Case for first time build

[Jonesy1499]

Yeah, I need a case for my first ever build!

I’d like it to be cool/have good air flow, and not get too dusty. Also, it should be big enough to hold a Geforce 8800 GTS.

Can you recommend a case that fits these requirements and is easy to work with? It doesn't have to be super ultra quiet.

Cheers.

 

[chookman]

Antec 900
Antec P182
Lian Li A10
Lian Li A71
Thermaltake Armour
Silverstone TJ10

 

[ausch30]

I agree with all above and would add the Cooler Master Stacker (all models)

 

[Jonesy1499]

Thanks guys.

Could you help me with these quesions?

1) Of the cases you mentioned, which one do you think would be easier for a noob to work with?

2) I noticed that a lot of the cases are full towers - would you say they are generally easier to work with than mid towers?

3) The cable routing design of the P182 - would you say that would make it easier or harder for a noob to work with, compared to other more "normal" cases?

Cheers

 

[systemlord]

Antec 900, great cool case!

 

[chookman]

Antec 900 is a great starter... very open plenty of room

Generally full tower are easy to work with as you have more room

P182 is harder to ssetup and get right at first but once its done its extermemly quiet and cool

If was me as a first timer id go the 900 or either Lian li but the Lian li's arent cheap

 

[Jonesy1499]

Okay thanks again!

I do like both the look and the price of the 900. About the dust, I suppose I could just put in some filters on the intake fans, like these - http://www.acryan.com/_fanguard/index.shtml - they should be as effective as those on the P182, right?

I'm not so happy about the enormous fan hole on top though. I'm already starting to worry that I might spill something down there. And I don't suppose it would be wise to cover it with something.

Hmm, actually if I'm not overclocking maybe it would be possible - like with a large cardboard box or something? (Hehe, that would be an original case mod.)

 

[chookman]

The Alumino ones should do ruffly the same job. Although most guys that own a 900 on here say that the air flow in the case is so good that any dust collected gets blown straight back out again.

The design would limit you blocking the top port hole, cases are designed for air flow and heat disipation covering something up that someone spent hours working out where it should go would un doubtedly severly hinder the cases cooling ability.

 

[ausch30]

The Alumino ones should do ruffly the same job. Although most guys that own a 900 on here say that the air flow in the case is so good that any dust collected gets blown straight back out again.

The design would limit you blocking the top port hole, cases are designed for air flow and heat disipation covering something up that someone spent hours working out where it should go would un doubtedly severly hinder the cases cooling ability.

I agree, just clean everything a couple times a year and you'll be fine. Or you can get the filters and a few Delta's and loose your hearing.

 

[Jonesy1499]

Thanks for replying.

Chookman, yeah you're right. I was just thinking that if I put a large cardboard box with air holes in the sides on the PC, covering the exhaust hole, the air there would still be cooler than that inside the case. But it sure wouldn't look very pretty. Of course a more practicle solution would be to place the computer behind the computer table, where I'd be less likely to spill beverages on it.

AUsch30, I'm not I'm following you... are you saying that I will need other (noisier) fans if I put in filters, or that the filters themselves will make noise or something?

Cheers.

 

[ausch30]

AUsch30, I'm not I'm following you... are you saying that I will need other (noisier) fans if I put in filters, or that the filters themselves will make noise or something?

Cheers.

Yes basically I was saying you can counter act the resrictive nature of the filters buy getting higher CFM (higher db as well) fans, Delta's are just known for their high CFM and db levels. Unless your in an extremely dust environment I think your better off just getting moderate speed fans to keep the noise down and clean the inside of the case every 6 months.

 

[nhobo]

Gigabyte Triton

 

[geofelt]

My favorite case is the Antec SOLO. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129018 You can also get the same case in white, known as the Antec Sonata designer 500 which includes a good 500w PSU that will do fine with your 8800gts. . http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129036
It fits a 8800GTS nicely, is not too big, cools well, has washable intake fan filters, and is quiet.

For a good review of the Antec 900, SOLO, and lian-li-G70 Go to: http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=996&pageID=2739 Of particular interest is the cooling vs. noise charts which show that all three cases cool the same at equivalent fan noise settings.

