Buying a new case that will fit 2 x GFX Cards

[silverzx]

Hi guys,

I'm updating some of my components and want to start off with transplanting to a new case.

My current case is a Jeantech Phong II which is still serving me perfectly to today but is starting to look tired from years of lugging it around and battering it.

I'm looking for a case which is good for cooling and can comfortably fit two graphics cards (HD 7850 2GB's) in cross fire.

Ideally I'd like a case which draws air from the bottom and expels out the top but I'm not overly fussed on this.

The current case I have my eye on is a "Cooler Master Centurion 6 Mid Tower Case" but I'm uncertain if it'll fit the two graphics cards (11.2 x 3.8 x 22.4 cm each).

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/cooler-master-centurion-6-black-silver-mid-tower-performance-case-1x140mm-quiet-fan-usb-30-1x140mm-f

Any thoughts / advice? Budget is £50 max.

 

[RababNoor]

Get http://www.amazon.co.uk/DEEPCOOL-KENDOMEN-expansion-side-window-motherboards/dp/B00V62ISUU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447420396&sr=8-1&keywords=deepcool+kendomen
comes with 5 Case fans for better Airflow.
Since HD 7850 creates a lot of heat. Plus you want to do Crossfire.

 

[silverzx]

Get http://www.amazon.co.uk/DEEPCOOL-KENDOMEN-expansion-side-window-motherboards/dp/B00V62ISUU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447420396&sr=8-1&keywords=deepcool+kendomen
comes with 5 Case fans for better Airflow.
Since HD 7850 creates a lot of heat. Plus you want to do Crossfire.

This case does look pretty snazzy and should last a long time. I'll check out some reviews on it. Thanks @RababNoor!

 

[silverzx]

Having done a bit of reading I'm led to believe that case will be very noisy with those "stock" fans that are likely to be of poor quality. How loud is 47db? As thats the noise it'll make under full load.

Also looking at: £55 http://www.box.co.uk/Corsair_230T_Soild_Side_Panel_Gaming_Cas_1520277.html?gclid=CL3i09XYjckCFRKeGwodOZMN8A

And

£30 https://www.overclockers.co.uk/aerocool-aero-500-midi-tower-case-black-window-ca-153-ae.html

 

[Chayan4400]

47 dB is pretty loud. A car driving by on the highway is about 50dB when you're 20 feet from the road. A single car. I wouldn't want something that loud on my desk.

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/parts/compare/bitfenix-case-shinobiwindow%2Ccorsair-case-200r%2Ccorsair-case-cc9011051ww%2Cnzxt-case-cas340wb1/

In this price range, you will either get a mid-tower case with excellent quality or a full-tower case with sub-par build. In this case, I'd go with a good mid-tower case, since the full-tower ones tend to be noisy and have cost cutting measures like no cable grommets and stamped PCI-E slot covers. In fact, one of my favorite cases is the NZXT S340. It isn't too big, yet can fit an ATX motherboard with dual card configurations, and already comes with two pre-installed fans that move a decent amount of air and are quiet as well. I'll admit, it isn't ideal for a dual GPU setup (Crossfire particularly .) but it'll get the job done with some decent temps while looking good too. If you want a more open style case for better ventilation at the cost of quietness, then take a look at the Corsair SPEC-02. It comes with 2 front LED intake fans and is a case that is well worth it's price.

Here are some pictures of the cases that'll give you a good idea of the insides:

BitFenix Shinobi:

Corsair Carbide Series 200R:

Corsair SPEC-02:

And last but certainly not least, the NZXT S340:

Here is one with an SLI setup:

 

[silverzx]

Wow, thank you for the very generous reply, I will spend some time reading through about each one, although on initial thought just from looking at the pictures none have any fan controllers built in and despite the glowing reviews on the NZXT S340 it has no space for a DVD-RW drive which is disappointing. I have an external one so it's not essential and to be fair, how often is it I burn a music CD / any CD for that matter.

I like the looks of most of them, I'm not bothered about LEDs / flashing bits.

