Anyone have an opinion on this case? I am spec'ing a 3770K build and was thinking this might be a good low-noise case but not sure. Looking for thoughts. Was thinking of using a Corsair H100 cooler...

Thanks!

http://www.silentpcreview.com/Corsair_Obsidian_550D

Your water cooler will be noisy.

I have that case. And its awesome. Its not super quiet but its perfect for my tastes. And I think it looks better than most cases out their like the R3, R4 P280 etc. I ended up spray painting that Silver I/O plate in the from black. Now the case is all black which is even better. Cable management on this case is probably the best I have ever seen or used.

I forgot where I read this. But 1 of these silent pc forum was saying that for a case that has those foam, they'll wear out and after a few years, it won't be the way it is. As such, you want a silent case that doesn't use those foam, for e.g., an antec case. Are they right about it?

I call bullshit on the padding degradation. Never seen it happen to a significant degree (or at all, really), and I've seen a lot of old padded cases. Aftermarket stuff and factory-installed foam both seem to last quite well.

The Obsidian's strong point I would say is the looks. It's a good case overall but has a few weaknesses as stated in the SPCR review. For features there are better or equally good alternatives IMO (some more bang/buck), but read the Recommended list, SPCR reviews and the forum posts (there are a lot already) and make up your own mind on what you need specifically.

I can't find that link, the truth is, I view it just the other day.

But let me put it this way: what exactly did Antec do on their case that is so silent eventhough there is no foam inside? And is there any other silent case design Better than Antec, say just as quiet?

The Antec panels are multi-layered to suppress noise and vibration. The cases also pioneered many silencing and cooling oriented features that one takes for granted these days, and some makers still fail to implement.

I would use Antec as the yard stick. My current personal favourite is Fractal Design whose solid cases offer better value, and they are some of the most silence-oriented cases I have seen. Silverstone has excellent model variety and the NZXT H2 has most features anyone would need. Cooler Master if you're on a tight budget.

I have seen the Antec cases, the outside is okay, the inside looks ugly, but I do like the rubber foam on those drive cages.

1) You said you like Fractal design, but which models? Because some of those models, they can't be call a silent case, can they? How can a case w/ a window be consider as a silent case? And even if somehow it does, there is no way that piece of windows can absorb noise better than the rest of the case?

2) What is more important to the success of a silent case: a silent power supply along w/ all the fans, such as CPU fan, system cooling fan etc.? Or is it these material in the case?

3) You mention Silverstone, on their RV03, there is a mesh plastic panel on both bottom side, with holes that big, how can that be consider as a silent case?

4) Does SPCR or elsewhere has any article on which case absorb the most sound?

5) What about Thermaltake or Zalman, don't you like those silent cases? P.S. For the style of the case, I like NZXT Phantom 820 the most

You do ask some odd questions. Obviously not the cases with windows. The fractal Design R4 is well received by many people here as is the Fractal Design Mini. This however is NOT about insulating noise so much but more about a good overall design which allows cooling to be done quietly.


This is obvious: a silent set of components. If they make as little noise as possible then you don't have to insulate them for noise. The design of the case allows a good cooling system which is needed to keep things cool quietly. Only then is insulation of noise important.


By having a good cooling system which means little noise is made.


Many Thermaltake products have been reviewed by SPCR and they have almost always been loud. They might quote everything they make as being 16dB but this can't be true. Zalman has made some nice watercooled cases in the past but they are not ideal from other respects, like PSU cooling and you will always have the noise of a watercooling pump.

See above (thanks edh). Wise man say: if there is a way to make something loud, Thermaltake will find it.

The main thing is to select quiet or silent components, then put them in an environment where their potential can be realised through efficient cooling, and finally apply the finishing touch with silencing materials as necessary. A good case can handle two out of the three. Other aspects such as rigidity, noise paths, and minimal mechanical contact between different (moving) parts play into this as well, as they work to reduce noise instead of amplifying it or letting it pass through.

The SPCR reviews have all the data you need, just go through them. The Recommended article is probably out of date, so look for the Editor's Choice and Recommended badges at the end of the reviews for quick picks.

Thank you, both of you, for the input. 1 quick question on any brand name cases that has a window: now I'm not a teenager game player, so those windows serves no purpose to me, nor do I need those neon fan to make my machine shiny. So in general, does that piece of windows absorb noise or does it reflect noise?

Most windows I've come across leak noise. I guess technically it reflects some, but it is certainly less of an obstacle for sound waves than a steel panel, especially one with insulation material on it/in it.

thanks for the link, but I never do water cooling. I was looking into this for quite some time, in the end, w/ "additive" like Wet Water, or other brand names, they are nothing but anti-freeze coolant, like the Prestone that you put in your car's radiators. And as Zalman themselves said, refill the water once every 6 mth. In other words, some amt. of liquid is dissipate in the air per 6 mth.

Now I like my case nice and quiet, but not to the pt. that I want to catch cancer. I don't want to smell any "additive" leaking out in the air, day in, day out, non-stop thru out the year. So water cooling is out

I dinin't know you had hi jacked the thread, but then I saw the date of the OP...

may as well hijack as the OP question has been answer long ago, but this is my point:

http://www.zalman.com/eng/product/Produ ... hp?Idx=170



http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/prop65_list/Newlist.html

download the Excel spreadsheet, line 779:

Propylene glycol mono-t-butyl ether cancer AB 57018-52-7 11-Jun-04

"AB" denotes authoritative bodies

I'm not sure what you're trying to prove, I've already said that the post was for the OP.