Quiet/Cool/nice looking...this CANNOT be so hard!

ssabripo · 10-30-2006, 10:43 AM

Christ!

Anything that is worthwhile for a cool and quiet, aluminum based, case is either in the upper $100's, to $200's, to even $300+ in some cases....WTF?!

LL's new stuff is hideous and overpriced.

Silverstone's TJ07 and TJ09 has its problems.

Antec's nine hundres looked promising, until you notice the noise levels!

Zalman's Fatal1ty fc-ze1 is very nice, but at $350+, how about a big F#CK NO!

what the hell?

simple design, good space, great air flow (couple of quiet 120mm+ fans on each side), etc, for under $150....is this too much to ask???

SoulGG · 10-30-2006, 10:58 AM

TT Eureka

I fell inlove with mine. I don't know about the noise levels though I don't know what most people consider to be *Loud* Noise never really bothers me. But I assume the fans that come with the case are about 20DBA keeps everything nice and cool.

Oh did I mention the case is HUGE

It can be found Here

For $131

IceMan1300 · 10-30-2006, 11:34 AM

https://www.burgesscomputers.com/Sea...eMenu=&x=0&y=0

$98 + free shipping

Serra · 10-30-2006, 01:00 PM

How about a Cooler Master Stacker STC-T01? Very simple design, yet very roomy and with enormous expansion capabilities.

ssabripo · 10-30-2006, 01:30 PM

this one is not bad, but $200+ FTL!

http://www.xoxide.com/ll-warrior-spe...ion-black.html

5 total fans, so good air movement...but I'm scared it will be loud!

SparkyJJO · 10-30-2006, 01:53 PM

Noise is more dependent on the fans than the case IMO. My old case was noisy but once I replaced the fans it wasn't anymore. The antec 900 can be noisy but change the fans out and most noise is gone. Not that hard

SoulGG · 10-30-2006, 02:23 PM

I always admired that case you posted just now. I never had the balls to buy it though...

Tempting

NickS · 10-30-2006, 02:27 PM

It's not that hard, jesus.

Antec P180 full of yate loons at 12-7v. Seasonic silent PSU, and some quiet HDD's liek Seagate 7200.10's. Scythe Ninja works passive with the right socket placement in that case. Get the new thermalright vga cooler and run it passive. Problem solved.

gr8golf · 10-30-2006, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SparkyJJO

Noise is more dependent on the fans than the case IMO. My old case was noisy but once I replaced the fans it wasn't anymore. The antec 900 can be noisy but change the fans out and most noise is gone. Not that hard

I am as hard to please as anybody when it comes to noise - the Antec Nine Hundred is DAMN quiet on the lowest fan settings and it still cools WAY better than any other case I've used. That said - it does have some flaws. Read AFI's review and follow up posts.

ssabripo · 10-30-2006, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gr8golf

I am as hard to please as anybody when it comes to noise - the Antec Nine Hundred is DAMN quiet on the lowest fan settings and it still cools WAY better than any other case I've used. That said - it does have some flaws. Read AFI's review and follow up posts.

yes, that's what I read. It is an excellent case no doubt, but as you said, it has its issues including noise (25dbA +) at medium fan settings, which I want to avoid.....I mean, I could keep my current case, and just put watercooled if that was the case.

ditto on replacing fans on $150+ cases.....add 2-4 Yate fans and you are talking close to $200 again, which begs the question: why not keep my case and just throw some WC at it.

My point is, why in the hell doesn't some company come out with a decent looking, pseudo quiet (<24dBA), case for $100 give or take $30.

RAFH · 10-30-2006, 02:41 PM

My Antec SOLO is quiet, stays cool, looks even cooler (of course, looks are subjective, but who can argue with Gloss Black). And it costs less than $100.

I have 4 HDD in it, 2 Raptors and 2 Samsungs for a total of 650 GB. I have two optical drives and I am running SLI with a pair of 7900GTs. I still have two empty bays.

Uh, what more do you need?

