What Features would make your ideal watercooling case?

* straight panels
* no top rad, they are a pain to fill properly. Bottom, side, front, back rads are OK.
* all internal rads
* have screw mounts for tube reservoirs
* have rubber decoupled mounts for a pump
* enough room behind mobo tray for routing cables properly
* enough accessories such as cable ties, extra screws, etc
* enough room for 2 triple radiators
* have a separate air path for radiator hot air and components

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Originally Posted by Utnorris

Because some of us enjoy the building of it more than using it. I know I do, which is why mine changes so often. Some days I like the idea of a big case like my MM Ascension and other days I like the idea of my tech bench, but mostly I like to see what I can do with them and the performance difference I can get from running various equipment. It would be like saying to Kingpin, why do you keep overclocking you setup, can't you just enjoy it? Not everyone here is about epeen, just like not everyone here wants the blingiest build they can come up with or the biggest or smallest. We all have different goals and to chastise everyone just because they do not agree with your idea of what is ideal makes you no better than others that have gotten booted from here. I am not sure what has gotten into you lately that you seem to be bitter any time someone comes on here and wants to do a huge build, maybe they just want to enjoy going big, ever consider that?

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Bitter? :confused:. . .perhaps a bit cranky but, definitely not bitter.

I have no problem with large case builds at all, in fact, I have a Antec Lanboy Air (red) sitting here just waiting for me when I feel like doing a larger case build (something easy...at least for me anyways). I also have a couple other larger cases from back in the day I could trick out (including a smoked C3 case which is now dated quite a bit).

I also understand the need to tinker...I too am also a tinkerer. . .I have something like 5-6 W.I.P. Some are so old, they're ancient (ABIT IG-80 anyone? :eek:).

I just get the feeling when I come here that there is a "anything you can do, I can do better" mentality (or perhaps a lack of humility?) as of late and it's not the spirit XS was built with. Honestly, I am expecting to come here one day and find some idiot has built a 6' cube that's a walk-in computer case (perhaps with the help of Mountain Mods) that houses rads on most of the interior surface only to tear it down in 2-3 weeks and build one that's 8' square, and then have some other idiot go 10', and so on. These are the ppl I have a problem with.

I expect someone's gonna try to top my liquid cooled spider by trying to go 1/2" tubes.

I wonder what they'd do with them...

Lets try not to go crazy here guys, as I said there are many areas im sure that everyone will have their own perfect design please feel free to add your input as to the watercooling integration would be implimented.

The ability to have two seperate loops all internall with at least a 3x120 radiator per loop + pumps and res AND have at least 8 hard drive bays still available.

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Originally Posted by Agent11

The ability to have two seperate loops all internall with at least a 3x120 radiator per loop + pumps and res AND have at least 8 hard drive bays still available.

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theres some great feedback!! thank you... this could be something i could work with.

I would love to have room for rad + shroud + 38 mm fan. My issue with the armor 2 was that you needed to have a skinny rad to fit the case.

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Originally Posted by matari

I would love to have room for rad + shroud + 38 mm fan. My issue with the armor 2 was that you needed to have a skinny rad to fit the case.

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thats ALOT of space... what size shroud? 25mm?

Many people use gutted fans as shrouds so 25mm is good, yes.
I dont care about 3.5" hard disk drive bays at all. They are usually the first thing that get removed from my cases.
Have like, 4 to 6 internal supports for 2.5" devices (SSD), and as many 5.25" bays as possible, at least 5 of them to suit the dual bay reservoirs plus optical drives and controllers. 8 5.25" bays sounds good and plenty.
See how the Silverstone TJ-07 is considered as one of the best watercooling cases ever: radiator chamber in bottom with side air path, possible to have inverted motherboard, plenty of 5.25" bays available, room for a 4x 120mm and a 3x 120mm in bottom chamber... The Corsair Obsidian is also a good example of a popular case. If you want to be considered by enthusiasts you have to top them.

I have an original Armor (VA8000SWA)

The window and door latches are perfect. The window is large, and shows off alot af the interesting area inside.

I have been researching watercooling inthis case, and a 3x120 rad takes up 9 out of the 11 bays, but the 11th bay is the the power and reset buttons, so I have one drive bay left. So give the case more drive bays.

Also make the top fan a 120 so we can mount a rad up there, and leave the rear 120 with room around it to mount a 120 rad, it is fine on my model.

The hard drive bay at the top, next to the pwersupply, is fine when the rads are taking up al lthe room.

25mm is good. Much cheaper to buy some yates and gut them, then to buy a shroud. If the 38mm + 25mm is too much room, then I would settle for a push/pull with 25 mm fans. push/pull setup is in the 800D and few other cases.

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Originally Posted by Agent11

The ability to have two seperate loops all internall with at least a 3x120 radiator per loop + pumps and res AND have at least 8 hard drive bays still available.

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Though that amount of HDD space isn't necessary for me, I do agree on the dual loop part :).

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Originally Posted by matari

I would love to have room for rad + shroud + 38 mm fan. My issue with the armor 2 was that you needed to have a skinny rad to fit the case.

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This too is a great idea. Many cases only allow a 30mm-40mm rad + 25mm fans. The ability to go push/pull or shrouded with a decent sized radiator (for example the XSPC RX) is something that I think a lot of people would appreciate.

i like the feedback and creative thinking here.... only issue is when you start talking push/pull and if were talking a rad like a pa120.3 then thats a large thickness which can dramatically increase case size, and many would like a smaller case as well.

