Is it really such a bad idea to install new components in my Antec 300?

Mr Drummer · Oct 2, 2015

So i've just purchased a new motherboard (Asus Z97-AR), CPU (i5 4690K) and 16GB DDR3 ram. I want to install this in my old "Antec 300". Alot of people tell me that i should buy a new chassi aswell since mine is so old. The thing is though, that i really like my "Antec 300" despite it's age and the fact that there is no real cable management option to talk about. Is it really such a bad idea to install new components in a chassi this old? I mean, it has two fans already plus one that i installed myself when i bought it back in 2008 I'm also planning to install one more fan at the front to keep my Noctua S12-1200 company. So from a cooling perspective it can't be that bad, despite what people say.

USAFRet · Oct 2, 2015

Do you like that case?
Does it do what you need it to do?

If so, ignore what other people say.

giantbucket · Oct 2, 2015

it has:
drive bays
bottom power supply
places to stuff your hard drives
fan locations
a really low price of free

it does not have:
front USB3
holes under power supply, so you'd be mounting it fan-up
bragging rights of an enthoo pro titanium with diamonds

ss202sl · Oct 2, 2015

You put new components in it in 2008. Has something happened to the case since then that somehow makes it not function? Cases don't wear out(ok, maybe the switches or fans, but they are easily replaced)

CelicaGT · Oct 2, 2015

Just think "I do what I want". Just keep an eye to airflow and you'll be fine, also consider that the old components likely ran hotter....

Mr Drummer · Oct 2, 2015

CelicaGT :

Yeah, i'll try and do that. It's just that i get alot of bashing from people telling me that it's poorly ventilated, no Cable manegement and sporting an obsolete dust filter at the front. Then, since i'm pretty easily persuaded, i think to myself, maybe it's a horrbile chassi that will be an obstacle when i install all the new stuff tommorow. I've seen people with brand new chassis that don't come Close to the well thought out Cable manegement inside my Antec 300. Cable manegement is Always something i put serious time into.

CelicaGT · Oct 2, 2015

Mr Drummer :

CelicaGT :

Yeah, i'll try and do that. It's just that i get alot of bashing from people telling me that it's poorly ventilated, no Cable manegement and sporting an obsolete dust filter at the front. Then, since i'm pretty easily persuaded, i think to myself, maybe it's a horrbile chassi that will be an obstacle when i install all the new stuff tommorow. I've seen people with brand new chassis that don't come Close to the well thought out Cable manegement inside my Antec 300. Cable manegement is Always something i put serious time into.

You can always get a nice shiny one later on...and yes...cable management, it rhymes with OCD in my case lol.

Mr Drummer · Oct 2, 2015

CelicaGT :

Mr Drummer :

You can always get a nice shiny one later on...and yes...cable management, it rhymes with OCD in my case lol.

Yeah, maybe i will. But the fact remain, i really like my Antec 300 despite people telling me how bad it is from an airflow and cooling perspective.

Mr Drummer · Oct 4, 2015

So after soime thought i've come to the conclusion that maybe i should look for a new case aswell, despite the fact that i like my Antec 300. So any suggestions to a case in the 70USD pricerange? i've thought alot about the "NZXT Crafted Series Tempest 410" since it's cheap but still sports alot of highend features.

http://www.amazon.com/Technologies-Tempest-Steel-Tower-Airflow/dp/B005MMW4DM

giantbucket · Oct 4, 2015

what are you gonna put into it aside from ATX board and processor? how many graphics cards? how many hard drives? do you need front bays for DVD / hotswap / fan controller / etc? do you prefer a tower or a cube?

SinxarKnights · Oct 4, 2015

Coming from an Antec 300 myself, I choose the Fractal Design Define R5. - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352048 Mainly for the quietness of the case. This is however over your budget.

Another option is the Antec P-100 - http://www.amazon.com/Antec-Performance-Case-P-100-Black/dp/B00FGHHQO0/
It is currently $75 USD and free shipping on Amazon.

Mr Drummer · Oct 4, 2015

giantbucket :

Sorry, this is what i'm gonna put into it beside the motherboard and cpu;

1 dvd drive, 2 ssds, 1 noctua chassi fan, 1 noctua cpu cooler, 1 psu. I want a tower and not a cube but hotswap and fan-controller is not that important.

giantbucket · Oct 4, 2015

that's it? no giant graphics cards? you could use just about any mid-tower ATX case that was ever made. there was a Cooler Master Elite 360 that was really compact but it's not made or sold anymore. i have the Elite 370 which is also nice and compact. doesn't look that cool, but it functions perfectly. if i had to do an ATX build, i'd look at the Fractal Core 2300 / 2500 and the Phanteks Enthoo Pro. but really, with no graphics card or even with just a single, i would have gone mATX and the Fractal Core 1500 (which i'm using for an AMD build)

Mr Drummer · Oct 4, 2015

GTX770

Mr Drummer · Oct 5, 2015

giantbucket :

Sorry i forgot, 1 Asus GTX770 aswell. How about the Antec GX500, looks like and updated Antec 300.

giantbucket · Oct 5, 2015

there's far too many mid-tower ATX cases to choose from. not all of them look good to everyone, either! for example, i think the GX500 is kinda ugly or at least a bit dated (but not vintage which would make it cool again). personally i like the fractal core series, more so than the define stuff.

Mr Drummer · Oct 5, 2015

giantbucket :

Yeah there are. What i don't like about the fractal core series, especially the 2500 is that, compared to the Antec GX500 for example, the fron of the case is closed so to speak, only small openings on the side. I get the feeling that this prevents air circulation alot.

giantbucket · Oct 5, 2015

for intake i wouldn't worry - the profile for intake air is like a wide funnel, it sucks air in from all sides. for exhaust air, it's more of a cylinder, so there any sort of obstructions would be a big issue. as long as the fans are standard 25mm thick, it should be fine. besides, in my 1500 i could mount the fans from the inside if i remove the drive cages, so that's another option if you're worried about choking the intakes - give it more space to pull air from.

but if you don't like the case, then you don't like the case! thankfully, in ATX size, there's millions of options.

Mr Drummer · Dec 7, 2015

So eventhough it's been a couple of weeks since i built the PC, and despite my first intention to use my old Antec 300 chassi, i just wanted to post a pic here to show how the whole cable management business turned out. I'm pretty pleased after having spent about two hours trying to manage the cables the best way i could. For the complete spec read my sign. Just a note, i've got another fan for the Noctua cooler but since my temps are pretty good i don't think i need it (idle: 25-30C, max load: 54C).

giantbucket · Dec 7, 2015

yeah, it's easy (and worth it) to spend some solid time doing cable management. i was usually sloppy with it, until a few years ago i took a look inside my Mesa/Boogie and Soldano guitar amps - wow, talk about clean routing! every wire of the right length, in the right colour, and zip ties every 2~3 inches to keep things in place.

Mr Drummer · Dec 7, 2015

giantbucket :

Yeah, Mesa/Boogie make great amps. Since i'm a musician (aswell as a drumteacher) i've played with alot of different guitarist..and bassist and Mesa/Boogie is always well thought of. I'm not a amp-tech but i've seen the interior of alot of amps and most of the time it's terrific cable management,, unlike some prebuilt PCs i've seen where the interior looks more like a snakepit than anything else. This is why i never buy prebuilt computers.

Is it really such a bad idea to install new components in my Antec 300?

Distinguished

Titan

Dignified

Glorious

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Dignified

Distinguished

Distinguished

Dignified

Distinguished

Distinguished

Dignified

Distinguished

Dignified

Distinguished

Dignified

Distinguished

Share this page