.
8. I dont think ill be painting it or modding it although a sometime thought a nice window would be apt to show people the nice components inside (after they yawn and walk off thinking what a spod)
9. Black (ie dark and dangerous heh)
10. My current setup looks like a bowl of spaghetti with electronic components mashed in so some easy cable management would be good.

Cheers for any advice and help - Im just ready to take my next build to the next level, I presume what I would consider a medium enthusiast :)

Am
 
TJ03 if your planning on overclocking is a no go, especially with its 80mm fan loudout it will be noisey.

The Eclipse is plastic, cools as well as anything you could compare it to, and then some.
v1000+'s look the buisness and are built very well.
PC7+'s offer amazing value for money.
S80b looks the part, built to a standard no other case can match and is a decent enough cooler.
Thermaltake Soprano, a less good value for money PC7+, but may be more to your tastes with the styling.

Really depends on what the top end budget is for your case with fans, so go on tell us, how much do you have to spend? :p
 
Yewen said:
The Eclipse is plastic, cools as well as anything you could compare it to, and then some.
Click to expand...

It has a plastic front panel, the rest is alloy and the PC-7's also have plastic bits on the front panel so lets be hearing no more 'plastic' please.

If you can afford it, get the V1000+ or +II as they are genuinely lovely.
 
thanks for the replies, I would spend £175ish if the case fits my needs after all it will be housing about 1200 quids worth of 'stuff' so I want to do that lot justice :)
 
Go with the v1000+ then, will be a very good way to spend your money. :)

Because of this now I am going to have to mention it as an all plastic front panel. :( :p
 
right cheers, i think I prefer the look of the V1100 plus over the V1000. To be honest I hadn't payed much attention to these as they hadn't caught my eye....hmmm....

Ok I think the black V1100 plus is the case I have been 'looking for'. I just have a few questions
1. will a 600W seasonic PSU cables long enough (read a review that cable length might be a prob although I don't really see how - after all its just an upside down mobo - ah ok the mobo power connector might be further away?)
2. will a Scythe Ninja 'fit' ok
3. I was wondering how all the fans work ie which ones to use for intake or exhaust - may be simplistic but I presume in at front out at back?

Thanks for all the help so for this is a really great forum it really is appreciated

Am
 
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TJ-03 cools fine on air, 120mm front intake does the leg work and 3 x 80mm exhausts are more than enough.

before I watercooled, I had very decent temps on the TJ-03 using silent fans.
 
Amadeus said:
right cheers, i think I prefer the look of the V1100 plus over the V1000. To be honest I hadn't payed much attention to these as they hadn't caught my eye....hmmm....

Ok I think the black V1100 plus is the case I have been 'looking for'. I just have a few questions
1. will a 600W seasonic PSU cables long enough (read a review that cable length might be a prob although I don't really see how - after all its just an upside down mobo - ah ok the mobo power connector might be further away?)
2. will a Scythe Ninja 'fit' ok
3. I was wondering how all the fans work ie which ones to use for intake or exhaust - may be simplistic but I presume in at front out at back?

Thanks for all the help so for this is a really great forum it really is appreciated

Am
Click to expand...

PSU is fine, yes it should do, and both are intakes. :)
 
great thanks, now im finalising the old spec before posting full spec to check its all ok.....im just in a dilemma re a black TJ03 versus a black Lian-Li V1100 Plus.

erm.... :eek: or just get an Eclipse 62 and chuck in a Xifi music lol

Am
 
Eclipse 62 and a X-Fi.

X-Fi is great, I have a Audigy 2 ZS and I love the sound, I can only imagine how good a X-Fi will be.

The Eclipse is a really really good case, cool, light and acessable, it would be perfect if it had a Aluminium front, but its plastic, still, its a great case.

