spec me a case

OpenToSuggestions · 16 Jul 2008 at 02:17

I currently have the sonata 2 as my case (see rig in sig). The cpu and chipsetsed heatsink are very hot (cpu idles at 55), and I think this is down to bad airflow in the case, however to me a quiet case is the most important thing, and the sonata 2 is quiet (the rear 12cm is always set to low).

1.I dont want to spend a fortune on a case, as it will only get knocks and dents over time

2. The door snapped off the sonata 2 but its been sorted in the sonata 3?

3.I dont need a huge case, my current one is probs only 40-45cm high, but I do have 5 hard drives and a dvd drive

4.Must be quiet - my sonata2 is with the rear fan on low, but hard drives do vibrate a lot even though there are (crappy) rubber mounts

I really do not know what to get! The antec 900 looks good but surely its loud as there are many fans.

smilertoo · 16 Jul 2008 at 04:25

You can pretty much have cool or quiet, the antec 900/1200 are a good in between.
My only issue was the 1200 weighs a metric sh8tload compared to my older lian li, but i suppose thats what you pay for with aluminium.

OpenToSuggestions · 16 Jul 2008 at 19:00

The sonata2 is quiet, but I have too many hard drives and the front door has snapped off and it generally looks a mess now.

The antec 900 is just the 1200 but not as tall? The 900 seems faily priced. How loud is your 1200?
Looking at reviews, I imagine the fans are the same as fans the 12cm rear on my sonata (12cm, with low med high switch).

smilertoo · 16 Jul 2008 at 19:41

1200 is no louder than the lian li i had, but 10c cooler.
Its pretty quiet with all fans on low, i cant imagine you'd ever need all fans on high unless you live in some country that hits 30-40c regularly.

OpenToSuggestions · 16 Jul 2008 at 19:47

smilertoo said:
1200 is no louder than the lian li i had, but 10c cooler.
Its pretty quiet with all fans on low, i cant imagine you'd ever need all fans on high unless you live in some country that hits 30-40c regularly.

The only fan bar psu on the sonata is the rear 12cm and that is on low and I dont have any major heat issues. The temps, espeically the passive chipset heatsink are high though (cpu 52 idle, heatsink burns upon touch).