In itself, a case is not really "quiet". The P180 has some properties that make it a better enclosure for components that are already quiet (esp. the HDD mounting), but the biggest influence on system noise is almost always the noise-making components themselves. This case just lets you squeeze that much more out of what you already have.alexo wrote:I was previously considering the SLK3000B. However, the comparison between the cases, especially page 10, seems to suggest that, while the P180 is quiet, the SLK3000B is not.
So, my question is, are there cases out there with good thermal and acoustic characteristics or is the P180 the only game in town?
Take a look at Comparison One again. You'll find that, with the right components, the SLK3000B is almost as good as the P180. Although I do prefer the noise from the P180 because it sounds smoother and less noticable, component for component the SLK3000B doesn't fare that badly. It's certainly no P180, but the P180 has raised the bar for cases. There are simply no other cases like it.
None. With respect to HDD decoupling, the P180 is indeed "the only game in town". I do hear the Sonata II has fairly soft mounting grommets, but they're only part of the package. The P180's ability to silence hard drives depends as much on its non-resonant panels as it does on the soft silicone grommets.alexo wrote:What other cases support such decoupled muonting in a reasonable straightforward way (read: even if I got two left hands)?
When it comes right down to it, any case can be made silent, it's just a matter of how much work it will take to achieve it. Prior to the P180, the SLK3000B was probably the option that required the least amount of work to achieve silence. Now the P180 holds that title, but the SLK3000B is still an very good product. In fact, it may even be a better product if you are concerned more about overclocking your VGA card than silence.
Get your priorities straight, figure out what you want (and what you're willing to give up to achieve it), and you should be able to figure out whether you can work with the SLK3000B.