What do more expensive cases offer?

[Noughtboy]

Hello all,

Starting to look at putting together a new rig and thought I may treat myself to a new case at the same time.

My current case is similar to this one http://www.casecom.com.tw/midigaming/CS14-spec.html except that the USB ports are where that middle insert is. It has 6 fan mountings (1 x front and rear, 2x top and side) populated with these Akasa Piranha 120mm fans https://www.overclockers.co.uk/thre...mance-pwm-air-ripper-blade-fan-bu-004-ak.html

My requirements are for at least one 120/140mm in the front over the HDD, 2x120/140mm on the side, 2x120/140 on the top and 1x120mm rear. Don't do water cooling and not especially interested in perspex side panel as the case is floor mounted and cannot see the side.

I would prefer USB on the top or at least top front and a bottom mounted PSU.

So, the question is this. There are a couple of "cheap" cases (<£35) that meet this requirement so why would I want to spend £50/£100 on something else? What, in reality do they offer for the large increase in dosh? I mean, my current Casecom has served me very well for 5 years so I don't think build quality is an issue...you put your parts in, close up and let it be. I have changed stuff over the years and it has managed to withstand all the "rigours" that has entailed.

I like the look and feel of these two cases https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cougar-volant-2-midi-tower-gaming-case-red-ca-005-cu.html Cougar @£33 and this https://www.overclockers.co.uk/aerocool-strike-x-one-midi-tower-case-black-ca-010-ae.html Aerocool @ £34.


I mean does this Lian Li really justify the extra £65 (almost double) cost? https://www.overclockers.co.uk/lian-li-pc-9nb-essence-series-midi-tower-case-black-ca-613-ll.html

In fact, it only has room for two fans!

Thanks for your input.

NB

 

[Atari]

Better build quality.

Some of the super cheap cases I've used in the past have been awful. Made out of really thin metal that flexes, and with edges that are razor sharp so you'll end up with a ton of cuts after finishing a build

I've not built into a case from the brands you're looking at, but usually the higher priced ones also have quite good cable management so you can hide most of the cabling away. I also noticed I'd get lots of vibration noises in cheaper cases, maybe due them being thinner and having some flex to them.

That Lian Li one looks to be made of aluminium rather than steel so that would probably factor into the costs.

 

[Ace Modder]

It is like saying a 1.0 litre Corsa gets you from A to B. This car brand new is £7,000
A BMW 530i also gets you from A to B. This car brand new is £40,000

Both do the job of getting you from place to place, but the BMW 5 series is nicer, has better quality etc.

Cases are the same. Seems that for what you expect from a case the Corsa would so the job for you though. So stick with it.

 

[TallPaul1878]

As you go up in the price range from a budget case to a mid range and then top end you will find more and more features as standard.

In a budget case you will be lucky to even find a pre-installed case fan. There will likely be no grommets for cable routing and it may be a tight squeeze to dress cables properly.

A mid range case should have a couple of fans included to improve airflow, you will find features such as removable hard drive caddies, toolless drive bays, better quality materials and some support for water cooling radiators and more support for better air coolers.

At the top end you will find everything a system builder can dream of. Hot swappable drive bays, extensive water cooling support, tempered glass side panels, RGB lighting and superb airflow.

In my personal opinion you will be well suited to a good mid range case. They are not prohibitively expensive and you will find the extra few £££s spent are easily justified when the build is so much easier, the cables are tidied out of sight and you are getting good airflow and easy to clean dust filters.

 

[Noughtboy]

It is like saying a 1.0 litre Corsa gets you from A to B. This car brand new is £7,000
A BMW 530i also gets you from A to B. This car brand new is £40,000

Both do the job of getting you from place to place, but the BMW 5 series is nicer, has better quality etc.

Cases are the same. Seems that for what you expect from a case the Corsa would so the job for you though. So stick with it.

