Help choosing the cases for good performance and with positive airflow

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rawrrNutella

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So I'm planning building a PC which will mainly be used for Online/Offline gaming, work documents, movies, Photoshop etc. The general stuff. And anyway I want something with good airflow, I've pretty much made my decisions until someone suggested me to mount a fan to the bottom of the case.

I am now struggling to choose between the cases as well as the fans.

Originally I was planning to go with Carbide Series Air 540 since quite a few people actually tells me to go with it since it has good airflow: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00D6GINF4/

And then I came across the Carbide Series Spec-03 which I can actually mount a fan at the bottom of the case plus it's actually cheaper than Air 540:
http://www.dabs.com/products/corsair-carbide-series--spec-03-red-led-mid-tower-gaming-case-9BXS.html?q=Corsair&src=16

I will be setting up my PC on the table so if I actually decide to intake air from the bottom, it won't actually be from the floor. So for my build, is it really necessary to intake air from the bottom? Plus I don't really want dusts to be collecting inside the PC so I'm really just looking for something that will allow my PC to run smoothly with positive airflow.

These are the components I'm getting (Excluding the case and fans as I'm still making up my mind)
http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/3ly3M

Also should I just stick with AF 140 Quiet edition rather than going for SP 120 High Performance?
Thanks,
 
Solution
dustinhunt78


I agree....this is also a nice case. It's just one notch down from the 800d that I recommended. And even though it's considered a "downgrade" from the 800d, it is far better than the vast majority of cases out there. If anything, notice the trend of people recommending a Corsair Obsidian case. While they are not...
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IRyannHD

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I use the quiet edition fans and love them, they push/pull a lot of air and are silent, also they look nice. I use the Corsair 750D case, it's a little pricey but airflow is fantastic, it looks really nice and has good space and airfilters.

The only cons I would say about it are that you can't screw in the HDDs, they sit in trays, it's still secure and silent but I think I would like the option to screw them in. And my only over con is that the optical bay covers have to be removed to use an optical drive, this kinda ruins the aesthetics of the case but I'm not too bothered. than that I love it
 
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dustinhunt78

dustinhunt78

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For good airflow, several things matter. First, I like a case that has some room. Unless I was severely limited in space, I would always choose a full tower case. Common sense tells us that a larger case will dissipate heat better due to a larger area inside. A large home takes longer to heat up in winter. The same principle applies to cases.

Second, good cable management is a must. Having a "cluttered" case restricts the smooth flow of air, so having your cables neat and out of the way is neccesary to allow air to flow freely.

Third, having a case that is versatile and has the proper mounting for cooling components is key. A case that accommodates 240/360 280/420 radiators is a plus. In water cooling applications, the bigger the radiator and the more surface area that it has, the more efficient at cooling it will be.

Corsair makes some VERY good cases for cooling. They aren't "flashy", but they are of the highest quality and are well designed. The 800d is a very good case. And if you want to get all crazy, the 900d is by far the biggest case available. Both are rather expensive, but you get what you pay for. Both have some of the best cable management systems available and both are equipped with the proper mounts for incorporating a good cooling system. Here are links to both cases:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139001

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Obsidian-Series-Computer-CC-9011022-WW/dp/B00B1R8JT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396570184&sr=8-1&keywords=corsair+900d

The 900d is more than likely overkill, but I threw it in just to give you an idea of what is out there. :)

If you have further questions, please ask! The door is open.
 
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patrick47018

patrick47018

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Well the cooler you chose won't fit in the Spec-03, but will in the Air 540. The Air 540 is a really good case, and is definitely not a bad choice, but in the end the case is a box with fans on it that you will have to look at everyday. So that being said, if looks are important to you make sure you choose one that suits your needs and you like the way it looks.
 
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IRyannHD

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The 750D has great airflow, also it has a ton of room for cable management in the back of the case it also has the nice rubber gromits like most corsair cases. I think it's one of the best, especially for the price.
 
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IRyannHD

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dustinhunt78

dustinhunt78

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I think it's also worth me noting that choosing a good case is something that is very commonly overlooked and not viewed as being that important in a high performance setup. As the performance of your system increases, so does the need for a well designed case. Typically, performance means heat. Better technology has addressed this issue to a great deal, but heat still remains a critical component to consider when building a machine. This is VERY important to consider if you plan to overclock your build. Most of us do overclock simply because we can. It's on of the best ways to squeeze more performance from your machine without even having to spend money on extra parts.

With all that said, take your time and choose a case that suits your needs. If you plan on a high-end build with a power hungry system, choosing a quality case that takes into account the cooling issue is even more important. On lower-end builds that use less energy, typically less heat is generated. This equates into not having to worry so much about the heat level. But take my system (i7-4770k CPU overclocked, overclocked RAM, overclocked GPU) and you are drinking electricity and generate an abnormal amount of heat. A "ho-hum" cooling solution just don't cut it. I have included a "Case Tutorial" at the bottom of this post. You can get a better understanding of cases and their importance by reading it.
 
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dish_moose

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dustinhunt78 said"I would always choose a full tower case. Common sense tells us that a larger case will dissipate heat better due to a larger area inside."

I have to disagree - if there was no air flow this would be true but with fresh cool air drawn into the case the size does not matter - as long as there is good flow.
-Bruce
 
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dustinhunt78

dustinhunt78

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I agree....this is also a nice case. It's just one notch down from the 800d that I recommended. And even though it's considered a "downgrade" from the 800d, it is far better than the vast majority of cases out there. If anything, notice the trend of people recommending a Corsair Obsidian case. While they are not the most flamboyant cases out there, I think you'll be hard pressed to find someone who says that they are not some of the best (if not THE best) cases out there. Any high performance/gaming build would be well suited for a Corsair Obsidian case.
 
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rawrrNutella

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Thanks for pointing that out. I was so focused on the airflow that I forgot to consider about the components not fitting i the case. Would've been terrible if I had bought the case and it doesn't fit.
 
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