For any case you are considering, dowload the installation document first, and see if you feel comfortable with the instructions.

---good luck---

 

[Jonesy1499]

Okay, thanks to AUsch30 for clarifying and to Geofelt (and Nhobo) for the suggestions.

 

[Jonesy1499]

Update: After reading a billion Newegg reviews, I've had my suspicion confirmed that the P182/P180/B is too difficult for my first build. (There are several reviews that directly advise first time builders against using it. Partly because the manual is very lacking, apparently.) That puts the Nine Hundred in the lead.

OTOH I've been reading a lot about cable management being difficult in the Nine Hundred, resulting in a lot of clutter. However, I have a feeling that this might only be a real problem if you 1) are very big on your case looking neat and tidy and/or 2) are an overclocker who'll need a superb air flow to keep the PC from bursting into flames.

Would you agree with this - could I just let the cables clutter and still get okay temperatures? If I haven't mentioned it before I'm getting a Q6600, and they do get quite hot from what I understand. I'm not going to overclock it though.

Man, I suck at making decisions.

 

[slik]

Update: After reading a billion Newegg reviews, I've had my suspicion confirmed that the P182/P180/B is too difficult for my first build. (There are several reviews that directly advise first time builders against using it. Partly because the manual is very lacking, apparently.) That puts the Nine Hundred in the lead.

OTOH I've been reading a lot about cable management being difficult in the Nine Hundred, resulting in a lot of clutter. However, I have a feeling that this might only be a real problem if you 1) are very big on your case looking neat and tidy and/or 2) are an overclocker who'll need a superb air flow to keep the PC from bursting into flames.

Would you agree with this - could I just let the cables clutter and still get okay temperatures? If I haven't mentioned it before I'm getting a Q6600, and they do get quite hot from what I understand. I'm not going to overclock it though.

Man, I suck at making decisions.

I've been recently trying to find a replacement for my LIAN LI PC-V1000BPlus II link - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112058
Its a great case, but recently i've had problems with it due to the limited room you have for the PSU compartment.
So with my new PSU not fitting in the case, i've been looking around for a replacement and i think i've decided to go with the TJ09 link - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163073

The reason i would go with the TJ09 over the TJ10 is because they're basicly the same case any way you look at them, except one has a front door and the other one dosen't.
I find doors on cases to be rather useless, they're more of a nuisance than anything else.
Also the newegg has the best price on the TJ09 including free shipping, it comes out to $269.99 with a $30 MIR so the total would be $239.99, i can't justify the +$80 price tag for the TJ10 just for a front door that'll be annoying in the first place.

I was also debating on whether the TJ07 would be better over the TJ09/10 link - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=TJ07&x=0&y=0
I came to the conclusion though, that i'd rather have x1 120mm fan on the back of the case than x2 92mm fans, also i might run into problems with the TJ07 in the future seeing as how the hard drive cages are horizontal on the bottom of the case, leaving me with another PSU dilemma.
Most importantly though, the TJ09/10 improve from the TJ07 with that side fan, providing extra cooling to the center of the case.
Theres only one thing i dislike about the TJ09/10 so far, and it's that they don't include the x2 top 120mm fans and the x1 120mm fan that goes in between the hard drive cages, but i suppose that's alright since that means i can just purchase the fans i want.

Overall, i would recommend a case with a motherboard tray which the TJ10, TJ09, TJ07 include, also always try to go with bigger fans than smaller fans, generally the bigger the fan the better the airflow and low noise ratio.

Also if you haven't already, something i find really helpful is video reviews.

TJ09 - http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZdPQUIdSBGY
TJ07 - http://youtube.com/watch?v=IDSkubfWaPM

Check out my professional work of art below. lol
TJ09 vs TJ07

I hope my rambling has helped you if even in the slightest bit.