I drove a Corsa hire car. Said I would rather ride a bicycle! Got the BMW instead. I can see the value there. Lian Li for £99 without anything verses the ones I highlighted though didn't seem to offer anything (not even styling, if anything, it was worse...a plain box). If it saw anything that added value I would understand but an aluminium case verses thin steel I am happy to live with for almost one third of the price.

 

[Noughtboy]

As you go up in the price range from a budget case to a mid range and then top end you will find more and more features as standard.

In a budget case you will be lucky to even find a pre-installed case fan. There will likely be no grommets for cable routing and it may be a tight squeeze to dress cables properly.

A mid range case should have a couple of fans included to improve airflow, you will find features such as removable hard drive caddies, toolless drive bays, better quality materials and some support for water cooling radiators and more support for better air coolers.

At the top end you will find everything a system builder can dream of. Hot swappable drive bays, extensive water cooling support, tempered glass side panels, RGB lighting and superb airflow.

In my personal opinion you will be well suited to a good mid range case. They are not prohibitively expensive and you will find the extra few £££s spent are easily justified when the build is so much easier, the cables are tidied out of sight and you are getting good airflow and easy to clean dust filters.

All the cases I showed had at least 2 fans. However, seeing as I already have the fans that isn't really an issue. The airflow is really what I am interested in as a clear side panel reduces the fan cooling options and also puts the innards on show. :-0

Lets use the Lian Li as an example. How would that improve the airflow compared to any of the others? I have seen a few cases with some sort of ducting along the bottom covering the PSU. I can see some possible use/value for this. I am referring to a case where "ceteris paribus" i.e. all things being equal, no PSU ducting or clear glass panels, surely the greater amount of fans you can place, the greater the options when it comes to airflow. I honestly can't imagine any aeronautical engineers getting involved in the airflow in what is, to all intents and purposes, a rectangular box.

My case comes with toolless drive bays and I don't need water radiators. So, in essence I am asking, apart from aluminium verses thin steel, does the Lian Li (read any other box without RGB, perspex etc) offer better airflow or is it merely a branding thing. Styling or design I can understand...it is a subjective thing but in terms of actual performance, surely airflow is determined by the amount and placement of the fans with all other optional extras like RGB, perspex or hot swappable offering the incremental upgrades that add the value. Some of the more expensive boxes offer only three of four fan mounts, front, back and either top or side.

But thanks for your well considered answer.

 

[ttaskmaster]

At the top end you will find everything a system builder can dream of. Hot swappable drive bays, extensive water cooling support, tempered glass side panels, RGB lighting and superb airflow.

Should..... you should find everything you dream of.
Having built in a number of different cases, even some of the top end ones are somewhat lacking... BeQuiet, I am looking at you, yes.

But in general, the top end ones are mostly just better thought out, with designs and features that make it very easy to build and alter/upgrade things - An extra ½" of space here, or a second res bracket there, multiple SSD mounts, fan slots instead of screw holes, to allow variable positioning... stuff like that.
The Enthoo Primo, for example, is one of the best medium-sized cases I've built in, to date.

 

[HoneyBadger]

Should..... you should find everything you dream of.
Having built in a number of different cases, even some of the top end ones are somewhat lacking... BeQuiet, I am looking at you, yes.

But in general, the top end ones are mostly just better thought out, with designs and features that make it very easy to build and alter/upgrade things - An extra ½" of space here, or a second res bracket there, multiple SSD mounts, fan slots instead of screw holes, to allow variable positioning... stuff like that.
The Enthoo Primo, for example, is one of the best medium-sized cases I've built in, to date.

Yep, agree completely. It's not just better materials, it's more logical thought process of parts placement, accessibility and aesthetics and connectivity.

 

[Emlyn_Dewar]

On the more expensive case, there's no blood on the components after building.

 

[HoneyBadger]

On the more expensive case, there's no blood on the components after building.

Haha, true that!

 

[Glanza]

Phanteks offer you a flight case.