Hey All,
OK, to make a long story as short as possible. I am looking for a mid-tower case for a new PC build for my three sons. The most important things are as follows:
1) Easy/Top Notch Cable Management - I am not an experienced vet at PC builds...only did it once back in 2001 and that was with the help of an experienced friend. I also replaced my PSU in an Alienware (sigh) I have...this is the extent of my PC "building" experience...however, with regard to those two experiences...dealing with the cable management made me want to hang myself. So I am hoping to make it easier on myself...I want to make it neat and clean, nice airflow, etc, but I want being able to do so not to drive me to suicide!
2) Tool-less and easy - No dealing with screws for the HDD's, just clips or switches or something; removable mobo tray; removable HDD cages; a couple of thumbscrews to get the side panels off AT MOST...stuff like that.
3) Enough room where I don't need to worry about spacing (for the most par) - I want it to be able to fit the new extra long video cards (for when I get them) and still have room between it and the HDD's and stuff.
Now, I was going to go with a CM Stacker 830 just so I can have all that room and removable mobo tray, etc, to make cable management and the build go easier. But I would like to avoid spending the extra $$$, as you guys pointed out would be wise in my efforts to limit overall spend on this build. The Antec 900 as recommended by people here is nice too, but I hate that the HDD's require tools (admittedly just a screwdriver and screws...but I hate that) and I want to avoid that at all costs if I can. Also, I don't have a lot of room in my kid's room so I would rather not go with a full-tower if I can avoid it. This brings me to the title of my posing:
I've been looking at the RAIDMAX Smilodon and the GIGABYTE Aurora cases. Does anyone here have any experience with either of these? Any thoughts? I would really appreciate any feedback you can offer as well as any other possible options keeping in mind the stuff I mentioned above...am I dreaming to think a mid-tower like the smilodon and aurora will offer me what I am looking for? Or do you think the somewhat more cramped quarters in those cases can be made up for by the other handy niceties, such as removable HDD cages and mobo tray?
Thanks in advance for your help and your thoughts!
RAIDMAX Smilodon: http://www.3dgameman.com/content/view/4286/48/
GIGABYTE Aurora: http://www.3dgameman.com/content/view/4512/48/
13BRAVO -- USHA!
OK, to make a long story as short as possible. I am looking for a mid-tower case for a new PC build for my three sons. The most important things are as follows:
1) Easy/Top Notch Cable Management - I am not an experienced vet at PC builds...only did it once back in 2001 and that was with the help of an experienced friend. I also replaced my PSU in an Alienware (sigh) I have...this is the extent of my PC "building" experience...however, with regard to those two experiences...dealing with the cable management made me want to hang myself. So I am hoping to make it easier on myself...I want to make it neat and clean, nice airflow, etc, but I want being able to do so not to drive me to suicide!
2) Tool-less and easy - No dealing with screws for the HDD's, just clips or switches or something; removable mobo tray; removable HDD cages; a couple of thumbscrews to get the side panels off AT MOST...stuff like that.
3) Enough room where I don't need to worry about spacing (for the most par) - I want it to be able to fit the new extra long video cards (for when I get them) and still have room between it and the HDD's and stuff.
Now, I was going to go with a CM Stacker 830 just so I can have all that room and removable mobo tray, etc, to make cable management and the build go easier. But I would like to avoid spending the extra $$$, as you guys pointed out would be wise in my efforts to limit overall spend on this build. The Antec 900 as recommended by people here is nice too, but I hate that the HDD's require tools (admittedly just a screwdriver and screws...but I hate that) and I want to avoid that at all costs if I can. Also, I don't have a lot of room in my kid's room so I would rather not go with a full-tower if I can avoid it. This brings me to the title of my posing:
I've been looking at the RAIDMAX Smilodon and the GIGABYTE Aurora cases. Does anyone here have any experience with either of these? Any thoughts? I would really appreciate any feedback you can offer as well as any other possible options keeping in mind the stuff I mentioned above...am I dreaming to think a mid-tower like the smilodon and aurora will offer me what I am looking for? Or do you think the somewhat more cramped quarters in those cases can be made up for by the other handy niceties, such as removable HDD cages and mobo tray?
Thanks in advance for your help and your thoughts!
RAIDMAX Smilodon: http://www.3dgameman.com/content/view/4286/48/
GIGABYTE Aurora: http://www.3dgameman.com/content/view/4512/48/
13BRAVO -- USHA!
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