Part 1: Four Gaming Enclosures Under $50
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Gaming
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Sometimes, overclocking is the key to getting budget hardware humming along at enthusiast-class performance levels. But getting there requires extra cooling. Today we're examining the performance of four low-cost gaming enclosures under $50 bucks.
Part 1: Four Gaming Enclosures Under $50 : Read more
Part 1: Four Gaming Enclosures Under $50 : Read more
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rzilla91
August 23, 2010 6:21:22 AM
Great article!
I have the Antec 300 and love it - my current build is/was my first build, and the Antec case was very easy to build in.
My only (rather silly) question is how did you get the case fans to run on low? They appear to be plugged into your PSU, which is what i did, but that forces it to run on high.
I have the Antec 300 and love it - my current build is/was my first build, and the Antec case was very easy to build in.
My only (rather silly) question is how did you get the case fans to run on low? They appear to be plugged into your PSU, which is what i did, but that forces it to run on high.
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falchard
August 23, 2010 6:33:13 AM
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^ Did you read the Aerocool specs properly ? Card Length - 17.7"
AFAIK there are no graphic cards that are longer than 12.5", so it would fit HD 5970...
But as for the 300, I doubt it wont fit the 5970, but other cards would...
But if you will be spending ~$600 for a graphic card, then am sure you wont skimp on the case...
AFAIK there are no graphic cards that are longer than 12.5", so it would fit HD 5970...
But as for the 300, I doubt it wont fit the 5970, but other cards would...
But if you will be spending ~$600 for a graphic card, then am sure you wont skimp on the case...
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6
Mark Heath
August 23, 2010 7:06:42 AM
smithereen
August 23, 2010 7:25:52 AM
rzilla91Great article!I have the Antec 300 and love it - my current build is/was my first build, and the Antec case was very easy to build in.My only (rather silly) question is how did you get the case fans to run on low? They appear to be plugged into your PSU, which is what i did, but that forces it to run on high.
It should be equiped with speed-adjustmentable tri-cool fans, which should have added speed selectors to go from LOW to MID or HI, and back.
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3
falchard
August 23, 2010 7:36:33 AM
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August 23, 2010 7:47:02 AM
rajangel
August 23, 2010 8:12:51 AM
I own the 300. It's a nice sturdy case, but in the end it really was a pain in the rear to put it all together. It's extremely cramped.
@falchard-
Also don't ever buy Rosewill. EVER. Their products are terrible. I've bought a few items they've had on clearance (from newegg) and not a single product is worth the 90% discount. One case came bent and the power supply inside was missing some of the power plugs the manual said it had. One item came shipped with a driver all in Chinese. Customer service blamed it on whoever shipped it (right because Newegg is going to switch the power supply inside a case). Newegg switched the case out and the girl on the phone said they have a lot of problem with Rosewill products. The laptop pad was missing fan blades.
@falchard-
Also don't ever buy Rosewill. EVER. Their products are terrible. I've bought a few items they've had on clearance (from newegg) and not a single product is worth the 90% discount. One case came bent and the power supply inside was missing some of the power plugs the manual said it had. One item came shipped with a driver all in Chinese. Customer service blamed it on whoever shipped it (right because Newegg is going to switch the power supply inside a case). Newegg switched the case out and the girl on the phone said they have a lot of problem with Rosewill products. The laptop pad was missing fan blades.
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-2
falchard
August 23, 2010 8:24:01 AM
vixiv
August 23, 2010 8:28:59 AM
liquidsnake718
August 23, 2010 9:14:49 AM
belardo
August 23, 2010 9:25:24 AM
I've bought the Antec 300 case several times for $45~50 at Micro Center for friends and clients.
I use the Antec 300 as a "normal" computer case because its priced cheap yet made well, looks good - and not so "kiddy" like. The power & USB are at a good position for FLOOR users. The fans are usually quiet... the blue lights are nice.
I use the Antec 300 as a "normal" computer case because its priced cheap yet made well, looks good - and not so "kiddy" like. The power & USB are at a good position for FLOOR users. The fans are usually quiet... the blue lights are nice.
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2
gio2vanni86
August 23, 2010 9:47:46 AM
I own the antec 1200 and its a beast of a case. When i was trying to come up with a cheap but efficient case for my friends build i couldn't deny Antec's 300 case. To this day my friend loves the case, its great at cooling, and it looks superb at doing just that =D Was as sturdy as my 1200 n only cost 1/3 the price.
