Quiet case [w/ removeable mobo tray?]

logscool · Post by **logscool** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:22 pm

I am looking for a quiet case that will be easy to work on so either a full tower case or a mid tower case with a removable motherboard tray. Some cases I have been considering are the cooler master cosmos 1000 and the Lian-Li PC-A10. Also I do not want to spend over $230 and of course preferably less.

logscool · Post by **logscool** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:37 pm

I have looked into it further and am now considering the lian-li PC-b25b as well as the lian-li pc-a71 (if I can find it cheap enough). dose anyone have any other recommendations, have experience with these cases, or know about them.

Aris · Post by **Aris** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:37 am

Aluminum = More vibration induced noise.

Look for a steel enclosure if you want it to be quiet. Cold Rolled Steel is the best. The thicker the better.

logscool · Post by **logscool** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:27 pm

Would the PC-B25B overcome the aluminum issue with its double walled side panels which i would expect to be fairly heavy.

Aris · Post by **Aris** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:18 pm

logscool wrote:Would the PC-B25B overcome the aluminum issue with its double walled side panels which i would expect to be fairly heavy.

You can get some heavy rubby insulation type stuff to "glue" onto the panels to eleviate the issue completely, but its just extra cost. If you really like the case and dont mind paying to overcome its shortcommings then go with it. Ultimately your the one that has to live with it, so it should be something you like.

logscool · Post by **logscool** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:30 pm

Are there any good quiet steel cases with removable motherboard trays that you would suggest?

Cistron · Post by **Cistron** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:19 pm

Have a look at the Lancool K10

shleepy · Post by **shleepy** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:31 pm

One question that no-one has brought up yet - do you really NEED the removable motherboard tray? Do you plan on doing upgrades to your main components every month or use the system for testing? It's really not a big deal to install your components the first time and change out some parts, as long as you're not doing major rehauling very, very often. If you're planning on keeping your mobo in there for a while, then don't bother getting a case with a removable tray while sacrificing case quality.

logscool · Post by **logscool** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:07 pm

Shleepy
You bring up a good point I guess I just want to have enough room to work but do not need a removable motherboard tray. So what other suggestions do you have I will want room for a very large graphics card (not P182) and a case door would also be nice and minimal modding required (next to none so maybe just adding sound insulation to walls).

Aris · Post by **Aris** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:09 pm

Best full size ATX case i've ever seen is the Antec Solo.

Though if i had a choice of any case in the world, my first pick would be the micro-atx Antec NSK-3480. But that would limit you to micro-atx motherboards.

logscool · Post by **logscool** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:38 pm

I have looked at the solo and definitely agree with you but it is a lot smaller case then I would like, especially if it dose not have a removable motherboard tray in which case any size would be fine as long as it supports ATX. Also as I previously stated if it dose not have a removable motherboard tray i would like even more room then the p182 because i would probably use a long graphics card and although the p182 can handle these cards it would be cramped and would have to remove the upper HD cage.

shleepy · Post by **shleepy** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:00 pm

I agree with you that the Solo is a bit cramped... it made me switch to the P182. Do you have anything against removing the upper HDD cage in the P182, though? Are you using more than 4 HDD's? If it's the process of removing it that you think might be problematic, fear not; it is 100% simple and even toolless, as far as I remember. Other than that, the case is anything but cramped, and it fits my HD4870X2 very comfortably (hell - it would fit 2 or 3 of them).

But anyway, there are a lot of cases that would fit your criteria, if you don't absolutely need the removable tray. I suggest looking through SPCR's list of recommended cases, for starters. And after that, maybe look through newegg, or the catalogs of a few of the decent companies that make a selection of big steel cases - Silverstone comes to mind, for example.

Aris · Post by **Aris** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:08 pm

logscool wrote:Also as I previously stated if it dose not have a removable motherboard tray i would like even more room then the p182 because i would probably use a long graphics card

Any size video card will fit in the NSK-3480 without any modifications.

You can even get SLI mAtx motherboards now a days if your one of those people willing to pay double the price for maybe 10% more performance in some applications and maybe 10% less in others.