Good Full TOwer Case less then $150 help!

[wahjahka]

hello, yes i have read reviews on some cases but i want some opinions, i currently have a mid-tower case and its crammed, and the case is kinda lame, it keeps cool but i need room, i cant add another hard drive and i only have one!

so anyways, i would really like some suggestion on a full tower case with goooood airflow, cable management even though i will be getting a modular psu and lots of space for under $150 :/ thats all the money i have

help me! thanks

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

What do you currently own?

This says Mid Tower, but is Full tower size.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146047&Tpk=NZXT%20tempest

A truly amazing case:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160&Tpk=cooler%20master%20haf

 

[roofus]

I would highly suggest the Coolermaster HAF.it's about 9 dollars higher than your target price but its is a sweet case. Lot's of room, good air flow, not a cookie cutter looking case that every one of your buddies have.

 

[wahjahka]

What do you currently own?

This says Mid Tower, but is Full tower size.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146047&Tpk=NZXT%20tempest

A truly amazing case:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160&Tpk=cooler%20master%20haf

i currently have a NZXT Lexa Red Mid-Tower Case

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

That case is about the size of a NZXT Tempest, but the LEXA only uses about 80% of that size. Imagine using your case's entire size used to house things, yeah the Tempest is pretty big!

 

[wahjahka]

That case is about the size of a NZXT Tempest, but the LEXA only uses about 80% of that size. Imagine using your case's entire size used to house things, yeah the Tempest is pretty big!

haha thanks for the suggestion, maybe you can answer this, i found this case that i LOVE and it says its a full tower but it has the same dimensions as my current case... doesnt make sense...
if ya want link to the 2 pages with the cases descriptions, check out my thread, nobody is replying to it so i figured i would ask you haha

 

[JohnnyLucky]

I have the CoolerMaster HAF 932. It is huge:

http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=2810

Currently available at microcenter.com for $129.00:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0293547

It's large, plenty of ventialtion & cooling, and cable management is outstanding.

 

[wahjahka]

I have the CoolerMaster HAF 932. It is huge:

http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=2810

Currently available at microcenter.com for $129.00:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0293547

It's large, plenty of ventialtion & cooling, and cable management is outstanding.

that side fan is massive!

 

[dagger]

that side fan is massive!

All that large side fan does is disrupt normal air flow. You're better off with a normal full tower with front to back tunnel air flow.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119158

 

[rockbyter]

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0288150

 

[JohnnyLucky]

dagger - I was wondering about the side fan. I normally use the classic bottom front to top rear wind tunnel effect. Do you know of any technical reviews that address the issue of side panel fans?

About three years ago there was a thread here about fan configurations and air flow. When I started searching for more info I stumbled into an article by aeronautical engineers who were wind tunnel experts. They were commenting on pc cases and recommended the front to back wind tunnel effect. They also recommended removing fan grills, fan guards, and dust filters. Since then case manufacturers have come out with a lot of cases with a variety of fan configurations and case panels made of mesh.

 

[dagger]

dagger - I was wondering about the side fan. I normally use the classic bottom front to top rear wind tunnel effect. Do you know of any technical reviews that address the issue of side panel fans?

About three years ago there was a thread here about fan configurations and air flow. When I started searching for more info I stumbled into an article by aeronautical engineers who were wind tunnel experts. They were commenting on pc cases and recommended the front to back wind tunnel effect. They also recommended removing fan grills, fan guards, and dust filters. Since then case manufacturers have come out with a lot of cases with a variety of fan configurations and case panels made of mesh.

Nothing with the Cooler Master case with side fan. But here's one for an earlier case with large side fan:
http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/xclio_propeller_computer_case/index5.php

 

[wahjahka]

Nothing with the Cooler Master case with side fan. But here's one for an earlier case with large side fan:
http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/xclio_propeller_computer_case/index5.php

that case looks good

 

[dagger]

that case looks good

That one is discontinued. Here's a version with twin smaller side fans mounted near the bottom of case instead of center, which actually works much better, if still not as efficient as front - back tunneling. Full ATX tower, cheap price.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811103011

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Thanks! Interesting article. When I started looking at manufacturer's case specifications I found those large fans are typically running at 700 - 800 rpm to keep the noise down. Not much different from the people who install 120mm 1,600 rpm fans and then throttle them down to reduce noise. Either way air flow is reduced.

