Recomend a Case

[Googer]

I need a case and not just any case will do. I have a PC Power and Cooling Turbo Cool 1KW-SR (click for dimensions) and found that my current ANTEC (cheiftech) is just a few cm too small for this behemoth.

What I am looking for is a case that does not have any fans, switches or ports on the top (Have Cats), can accommodate large motherboards, does not have a side window. is preferably made of aluminum and does not cost a car payment or two. Bottom PSU mounting is a plus, but PSU support mechanism is a requirement if the case has top PSU mounting.

1. Summary
   
   
   What I do not want:
   
2. No FANS or Switches on the top of the case. Cats will step on them.
3. No Side Window- Poor EMF and theft protection.
4. Does not cost as much as my kidney is worth
5. Does not looks like a Chenbro XPIDER or similar
   
   
   What I want in a case:
   
6. A Case that Can Accomodate a 1KW-SR
7. Aluminum is a plus (Steel rusts in humid Florida)
8. Florida is also very hot year round, so decent cooling performace is almost a necessity.
9. Four 5¼ external drive bays min (More is better)
10. 3½ drive external bay(s). 2 is ideal. 1 is acceptable. 3 is awesome.
11. Plenty of internal 3½ drive bays, I have quite a few HDDs.
12. PSU support rails, 1KW-SR units weigh about 6LBS or more. Bottom PSU Mounting is preferred.
13. Can accommodate large E-ATX and Server Motherboards with twin XEON HSF mounts.
14. Simple appearance like a MAC or Lian Li Chasis.
15. Costs About $250 or less
    
    
    Bonus Stuff but not necessary,:
    (To be used as deciding factors between similar cases)
16. Ease of USE- Motherboard Tray, Tool less (not afraid of screw driver mind you),
17. Sound Proofing
18. Inverted Motherboard Mounting like Lian Li PC-V2xxx series
19. PCI Card supports for full length PCI cards. My Old "Alienware like" Antec Has it.
20. Front Panel USB, Firewire, or eSATA.
21. Filters at air intakes. I can make my own or buy pre-made.
    

Cases I have Tried Already:
Cooler Master Cosmos 1000 RC1000- Hybrid Steel with Aluminum Façade, Power Button on top, drive cages cause WD Raptors to get excessively hot. This case is almost perfect. Shame.
Gigabyte Aurora- Has a side window.
Cooler master CM Stacker CM 830- Expensive, Power Button on top, No reset switch
Every other Antec Case I have tried under $200 does not accommodate the PSU. Though I don't think I have tried them all.
Classic "Alienware Style" Antec/Cheiftec case.


Cases I have considered but have not tried
Lian Li G70
Lian Li PC-V2xxx (No reset switch)
LIAN LI PC-201 or LIAN LI PC-201B (Black)
ThermalTake Tai Chi, Will the PSU fit? EDIT: This review pretty much kills any intent of purchasing the Tai Chi
Lian Li PC-A71 (Possible Winner?)
Lian Li PC-777- Will a 1KW-SR PSU fit?



I'd love to stick the 1KW-SR PSU in a Lian Li PC-V2xxx and see how well it fits. If anyone knows, please send me a message.

Thanks.

 

[MarcVenice]

I've been seeing this add from antec, about a monster case with 2 different PSU's, a 1kw and a 500-600w just for the HD's. Maybe it's the p190, not sure? Check it out, I guess

 

[ctk1981]

I have a Lian Li V2000b......at the time when the OCZ 520adj was on the market it was one of the longer PSU. It is just under 7" I believe. That would fit into the V2000 but it was a tight fit with all the cables. If the PSU you are talking about has modular cabling system that would help....but much more than 7" you are really going to run into problems getting it crammed in there. There is also no reset switch on the V2000 series. Nice case all in all, but I'm debating about switching to something different down the road.


Okay just did some measuring....the bay is ~9.75" long for the PSU. The turbocool 1KW-SR mechanical drawing shows 9" for length. Doesn't leave much room for cable routing/bending.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
I've been seeing this add from antec, about a monster case with 2 different PSU's, a 1kw and a 500-600w just for the HD's. Maybe it's the p190, not sure? Check it out, I guess

I looked at that one. It's $400+, has two PSUs (one 650w and one 550), has top mounted fans, and is made of steel. It's very nice and I do like it, but it will not accomodate a turbo cool 1KW-SR.

http://video.google.com/videop...3702691836132&hl=en-CA

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: ckelly81
I have a Lian Li V2000b......at the time when the OCZ 520adj was on the market it was one of the longer PSU. It is just under 7" I believe. That would fit into the V2000 but it was a tight fit with all the cables. If the PSU you are talking about has modular cabling system that would help....but much more than 7" you are really going to run into problems getting it crammed in there. There is also no reset switch on the V2000 series. Nice case all in all, but I'm debating about switching to something different down the road.

I really do not know about the OCz unit you reffer to, but the 1KW-SR is 10mm longer than the Enermax Galaxy. It's probably the longest PSU on the market.

 

[MarcVenice]

Why do you need it to fit the turbo cool 1kw-sr ? You allready bought it ?

 

[ctk1981]

Googer, did some measuring quick. 9" is listed as the length for the 1KW-SR, bay for PSU in the V2000 is ~9.75.....not alot of room to work with. You'd probably have to pull all the cables through to the HD bay and let any of the unused ones sit there. Think that setup would start to get cluttered really fast.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
Why do you need it to fit the turbo cool 1kw-sr ? You allready bought it ?