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2
Anonymous
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Gaming
August 23, 2010 9:50:22 AM
I have the threehundred chassi and I think its pure garbage to be honest..top fan is very loud and seems to be "vibrating" so the noise it gives is very annoying. Had to place a weigth ontop of the chassi, to keep the chassi is made from vibrating. Also hade som clearence issues with the cpu fan...
Maybe it is good "for the price", but I will never ever buy another of those cheap ass antec chassis again.
Maybe it is good "for the price", but I will never ever buy another of those cheap ass antec chassis again.
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-4
h83
August 23, 2010 11:08:33 AM
I´ve bought an Antec 300 for 60€ and i couldn´t be happier!!! The case is silent, very cool and has a very nice construction quality.
The only downsides are the tiny reset button (almost useless) and the inside of the case, that´s a little cramped and i don´t know if it can accommodate the bigger GPUs.
rzilla91, both 120m fans that came with the case, have a small black cable with a little "button" on the end, that can be set on 3 positions; high, medium and low. That´s how you change your fans to low noise.
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2
cmartin011
August 23, 2010 11:17:57 AM
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August 23, 2010 11:46:44 AM
jorjxmckie
August 23, 2010 12:14:08 PM
I have the three hundred and it works great. Video card noise is perceptible under high loads, but its still less than many other cases with similar cooling.
In the article the author downplays the usefulness of the top mounted fan, I have a Noctua NH-U12P with fans on either side in a push pull and rotated to blow out to the top case fan. I find this configuration better at keeping core and case interior temps low when the back of the case is pushed back against a wall. May not be the most efficient airflow if the rear of the case is unrestricted but that is not always possible.
In the article the author downplays the usefulness of the top mounted fan, I have a Noctua NH-U12P with fans on either side in a push pull and rotated to blow out to the top case fan. I find this configuration better at keeping core and case interior temps low when the back of the case is pushed back against a wall. May not be the most efficient airflow if the rear of the case is unrestricted but that is not always possible.
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2
Of all those, id actually take the CM one. the 300 doesnt have much for cable management, and just comes with better fans. The CM one has more ventilation, black interior, and decent cable management. It also fit the card with a lot more space than the 300. Dont get me wrong, the 300 is a great case, but all the same. In any event id pay the extra 10 bucks for the CM 690 II BAsic or Lian Li K60B, or of course the Antec Allusion.
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Andon48
August 23, 2010 1:01:04 PM
I love my Antec 300, it's quiet and cools like nothing else. I put the 2 blue fans in the front and added a window to the side (wit a fan and laser cut fan cover), cut a square in the back and mounted the fan adjustments in it, added the blue logisys case feet, and a few other things. If you are a modder this is simply the best case you can buy. The possibilities are endless.
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2
rajangel
August 23, 2010 1:39:39 PM
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1
Nice, sane article. The Antec looks like a winner, particularly considering the low noise.
I'm sure Part 2 the article has been finished for a while, but here's hoping the Silverstone PS05 is in it; I picked up the one HardwareSecrets reviewed, just waiting to pick up a SSD before rebuilding my primary in it.
As to Rosewill, I've used quite a few of their cheap cases. They're absolutely plain, but I have had no quality control issues with them. Their new PSUs have been reviewing well lately. The RNX-N180UB wireless "N" USB adapter I picked up for loading new builds has worked fine. They're all budget, but I get the impression they don't want to be known as purveyors of garbage.
I'm sure Part 2 the article has been finished for a while, but here's hoping the Silverstone PS05 is in it; I picked up the one HardwareSecrets reviewed, just waiting to pick up a SSD before rebuilding my primary in it.
As to Rosewill, I've used quite a few of their cheap cases. They're absolutely plain, but I have had no quality control issues with them. Their new PSUs have been reviewing well lately. The RNX-N180UB wireless "N" USB adapter I picked up for loading new builds has worked fine. They're all budget, but I get the impression they don't want to be known as purveyors of garbage.
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I prefer tolled bays for better mounting of the drives. The data is worth more to me than the case... Newer cases do look nice but are to light weight and are not that sturdy compared to older and server cases. If the metal is think then you may have a decent quality case. Thick steel and aluminum works the best in the end. Newer cases do cool better due to better options when it comes to fans and have grills but many are not as roomy. I can mount just about any card that I would like in my rust bucket including cards that max out eatx rigs (oem). So if I were asked that I could use a v56k,7900gtx duo, or a 5970 then yes I have room to spare. However it did skim on drive bays but I compensate with adapters in the 5.25 bays. Runs nice and cool to. Managed to get a 8800gtx down to 30-40c on idle and the lowest temp on one of my drives before many of my mods was 19c. My much newer Thermaltake however nice to the eyes isn't when it comes to management. Xaser V silver
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-1
belardo
August 23, 2010 2:22:36 PM
Ah, finished the article.
