Case - Hard issues

[Hoppy6698]

Okay guys, hoping you can help here. I need a case for my next build. Here is what will be inside:
ASUS P5B Mobo (not deluxe)
E6600 CPU
X1900XT GPU
Audigy Card
DVD Burner drive
3G SATA HDD (only one atm)
Arctic 7 CPU cooler
Silverstone 500W PSU

Requirements -
Less than 17.5" tall (this is max for the desk space I have)
2 fans minimum (one in front, one on the rear, PSU doesnt count)
Side Window
No front door over drive bays (plan on using 3.5" fan controller)
Less than $150 (prefer under $100, but that is hard as I look around)

Preferences -
Top Blow hole (but I can make one later I guess)
120mm fans (but I guess 80s work)
Aluminum (for heat dissipation)
Quiet
Durable (for LANs, etc)

Question on the heat issue though - with fans on front, rear, and top, would airflow and heat be an issue even if the case was steel?

I intend to take this to LAN parties as well, but I'm guessing only a few times a year. Would like it to hold up at least as well as my current HP case, which is going on 2 years old and still has no cracks, etc.

 

[Rugger]

Looked at the Antec Super Lanboy?

 

[chased13]

i bought a coolermaster centurion 532...its durable...has 120mm fans, some side ventallation...(not sure how tall) cheap...well made... just some people think its ugly but i like how it looks in person.

there is no blowhole but mine stays nice and cool without one.

it is certainly durable enough for lan partys

i bought mine with a 20 dollar rebate so it was only 50 bux. i was going to go with the 120$ lian li but i realized that they were both comprable in features so i figured i might as well save 70 dollars.

the nzxt lexa has a rebaate and from what i hear is a great case as well. its over 100$ tho

 

[pengwin]

i bought a coolermaster centurion 532...its durable...has 120mm fans, some side ventallation...(not sure how tall) cheap...well made... just some people think its ugly but i like how it looks in person.

there is no blowhole but mine stays nice and cool without one.

it is certainly durable enough for lan partys

i bought mine with a 20 dollar rebate so it was only 50 bux. i was going to go with the 120$ lian li but i realized that they were both comprable in features so i figured i might as well save 70 dollars.

the nzxt lexa has a rebaate and from what i hear is a great case as well. its over 100$ tho

i have a Lexa, its too tall.


with 17.5" of room ur not gonna get much of a case....

http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15139

i'd get that.

 

[chuckshissle]

I with the Cooler Master Centurion.

 

[Mondoman]

Yep, Super Lanboy for you. The plastic door over the drive openings is very easy to remove, and the case is pretty well made. I like that the hard drives get mounted in the side-to-side direction, and have little vibration-isolation rubber washers included.

 

[qwazzy]

Yep, Super Lanboy for you. The plastic door over the drive openings is very easy to remove, and the case is pretty well made. I like that the hard drives get mounted in the side-to-side direction, and have little vibration-isolation rubber washers included.

Lol. I live in Bellevue. Anyway, I got a Super Lanboy. Scratches really easily but otherwise it's great. THe fans are amazingly quiet. You can't even hear them!!!

 

[pengwin]

Yep, Super Lanboy for you. The plastic door over the drive openings is very easy to remove, and the case is pretty well made. I like that the hard drives get mounted in the side-to-side direction, and have little vibration-isolation rubber washers included.

Lol. I live in Bellevue. Anyway, I got a Super Lanboy. Scratches really easily but otherwise it's great. THe fans are amazingly quiet. You can't even hear them!!!

generally all 120mm fans will be quiet unless they are delta 120mm fans which move 200cfm.

 

[Hoppy6698]

Gents,

Decided to modify my desk to allow more space (height), so removed a drawer. Now have up to 21".

My current options are:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811112040
Lian Li PC-65B
or
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811112116
Lian Li PC-60B Plus II with window.

Any reason why I should chose one over the other? I like the blowhole on the 65B and bigger window, but the 60B has a fan over the video cards which could help as well.

 

[Dan1317]

My current options are:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16830134044
Lian Li PC-65B

Linked incorrectly, here is the correct link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811112040

I would go with the PC-60B, but honestly either case is perfectly fine. The PC-65B doesn't have 120mm fans, just 80mm, if that would be of interest to you. But again both cases are excellent quality.

 

[pengwin]

get this

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811112116

120mm sidepanel fan helps a lot.

 

[yourmothersanastronaut]

That's the one I bought. Absolutely love it. Sturdy, gorgeous finish, and has plenty of room for everything.

 

[pengwin]

look spretty good too.

 

[JohnWeldt]

Hard issue? I try to think about baseball and it goes away eventually.

As for a case, I ran the standard beige one for ages and just bought new fans for it. The nice thing about it is it's cheap and you do not care if a hole is cut in it.

With a new expensive case I tend to not want to mess with it and thus never have any fun.

 

[pengwin]

if u wanna mod buy some el-cheapo Aspire or Raidmax case and dremel away.

 

[wolfman140]

I'd get the Lian Li with 2x 120mm and 2x 80mm. thats actually the case im going to buy for my next Conroe build. Seems like it should have the best airflow in the world...120mm intake, 120mm fan out the side for video cards, 80mm out the back for proc heatsink/fan, and 80mm out the stop for all other heat. Can it get any better besides having a box fan being your side panel? (hey, that'd be pretty rad too)