Yes, I already own it and I did measure but the technical drawing I looked at did not include clearance needed for the protruding wires and my existing case is just a smiggin too small for it. The wiring harness and back of the PSU touch the 5¼ drive bays.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: ckelly81
Googer, did some measuring quick. 9" is listed as the length for the 1KW-SR, bay for PSU in the V2000 is ~9.75.....not alot of room to work with. You'd probably have to pull all the cables through to the HD bay and let any of the unused ones sit there. Think that setup would start to get cluttered really fast.

Try measuring metric, the 1KW-SR is 230mm long. I also understand Lian Li uses screws (vs rivits) for to fasten everything together, so you can remove the drive cages if need be.

http://www.pcpower.com/products/assets/T1KWSR/specs.pdf

Thanks.

 

[Googer]

http://images.google.com/imgre...%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN

 

[Zepper]

As the song says: "You can't always get what you want, but you get what you need."

Silverstone Temjin 3 (SST-TJ03) Nimitz. Adapter trays needed for external 3.5" devices - current rebate may make the price almost reasonable.. May need to mod the rear cooling. If you haven't already seen my OTB (outside the box), no cut, solution, LMK and I'll link it. Top fan will be ditched to fit your PSU.
Tt Eureka/Shark (basically the same case) or Armor (the silver Armors are all aluminum (black ones are usually mostly steel) and you can get without the window or paint or cover the acrylic with HD aluminum foil).
Gigabyte Aurora 570.

Very hard to find all aluminum in a large case without paying outrageous bucks like the Temjin 7 or 9/10 or the big Lian Li.

.bh.

 

[Googer]

Silverstone Temjin 3 (SST-TJ03) has features I am trying to avoid: Top Mounted Fans and a window

 

[Zepper]

Well, the top fan can be pulled/grill covered and the window can be obscured one way or another. Simple, no-cut mods. Got to realize how log ago that case was designed and have a little imagination. Besides which, the TJ03 usually has no window.

.bh.

 

[Old Hippie]

As the song says: "You can't always get what you want, but you get what you need."

Mick Zepper?

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Well, the top fan can be pulled/grill covered and the window can be obscured one way or another. Simple, no-cut mods. Got to realize how log ago that case was designed and have a little imagination. Besides which, the TJ03 usually has no window.

.bh.

Coving the window does not enhance the security any more. But you did give me the idea of adding drapes, curtains, and window dressings to a case if it ever did come with a window. A tree, some lights, and an apple pie cooling on the sill would add a nice touch.

 

[Zepper]

Well, if it's security you need, just bolt in a thick sheet of aluminum with security bolts where the window was.

.bh.

 

[Googer]

Not really too interested in buying a case just to modify it to my needs.

 

[Zepper]

Like I said several messages ago, The Temjin 3 has no window anyway and taking the top fan out is simple. I haven't seen any case design that can't be done better. They always leave at least a few things for the owner to put right - assuming the owner knows what s/he is doing. I don't think many case designers really know what the heck's going on with computers. I've had to do numerous tweaks on my new Kublai so I can be happy with the functionality and I'm not done yet.

.bh.

 

[Googer]

I am starting to consider the Lian Li PC-A71 (Possible Winner?) or G70. Choosing those means I give up motherboard inversion. But I am still want other suggestions, criticisms (please) or comments. Also how big is the PSU opening inside of the PC-777, will the 1KW-SR fit?

 

[swtethan]

Cooler master cosmos

http://www.i4u.com/specification-260.html


?


awww... buttons on top!

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: swtethan
Cooler master cosmos

http://www.i4u.com/specification-260.html


?


awww... buttons on top!

Also made of steel and has a fan on top, otherwise it's a near perfect case.

 

[aigomorla]

http://www.directron.com/tj07.html 274.00

unfortunately its a little bit more then your budget allows. But it has all the features and some your looking for. Not to mention its super watercooling friendly, and the whole case is rivitless. So you can basically custom the hell out of it as you see fit.

its a mesh covered top fan, but you dont have to use it if you dont want to.

Heres the case at newegg for better internals and pictures:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811163057

 

[swtethan]

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: swtethan
Cooler master cosmos

http://www.i4u.com/specification-260.html


?


awww... buttons on top!

Also made of steel and has a fan on top, otherwise it's a near perfect case.

actually the fan is covered by slots, take a look at pics.

http://www.i4u.com/review-photo-14-260.html

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
http://www.directron.com/tj07.html 274.00

unfortunately its a little bit more then your budget allows. But it has all the features and some your looking for. Not to mention its super watercooling friendly, and the whole case is rivitless. So you can basically custom the hell out of it as you see fit.

its a mesh covered top fan, but you dont have to use it if you dont want to.

Heres the case at newegg for better internals and pictures:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811163057

Do you have this case? How much clearance is there between the back of the PSU and the d drive cage/5.25 bay? Very nice, but very expensive. It also appears to have a top fan.

 

[Googer]

The one thing that concerns me with an aluminum case is galvanic corrosion. Have any of you encountered this problem with CD-Drives, steel screws, PSU cases, brass standoffs, and other non-aluminum parts or pieces?