I've build several computers with the Antec300 - and I've bought them for $40~$50 most of the time, and you can find them in dark-silver. Some tips:
Cut part of the black-box it came in, and tape it to the INSIDE of the case to cover up the side-vent. It'll: (A) improve air flow (B) reduce noise. (C) looks good - with the glossy black facing out.
- Don't bother with front-cooling fans in most cases, especially these. The exhaust fans do a good job. Even my Antec P150 only has a single 120mm fan. Running on low, my quad CPU and HDs are about 40c. But the case is silent. The Antec 300 cools even better than my P150.
- Check Microcenter, they usually sell it for $50. Just checked on their website: $50 for black, $55 for silver.
- On some builds, I've blocked off the top cooler.
- Thumb-screws... not quite as fast as quick-release... but they work very well with low chance of accidentally falling off.
Cases with too much AIR holes only require MORE fans to draw in more air. Hence, blocking off the side fan-area is important.
Most of the time, Antec fans are good. But I've gotten a case with vibration issues... I shut off the top fan.
I've build several computers with the Antec300 - and I've bought them for $40~$50 most of the time, and you can find them in dark-silver. Some tips:
Cut part of the black-box it came in, and tape it to the INSIDE of the case to cover up the side-vent. It'll: (A) improve air flow (B) reduce noise. (C) looks good - with the glossy black facing out.
- Don't bother with front-cooling fans in most cases, especially these. The exhaust fans do a good job. Even my Antec P150 only has a single 120mm fan. Running on low, my quad CPU and HDs are about 40c. But the case is silent. The Antec 300 cools even better than my P150.
- Check Microcenter, they usually sell it for $50. Just checked on their website: $50 for black, $55 for silver.
- On some builds, I've blocked off the top cooler.
- Thumb-screws... not quite as fast as quick-release... but they work very well with low chance of accidentally falling off.
Cases with too much AIR holes only require MORE fans to draw in more air. Hence, blocking off the side fan-area is important.
Most of the time, Antec fans are good. But I've gotten a case with vibration issues... I shut off the top fan.
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2
dj1001
August 23, 2010 2:54:53 PM
rzilla91Great article!I have the Antec 300 and love it - my current build is/was my first build, and the Antec case was very easy to build in.My only (rather silly) question is how did you get the case fans to run on low? They appear to be plugged into your PSU, which is what i did, but that forces it to run on high.
The Three Hundred is equipped with 3-speed fans, with a switch on a separate wire.
smithereenNo NZXT Beta?
You did see this was Part 1? NZXT sent something, wait for Part 2.vixivI was expecting some of the $40-45 Raidmax, Foxconn, NZXT, CM, etc. cases. To be fair, $49.99 is under $50 =PThen again, cases in that range might be included in Part 2...
You'd be surprised at who chose not to participate!liquidsnake718You should have added the gigabyte I-solo 210, its a beast of a mid-tower case and very neatly designed. It has watercooling holes so its ready for watercooling.
Unless something weird happened, like the PR department and the shipping department at that company simply couldn't communicate properly...three times in a row...MeyhemI have the threehundred chassi and I think its pure garbage to be honest..top fan is very loud and seems to be "vibrating" so the noise it gives is very annoying. Had to place a weigth ontop of the chassi, to keep the chassi is made from vibrating. Also hade som clearence issues with the cpu fan...Maybe it is good "for the price", but I will never ever buy another of those cheap ass antec chassis again.
Take the top fan out if it makes clearance problems, the rear fan does most of the work.belardoI've bought the Antec 300 case several times for $45~50 at Micro Center for friends and clients.I use the Antec 300 as a "normal" computer case because its priced cheap yet made well, looks good - and not so "kiddy" like. The power & USB are at a good position for FLOOR users. The fans are usually quiet... the blue lights are nice.
Front panel lights or fans? The blue fans only come on the more expensive Three Hundred Illusion.Score
0
belardo
August 23, 2010 3:31:57 PM
CrashmanFront panel lights or fans? The blue fans only come on the more expensive Three Hundred Illusion.
Uh... the review was $50 gaming cases... I wasn't aware that lighting made it into a gaming case. The 300 in this article is a standard model.
The Antec 300s at Microcenter are standard - with two cooling fans.
Here is the link: http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.phtml?...