I must admit, none of them made me think WOW when I looked at the pictures.

The layout of the NZXT S340 looks interesting to say the least, at first the front panel confused me until I saw it has about an inch gap for air flow to the front.

Like I said, I'll look into each of these as an option. Thank you.

47 dB is pretty loud. A car driving by on the highway is about 50dB when you're 20 feet from the road. A single car. I wouldn't want something that loud on my desk.

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/parts/compare/bitfenix-case-shinobiwindow%2Ccorsair-case-200r%2Ccorsair-case-cc9011051ww%2Cnzxt-case-cas340wb1/

In this price range, you will either get a mid-tower case with excellent quality or a full-tower case with sub-par build. In this case, I'd go with a good mid-tower case, since the full-tower ones tend to be noisy and have cost cutting measures like no cable grommets and stamped PCI-E slot covers. In fact, one of my favorite cases is the NZXT S340. It isn't too big, yet can fit an ATX motherboard with dual card configurations, and already comes with two pre-installed fans that move a decent amount of air and are quiet as well. I'll admit, it isn't ideal for a dual GPU setup (Crossfire particularly .) but it'll get the job done with some decent temps while looking good too. If you want a more open style case for better ventilation at the cost of quietness, then take a look at the Corsair SPEC-02. It comes with 2 front LED intake fans and is a case that is well worth it's price.

Here are some pictures of the cases that'll give you a good idea of the insides:

BitFenix Shinobi:

Corsair Carbide Series 200R:

Corsair SPEC-02:

And last but certainly not least, the NZXT S340:

Here is one with an SLI setup:

 

[Chayan4400]

In this price range, you won't be getting any extras like fan controllers unfortunately. You also won't be getting a case that has an over the top design. What you will get, however, is an excellent affordable case with good airflow and a fair range of features that will survive years of use and will have no problem being used in another build or two. The exact case you choose will come down to personal preference; I prefer clean looking minimalist cases, hence my preference towards the NZXT S340. You, on the other hand, may like cases with as many vents as possible, aggressive styling and LED lights (Just an example, I know you said you don't like them.).

When shopping for cases, there are only a few guidelines:

1. Look for a case from a reputed manufacturer (NZXT, Cosair, BitFenix, Cooler Master, Thermaltake, Fractal Design, Phanteks and Silverstone to name the majority of them.). In general, cases from these manufacturers will have the best combination of form and function, and can be used for quite a few builds without a problem.

2. Fans. You want at least 2 case fans, one at the rear as exhaust and one at the front as intake. Since you are crossfiring, I'd recommend 1 exhaust at the back, 2 intake at the front and 1 exhaust on the top. Check case reviews for noise ratings of fans that come with cases if you want a quiet system.

3. Once you come up with a list of 3 or 4 cases that you like the most, do some in depth research on them by going through reviews. Find out all their pros and cons, make sure to note these down. Don't forget to make sure they fit your CPU cooler and GPU! Check your cooler's height and GPU's length, and compare this against the case's cooler and GPU clearance, which you can find on the manufacturer's product page.

4. Compare the advantages and drawbacks of each case and decide which one fits your need best. If you get stuck at any time, post back here and we'll do our best to help you.

Now that you how to look and what to look for, go to http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/parts/case/ and start your search! Good luck !

 

[silverzx]

In this price range, you won't be getting any extras like fan controllers unfortunately. You also won't be getting a case that has an over the top design. What you will get, however, is an excellent affordable case with good airflow and a fair range of features that will survive years of use and will have no problem being used in another build or two. The exact case you choose will come down to personal preference; I prefer clean looking minimalist cases, hence my preference towards the NZXT S340. You, on the other hand, may like cases with as many vents as possible, aggressive styling and LED lights (Just an example, I know you said you don't like them.).

When shopping for cases, there are only a few guidelines:

1. Look for a case from a reputed manufacturer (NZXT, Cosair, BitFenix, Cooler Master, Thermaltake, Fractal Design, Phanteks and Silverstone to name the majority of them.). In general, cases from these manufacturers will have the best combination of form and function, and can be used for quite a few builds without a problem.

