Adequate Cases?

[sigmae]

Hi,

I'm in the process of building a new system, and they limiting factor is the case (and possibly the power supply). The system will house the (at most) two HD 4850's (or similar sized) in CF and a Xigmatek Dark Knight.

My current options are the Antec 300, Antec 902, Antec P182, and Lian-Li PC-7F. I like all the cases, but I need to know what fits and what doesn't; and of course cooling. I know the 902 and 300 have decent cooling, but will the 182/PC-7F be adequate in cooling (stock). I don't plan on over clocking my video cards, but I may over clock my i7 920 slightly (3GHz to 3.2 GHz). The Dark Knight should be able to handle that, but will the overall system be decently cooled (hard drive/motherboard)? Another key factor is if the Lian-Li and Antec 300 have cable management.

Lastly by biggest debate seems to be whether to go withe the Corsair TX650 or the PC Power and Cooling Silencer 610. Now both systems are adequate, but which is more stable and reliable (running the 4850's in CF)?

Thanks for any help!

 

[mi1ez]

You would be happy with either of those PSUs. If going crossfire I would recommend the 902 for it's high airflow.

 

[theAnimal]

The Corsair PSU will be quieter.

 

[sigmae]

I think I will go with the Corsair, but the case options are killing me! I have narrowed it down to the 902 and 300. They are both mid towers so space should be adequate, but will I really need the extra cooling (with 4850 CF)? Also, will the 300 have cable management?

 

[Twoboxer]

The Lian-Li will be light, cool, and quiet. Its a gorgeous case if you like simple elegance, brushed aluminum. The P182 is also cool and quiet. The other Antecs are just cool.

 

[eidolon]

I've got the Antec P183 (very similar to the P182). You can remove one of the internal drive bays for additional video card space, which is the main reason I bought it. From a cooling perspective, it's got good ventilation front to back and is enough for me with a Core 2 Duo running overclocked to 4GHz. Ventilation can be boosted with additional front fans and by jacking up the existing two fans. However, if when I open the side of the case, loaded CPU temps drop by about 4 Celcius degrees, so a case with lots of side venting would still be a cooler option.

Overall, I think the Antec is a great option for space, and a good compromise between noise and airflow for ventilation.

 

[jsc]

Keep in mind that the Antec cases do not come with a system speaker, so if your motherboard does not have one, you will need one.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Although the 300 and 902 are both described as mid-tower cases, the 902 is actually larger than the 300.