Decisions on a case- Help needed!

Verbium

Verbium

Verbium

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Right, so i'm currently looking to get a new case for my PC but it seems like its such a difficult choice these days. I've currently got a Silverstone TJ05 + modded window etc.

The reasons i want to change are as follows:
  • The current case weighs a tonne
  • The front alu panel can easily get broken (flatmate walking into it for example...what an idiot)
  • I would like a case that'll give me the chance to mod some more

So i'll leave this open to you guys, i've been searching for weeks but i can't find anything that stands out compared to my current case. I'm not too bothered about price, max £150-60.
 
a lot of people would say the Akasa Eclipse/Mirage, and Lian-li PC7+. They're both rather popular on the forums i believe. People like the Akasa due to how much room you have in the thing, and that the airflow is also good.

No idea if that helps but hey.
 
Mr Sniper said:
Right, so i'm currently looking to get a new case for my PC but it seems like its such a difficult choice these days. I've currently got a Silverstone TJ05 + modded window etc.

The reasons i want to change are as follows:
  • The current case weighs a tonne
  • The front alu panel can easily get broken (flatmate walking into it for example...what an idiot)
  • I would like a case that'll give me the chance to mod some more

So i'll leave this open to you guys, i've been searching for weeks but i can't find anything that stands out compared to my current case. I'm not too bothered about price, max £150-60.
Click to expand...

Yipes!!! Another what case thread: Only one the Akasa Eclipse 62.. look at other " What Case" threads to see how good this case is, you will thank me later :D Nuff said... CLOSED :D
 
The Eclipse/Mirage are super cases, although if appearance is a concern you may not be a fan. Coming from a Silverstone aluminium case, you may be a touch disappointed. You may want to check out Lian Li. Lots of great looking cases from them, with excellent build quality. I have an A10 and it's super! :D Saying that, the Eclipse/Mirage fit your needs perfectly, just be sure you're happy with the look. You can always mod it though... criminal not to mod these cases I'd say actually... ;)
 
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PC7+, mod it to hell and back. ;)

Worse case scenario is you buy a new panel for about £20 if you messed one up. Very good base for a PC, same goes for the Eclipse (less so for the Mirage) in that you can modify them an awful lot and anything suits them.
 
I keep looking at the PC7+ and it does look like a good case, more my style but there does seem like there is something missing from it. I get the feel that the picture doesn't do it justice, it doesn't look tall enough.

What do you guys think? I can't say i like the Eclipse/Mirage series although they do have a sense of great build quality, i just dont like the plastic on the front.

Does anyone feel that in the last 18 or so months cases haven't move on that much? Mods are the way forward but for the average joe a nice case with a bit of lighting and a window will do, as long as the case is a bit more unique.
 
Cases have moved on in the last 18 months, S80b is quite a good case as are the new Thermaltakes compared to the old offerings. You also can not forget the Zen!

The good old cases, Eclipse and PC7+ for example are timeless and have been around for longer than most motherboard technologies. Getting on for being designs introduced at the start of the form factor!

Cases only need to move on when there is the need for more cooling or the form factor changes, the fact that the PC7+ and Eclipse years on are still amazing at cooling and built to last after just minor revisions to stay up to date with the fans is a great indication of how long these cases should last.

If you have never seen a PC7+ in the flesh it is hard to understand exactly what they look like, on the net they may as well be a beige box yet in person they are far from it.

You have the budget for it, so I will recommend it.

v1000+, it is light, built like a tank (I have stood on it to get into the attic and I am certainly not a feather. ;)) has the possibility to mod just about anything due to being a blank canvas like the PC7+ and Eclipse and it has acres of space inside it.

The one drawback with the V series is that if you mount more than 3 hard drives you can not use a modular PSU. Although if you are using a modular PSU with more than 3 drives you have to question if you need one. :)

Superb looking cases, certainly more special than a PC7+ or Eclipse and just look that much more impressive. The air cooling is typically 2/3deg higher in one but it is still what you would consider a cool case however it can take a bit of experimentation to get the fan orientation just right with some rigs. :)

v1000.jpg
 
Definately Akasa Eclipse 62, can't improve on a good design... quality speaks for its self.. :D
 
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Thanks for the constructive post Yewen, i do like the V1000 and i've been looking up the the PC7+ along with the mods people have done to the case. I think you're right with the PC7+, its such a blank canvas that anything can be done to it.

I'm really in no rush to change my case now, so as the plan goes i think i'll look at getting the PC7+ and gathering up the knowledge to mod it how i would like. Mods are not the easiest to plan without a case there to plan around, i found that out with the TJ05 and by that time i had no other case to stick my hardware in.