2. Fans. You want at least 2 case fans, one at the rear as exhaust and one at the front as intake. Since you are crossfiring, I'd recommend 1 exhaust at the back, 2 intake at the front and 1 exhaust on the top. Check case reviews for noise ratings of fans that come with cases if you want a quiet system.

3. Once you come up with a list of 3 or 4 cases that you like the most, do some in depth research on them by going through reviews. Find out all their pros and cons, make sure to note these down. Don't forget to make sure they fit your CPU cooler and GPU! Check your cooler's height and GPU's length, and compare this against the case's cooler and GPU clearance, which you can find on the manufacturer's product page.

4. Compare the advantages and drawbacks of each case and decide which one fits your need best. If you get stuck at any time, post back here and we'll do our best to help you.

Now that you how to look and what to look for, go to http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/parts/case/ and start your search! Good luck !

Ideal, this gives me plenty to go off. Thank you, I will report back with my findings once I have shortlisted a few!

 

[Chayan4400]

Great! Post back when you've found your favorite cases .

 

[silverzx]

Corsair SPEC-01 Mid-Tower (Black)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00I6BJATW/?tag=pcp0f-21
£39

For: Cheap, good brand, room for 2 fans front & top.
Against: Only two USB slots at front (one of which is 3.0), not very sleek.

This led me to get very confused about the differences between spec 01, 02 & 03.

Corsair SPec-03 Mid-Tower (Black)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CC-9011052-WW-Carbide-SPEC-03-Mid-Tower/dp/B00J63LFTW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1447686333&sr=8-2&keywords=Corsair+SPEC-02
£49

For: Looks, enough space for lots fans & crossfire?
Against: Not many USB at front.

NZXT S340 (Black)
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/nzxt-source-340-black-with-red-trim-mid-tower-case-with-usb3-side-window-2x120mm-quiet-fans-w-o-psu
£60

For: Sleek, both front USB 3.0, room for 2 fans front.
Against: Pricey for what it is, lacks USB slots.

I must admit, the Corsair Spec 01/02/03 have really grown on me, at £39 for a spec 01 it's pretty much won me over. The only thing I'm worried about is people saying it's a bit tighter for space then the spec 03 and looking at google images of both, neither look particularly accommodating for two GFX cards..

Also, a lot of people are slagging off the lack of cable management!

Corsair Graphite 230T
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-Graphite-Compact-Windowed-Computer/dp/B00EUZVNHU
£68

Friend recommended it, can't see what the hypes about?

 

[Chayan4400]

The SPEC series are superb cases for their price - I was taking a look at them for my build some time ago.

The SPEC-01 is the budget case, the smallest of the three and comes with only one fan. It also doesn't have a bottom fan mount.

The SPEC-02 is essentially the larger version of the SPEC-01 with a bottom fan mount and two included fans. The SPEC-01 has only 1 front USB 3.0 port, while the SPEC-02 and 03 have 2.

The SPEC-03 is identical in size and features to the SPEC-02, and is essentially a more rugged looking version of the SPEC-02. Those are the main differences; there are a few others like different numbers of bay drives, but those will most likely not matter for you.

]
SPEC-01 to SPEC-03 from left to right.

Basically, for a crossfire build, you'd be best off with the SPEC-02 or 03, depending on which you like the look of more.


The S340, on the other hand, is a bit different. It is significantly smaller than the SPEC series, due to the omission of the front bay dives and alternate placement of the HDD holder, yet still has the best airflow of the four as it has a simpler design inside. It is pricey, but that is because it is 95% metal - only the front facia interconnect, which is only visible at the top when the facia is on, is plastic. The facia itself is also steel. This also means it is a bit heavy at 7KG (The SPEC-02 weights 5.7KG.). This gives it a more premium feel than the SPEC series, as the facia of the SPEC cases is made of plastic. IT also has a PSU shroud, which helps streamline airflow and keep the build looking neat inside. I'm not sure what you mean by it lacks USB ports; it has two USB 3.0 ports on the top:

In short, if you want the best bang for buck, go with either the SPEC-02 or 03. If you want a neat build with the best airflow possible, along with a more professional looking PC, go with the S340.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro M ATX Mid Tower Case (£52.12 @ CCL Computers)
Total: £52.12
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-16 15:59 GMT+0000

 

[silverzx]

Ok, the NZXT is off the cards, it has no 5.25" drive space and would likely scratch easily in transit. My PC gets moved quite a bit so I want it to be durable.

