Need A Good Case For Best AirCooling

[Dan_D]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the NZXT Zero. Are these not liked for some reason? I love mine - very quiet (even with 4x120mm fans on the side), roomy, looks good, made well, cheap, and it keeps my CPU idling at 28 and 46 under load (with a Zalman 9500). Check it out:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811146029

Also, they have great customer service. The case can hold 6 HD's, but it only comes with enough rails to mount 5 HD's. I e-mailed customer service to find out how I could get another set of rails to mount a 6th drive. They sent them to me in 2 days, at no charge. Pretty cool, in this day of poor customer service, I think.

It's hideous for starters. That's just my opinion, but it's pretty ugly. Plus I am not a huge fan of doors on the front of my cases. The doors look fine on some cases depending on how they are made. A metal door is ok, but plastic isn't.

 

[Eagle156]

I think the P180 would cool well, not because of a huge number of fans, but because of an intelligent airflow layout. If it was a little bigger, had a removable mobo tray, and its interior was made of aluminum, it would be my dream case. Too bad it isn't.

 

[RFGuy_KCCO]

It's hideous for starters. That's just my opinion, but it's pretty ugly. Plus I am not a huge fan of doors on the front of my cases. The doors look fine on some cases depending on how they are made. A metal door is ok, but plastic isn't.

Eh, each to his own, I guess. I personally think the Stacker 830 case is pretty hideous looking...

 

[CrazyBeaner]

hows the cm centurion 5? is there any way to mount 120mm fans in the front like the armor? or similar configuration?

 

[Zero82z]

hows the cm centurion 5? is there any way to mount 120mm fans in the front like the armor? or similar configuration?

The Centurion 5 has great cooling for a small case, but it can't match the Stackers or even the Armor, 900, etc. There's a way to mount a 120mm fan in three empty 5.25" bays, but that's about as good as it gets. Since you've got $200 to spend, I suggest you spend the extra to get a case with really killer airflow. My previous recommendation of a Stacker-series case still stands.

 

[Dominat0r]

I dunno if this means anything, but i just saw the Antec Nine Hundred at CompUSSR for 79.99 after rebate. Almost picked it up myself...but im worried about the amount of noise. Even at low im sure that thing sounds like a wind tunnel. haha.

 

[jtobrien]

I prefer the STC-T01 to the 810. The 810 is only something I'd use for a quad processor setup. The secondary exhaust fan isn't going to be needed. Intake is far more important than exhaust. Additionally, the STC-T01's are more common, and allow the use of dual PSUs if you need a cheap upgrade to more power in your future.

I must say I like the 810 better, I mean wouldn't 2x 120mm fans right behind the processor be better for temperatures?

Now I've never worked with an STC-T01 though and do own an 810 and have worked with a few others before I love the 810s.

My main question is: if you choose to mount your PSU on the bottom of the STC-T01 then what do you use the space taken up by the power supply mount up top for? I know you can put 2x 80mm fans but you've still got that space that you can't use :/

Plus the way I have my 810 is with 3x hard drive bays installed. I only use six out of the available twelve hard drive bays but nonetheless have Yate Loons on all three. So wouldn't an 810 with all three hard drive bays installed cool better?

 

[jtobrien]

I dunno if this means anything, but i just saw the Antec Nine Hundred at CompUSSR for 79.99 after rebate. Almost picked it up myself...but im worried about the amount of noise. Even at low im sure that thing sounds like a wind tunnel. haha.

probably sounds fine. antec's aren't loud stock.

 

[JaYp146]

My Antec TriCool 120mm fans are pretty quiet @ the lowest RPM setting. Not as good as undervolted Yate Loons, mind you, but still near-silent.

 

[Dan_D]

I must say I like the 810 better, I mean wouldn't 2x 120mm fans right behind the processor be better for temperatures?

Now I've never worked with an STC-T01 though and do own an 810 and have worked with a few others before I love the 810s.

My main question is: if you choose to mount your PSU on the bottom of the STC-T01 then what do you use the space taken up by the power supply mount up top for? I know you can put 2x 80mm fans but you've still got that space that you can't use :/

Plus the way I have my 810 is with 3x hard drive bays installed. I only use six out of the available twelve hard drive bays but nonetheless have Yate Loons on all three. So wouldn't an 810 with all three hard drive bays installed cool better?

I prefer the STC-T01 because I have actually had to use dual PSUs before. In mine though, I have dual 800mm fans at the bottom and I mounted my PSU up top where it belongs. I don't think the second 120mm fan makes a difference really. It would exhaust a little bit more, but unless you are using a quad socket motherboard that actually puts hardware in front of it, I don't think it would be all that useful. Both cases are very similar and are both excellent. It just depends on which feature set you prefer. The drive bays on the STC-T01 are identical to the ones on the 810, so whatever you have done there can be done on the STC-T01 as well.

 

[jtobrien]

I prefer the STC-T01 because I have actually had to use dual PSUs before. In mine though, I have dual 800mm fans at the bottom and I mounted my PSU up top where it belongs. I don't think the second 120mm fan makes a difference really. It would exhaust a little bit more, but unless you are using a quad socket motherboard that actually puts hardware in front of it, I don't think it would be all that useful. Both cases are very similar and are both excellent. It just depends on which feature set you prefer. The drive bays on the STC-T01 are identical to the ones on the 810, so whatever you have done there can be done on the STC-T01 as well.

that makes sense, I do like my 810 a lot, how does the stacker 830 compare?