Case Question

savemejebus · 29-01-2004 3:39pm #1

Hi I've decided that i'm going to build myself a new, decent spec. system but as i'm not that confident yet I want to do a test run and build a P2 sysem using some old components(mother board + processor, hdd) i've laying around and and the guts of an old DELL optiplex.

If this goes well i'll start on a proper machine (not looking to overclock or use it for gaming, just for everyday stuff, dvd burning, some programming etc). Anyway I figure that if i get a decent case this time I should be able to use that when i start building the real machine. I plan on basing it on an amd XP2800.

I've been looking at the Meteor 350 Watt "Special" case on www.dtl.ie, (direct link here, click twice) and was wondering does anyone have any experience with it, is the PSU ok, not just for the P2 but for any future rig? I don't think i'll need to worry about cooling too much as i don't intend to over clock but as i'm a newbie i'm kinda clueless here.

Any help will be appreciated

bizmark · 29-01-2004 3:42pm

link doesnt work

savemejebus · 29-01-2004 4:14pm

fixed now i think

joePC · 29-01-2004 5:22pm

Im glad your building your own system, but that case get a different one, try coolermaster or Lian Li.

Thanks joePC

Ebonyks · 29-01-2004 5:38pm

or Antec (the new P160 inparticular), i'm in the market for one myself.

...so if you find one el cheapo, give us a shout will ya

Col_Loki · 29-01-2004 5:51pm

Yea coolermaster or Lian Li are great cases, so are the Antec ones, ThermalTake...

You really shouldnt skimp on the PSU its a very important part.
Couple of cases.....

Sonata Silent Case with 380w Antec PSU
Lanboy - ClearSide & Blue light-up 350w Antec PSU (smart Blue)
SuperLanboy - No PSU

Best Power Supply's are ..... Antec, Fortron, Zalman, be-quiet, thermaltake, enermax.
Any of these are fantastic PSU's.

You could get a case of choice and a seperate PSU for it.......... price wise and everything into account my pick of the PSU's would be....
Fortron 350w , Fortron 350w (blue) .... These things produce over 400w and are extremely well built.

For links on cases & PSU's....

www.xcase.co.uk - (cases)
www.hitide.ie - (be-quiet PSU's & some cases - Cheap Delivery & Well kept site)
www.pc-look.com - (Antec, Fortron, Zalman PSU's & Cases - French site so delivery mite be expensive)
www.elara.ie - (Antec Cases & PSU along with other - cheap delivery)

Hope this is of some help.

Creamy Goodness · 29-01-2004 5:51pm

not only does that look ugly it's pretty heavy for a mini tower also the power supply with it will be a dodgey one

good power supplies here:

http://www.elara.ie/products/power-supply.asp?srch=&anyallexact=all&manu=Antec&Submit=Submit

good cases here:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Lian_Li_Cases.html
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Coolermaster_Cases_126.html
http://www.elara.ie/products/cases.asp?srch=&anyallexact=all&manu=Antec&Submit=Submit

it's a pity coolermaster have discontinued the black/silver widow range much better than the praetorien they have now.

Creamy Goodness · 29-01-2004 5:55pm

damm beaten to it :rolleyes:

bizmark · 29-01-2004 5:55pm

I have the Sonata/MinTower 380W Its a great case a lot of room in side and very well built ...........Mind you theirs two blue leds on the front thats so powerful they could guide in airplanes

Mr E · 29-01-2004 5:57pm

I have a sonata too. Extremely quiet, beautiful looking, stacks of room inside, and sideloading drive bays (great idea).

- Dave.

Col_Loki · 29-01-2004 5:58pm

Mind you theirs two blue leds on the front thats so powerful they could guide in airplanes

lol

, have the same case and id have to agree with you...... i have to put a cloth over them when i leave it on and go to bed - lights up the room (well almost).

Fantastic case, great build quality, silent, good PSU, comes with a 120mm fan aswell...... really like this case.

bizmark · 29-01-2004 6:06pm

i wonder why they put them on the case? It looks great but my god their powerful

I really like the piano finish to the case looks so so good on the desk and the way antec have though of the nose problums with the fan and hard drive bays ... built it out of 0.8mm steel and provided Drive rails instead of screws for your 5,2 " drives Is top class

Ebonyks · 29-01-2004 6:58pm

Sorry to barge in on yer thread, but on the topic of Antec cases, i've done a bit of googling on the Sonata and now i'm in a quandary...

Which to you think yerselves the P160 (with side window) or that Sonata???

once again apologies

:ninja:

Col_Loki · 29-01-2004 7:58pm

TBH i think its alot like the sonata, the hard drive mounts - same, 120mm fans, has the nice sliding guides for cd-roms, firewire/usb/audio ports... blue lights (different places)

I would prefer the Sonata looks wise but based on build quality , these days Antec are making great cases so its hard to go wrong. The P160 has the 430w PSU over the sonata's 380w one.

I think you will be happy with either one, depends on what your tastes are really..........

savemejebus · 30-01-2004 10:52am

thanks for the help, those look like some really cool cases, the sonata looks fantastic, as do the coolermaster centurion ones, but i'm not sure if they're not more than i'll need, considering i don't think i'll be overclocking or putting huge loads on my processor. still i'm here to learn ;-) so please keep the comments coming

Thanks again for all the links and help, whatever i find i'll be asking opinions here before i buy.

cheers

savemejebus · 30-01-2004 4:31pm

Hi again, as i said in my previous post, i really like the sonata case, not so much the lanboy but i wonder if i really need a case like that. So i was looking and googling and this case has been getting ok reviews. What do you think? The only real downsides i can see to it are it would be a little cramped and there would be no motherboard tray. Would there be any decent case in this price range that would be better? or would this be a waste of money and should i just save and go the whole hog with a sonata?

Col_Loki · 30-01-2004 4:50pm

The main things to ask yourself is.....

1) How important is a quiet system to you?
2) Are you lightly to upgrade in the near/mid future?
3) Are the looks of the case important?
4) Are you going to overclock (or would like the facility to be there)?
5) Do you really want to have the PSU to worry about if you run into stability issues?

These are a few things to think about...........The case and PSU for €75 is ok, the power supply will run a medium non-overclocked system pretty well (dont know about having a high powered gfx card like 9700/9800 ect).....

With the sonata it includes a 120mm case fan which will save you €10 ish anyway, the fan runs very very quiet & the PSU is ultra quiet also. The power is top notch and unless your building a serious system you wont have any problems with it (the PSU runs my system perfectly & i have a 9700pro on the way). The sonata obviously looks so much better.

If you are just going to build a mid range system and then leave it there until its time to build another one (few years) then the cheaper case will be ok. If you are thinkin of upgrading etc on a semi regular basis then buying the sonata now will mean you dont have to buy another case later on...........i went cheap case first, then got soo annoyed with it i spent around €300 on an XaserII & Antec True Blue 480w lol, one extreme to another (my 2nd system)....... i also have the Sonata and its my main rig with watercooling (noise is terrible). My vote is with the sonata but obviously its up to you.

PS I recomended it to a mate who was in the exact same position and hes delighted he went with the sonata.

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