The Spec 01 AND Spec 03 are still in the running, the only main grip is that the front dust panel is non removable and lack of cable management.

The latest thing I'm looking at is the Corsair 230T:

http://www.box.co.uk/Corsair_Graphite_Series_230T_Case__1520281.html £64
http://www.box.co.uk/Corsair_230T_Soild_Side_Panel_Gaming_Cas_1520277.html £55

Has plenty of drive space for DVDRW, fan controller, HDD's dual GPU, 2 fans at front, space for 2 at top, 1 at back, 1 on bottom. Comes with 2 fronts, 1 rear as standard.

 

[Chayan4400]

The SPEC-03's front dust filter can be removed - quoting from a review:

The font panel is actually a very sturdy bit of work. The long strakes on the exterior protect the finer mesh filter on the interior, with simple clips on the sides of the 5.25" bays making them easy to remove and re fit.

The 230T is also a good case, though in my opinion not as good as the SPEC-03. Here is a good summary of it's pros and cons:

Pros:
Very good frame-construction quality
Great, simple design
Unique approach to the side panels
Colored panel on the underside as well
Three fans included
Can hold up to eight hard drives
Plenty of space behind motherboard tray for cable hiding
Compatibility with 240/280 mm liquid-cooling setups
Tension locks for optical drive bays work well
Nicely shaped window
Dust filter for the PSU
All-black cables
Large opening in the motherboard tray allows for access to the CPU, regardless of the board installed
Available in red, black, and gray

Cons:
3.5" hard-drive locks too flimsy
Plastic hard-drive cage
No dust filter on the floor fan mount
No rubber grommets and limited points for attaching unwanted leads
Basic I/O
Fan controller—a feature of the Graphite 600T that did not make it into the Graphite 230T whatsoever
Liquid-cooling rig will block top 5.25" bay
140 mm tower coolers won't fit

The SPEC-03 isn't the most spacious case, but seems quite decent in terms of cable management:

 

[silverzx]

Ok, back pedalling a bit, I think I'm going to go with the NZXT S340 with either blue or red trim.

Probably blue though as it'll match all the colours on the Mobo (Asus P8Z68-V LX).

£59 from Scan.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/nzxt-source-340-black-with-blue-trim-mid-tower-case-with-usb3-side-window-2x120mm-quiet-fans-w-o-psu

 

[Chayan4400]

Ok, back pedalling a bit, I think I'm going to go with the NZXT S340 with either blue or red trim.

Probably blue though as it'll match all the colours on the Mobo (Asus P8Z68-V LX).

£59 from Scan.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/nzxt-source-340-black-with-blue-trim-mid-tower-case-with-usb3-side-window-2x120mm-quiet-fans-w-o-psu

Good choice ! May I ask why you changed your decision?

 

[silverzx]

Ok, back pedalling a bit, I think I'm going to go with the NZXT S340 with either blue or red trim.

Probably blue though as it'll match all the colours on the Mobo (Asus P8Z68-V LX).

£59 from Scan.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/nzxt-source-340-black-with-blue-trim-mid-tower-case-with-usb3-side-window-2x120mm-quiet-fans-w-o-psu

Good choice ! May I ask why you changed your decision?

It's a sexy looking case, ticks all the boxes except for lacking a fan controller and 5.25" drive for CD/DVD.

Thinking how often I use my DVD drive I can live with using my external one, not the end of the world.

It's certainly the sexiest looking of the options, the others looked more aggressive/childish/hardcore.

I want something that is pleasant to look at and is quality, all the reviews rag on about it being such a nice case and a pleasure to work with.

