Advice on new case, please - probably Antec P182

David Cole · Post by **David Cole** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:59 pm

I have a Q6600, Asus P5B Deluxe, 3Gb ddr2, x2 Samsung 500Gb hdds, Asus EN8600GT (passively cooled) vga card and a Corsair 620w psu. CPU cooling is with a Thermalright SI-128 and x2 undervolted 120mm Nexus fans suspended on a Zalman bracket (over cpu and vga card) in an old Lian-Li case with large customised open grills in the side panels. No case fans. Temps - cpu: 41 degrees and MB 32 degrees. HDDs suspended in elastic slings. I'd like to put this set up into a new quiet case.

I'd like to go with an Antec P182 - but have a few of questions I welcome advice on -
is it likely that the Corsair's power leads (partic to MB top left) will be long enough? Are the fitted P182's 120mm fans quiet and can they be removed or swapped for others easily? Is the case heavy compared to a similar sized aluminium case?

Any other case I should look at? Any aluminium case that is good for a quiet set up?

Many thanks for any help with these questions.

david

Mythy · Post by **Mythy** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:53 pm

Case is a brick, very heavy! The fans are attached to removable plastic thingys. Simply trash them and screw the fan to the case there are predriled fan holes there. No the fans arnt quiet unless on low speed.

Hope that helps!

Oh power lead right... the distance is actually very short it goes out the side and to the MB maybe 11 inch run or so

Otto69 · Post by **Otto69** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:34 pm

The 3 speed fans can only be considered quiet on their lowest setting, and I had to go to medium to get the temps down, so I swapped fans. It IS a heavy case, very well damped. Good amounts of room. For wire routing, keep in mind the case has a hole that comes right up from the PSU so you can use a sleeved wiring bundle and it's fairly clean.

With different fans and possibly a passive CPU cooler, the loudest thing will be the cooling for the VGA card. I'm currently running a P4 2.4, 1 gig, and a Nitrogon passive CPU cooler. As long as the VGA fan doesn't spool up mine is quiet, but not silent. There's a slight undercurrent whoosh and a steady low fan noise. Most of the audible noise is from the fan I mounted in the middle front spot up against the front panel.

David Cole · Post by **David Cole** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 4:24 am

Thanks very much. The weight is an issue for me. Am thinking now about a Lain Li case - possibly the enormous PC-V2000B. The size is a bit intimidating but working in it should be easy. Does it matter having the mobo upside down? I'm a bit concerned that it will be tricky to elastic-suspend hdds in the fixed lower cages.

Any other thoughts would be much appreciated. I think I'll have to go for an aluminium case.

David