Best case around £50?

KidCanary · 17 Nov 2011 at 16:33

I've currently got an NZXT Hush, but I've been having some heat issues with it for quite a while now (PSU gets ridiculously noisy under load, and I think it's partly caused by the limited air intake of the case), and I'm thinking about changing.

Not fussed about side windows or LEDs or anything. They're not really to my taste. I would like something quiet, though.

I don't have a lot of money to spend, so I'd like something around the £50 mark, although I am prepared to spend a little more for something particularly good.

I'm not sure how important this is, but my specs are:
Q6600 (At stock 2.4Ghz, with a Freezer 7 Pro)
GTX460 768MB
2x Hard drives
1x DVD RW
Corsair 500W PSU (Not modular)

Any advice would be appreciated.

InfiniteNoise · 17 Nov 2011 at 16:36

Bitfenix Shinobi is probably what you're looking for.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-008-BX&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=1850

stulid · 17 Nov 2011 at 16:40

I will just list the good ones,

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-011-BX&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=1850
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-214-CM&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=29

( both the above cases could do with one extra fan - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FG-010-CM&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=4 )

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-012-BX&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=1850
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-037-ZA&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=736
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-008-BX&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=1850

shootersam · 17 Nov 2011 at 16:50

As stulid linked, the Zalman Z9 Plus is a very good case.

GTO656 · 17 Nov 2011 at 16:55

Bitfenix Shinobi is good.

N$X · 17 Nov 2011 at 16:57

Idartalis said:
Bitfenix Shinobi is probably what you're looking for.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-008-BX&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=1850

currently i have an antec 300, but this would be my next case of choice.

KidCanary · 17 Nov 2011 at 18:14

I was considering the Shinobi before posting this thread, but a few of the reviews I've read say it gets fairly hot, so I'm not sure if it'll be any real improvement over what I have.
I'm also wondering how the (optional) front intake fan would work, as from the photos I've seen it seems to be mostly blocked up by the front panel.

Thanks for the suggestions so far though, I'll read some more about them.

Daze · 21 Nov 2011 at 00:12

I have a BitFenix Shinobi, awesome case. Really good quality and good value for money!

SouthEastBlue · 21 Nov 2011 at 12:28

I was looking for a case in this category last week, looking at the Bitfenix Shinobi, Fractal Core 3000 and the Zalman Z9 Plus.

The Shinobi has good clean looks, but has poor cooling from the front being blocked off, and also has a HDD cage that faces inwards rather than sideways towards the case side. Meaning messier looking wires, and hard to remove HDD's when a graphics card is installed.

The Fractal probably has the best build quality going from reviews, and has good cable management apart from a hole for the CPU 8 pin plug which was annoying, it also has no window/see through side which I wanted. Otherwise I would have gone for this one.

The Zalman Z9 has 4 free (quiet) fans, a fan controller, in built temp sensor, good cooling and decent cable management, plus it has a sort of mesh/windowed side. It's not without fault which my main gripe was the back PCI slots which are 1 time removable, and can't be screwed/clipped back on. Otherwise it's a nice case, and has a lot of nice features for £50.