Edit: Just remembered, there's also really nice pictures of the TJ09 at these two links -
http://www.planetx64.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=742&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=2
http://www.planetx64.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=742&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=3

 

[aevm]

I've got the TJ09, with three Scythe SFF21E fans added to it. It's great - huge, quiet, the Q6600 idles at 31 or 34 Celsius (depending on the room temperature) as measured by CoreTemp. The only objections I have are:
- there's plenty of room for PSU and disks and even 8800 GTX SLI, but little room left under the desk for my feet :lol:
- depending on mobo type, it may be tough to get the typical SATA cable to reach all the way to the disks
- price

On the lower end of the price scale, I like the CoolerMaster RC-690.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137&Tpk=RC-690

If you're not overclocking I'd recommend the P182 over the Antec 900. The 900 has better cooling but the P182 cools well enough anyway and it's quieter. Just make sure you get a PSU with long cables (Corsair 620HX for example). So what if it's more difficult to put it all together, you only do it once, plus you get to post again and boast :lol: :lol:
TBH the Antec 900 is way too flashy for me, so maybe I'm biased. I watch lots of movies on the PC and the 900's lights would annoy me.

Edit: the usual warning: if you have $600 or $700 to spend on case + video card together, get an 8800 GTX first and then pick whatever case can fit both the GTX and the money you've got left. Yes, the TJ09 is fantastic. But TJ09+GTS is silly when you can have RC-690+GTX instead.

 

[ausch30]

aevm you linked a really nice, inexpensive, and well built case but I don't like the front panel placement. NZXT puts the front panel connectors on the side like that and I find it kind of annoying but that's really a subjective argument. I like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119042 Cooler Master. There are about 4 or 5 different versions, they all look similar but have a slightly different configuration. It's a little more expensive than the 900 or some of the other cases mentioned but it's an outstanding case with great cooling.

 

[Jonesy1499]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate all the feedback from all of you.

But what do you think about the cable clutter / temp question?
I
I
V

OTOH I've been reading a lot about cable management being difficult in the Nine Hundred, resulting in a lot of clutter. However, I have a feeling that this might only be a real problem if you 1) are very big on your case looking neat and tidy and/or 2) are an overclocker who'll need a superb air flow to keep the PC from bursting into flames.

Would you agree with this - could I just let the cables clutter and still get okay temperatures? If I haven't mentioned it before I'm getting a Q6600, and they do get quite hot from what I understand. I'm not going to overclock it though.

 

[Jonesy1499]

Btw., I've tried taking Geofelt's advice and download the manual for the Nine Hundred, but it doesn't seem to be on Antec's site. The closest thing I could find was this "Mechanical drawing". I certainly hope it's only an excerpt, as it doesn't seem to contain a single instruction!!

Does anyone here have the manual and can comment on its noob-friendliness?

Cheers

 

[dallasjoh]

Btw., I've tried taking Geofelt's advice and download the manual for the Nine Hundred, but it doesn't seem to be on Antec's site. The closest thing I could find was this "Mechanical drawing". I certainly hope it's only an excerpt, as it doesn't seem to contain a single instruction!!

Does anyone here have the manual and can comment on its noob-friendliness?

Cheers

Below is the link to the manual
http://www.antec.com/pdf/manuals/900%20manual_us.pdf

 

[chookman]

As for cable clutter... cable ties are your friends....

 

[geofelt]

One way to reduce clutter is to use a SATA cabled DVD burner I use a samsung SH-S203B which works, and is quiet: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151153

Wiring is cleaner if you don't need a floppy drive; use a usb thumbdrive instead.

With a well ventilated case, like the Antec 900, I would not worry about any cooling impact from messy wiring. In that case, with the PSU on the bottom, you can just leave any unused non-modular cables lying on the bottom, out of the way. The more important thing is to keep a clear air flow from the front intakes past the cpu and our the back or top.

 

[Jonesy1499]

Thanks guys.

Aarrgh, I must have overlooked the manual then, even though I spent 20 minutes searching for it. Where did you find it, Dallasjoh?

Geofelt, good point about the SATA DVD. I've actually been debating wheter to get an IDE or SATA, but the cable size makes the decision clear.

Do you think I should get the optional fans for the Nine Hundred, or will the four preinstalled ones be enough for me?

Anyway, I think I'm almost ready to order now. (It's only taken me about 8 months to get to this point.)

Thanks for putting up with my endless stream of noob questions.

I’ll post the entire system in the ”new system build” section later. Hope to see you there.

 

[aevm]

You could add a side fan to help keep the video card cool, sure. Look at the newegg reviews, lots of them are talking about adding fans and how it worked out for them.