Case upgrade! Is this the best option?

dan7827

dan7827

dan7827

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1 Jan 2005
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321
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I've had the same old case for as long as I can remember and now I think it's time to upgrade and get something that will last just as long. The current case is the old silver Lian LI PC-7 (I think) originally with 3x80mm fans, currently it has 2x80mm & 3x120mm fans after heavy modding. The main things I would want from a case is for it to last longer than this one with loads of space for any future upgrades. Not too fussy about looks, I mean who really looks under their desk thinking 'Phwoar!'.

Currently my upgrade choice is the Antec Twelve Hundred:

  • Pros
    • Loads of space for any future upgrades
    • OTT cooling
    • Simple fan controllers built in (nothing of the sort on the current case)
    • Black inside & out
    • Dust filters
    • Holes for cable tidying (current case is a mess at best)
    Cons
    • Not fond of the blue LEDs everywhere
    • Requires extension cables? 8pin + 24pin

I don't know the ins and outs of all the cases currently available so I would be more than happy for someone to talk me out of that case if there's one for a similar price with all the good features and more :)
 
Cheers for the recommendation, just had a look at the black version (prefer that over the silver) and the first reviewer isn't too impressed with the bright LEDs, I assume they mean the power/hdd ones and if so I haven't had any probs with my current Lian Li.

One thing I did notice is that it only comes with a bay adapter to fit 3x internal 3.5" drives compared to 9 in the antec and 5 in my current case so it seems like a downgrade in that respect. Just to be picky (sorry :p) I can't see any mention of fan filters that I think It will need, even with the primitive one in this case it seems to act more like a hoover.
 
It has mesh filters on every bay cover, and is nothing like the 900. I like this case, yes the lights are bright, but who cares? I like the way it shines on the wall myself. I do spend more time looking at my monitor though . . . . . . I bungee mod'd my raptors. Easy to do and isolates them better than the bay converter.
 
Thanks for the info on the bay filters, wouldn't have known that otherwise...why is that not in the product description :confused:.

I am very tempted by the Lian Li but surely the OTT amount of fans on the antec make it the better wind tunnel, I've always found Lian Li's lacking in cooling department :(

Are there any other contenders?
 
Ive got a review somewhere comparing the 900 to the pc-a17. The filters are just mesh, they stop some dust, but not all. Its nothing like the antec though, that thing is a dust magnet.
 
900 no filters

1200 filters

FOr the led's you can just remove them or spend a bit of money for different fans.
 
The nzxt tempest is practicaly a replica of the 900, and it has dust filters on the mesh and removable ones in front of the intakes. Im not a fan of blue either ..... so changed to red ;)
 
From the current recommendations the order of suitability is
Antec 900 < Lian-Li PC-A17 < Antec 1200

Although there's not really much in it it looks like a 1200 + all the psu cable extensions would be the job.

Thanks for all your help & suggestions so far, if there are no more suggestions after this post you know what I have gone with :)
 
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