I was concerned about the paint finish on it but if I just look after it and be careful, it should stay in mint condition.

 

[Chayan4400]

Great! Good luck with your build .

 

[silverzx]

Great! Good luck with your build .

Thanks mate! Now I just need to figure out which GFX card to get! Feel free to take a look over at my other thread.

I've narrowed it down to one of:
R9 380 4GB (£166).
R9 390 8GB (£260).
GTX 970 4GB (£250).

Anyway, feel free to continue the debate in the thread.

Thank you for helping me choose a case.

 

[silverzx]

So the case has turned up, I need to order 2 x 140mm fans for the front, can anyone recommend some that are fairly quiet / good? Cheers!

 

[Chayan4400]

So the case has turned up, I need to order 2 x 140mm fans for the front, can anyone recommend some that are fairly quiet / good? Cheers!

Great! How do you like it?

If you want the best, best, Noctua's range of fans are the kings of cooling - no other manufacturer comes even close in performance and quietness:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Case Fan: Noctua NF-A15 PWM 140mm Fan (£15.23 @ Ebuyer)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A15 PWM 140mm Fan (£15.23 @ Ebuyer)
Total: £30.46
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-14 14:30 GMT+0000

They aren't cheap nor do they look particularly good but they are the best.

If that is too expensive, NZXT make good fans too. They do have orange LEDS, but it shouldn't be too visible with the solid front of the S340.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Case Fan: NZXT Air Flow Series 83.6 CFM 140mm Fan (£7.79 @ Aria PC)
Case Fan: NZXT Air Flow Series 83.6 CFM 140mm Fan (£7.79 @ Aria PC)
Total: £15.58
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-14 14:36 GMT+0000

They do also come without LEDS, but that version is a little more expensive:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Case Fan: NZXT FX-140LB 98.3 CFM 140mm Fan (£9.98 @ Amazon UK)
Case Fan: NZXT FX-140LB 98.3 CFM 140mm Fan (£9.98 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £19.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-14 14:40 GMT+0000

On a side note, how is the 380?

 

[silverzx]

So the case has turned up, I need to order 2 x 140mm fans for the front, can anyone recommend some that are fairly quiet / good? Cheers!

Great! How do you like it?

If you want the best, best, Noctua's range of fans are the kings of cooling - no other manufacturer comes even close in performance and quietness:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Case Fan: Noctua NF-A15 PWM 140mm Fan (£15.23 @ Ebuyer)
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A15 PWM 140mm Fan (£15.23 @ Ebuyer)
Total: £30.46
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-14 14:30 GMT+0000

They aren't cheap nor do they look particularly good but they are the best.

If that is too expensive, NZXT make good fans too. They do have orange LEDS, but it shouldn't be too visible with the solid front of the S340.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Case Fan: NZXT Air Flow Series 83.6 CFM 140mm Fan (£7.79 @ Aria PC)
Case Fan: NZXT Air Flow Series 83.6 CFM 140mm Fan (£7.79 @ Aria PC)
Total: £15.58
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-14 14:36 GMT+0000

They do also come without LEDS, but that version is a little more expensive:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Case Fan: NZXT FX-140LB 98.3 CFM 140mm Fan (£9.98 @ Amazon UK)
Case Fan: NZXT FX-140LB 98.3 CFM 140mm Fan (£9.98 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £19.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-14 14:40 GMT+0000

On a side note, how is the 380?

Good man! I just found the NZXT (without LED's) on Amazon for £7.99ea so bought two of those next day delivery.

The case looks sweet, haven't put anything in it yet as wanted to make sure I had fans etc so I can swap it all over in one go.

As you know, I also bought the PSU you recommended and as far as GFX cards go I went with a GTX 970. Cost a fair bit more but should be perfect for my application!

Cheers for the help as always mate!

 

[Chayan4400]

No problem!

That's a very good PC you have there. With the 970 you'll be able to run everything on ultra at 1080p! Certainly a very good GPU, even with the 3.5GB issue.

Post back here or start a new thread if you have any further questions or problems .