Please spec me a case for use with a HTPC

Alexrose1uk · 5 Sep 2010 at 19:03

Hi guys, as above, I'm looking to build a HTPC (microatx mobo). Ideally I'd like to spend as little as possible, SFF would be nice but it's not a requirement, and in fact may be made impossible by the other requirements.

I did look at the Antec Microfusion...it can be had for around £60 so doesn't break the bank, and comes with a remote and PSU, and is reputedly very quiet with the fans set to low/medium, but it requiring a low profile cooler and GPU were a killer for me. I also considered the OcUK Pheonix but the PSU apparently obstructs airflow and it's a tight fit so anything above a low profile CPU cooler is out.
Unfortunately, low profile leaves me quite restricted in terms of which cards I can put in and cooling, which is why I'm bypassing that.

I was planning it around the following spec:
AMD X2 5200+ AM2
Artic Cooling 64 Freezer Pro [I could replace this, but as I have it, it would be a shame not to use it, especially as I know when the fan is on low its very quiet. I'm considering buying a Zalman budget allowing but thats not a guaranteed point]
2GB DDR2
2.5" Laptop 5400RPM SATA
Probably a GT220 [the air-cooled low profile models by all accounts are too loud, and I've had no luck finding a passive model in the UK that isn't full height].

Requirements:
Quiet (sturdy to reduce vibration would help)
Preferably comes with a [quiet] PSU.
Under £100
Will accept full height GPUs
Provides at least 6" clearance from the mobo for the cooler (the artic freezer pro isn't that small)

Any opinions and ideas welcome.
PS. I'm considering the OcUK Aphrodite as it looks like it *should* offer the clearance I'm after, and as it's labelled as a HTPC case you'd think the PSU packaged with it will be relatively quiet! It's not like the spec I'm going for should push even a poor PSU (although I could replace this as need be, it would cut into budget again which Im trying to keep to a minimal level)

chipps101 · 5 Sep 2010 at 20:09

i have the same case as the ocuk Aphrodite here and i'm afraid its only 5 1/2 inches tall. so by the time you put your motherboard in there is under 5 inches of height to play with. it is basically a desktop case with a htpc front stuck on it and is a pretty decent case. you could get one of the zalman flower style coolers or another low profile cooler and that would solve your height problem and it will take full height gfx cards.

don't know anything about the bundled psu as mine never had one when i got it.

Alexrose1uk · 5 Sep 2010 at 20:55

Thanks for that. How is the case in terms of airflow and noise insulation?
The case is relatively cheap so would offset the buying a new cooler. If I thats the case though it does make me wonder about going with the antec again though. I've got a zalman cooler on a card here so it makes me wonder about DIYing that onto a low profile gt220 as its meant to be a very cool card.

Any other suggestions appreciated.

chipps101 · 5 Sep 2010 at 21:35

noise insulation isn't the best i would say as it has a 120mm fan hole in either side, but you could stick 2 quiet 120mm fans in them and 2 quiet 80mm exhausts and the airflow would be good.
i only have 2 80mm akasa blue low noise fans with 7v cables as exhausts in the case and a passive cpu cooler and extremely quiet zalman psu in it and it is virtually silent.

i could upload some pics to let you see it a bit better if you want.

bigjimmyauk · 5 Sep 2010 at 22:15

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-013-SV&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=1092

used to own one of these and they really are lovely cases and actually stay pretty cool used to have a 2600XT in there but you could probably squeeze one of the new 5770's in there just

Alexrose1uk · 5 Sep 2010 at 22:34

chipps101 said:
noise insulation isn't the best i would say as it has a 120mm fan hole in either side, but you could stick 2 quiet 120mm fans in them and 2 quiet 80mm exhausts and the airflow would be good.
i only have 2 80mm akasa blue low noise fans with 7v cables as exhausts in the case and a passive cpu cooler and extremely quiet zalman psu in it and it is virtually silent.

i could upload some pics to let you see it a bit better if you want.

If you've got any pictures that'd be appreciated. I'm looking to go as silent on the cooling as possible, but obviously the fewer moving parts the better (which is one of the reasons I intend to use a 5400rpm laptop drive as they're so quiet).
If I go for that case, providing the PSU supplied isn't a noisy git, theoretically if I left the vents open and used Zalmans on both the GPU and CPU, I might just get away with it without breaking the bank

That Sugo case does look rather nice, I'm just aware it's more expensive than the previous two cases I was looking at, without including a remote or PSU like the Antec Microfusion, as I mentioned budget is tight so I'm a little loath to hit £100 for the case+psu if I can avoid it

The space inside does sound interesting, but where is the PSU mounted? if it's directly above the CPU, again that'd mean my Artic Cooling CPU fan wouldn't fit, and would again increase the costs further, knocking it instantly out of the running. The GPU space is nice, but as Im only going for a low power card for decoding/output purposes, it's a little unneccesary (It's probably going to be a GT220).

chipps101 · 5 Sep 2010 at 23:01

yup the sugo sgo1 that bigjimmy has listed mounts the psu directly over the cpu so your cooler wouldn't fit (i actually have one of those as well and have an alpenfohn panorame cooler on it).
i'll switch the pc on and upload some pics just now so will be on in a few mins

chipps101 · 5 Sep 2010 at 23:09

heres the pics

excuse the messy cables as i haven't decided if that machine is staying in that case yet.

i hope these help

Alexrose1uk · 6 Sep 2010 at 21:01

Thanks a lot. Despite being a cheapy that actually looks like a pretty useful case unlike some cheapies I've seen.

I contacted OcUK customer service and was told the supplied the PSU is amongst the quieter ones unless you install a high draw system/GPU so I may well go for that one.

Im still of two minds over the Antec vs the Aphrodite as it sounds like I'll need a new CPU cooler either way. Just to check though, does the system rattle at all, or is it solid enough in that regards (I can install insulating foam if need be also).

I like that cooler too, I think it'd get too hot with the AM2 though as I remember it running reasonably warm (although that COULD have been the old mobo refusing to run it at anything less than 100% clock speed all the time!)

From the simple fact you're using it atm, I presume you dont find it a bad case for the cash!

chipps101 · 6 Sep 2010 at 21:08

i got the case with an i3 system bundle i bought of the MM, it is a decent case and i haven't heard any rattles from mine but the only moving parts are the hard drive and optical drive in mine, the psu fan spins so slowly that it is inaudible and doesn't vibrate or anything.

the machine i have in there is laptop based so that is why i can get away with the passive cooling but the cpu can hit 80c when pushed but as its a laptop cpu it can handle upto 100c happily.

the only bad point i can really think of about the case is that it only has 1 3.5 hd mount space but you could add another couple under the optical drive with 5.25 - 3.5 adaptors.

its actually very similar to this coolermaster case with a media centre front stuck on it - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-189-CM&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=29