Our second group of value-oriented cases looked good in the photo preview, but we really wanted to see how they’d perform with a load of hot gaming hardware. Will these beat their predecessors in terms of quality, feature, hardware support, or value?
Reader responses to Four Sub-$100 Cases For Your 2013 Gaming Build, Reviewed validated our notions that a quality case can last through several builds, allowing frugal enthusiasts to save money they can spend on go-fast parts. On the other hand, keeping an older chassis around through multiple generations means you sometimes miss out on new technologies, like front-panel USB 3.0 ports.
Part two of our search for the best value in long-term enclosure investment began with In Pictures: Four More Sub-$100 Cases For Your 2013 Gaming Build. Today's round-up puts each of those enclosures through their paces.
Of course, value is as subjective of a term as durability or ventilation. But we've already seen some pretty heavy duty cases selling for as little as $60 armed with 120 mm fans and enough room for a full load of ATX-sized parts. Hoping for some extra features to show you, today's round-up is capped by a $100 limit. After all, if you're going to live with a chassis through multiple builds, you'd better really like it, right?

| BitFenix Shinobi | Enermax Ostrog GT ECA3280A-BR | Rosewill R5 | Zalman MS800 Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | ||||
| Height | 18.2" | 20.1" | 20.1" | 21.0" |
| Width | 8.1" | 9.5" | 8.1" | 7.8" |
| Depth | 19.6" | 19.5" | 24.1.3" | 21.1" |
| Space Above Motherboard | 1.1" | 1.5" | 1.1" | 2.2" |
| Card Length | 12.7" | 11.0-16.2"*** | 12.5" | 11.4-20.0"^ |
| Weight | 15.0 Pounds | 16.9 Pounds | 15.8 Pounds | 22.8 Pounds |
| Cooling | ||||
| Front Fans (alternatives) | 1 x 120 mm (2 x 120 mm) | 2 x 140 mm (None) | 2 x 120 mm (None) | 92 mm Internal (None) |
| Rear Fans (alternatives) | 1 x 120 mm (1 x 92 mm) | 1 x 120 mm (None) | 1 x 120 mm (1 x 140/120 mm) | 1 x 120 mm (None) |
| Top Fans (alternatives) | None (2 x 140/120 mm) | None (2 x 140/120 mm) | None (2 x 140/120 mm) | 1 x 120 mm (2 x 140/120 mm) |
| Left Side (alternatives) | None (1 x 120 mm) | None (None) | None (None) | None (None) |
| Right Side (alternatives) | None (None) | None (None) | None (None) | None (None) |
| Drive Bays | ||||
| 5.25" External | Three | Three | Four | Seven |
| 3.5" External | 1 x Adapter | None | None | 1 x Adapter |
| 3.5" Internal | Eight +1** | Eight | Six | Three |
| 2.5" Internal | Zero +1** | Two | Six* | Three* |
| Card Slots | Seven | Eight +1 | Seven | Seven |
| Noise Dampening | ||||
| Sides | None | None | None | None |
| Top | None | None | None | None |
| Front | None | None | None | None |
| Price | $70 | $75 | $80 | $100 |
| *Shared on 3.5" hard drive tray **Via 5.25" adapter tray ***w/o Center Cage ^Slots 1-5 | ||||
Of the 28 companies we invited to participate, 11 responded with cases they thought would give the Tom's Hardware audience the best balance between quality, features, and price. We divided the round-up into three groups based on when each of the samples arrived.
- Value-Oriented Cases: More Quality, Same Cash?
- BitFenix Shinobi
- Building With The Shinobi
- Enermax Ostrog GT
- Building With The Ostrog GT
- Rosewill R5
- Building With The R5
- Zalman MS800 Plus
- Building With The MS800 Plus
- Test Settings
- Temperature, Noise, and Acoustic Efficiency
- Which Of These Four Cases Takes Top Spot?
Also, still looking forward to a review of the Cooler Master HAF XB.
Apparently you were unaware of the slideshow they released last week. What Toms has done with all of these round ups was take the pictures and post them, then once they get done with their battery of tests they post the results and commentary afterward.
Inner butt cheek. Side boob. That's what's going to sell cases.
Apparently you were unaware of the slideshow they released last week. What Toms has done with all of these round ups was take the pictures and post them, then once they get done with their battery of tests they post the results and commentary afterward.
I typically ignore any article that starts with "In Pictures"
I'm guessing that the vast majority of gamers and enthusiasts run two cards or less ( with the majority of those setups single-card. ) I just think an eight slot on a budget case should only be considered a welcome addition, not a requirement.
Slot configuration really depends more on the chipset than the motherboard manufacturer. If the chipset has enough lanes for 16-8-8, you'll generally find that configuration. If Intel can't cut it for you in the mid-budget market, consider how many more lanes AMD offers
Slot configuration really depends more on the chipset than the motherboard manufacturer. If the chipset has enough lanes for 16-8-8, you'll generally find that configuration. If Intel can't cut it for you in the mid-budget market, consider how many more lanes AMD offers
Thanks for answering. In reading the conclusion, it seemed to me you were a little harsher on the lack of an eighth slot than I would have been. I can see what you mean though, under $70 you just want a solid case and don't expect frills. Once you start bumping into the $100 mark, such things should be a little more common. At $150, an eighth slot and radiator room should be mandatory.
I will admit, I don't care much for either liquid cooling or the eighth slot ( probably why I don't get why others DO give them more weight. ) I don't plan on doing liquid cooling anytime soon because air serves me just fine for less money. And even if I had the money, I'm not apt to add a second GPU, let alone a third one. I figure by the time it takes for me to save up money for a second GPU ( or am at the point where I can no longer play games at acceptable detail levels, ) I'll be almost two generations behind the current cards. In those situations I spend a little extra for a single newer card that gives me similar performance as two older cards while using less power and no micro-stuttering issues. If I needed multiple cards for compute purposes, obviously I'd do things different.
Granted, I'll admit I'm a bit odd as a "practical enthusiast."