Needless to say, far cheaper for me to buy it locally for $50+ tax than $60+shipping from newegg. (BTW: The new NEwegg looks good, but moves like junk - stupid FLASH).
And like I said, I've picked it up for $40 on a sale.
PS: Got an Antec 900 or free... someone threw it away with a working 700watt PSU. What parts that were missing, my A300 parts fit
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0
Trueno07
August 23, 2010 3:40:59 PM
JonnyDough
August 23, 2010 3:53:11 PM
Seems to me that if the Antec costs $10 more, then it shouldn't even be in the article. Also seems to me if you're going to spend $10 more, then you should look at other cases that also cost $10 more. Cooler Master seems to have the most features for the price here, and if you jumped up to their next best case I imagine you would find that they're better than Antec's offerings in the same price range. This website has always seemed to push Antec, and I'm not sure why. They're decent, but not always the best. Cooler Master makes superior cases IMO.
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JonnyDoughSeems to me that if the Antec costs $10 more, then it shouldn't even be in the article...This website has always seemed to push Antec, and I'm not sure why. They're decent, but not always the best. Cooler Master makes superior cases IMO.
It sounds like you have a lot of opinions: The case review was set up at the end of June, when the Three Hundred was $49.99. It arrived around 2 weeks later, mid July, when the price was still $49.99. It was tested, and only after than did it go to $60.
This author has a preference for sturdy cases, and is fully willing to push them regardless of brand.
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2
metallifux
August 23, 2010 4:07:18 PM
JonnyDough...Cooler Master makes superior cases IMO.
I strongly disagree. Every CM case I ever bought had minor quality issues, ranging from untapped screw holes, to crappy tool-free [dis]mounts, and fit issues not explained by shipping torture. None were unusable, but I got tired of it. If I want cheap, I buy Rosewill; plain but zero quality issues. For quality, well I haven't yet seen a bad Antec case, and my limited experience with Lian Li puts them right up there too.
belardo...Some tips:Cut part of the black-box it came in, and tape it to the INSIDE of the case to cover up the side-vent. It'll: (A) improve air flow (B) reduce noise. (C) looks good - with the glossy black facing out...
Very nice idea. Falls into the "now why didn't I think of that" category. Thanks for posting it.
Score
1
jasonw223
August 23, 2010 4:56:26 PM
dark_lord69
August 23, 2010 5:02:53 PM
razercultmember1
August 23, 2010 5:04:28 PM
chriskrum
August 23, 2010 5:07:19 PM
steddy
August 23, 2010 5:29:10 PM
TommyV
August 23, 2010 5:57:16 PM
rambo117
August 23, 2010 5:59:09 PM
terr281
August 23, 2010 6:18:42 PM
Note on the Antec 300: The 140mm top fan is not a 3 speed fan, it is a 2 speed fan. (Hi and Low) The 120mm fans are true 3 speed fans.
With the above said, however, I am another big fan of the Antec 300. The last 4 systems I have built for users have been put into them due to the case's sturdiness and simplicity.
My only true gripe about the case is the relatively short graphics card and hard drive clearance in builds with lots of components. (In a 2x 4870 Crossfire build with 2 slot graphics cards, you will only be able to fit 2 hard drives in the case with ease.) However, with the above said, another trick with the Antec 300...
If your CPU cooler allows it, face the cooler so that its fan blows "up" into the 140 mm top mounted exhaust fan. (I know Sunbeam 120mm Core Contact coolers do this with ease.)
Further, instead of using the side panel fan as an intake... put a slow speed exhaust fan in that location while also keeping the 120mm rear mount fan as an exhaust as well. Why? This forces the case to have all airflow going from front to back (or through small gaps). In households where dust, animal hair, etc. are issues, this allows the front cover to be removed for easy filter cleaning when needed, and very little of any troublesome dust, etc. on your internal components.
With the above said, however, I am another big fan of the Antec 300. The last 4 systems I have built for users have been put into them due to the case's sturdiness and simplicity.
My only true gripe about the case is the relatively short graphics card and hard drive clearance in builds with lots of components. (In a 2x 4870 Crossfire build with 2 slot graphics cards, you will only be able to fit 2 hard drives in the case with ease.) However, with the above said, another trick with the Antec 300...
If your CPU cooler allows it, face the cooler so that its fan blows "up" into the 140 mm top mounted exhaust fan. (I know Sunbeam 120mm Core Contact coolers do this with ease.)
