Which of these cases?

I bought the following parts:

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6300 (will be OCed to about 2.8 - 3GHz)
STT DDR2-800 2GB (2x1GB) CL4
Asus P5B-E
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro
Western Digital WD1500ADFD
Asus nVidia GeForce 7600GS 256MB

Now I missing the PSU and the case. Which of the following cases is better:

Thermaltake Soprano
http://www.thermaltake.com/product [...] _index.asp

Thermaltake Matrix VX
http://www.thermaltake.com/product [...] _index.asp

Antec Super LANBOY
http://www.antec.com/uk/productDet [...] odID=15001

Antec PlusView II
http://www.antec.com/uk/productDet [...] odID=01002

Thanks.

Any comments about the cases? I found the super Lanboy at a good price and I am thinking to buy it. Apart from not being big enough to fit the biggest video cards (not a problem for me as I am not a hard core gamer) is there any other disadvantage with the super Lanboy?

It is made of Aluminium which is supposed to be good to keep the case cool, it comes with 2 12cm fans, and from what I read the construction is OK.

I have a thermaltake aguila case and im very happy with it the fans are near silent and the case is sturdy. i would go with the matrix, front doors can get annoying when going to lannies and can get in the way of knobs from fan controlers or audigy/ x-fi panels unless they have a good amount of clearance. I dont really know how much space the suprano cases have between the front and the bezel. Also the tooless pci design on the matrix(same as aguila) is much better than the one on the soprano.

i would get a better graphics card though the x1900gt is pretty nice for not that much more than a gs

i have a 600w version of this psu and it has worked great for me, kinda on the loud side though but still hardly noticable mostly air noise
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817171016

The lan boy is nice, but.. Try the thermaltake armor or the antec p180b, those are my $3000000000 I have the p180 and its amazing

Yes the P-180 looks really nice. But I am not sure if it will fit where I want it. In the specs it says that it is 21.3" high. Does this include the rabbler feet and the top exhaust thing? If not how tall it in total?

I got a lian-li pc-7b and love it.

Actaully, I paid $70, a little expensive but I didn't want a exotic large case. I like the light aluminum and its simple look with 2 120mm fans.

Not to argue - but my P180B came with the vent cover for the top.

I did a lot of research, and have been very satisfied with my P180B. Great looks, excellent cooling (supports 5 120mm fans, comes with 3 installed), looks great, lots of extra design features (rubberized PSU cage, rubber gromets for HD installs, drive rails, and washable air filters), and did I mention that it looks really good!!

Ok I am biased, and the selection of a case is personal - however I would reccomend the P180 series from Antec based off of my experience. If you like windows, flashy lights, and UFO styling - then this case isn't for you.

Cheers.

Hey Zoom,

I would second third and fourth the suggestions for the P180.

I just purchased one for my Father-in-Law and they are an excellent case and very nice to work on. Sorry if it is too large for your setting.

PS.. The P180 is a pretty heavy case and therefore not that mobile but doable.

You might also think of a smaller/similar case as in the Sonata II.

It comes with a 450W smartpower PSU which may or may not meet your needs.

This is a very very quiet case.

Happy hunting!!!

P180 sounds good but I need somebody to tell me its total height including the air vent as I am not sure it will fit where I want it.

Also what do you think about these two cheaper cases:

Thermaltake Swing
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811133166

COOLER MASTER CAVALIER 3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119075

Thanks, but is it 21.3" with or without the top vent and the rubber feet? How much is the total height?

I like that case but I am playing with millimeters here. If it is half an inch more than what I expect it will not fit

Thanks! The max my space will fit is 22.3". So I hope I will be ok.

Does the top vent have a filter, and can the exhaust thing be easily removed?

yes, the fan has a filter, and the case comes with the thing on the top in a seperate bag, you attach it yourself and its easy to remove

kinda random, but then again, most of us are

the wooen one? Yeah that was sweet, I'd g;ad;y pay $200 for one of those, but not a lian li like some suggested

they are the same case only different colors.

I will second these comments on the Thermaltake Matrix VX. The case fits a 8800GTX and is smaller and lighter than the other cases, with the exception of the Lanboy. I've done extensive research on this as I need to travel with and put my computer in cramped places.

It seems everyone has their own recommendations about what case you should get. It would be best to identify your specific needs (aluminum/cooling/etc) and weight/space requirements and go from there. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. You won't be unhappy with any of those cases.

OP,

I agree with i_hate_flying.

IF you can go to Compusa for instance or even a boutique builder that is local and SEE/measure the cases, you would be able to make a much more informed decision.

Our Comp here has many of its mostly ANTEC case selection on display. Even BB has some that you could have a look at (would have to take them out of the box).

But be advised - There is a reason you see several thousand people raving over only a select few cases on these types of forums.

Happy Hunting!

they are the same case only different colors.

Actually, there is a difference that I have noticed. The regular p180 has a small vga air duct that I have heard is kinda useless, but would be a nice addition, and I have noticed any scratches from my dad moving my p180b show up very well