Have you got any recommended mods you would suggest for the PC7+?
 
There are plenty, you can fit a 120mm to the roof and sacrifice the top drive bay for a CD drive, make a fan controller out of a drive bay cover.

Replace the power switch with a light up bulgin, replace the LEDs with blue ones.

Erm, change the feet for HiFi ones as it is what it lacks over higher end Lian Li cases.

Replace the HDD bay with one from the PC60.

The amount of mods that are easy to do yet easily noticeable are huge with the PC7+, make a unique case while slowly increasing your skill level with the mods.

The mods can range from screwing something in or soldering a new switch right up to anodising the whole case.

Just remember, if your really cautious just buy a new panel before you attempt any mod and if it goes wrong you can replace it. They are not that hard to get hold of.

Those are literally the mods I have thought up that I know to be easily doable while writing this post, sit down and think about it and you have an awful lot of options for mods on the basic case design catering for almost all skill levels.

Cable tidying mods are my favourite, spend the time to hide all your cables away in the PC7+ is very satisfying and great practise if you plan to move onto more complex builds in other cases in the future.

Great starting point in cases really, gives you the quality of the high end without the worry that you are about to cut into a £90 to replace panel!
 
Anyone had anything good to say about the Lian-Li PC-A10A/B?

Looks like one of their newer offerings, more space than the PC-7+ (which is a mite small to my eyes and needs), not as huge as the V2000s but still has 7x5.25" bays (less HDD drive bays, though for most, 5 is plenty), no PSU compatibility probs that the V1000s have (with space for 2!), and plenty of cooling fans. Gives the impression of a P180, but with the style and design tricks of Lian-Li, and what looks like a LOT more internal space to work in (the main downside of the P180).

Nice looks too, while remianing only slightly more dear than the V1100, and less than the V2000.

Has some very good reviews.
 
I have the A10 and it's super! Don't really have a bad word to say about it. Easy to build in and plenty of space for my needs.

I have 3 HD's, including a Raptor which is inside a Silentmaxx enclosure. Also holds my 8800GTX no problem.

It is quite similar to the P180, but superior in my opinion.

Here is pic of mine;

a10system1gl5.jpg


:D
 
The A10 looks pretty nice actually, have you done anything to it? I see what you mean about it being similar to the P180, same kind of layout and the front panel looks the same.

I think i've pretty much decided on the PC7+ now though, nice price and a good case to really mod. As yewen said about the mods, i decided to go away and think about it. I've currrently got 3 Hard Drives but one is simply a testing drive for Vista and Unix, so my idea is to remove the hard drive rack and get some HD boxes to mount under the my DVD in the 5.25 bay. What do you guys reckon? The only draw backs i can think of is that if i upgrade and want to keep 4 drives i can't... unless i mod another drive rack back in... heh.

The front power buttons are also a good idea, if they're plastic i can't be doing with that. Some nice alu ones will fit nicely and will suit the rest of the case.
 
Mr Sniper said:
The A10 looks pretty nice actually, have you done anything to it?
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Haven't done anything to it, apart from changing out the stock fans for more quiet ones. I wouldn't want to do anything major to it though. It's a case engineering marvel! :D
 
Good to see a TT in an A10, i'm running a Ultra-120, likewise a very large HSF, though i may just point it up at the top fan and get a kinda push/pull config if i end up with an A10.

How loud are the stock fans?

I'll just have to find a buyer for my lovely Eclipse 62..... great case, just as good as it is, every time i look at it i wish i had gone for something else.
 
I'll just have to find a buyer for my lovely Eclipse 62..... great case, just as good as it is, every time i look at it i wish i had gone for something else.
Click to expand...

Thats the only problem that i'm thinking of, the PC7+ looks nice and all, but i feel it might be a step down from my TJ05.
 
I too was looking for a new case spent ages researching etc and came up with
akasa eclipse lian li v1000 and silverstone tj09 cannot see any other 3 i'd want to buy in their price range.personally i think the tj09 at £160 ish trounces the lian li a10.
 
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the PC-7+ looks a lot sleeker than the Eclipse, the front bezel just doesnt go with the otherwise well designed and thought out case of the Eclipse.

Lian-Li are excellent for going to the extreme on finishing touches, even making the buttons out of Aluminium..... Drive bay covers...... Drive stealthing...... Makes the plastic front of the Eclipse look a bit...... wrong.....
 
I agree the Plastic doesn't look all that great.

There is one thing bugging me with the PC7 is that on the black version there is a carbon fibre piece at the top of the front panel!
 
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