What case? Nzxt source 210 vs corsair spec-01

[Pcbuilder123]

Hello, I am upgrading my case from my rosewill ranger m (never buying another rosewill case, ever) I have a 40-50$ budget and both the source 210 and the spec 01 meet the budget. Any other cases under or around 16 inches? Here is my space situation. i already have a good cpu cooler and ssd I recently got in prep to this case.

 

[Pcbuilder123]

The wooden piece above the tower can be either removed or moved an inch higher.

 

[Inigor2d2]

Between the Source 210 and the Spec 01 it can come down to a matter of taste. I personally would not go for the Spec 01 due to the front panel design but that is of course opinion as I prefer more discrete cases such as the Source 210. I use a Corsair Carbide 200R. From a technical standpoint the Spec 01 has USB 3.0 whilst the Source 210 only has USB 2.0. At the end of the day they are quite similar so you should base your choice off your personal tastes.

 

[Pcbuilder123]

Between the Source 210 and the Spec 01 it can come down to a matter of taste. I personally would not go for the Spec 01 due to the front panel design but that is of course opinion as I prefer more discrete cases such as the Source 210. I use a Corsair Carbide 200R. From a technical standpoint the Spec 01 has USB 3.0 whilst the Source 210 only has USB 2.0. At the end of the day they are quite similar so you should base your choice off your personal tastes.

Alright. The carbide 200r is actually cheaper now, only 54.99, but what are the dimensions, can't seem to find them anywhere. Looking at my space situation, would it fit ontop of the desk? Will the wires from my power supply be long enough for good wire management? I think I want a more clean look instead of flashy because I want my case to last me along time. hmm.. I don't mind either. What are the dimensions again?

 

[Inigor2d2]

Corsair gives the dimensions as 497mm x 210mm x 430mm. I think that for the price it is a great case and I am very happy with it. One thing to note is that the openings (except for the PSU intake and front panel intakes) do not have dust filters so you will need to make sure that you regularly check that dust is not reached levels which impact the system. Also remember that a Micro-ATX case may be more suitable for your dimension requirements unless you are planning to upgrade in the future to a larger form factor motherboard.

 

[Pcbuilder123]

I can't find any good micro ATX cases in that price point, and anyways I wanted it to be more future proof

 

[Pcbuilder123]

So spec 01 vs 200r vs n400 vs source 210 window? There is a used 210 on amazon that is missing the front panel bay and 2 PCI slots, butninwill be pitting parts there anyways. How's that?

 

[Inigor2d2]

If you are okay with buying a used case that is fine. Just be sure it has all the necessary parts such as the standoffs, screws etc.

 

[Pcbuilder123]

If you are okay with buying a used case that is fine. Just be sure it has all the necessary parts such as the standoffs, screws etc.

Hmm... I kind of want a new case. I like the asthetic of all of these cases, which do you perfer?

 

[Inigor2d2]

When it comes to pure aesthetics only you can decide.

 

[Pcbuilder123]

When it comes to pure aesthetics only you can decide.

Do you think all will fit my space situation?

Upto 18.5 inches tall, 9 inches wide and 19 inches deep?

 

[Obnoxious]

The Corsair Carbide Spec-01 fits the bill. However I'm not too sure if you'd be satisfied with it; don't get me wrong, I have one and it's great for the price. After seeing your setup, I see that you keep the tower on the desk. If you look at the Spec-01, it's front panel points upwards so it's more convenient when the tower is placed on the ground. When the Spec-01 is placed on the ground, the front panel points upwards allowing for simple presses etc. whereas you'll be placing it on a desk, you'll have to reach up for the front panel.

Of course that is not much of an issue, since you may not have to use the front panel often and you'll have a great view of your internals. Personally I'm satisfied with the Spec-01, and I think you will too. It'll definitely be an upgrade over your current one.

I can't judge, it's completely your call. The case comes with PSU and front intake dust filters as mentioned, whereas the rear and top have no filters; which isn't a problem, since the rear and top should be for exhaust anyway so in-taking dust is not an issue. With that said, remember to buy at least one more 120mm or 140mm case fan; the Spec-01 comes with only one for intake, you'll need another for a rear exhaust.

I actually purchased two more 120mm Corsair RED LED fans, and placed another for intake and one for exhaust; so in total I have two intake and one for exhaust. As a result of being RED LED, my front completely glows red and not only one half being red. The original fan provided with the case is a 120mm for the record.

All the best.

 

[Pcbuilder123]

Awesome. Are the metals high quality? Is the window tinted or clear? In don't mind the buttons being on top, usually just put my PC on sleep, not off.

 

[Obnoxious]

The front of the Spec-01 is actually plastic, but it's high-quality. You can easily mistake the front for being a different material, it does not feel like plastic at all, it actually has a good touch to it.

The sides, top, back and internals are all metal. It's not absolutely a thick layer of metal, but a decent amount. I wouldn't say it's poor quality, it actually feels somewhat premium. The metals used have a decent solid feel, without being too thin.

The cut-out panel actually is tinted a little, it's tinted black; so it's harder to see your components, which I wasn't expecting. I have 3 red LED fans in my case, which makes it easier to view the internals, but the tint is pretty strong. It's not an issue however, since I can still get a glance at my internals. I can usually see everything above my GPU, anything below my GPU is not getting any light from my LED fans; due to my lengthy GPU. The tint may actually not be that strong, it may just be the lightning in my room perhaps, especially as I keep it below my desk. Generally the tint is a good feature, it adds to the quality in my opinion.

If you're going to be mounting a microATX board, you should have plenty of space in the case. I'm not too sure what CPU cooler you have at the moment, if it's the Hyper 212 Evo it may not fit in the case. I read that the maximum height of the CPU cooler which the case supports is 150mm or less; the CM Hyper 212 Evo is at 158.xx mm if memory serves me correct.

All the best.

 

[Pcbuilder123]

The front of the Spec-01 is actually plastic, but it's high-quality. You can easily mistake the front for being a different material, it does not feel like plastic at all, it actually has a good touch to it.

The sides, top, back and internals are all metal. It's not absolutely a thick layer of metal, but a decent amount. I wouldn't say it's poor quality, it actually feels somewhat premium. The metals used have a decent solid feel, without being too thin.

The cut-out panel actually is tinted a little, it's tinted black; so it's harder to see your components, which I wasn't expecting. I have 3 red LED fans in my case, which makes it easier to view the internals, but the tint is pretty strong. It's not an issue however, since I can still get a glance at my internals. I can usually see everything above my GPU, anything below my GPU is not getting any light from my LED fans; due to my lengthy GPU. The tint may actually not be that strong, it may just be the lightning in my room perhaps, especially as I keep it below my desk. Generally the tint is a good feature, it adds to the quality in my opinion.

If you're going to be mounting a microATX board, you should have plenty of space in the case. I'm not too sure what CPU cooler you have at the moment, if it's the Hyper 212 Evo it may not fit in the case. I read that the maximum height of the CPU cooler which the case supports is 150mm or less; the CM Hyper 212 Evo is at 158.xx mm if memory serves me correct.

All the best.

Thanks so much . I have the hyper tx3 so I think it should fit fine. Thanks, once again.

 

[Riley Glasgow]

can a gtx 750 (9inch) fit in the Corsair spec 01. its a bit pricy for my budget pc so can it fit also in this CoolerMaster K281 Mid Tower. Thanks

 

[Pcbuilder123]

I ended up getting the NZXT phantom 240. The gtx 780 will fit in the spec-01. The 240 was only like 60$. Don't spend too little or in a year you'll wish you had originally spent more