Maybe an external rad box as an accessory is not a bad idea. Then you can keep a smaller case size and people like me can actually use my San Ace h1011 without mounting the fan on the outside of the case or having to cut holes. My 800D looks retarded with three 38mm fans on top.

For me it would be being able to mount a 140x3 radiator in the front panel, then room for another on either top or bottom panels depending on PSU placement. Note 140mm size, should have both 120 and 140mm mounting holes.

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Originally Posted by churchy

mattkosem: love for 5.25? @LC you can already very easily waste 4 of such on DVD/fan controller/2*5.25 bayres.
But in general, imho lot of 5.25 bays (preferably whole front of case) is how very easy it can be converted to something else. Some bay devices/some 3.5 disk enclosures/extra fan inserts and so on, with great flexibility of available configuration options .. it's not so easy to convert specialised bays/enclosures other way around, but 5.25 to those - with ease.

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DVD drives, fan controllers, and reservoirs exposed in bays...vomit. For the 3 times a year I need an optical drive, I can walk over to my closet and grab a USB drive. Id rather have my reservoirs entirely internal, if at all, and my fans set for all the time. It's a waste of my time to have adjustable fan speeds. I want quiet and stable, who needs adjustment past that point.

I'm not a big fan of all of that ugly mess of bays and modular pieces. I just end up cutting them out anyways. I'd rather have mostly or entirely internal bays that mount onto fans on the front of the case, like MM's 3.5" bays. Then, if you want drives in them you can use them and if you don't you can stick a rad on them.

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Originally Posted by Waterlogged

Hmm, I remember the days of CM Stackers ruling the galleries and buildlogs (I'm sure you do too ;)) and seeing them all with at least a 3 x 120 of some sort (usually a TC PA) stuffed in the front pulling in fresh air through the mesh of the drive bay covers. . .what happened to those days? :wasntme:

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I miss those days. Tight and precise or wide open spaces, I loves me some tripples. There is an HDD hidden in that first one too ;-)

--Matt

I have an extremely difference idea, I think about modular case. Base unit is able to fit 480 on top withoption for 560 by some of upper front bay. Dedicated placement for 2 pump and cylinder res. Width is alittle bit larger than tj11 for 2set of push pull. Then it can be extended by additional foot like caselab pedestal but able to be strongly secured as 1 case. And it's able to be extended unlimit up to owner's craziness.

For a beginner, he need only the core unit. When he grows up, he can extend it. This will allow newbie to pay not much at beginning and dont have to throw away the case when it's too small.

And sleek classy aluminum please, no plastic spacecraft

That would require a very strong and durable mounting system (probably steel or alu), however I like the idea. I just think it'd be very hard to implement properly.

I guess most of the ideas are voiced out ..

My ideal feature is ....... MODULARITY

Let's just say the HD cage, is removable ... and attachable somewhere else in the case ... something like that .... or maybe i would prefer the PSU to be placed .... Front (for example) ... then it's placable ...

The case would like "very customizable" according to the user's demand ...

And if possible ... the case are arrived like in parts .... something like IKEA style ... where the users assemble themselves (if anyone can read guide and assemble the furniture, why not the casing?) ... cut bulky shipping cost :up:



Besides this ..... after the "General" design for users assembling ... there's the "ADD-ONs" like "Casing doors" (some ppl like doors, and it's purchasable and attachable ... like Stacker830 ....

well ... that's my rough idea ... i think the TT experts can further expand the idea .... just try make it modular and make it like IKEA style of self-assembly

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Originally Posted by Serpentarius

I guess most of the ideas are voiced out ..

My ideal feature is ....... MODULARITY

Let's just say the HD cage, is removable ... and attachable somewhere else in the case ... something like that .... or maybe i would prefer the PSU to be placed .... Front (for example) ... then it's placable ...

The case would like "very customizable" according to the user's demand ...

And if possible ... the case are arrived like in parts .... something like IKEA style ... where the users assemble themselves (if anyone can read guide and assemble the furniture, why not the casing?) ... cut bulky shipping cost :up:



Besides this ..... after the "General" design for users assembling ... there's the "ADD-ONs" like "Casing doors" (some ppl like doors, and it's purchasable and attachable ... like Stacker830 ....

well ... that's my rough idea ... i think the TT experts can further expand the idea .... just try make it modular and make it like IKEA style of self-assembly

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dare I say this sounds very much like a MM case :eek:

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Originally Posted by Tt Enthusiasts

dare I say this sounds very much like a MM case :eek:

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Mmmm, Mountain Mods....

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Originally Posted by mattkosem

Mmmm, Mountain Mods....

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hey hey hey give us a chance :)

theyre 2 different styles of cases but we are working restlessly on your guys ideas to see what we can do to give you some new stuff that hopefully you will like alot ;)

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Originally Posted by Tt Enthusiasts

hey hey hey give us a chance :)

theyre 2 different styles of cases but we are working restlessly on your guys ideas to see what we can do to give you some new stuff that hopefully you will like alot ;)

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and of course we're not going to make it easy with all the great ideas :rofl:

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Originally Posted by defect9

and of course we're not going to make it easy with all the great ideas :rofl:

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well its nice but also we cannot really make everyones idea of the perfect case or...... we would likely sell only one to that person ;)

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Originally Posted by Tt Enthusiasts

hey hey hey give us a chance :)

theyre 2 different styles of cases but we are working restlessly on your guys ideas to see what we can do to give you some new stuff that hopefully you will like alot ;)

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I look forward to it!

--Matt