- Aug 7, 2017
- 38
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- 10,540
Context:
I'm creating a gaming/work (programming and related--no CAD) machine that I would like to last a long time (5-6 years with a graphics card update or 2 along the way).
During this time, I'll probably have to move my possessions (to a new residence) at least once if not more depending how things work out.
Overview:
I'm looking for a value case (it will be hard to convince me that more than ~$150 is justified) that has good thermal performance (out of box with maybe $20 worth of extra fans to purchase) that will be able to accommodate overclocking of a 7700k in the future.
Other Considerations:
- It needs to have at least one 5.25" external bay
- At least one 3.5" and one 2.5" internal bay
- Doesn't need to be super quiet, but below jet-engine level is greatly preferred
- Potential for a water cooling setup in the future
- Motherboard is likely to be an ATX 12" x 9.6"
- Midtower size is probably preferable, but not a very important factor
- Sturdy enough to be moved around the house on occasion and not get damaged in a residential move
- Front audio connectors and at least 2 USB ports (3.0 or higher preferred)
- intake filters that are relatively easy to access and clean
Other Thoughts:
I've used 2 Zalman Z9 Neos in builds I've done for other people. Overall, I'm very pleased with its performance and features for its price, but the builds had less intense usage constraints than mine, so I would prefer a case that will be able to keep my build as cool as possible for a reasonable price.
Performance of Z9: Highest temperature from both builds (using a Deepcool 400) was with a 7600k (default clock and turbo boost) running small FFT's in Prime95 v26.6 at ~69F ambient, measured using core temp yielded a maximum of 71C over the course of a couple of hours.
I'm creating a gaming/work (programming and related--no CAD) machine that I would like to last a long time (5-6 years with a graphics card update or 2 along the way).
During this time, I'll probably have to move my possessions (to a new residence) at least once if not more depending how things work out.
Overview:
I'm looking for a value case (it will be hard to convince me that more than ~$150 is justified) that has good thermal performance (out of box with maybe $20 worth of extra fans to purchase) that will be able to accommodate overclocking of a 7700k in the future.
Other Considerations:
- It needs to have at least one 5.25" external bay
- At least one 3.5" and one 2.5" internal bay
- Doesn't need to be super quiet, but below jet-engine level is greatly preferred
- Potential for a water cooling setup in the future
- Motherboard is likely to be an ATX 12" x 9.6"
- Midtower size is probably preferable, but not a very important factor
- Sturdy enough to be moved around the house on occasion and not get damaged in a residential move
- Front audio connectors and at least 2 USB ports (3.0 or higher preferred)
- intake filters that are relatively easy to access and clean
Other Thoughts:
I've used 2 Zalman Z9 Neos in builds I've done for other people. Overall, I'm very pleased with its performance and features for its price, but the builds had less intense usage constraints than mine, so I would prefer a case that will be able to keep my build as cool as possible for a reasonable price.
Performance of Z9: Highest temperature from both builds (using a Deepcool 400) was with a 7600k (default clock and turbo boost) running small FFT's in Prime95 v26.6 at ~69F ambient, measured using core temp yielded a maximum of 71C over the course of a couple of hours.
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