 

[wahjahka]

Thanks! Interesting article. When I started looking at manufacturer's case specifications I found those large fans are typically running at 700 - 800 rpm to keep the noise down. Not much different from the people who install 120mm 1,600 rpm fans and then throttle them down to reduce noise. Either way air flow is reduced.

correct

 

[wahjahka]

That one is discontinued. Here's a version with twin smaller side fans mounted near the bottom of case instead of center, which actually works much better, if still not as efficient as front - back tunneling. Full ATX tower, cheap price.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811103011

its a bummer
what exactly is front - back tunneling?

 

[flycpd]

This is a bit more than you were talking about, but you might want to take a look at the Gigabyte Mars case. I am currently using this case and really like it. It has a front intake 120 mm blue LED fan, two rear 120 mm blue LED fans, and two 80 mm fans on the right (bottom of the mobo) side to aid in HDD cooling and help cool the mobo itself. The left side has a viewing port and it comes with both a clear window insert and a black mesh insert (if you want more cooling and more dust ). Right now Microcenter has these cases in stock in both brushed aluminuim and black. It has plenty of room and you can do some decent cable management in it.

 

[wahjahka]

This is a bit more than you were talking about, but you might want to take a look at the Gigabyte Mars case. I am currently using this case and really like it. It has a front intake 120 mm blue LED fan, two rear 120 mm blue LED fans, and two 80 mm fans on the right (bottom of the mobo) side to aid in HDD cooling and help cool the mobo itself. The left side has a viewing port and it comes with both a clear window insert and a black mesh insert (if you want more cooling and more dust ). Right now Microcenter has these cases in stock in both brushed aluminuim and black. It has plenty of room and you can do some decent cable management in it.

i will check out that later, thanks

 

[Death Dream]

Interesting read guys. Those side fans, are they blowing air in or pushing air out of the case? I'm in the same search as wahjahka so I figured I would join into this affair.

~Death Dream~

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

haha thanks for the suggestion, maybe you can answer this, i found this case that i LOVE and it says its a full tower but it has the same dimensions as my current case... doesnt make sense...
if ya want link to the 2 pages with the cases descriptions, check out my thread, nobody is replying to it so i figured i would ask you haha

Sure link it, I'm curious. The reason is that a lot of your case's height and length are not the actual box itself, or the area you build the PC in. Rather, they are feet or weird things sticking out the top and in your case the widest point of the curved front. This does not really compare to a "Box-like" case which utilizes all of it's size, and not just some of it. For example, this is my case:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163060

The Silverstone TJ07, a famously large case, is very similar in size to your case if you go by the specifications. However by going form experience, I have used your case with blue lights in a build, I can safely say that the "usable" space the case offers is about half that of my TJ07. Hope this helps.

Edit: Here is a picture of the inside of a TJ07, not mine my camera is dead. As you can see there is a lot of room!

 

[Death Dream]

Probably famous for its price, my god!

~Death Dream~

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

Got it for a $150 shipped off Ebay. As odd as it sounds, I paid more for the version without the window as I am tired of windows in cases. I would pay the full price if i had to do it again though!

 

[Death Dream]

What is the job of those side fans? Looks to me that the GTX 260 would fit.

~Death Dream~

 

[wahjahka]

Sure link it, I'm curious. The reason is that a lot of your case's height and length are not the actual box itself, or the area you build the PC in. Rather, they are feet or weird things sticking out the top and in your case the widest point of the curved front. This does not really compare to a "Box-like" case which utilizes all of it's size, and not just some of it. For example, this is my case:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163060

The Silverstone TJ07, a famously large case, is very similar in size to your case if you go by the specifications. However by going form experience, I have used your case with blue lights in a build, I can safely say that the "usable" space the case offers is about half that of my TJ07. Hope this helps.

Edit: Here is a picture of the inside of a TJ07, not mine my camera is dead. As you can see there is a lot of room!

http://custompc.co.uk/blogs/raven/files/2008/05/image036.jpg

that case is massive and heres the links:

my curent case: here

the case i want to get: here