Further, instead of using the side panel fan as an intake... put a slow speed exhaust fan in that location while also keeping the 120mm rear mount fan as an exhaust as well. Why? This forces the case to have all airflow going from front to back (or through small gaps). In households where dust, animal hair, etc. are issues, this allows the front cover to be removed for easy filter cleaning when needed, and very little of any troublesome dust, etc. on your internal components.
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youssef 2010
August 23, 2010 6:57:00 PM
terr281
August 23, 2010 7:17:41 PM
youssef 2010The one who's going to buy an i7-920, fully featured X58 board, GTX 285, 1000Watt PSU isn't probably buyin an $50 Case.He'll be like shooting himself in the foot........or am I wrong?
If the components fit in the case, it is a quality case, a person isn't planning on opening the computer regularly, and proper ventilation is kept...
Why not? A computer case is supposed to house the computer's components while keeping them cool enough for them operate. Shiney lights and lots of extra room? Optional, in my opinion.
(The system mentioned in my prior post: i7 920, X58 mid range board, 2x 4870 1GB video cards, 3x2 GB DDR3 1333 ram, 2x 1 TB mechancial disk drives (1 OS/App/Game Installations, 1 "storage class"), 750w PSU, 120mm tower CPU cooler, 2x DVD RW, 4x 120mm fans & 1x 140mm fan in a "front to back" flow pattern) All fans turned to low settings, slight OC'ing of the CPU to 3.2 Ghz and the video cards were slightly OC'ed as well. (This system was built last year, I don't remember the exact specs.)
Score
1
eloric
August 23, 2010 7:18:05 PM
Here is the Antec 300 on Newegg today for $46 shipped, after rebate and promo code
OK, so it does not have the blue led lights in the fans.
Oh, and to youssef who says "The one who's going to buy an i7-920, fully featured X58 board, GTX 285, 1000Watt PSU isn't probably buyin an $50 Case." I think the article wanted to test the outside limits of heat and component sizes rather than offer a build recommendation.
OK, so it does not have the blue led lights in the fans.
Oh, and to youssef who says "The one who's going to buy an i7-920, fully featured X58 board, GTX 285, 1000Watt PSU isn't probably buyin an $50 Case." I think the article wanted to test the outside limits of heat and component sizes rather than offer a build recommendation.
Score
1
tpi2007
August 23, 2010 7:44:43 PM
Since the Antec you quoted was 60$, I suggest you include the Gigabyte Triton 180 in your next price range review (It costs anywhere from 59$ to 69$)
- http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=gigabyte...
- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
It's a solid case and good looking case, with a brushed black aluminium front panel, comes with two silent fans, has easy screwless install of HDD's, DVD Drives, and Expansion cardsand even the side panels have screw with big heads that you unscrew with your hands. It also has holes in the back to pass liquid coooling pipes to the outside. I can surely recommend them, since I have two! (And 5 star rating on newegg seems to agree heheh)
The only downside is that it perhaps does not have the hardcore gamer looks some gamers are looking for. But apart from that, it's an excellent case! But it does have some cool blue led stripes as HDD and Power lights, one on each side. And since I've got a lot of floppies I'm backing up, the fact it has to 3.5 slots is great - one fot the multi card reader, the other for the floppy drive - and that is a rare find on moderns cases!
- http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=gigabyte...
- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
It's a solid case and good looking case, with a brushed black aluminium front panel, comes with two silent fans, has easy screwless install of HDD's, DVD Drives, and Expansion cardsand even the side panels have screw with big heads that you unscrew with your hands. It also has holes in the back to pass liquid coooling pipes to the outside. I can surely recommend them, since I have two! (And 5 star rating on newegg seems to agree heheh)
The only downside is that it perhaps does not have the hardcore gamer looks some gamers are looking for. But apart from that, it's an excellent case! But it does have some cool blue led stripes as HDD and Power lights, one on each side. And since I've got a lot of floppies I'm backing up, the fact it has to 3.5 slots is great - one fot the multi card reader, the other for the floppy drive - and that is a rare find on moderns cases!
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0
youssef 2010The one who's going to buy an i7-920, fully featured X58 board, GTX 285, 1000Watt PSU isn't probably buyin an $50 Case.He'll be like shooting himself in the foot........or am I wrong?
1.) The same platform is used across multiple reviews so you can compare the performance attributes of different types of cases.
2.) Some kind of overclocking was required to push the thermal envelope. I can't imagine moving from an overclocked i7 to an overclocked Athlon 2, violating #1 above, just to show a cheaper platform.
3.) The Antec Three Hundred was used in one of the System Builder Marathon $2000 PC's. It worked flawlessly there, so how are you shooting yourself in the foot?
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