By the way, I agree about the fans having a lot of influence on the noise level. Quiet fans are, by definition, quiet. What else makes noise? HDDs, sort of, not much really and its not constant. ODDs, definitely but there's only so much you can do with them because they have to remain accessible andm again, its not continuous. So, get yourself some quiet fans, big ones that are quiet even when they are on full blast. Then when you slow them down, they will be inaudible. Get yourself some sound absorbent panels as well, to grab the noise coming out the fan exhausts. Maybe some baffles too.

ssabripo · 10-30-2006, 02:57 PM

you got any pics of your case?

ps- i've been searching for this beauty on newegg to no avail...

[XC] leviathan18 · 10-30-2006, 03:06 PM

lian li g70b with some silent fans watercooling and you are done

badhabit · 10-30-2006, 03:29 PM

Afaik this is the new version of that Cooler Master ATCS. I don't know what the differences are if any, but from the looks of it they're the same case.

Praxis1452 · 10-30-2006, 03:31 PM

<25dba... you are really really picky on noise. try SPCR. They'll lead you in the right direction. Thing is you want good airflow and silence. Take your pick. Airflow is great in the 900. But those ventholes allow noise to escape.

I always hear people say Lian Li is overpriced but overpriced to what? How many other people make solid aluminum cases. I mean the overly plastic creations in the sub $100 are just nasty... Silverstone is way more expensive than Lian Li. Cooler Master stacker is the only ones that comes close. Also at a good price range. The original stacker. Not the 830. That thing looks like crap too to me.

gr8golf · 10-30-2006, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badhabit

Afaik this is the new version of that Cooler Master ATCS. I don't know what the differences are if any, but from the looks of it they're the same case.

THAT - is exactly my case, except it is in the brushed silver. Great case - I am only looking to change it out to increase the airflow. I basically want the same case with 120mm fans and some improvement with the drive cages.

ssabripo · 10-30-2006, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badhabit

Afaik this is the new version of that Cooler Master ATCS. I don't know what the differences are if any, but from the looks of it they're the same case.

doesn't look the same....does it come in a different model?

SparkyJJO · 10-30-2006, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssabripo

doesn't look the same....does it come in a different model?

I think the case that you showed has been modded with a custom window and a new paint job to make it glossy. Other than that it looks the same to me.

Or maybe if that is the newer version, the older one - the one you showed - had glossy paint already and the new one doesn't?

ssabripo · 10-30-2006, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoulGG

I always admired that case you posted just now. I never had the balls to buy it though...

Tempting

yeah man....i'm really REALLY tempted!

badhabit · 10-30-2006, 07:36 PM

If you like that Lian Li PC-65, I don't see why you wouldn't like this one for $135. 3x120mm fans plus an 80mm at the top.

Bryants97240sx · 10-30-2006, 08:35 PM

build your own,cant get much closer to getting what you want than that.

Quest_7F · 10-30-2006, 10:03 PM

thermaltake tsunami, compucase, my friend has an asus vento-keeps everything cool and its quiet if u like the design, sounds like u need to go buy a laptop.

Quest_7F · 10-30-2006, 10:03 PM

sry for the double post, school comps are slow and wouldnt resfresh

redphil · 10-31-2006, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAFH

My Antec SOLO is quiet, stays cool, looks even cooler (of course, looks are subjective, but who can argue with Gloss Black). And it costs less than $100.

Imho the Solo is a very interesting case, especially for friends of silence.

It has an integrated system for sound suspension of the hdd (unsuspended hdd's could be really annoying) and dual-layer panels for sound-deadening.
Best of all it looks great and the price is ok either.

ssabripo · 10-31-2006, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badhabit

If you like that Lian Li PC-65, I don't see why you wouldn't like this one for $135. 3x120mm fans plus an 80mm at the top.

[img]http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/products/PC-65B_PLUSII_01.jpg[img]

yeah, that one is not bad either....

these are pretty acceptable as well:
Cooler Master Praetorian Aluminum Midtower ($159)
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...oducts_id=2725

Silverstone Technology Temjin TJ-06B Black Aluminum ($115)
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...oducts_id=2115