Cool, quiet, large enough. Is there a perfect case for me?

lanzia

lanzia

lanzia

Associate
Joined
1 Dec 2009
Posts
5
Hello everyone,

Im planning on putting together a new PC and Im having a hard time picking out a case.

I will mainly use the PC for gaming so cooling is importent and it must have eneough space for large videocards.
The PC will be placed in the living room, as my wife complains about the noise my current PC produces Im looking for "silent" air cooled case.

I do have room for a big tower but I prefer having a case with one of those big top fans as the back of the case has to be placed rather close to a wall.
Also It must have some sort of cable managements and cleanable dust filters.

I have been reading many reviews, it seems poppulair cases are the Antecs, the HAF (has no dust filers), some Lian Li cases and the atcs 840.
Reading the reviews it seems all of them have it weak points,... if it cools good and makes noise and the other way around.

Anyone has advise on a case to look at. Im prepared to spend some money for a good case.

Alex
 
lanzia said:
Your right my mistake, ... hmmm not bad. will a gtx280 fit in this case?
Click to expand...

I have one in a P182 (very similar) with no problems. I have the middle hard drive cage removed though, as I have fewer than 4 hard drives in at one time. I have also mounted a fan where it used to be, providing the rather hot running card with some cool air, which improved things a lot.
 
One of those big big towers I was looking at (atcs 840.. ) might be a bit overkill while Im only planning on using 1 ssd and a maximum of 2 HD's.

When I bought the gtx280 I had problems fitting it in my currect case.. thats why I was looking at the biggest cases to avoid this problem.
 
If Antec's current toyish bling bling styling isn't problem Antec P183 would take long graphics when you remove that upper HDD cage.
Construction wise E-ATX depth P193 is acoustically similar but design scores clear minus for that side wart giving quite direct noise escape path for noises of CPU and GPU coolers.
From E-ATX towers Lian Li A71 has the most silencing friendly design.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-172-LL


lanzia said:
Reading the reviews it seems all of them have it weak points,... if it cools good and makes noise and the other way around.
Click to expand...
Open magpies nest is noisier even when it wouldn't cool. While of course being able to give better cooling when not caring about noise situation becomes lot more complex with introduction of noise into equation and as passive cooling really isn't any kind option for high end components there are quite a few noise sources.
High end graphics cards don't have quiet coolers and there's also CPU cooler and hard drives. Also fans generate noise from two sources, bearing/motor and airflow turbulence depending on linear velocity of blades.
As every noise leaks out unmuffled fan speeds have to be kept very low (+ fan bearings must be quiet) which is practically impossible for cooler of graphics card and neither does it do good to CPU heatsink's performance when fan speed must be dropped lot. (which come in addition to decrease of case airflow)
 
Yesterday my old computer died, unfortunately the only case I was considering and could find in stock in all local shops was the PC-P80 of Lian Li.

Will get the biots today, hope its a good case.
 
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