Go for that.
 
hey Wheaty

yes I have been mulling over all this for some weeks and although the idea of a really nice shiny aluminium case seemed great - I started to wonder if the eclipse would just do the job I wanted - after all the case sits under my desk most of the time - and its really just a practical issue - at present I have an antec sonata with the side off :rolleyes: which still is ok with me

the soundcard I hadn't budgeted for at all (got an audigy), so ill prob go down the the eclipse xifi route

prob change my mind tomorrow, especially as the missus keeps pointing out cases she likes (which are usually horrible imo :D ) i mean its either 60+ fps at high settings or a new toilet suite at moment :p

Am
 
Amadeus said:
hey Wheaty

yes I have been mulling over all this for some weeks and although the idea of a really nice shiny aluminium case seemed great - I started to wonder if the eclipse would just do the job I wanted - after all the case sits under my desk most of the time - and its really just a practical issue - at present I have an antec sonata with the side off :rolleyes: which still is ok with me

the soundcard I hadn't budgeted for at all (got an audigy), so ill prob go down the the eclipse xifi route

prob change my mind tomorrow, especially as the missus keeps pointing out cases she likes (which are usually horrible imo :D ) i mean its either 60+ fps at high settings or a new toilet suite at moment :p

Am
Click to expand...

If the case sits under the desk, get a Akasa Eclipse and a X-Fi. Also it depends on what speakers you have too.

An V1000+ is nice, but I would only buy it if its on show, otherwise a Antec Solo would be great.

I would get the Akasa Eclipse and a X-Fi. If its sitting under the desk then its great. The akasa is a joy to work in with the removeable motherboard tray and acres of space!
 
The v1000+ has other features other than looking nice you know. :p

They are even better than Eclipses to build in I find personally.

The Eclipse msot certainly cools better, I can't work out why you keep mentioning the Solo though, I found it thoroughly underwelming in everything bar the looks department. :confused:
 
I have a set of old videologic sciroccos (spelling lol), 2.1 system but the sound these things bang out is immense! I remember when they got like '95 percent but only a fool with cash to burn would buy them' some years ago - well I did :)

Having had a 2405 fpw at 1600x1200 max and crashing after my current system overheats im really looking forward to a new build (only my second), so want to make it a pleasant experience as possible :)

I looked at the Mirage but i prefer the Eclipse front, so ill go down that route....

roll on ordering time, hope the conroes don't 'run out' :o

edit: ah just seen Yewens post - you got in there as I refreshed ;) well I just might extend the budget (ie packed lunches for a month ?) and get the xifi and V1100 - the V1000 mesh looks rather horrid imo)

I wonder how many others mull over a new system - I have like 11 hundred changes to the 'cart' :D
 
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They will. :p

Eclipse may be ugly, but for pure function of holding a PC and cooling it with decent noise levels it can not be matched. Especially at its price.

If you can live with not looking at it much its one of the best all round cases. If Lian Li did a front panel for them... :(

I can dream! Savrow stand a chance of doing something with the chasis design at some point though.

If you thought about the Eclipse get that, its worth every penny if you don't mind not looking at the case. The holes in the V1000 look much nicer in person, I was doubtful when I got my v1000 years back now, but they really do add a nice look to the case.
 
Hi there, those speakers are monsters!

Do you have a Audigy 2 ZS? If so, I dont know how much of a difference an X-Fi will make. It will be big, but I dont know how big.

Yewen, come on mate! The V1000+ is nice, but the Akasa is surely much much easier to build in!

A removeable motherboard tray coupled with loads of removeable panels means effortless installation!

Oh and dont get the V1100! It blocks off airflow in the front which means higher case temps. Yewen tell me if im wrong, as I dont know much about them!

If your getting a V1000+ (nooo) go for the Black, and dont get the damn V1100!

Oh and BTW, I like the Antec Solo! This is not the thread to discuss that though!
 
yep I have the ZS, usually used on headphones unless im on my own in the house :)

hmm, I just like the idea of everything 'new' and uiltimately sell the old complete system on (once I have put an operating system on the 2nd oldish 'yuk maxtor' drive and yanked out the raptor in it..)

ok, the eclipse might be it then, thanks for the heads-up on the v1100 although I do like the look of it - tbh if im not too bothered with the sonata i wont be with the eclipse....

Am
 
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