ThermalTake Tsunami Dream

[Diddly]

Last year I built this system:

Intel E6600 Core 2 Duo
Noctua U12F cooler w/ 120mm Noctua low speed Fan.
2GB GeIL RAM
Nvidia 8800GTS 320MB GFX card
Zalman 500W heatpipe PSU
WD 320GB HD
ThermalTake Tsunami Dream (VA3000BNA) Link

It all just about fits, but the HD caddy is rubbish, flimsy Aluminium, and it gets in the way of the GFX card. The case is incredibly poor for acoustic quality, it rattles, hums, buzzes. And now it makes a horrendous noise if the DVD drive starts up. It's the worst PC case I've ever had.

Can anyone suggest a replacement preferably <£70. It's got to have enough size for the large-ish 8800GTS card and the huge cooler I've got. Not sure I've got room for a Full tower either.

many thanks in advance!

 

[Diddly]

Just spotted this on dabs:

CoolerMaster CM 690 - any good?

 

[LukeBird]

Just spotted this on dabs:

CoolerMaster CM 690 - any good?

Yep, great case!
Excellent cooling, quiet (although side fan can be a little noisy, but I live with it for the extra cooling my GTXs get!), classy and pretty well built.
I have one and as you can see from my sig it's quite packed!
Nice to be able to have the PSU vent air from outside the case as well.

 

[dobby]

again the 690 is a superb case. in fact most CM cases, although im NOT a fan of the Cosmos.

other CM cases to check out are:
centurion.
cavalier
wavemaster (i have this case, it is excelent, but big, looks ace, very quite)
cosmos (but im not a fan)

i think the 831 stacker is a bit big for your need, but that is the mother of all cases.

 

[evilshuriken]

The CM 690 case is great, you cannot go wrong with it. I am tired of posting positive comments about it...
That's how good it is(for the price range).

The only case I would recommend over the 690 is the Antec 900, it's a bit more expensive but it's got a great set of features. Check out the 900 on newegg, they have tons of pictures of it.

 

[Diddly]

that's quite an endorsement for the CM 690, thanks. what sort of motherboard mounting does it use? are they clips or the little brass spacer things?

 

[evilshuriken]

That's such a weird question to ask you know...
The CM 690 uses brass standoffs for mounting. If you haven't searched for it yet, look it up on newegg, they always have tons of detailed images of their cases.
Just one thing, lots of the newegg reviewers aren't that bright, many complained about CM not including screws with the 690, what they failed to realise is that CM put all the screws on the chassis arranged in vertical lines on the 2 sides of the 5.25 mounting racks.

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

The 690 is my absolute favorite budget PC case, even over the (soon to be gone) Antec 900.

 

[liswara]

CM 690 is really a good budget case but sad it has no side transparent window so I choose the Antec 900 instead.

 

[Diddly]

yeah, come to think of it I had read about the screws in the chassis - D'oh!

Don't need a transparent side panel, that side is next to/facing a wall ;-)

again thanks!

 

[LukeBird]

CM 690 is really a good budget case but sad it has no side transparent window so I choose the Antec 900 instead.

You can buy a transparent side-panel now