Does anyone have experience with the micro ATX cases from Chieftec? Apparently they are current models, available with a bunch of different bezels and trim.
Since this is my first post, I can't post links, but you can see them at Chieftec's site. Search Ebay or Amazon for "Chieftec" and you will see them offered by some seller called "ABS Direct", which may be Chieftec's puny marketing effort??? I can't find any other reseller.
Nor can I find any reviews or detailed interior pix, but they have a front 120mm fan opening, 2 rear 92mm openings, and a traditional layout, with nothing appearing tricky. About 14 inches high and deep, 7 inches wide. No PSU and apparently no fans included, which is how I would want it. One or two small bays, two large bays, and two internal HD mounts.
They sell for 45 plus shipping on Ebay and look promising. I can't find many micro ATX cases without a power supply and under $75 or so that don't have a lot of complaints and aren't trashy looking.
I'd particularly like to hear how they are sound-wise.
It appears Chieftec is still going great guns outside of the USA, but for some reason they don't emphasize the US as much as they did years ago.
Chieftec Micro ATX cases?
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F for Fragging
- Posts: 46
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- Location: The Netherlands
What about the Cooler Master Elite 341?
It's got two 120 mm fans at the front and rear.
But why do you want to use a Core i7, if you write:
It's got two 120 mm fans at the front and rear.
But why do you want to use a Core i7, if you write:
Wouldn't a motherboard with the G41 chipset and a Core 2 Duo E5200 be enough then? Those wouldn't create a lot of heat, and you could then possibly cool the E5200 passively with a Scythe Ninja Mini. Make sure the PSU is quiet and possibly replace the stock fans with Scythe Slip Stream 800 rpm fans, and you'd probably have a very quiet system which would be cheap as well. Maybe you could switch the ventilated side panel on the left side of the 341 with the closed panel on the right side, to isolate the noise better?Usage: no gaming and no overclocking. Standard light to medium stuff, nothing remarkable or intense.
F:
I looked at the Coolermaster 341, but saw too many comments about general flimsiness and front panel difficulties.
Yep, a Core 2 Duo 5200 would be enough. A Pentium II 2.26 would be enough. I currently have a Core 2 Duo 6600 approaching 3 years old.
I build at the limits of my budget every 3 or 4 years and ride with it until the next build. I might carry over the OS, monitor, KB, and mouse.
If CPUs had not advanced beyond Pentiums, I would still be building every 3 or 4 years.
I always use supposed high quality and supposed low noise stuff, but don't get into modding, experimentation, or endless fiddling. Research, buy right in accordance with budget, and leave it alone. Every component in my current PC was well-spoken of on this site when purchased.
My current inclination is to accept higher temps if necessary in exchange for lower noise, as long as the temps are clearly under Intel specs. My machines are rarely stressed and never overclocked. I haven't seen a CPU temp above 40 since I stress tested my last build. Haven't seen a mobo temp above the mid-40s.
The more experience I have and the more reading I do, the more I am inclined to think that PC noise is highly correlated to the case itself, particularly if the PC has drives and fans that are relatively quiet.
Thus my concerns about cases posed in this thread. One problem I have is that I have no opportunity to hear other cases in actual real-life action. I have to rely on reviews and net searching, which is a helluva way to run a railroad.
Horror of horrors, it may even be true that my PC is in fact quieter than 99% of all PCs, but I just don't know it--eg, are my expectations realistic? I honestly haven't spent 30 minutes around PCs other than my own in 10 years.
I sometimes think I just have a ringing in my ears--but the thought disappears when I turn off the PC power.
Hmm---maybe I will just set the case 10 feet away across the room and get extension cables. He said, not entirely facetiously.
I looked at the Coolermaster 341, but saw too many comments about general flimsiness and front panel difficulties.
Yep, a Core 2 Duo 5200 would be enough. A Pentium II 2.26 would be enough. I currently have a Core 2 Duo 6600 approaching 3 years old.
I build at the limits of my budget every 3 or 4 years and ride with it until the next build. I might carry over the OS, monitor, KB, and mouse.
If CPUs had not advanced beyond Pentiums, I would still be building every 3 or 4 years.
I always use supposed high quality and supposed low noise stuff, but don't get into modding, experimentation, or endless fiddling. Research, buy right in accordance with budget, and leave it alone. Every component in my current PC was well-spoken of on this site when purchased.
My current inclination is to accept higher temps if necessary in exchange for lower noise, as long as the temps are clearly under Intel specs. My machines are rarely stressed and never overclocked. I haven't seen a CPU temp above 40 since I stress tested my last build. Haven't seen a mobo temp above the mid-40s.
The more experience I have and the more reading I do, the more I am inclined to think that PC noise is highly correlated to the case itself, particularly if the PC has drives and fans that are relatively quiet.
Thus my concerns about cases posed in this thread. One problem I have is that I have no opportunity to hear other cases in actual real-life action. I have to rely on reviews and net searching, which is a helluva way to run a railroad.
Horror of horrors, it may even be true that my PC is in fact quieter than 99% of all PCs, but I just don't know it--eg, are my expectations realistic? I honestly haven't spent 30 minutes around PCs other than my own in 10 years.
I sometimes think I just have a ringing in my ears--but the thought disappears when I turn off the PC power.
Hmm---maybe I will just set the case 10 feet away across the room and get extension cables. He said, not entirely facetiously.
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F for Fragging
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:08 am
- Location: The Netherlands
Okay. Possibly the Silverstone TJ08 is another candidate for you? It's also got two 120 mm fans, and seems to be more premium.
But just like you, I also think it's difficult to find a good µATX case.
But just like you, I also think it's difficult to find a good µATX case.
F:
Isn't that Silverstone the one that is virtually identical to another case from another supplier at half the price--the only difference being a fan grille that has been cut out or something like that?? I think I read about it in the last few days. At any rate, 99 is more than I would like to spend, although I certainly would spend that IF I KNEW it was the answer to my prayers. But a little looking will reveal a lot of complaints about it too, just like most of the others.
Just for laughs, about an hour ago I deliberately stuck a screwdriver through my rear 120mm exhaust fan grille and stopped a Yate Loon fan in its tracks. It's an old Indian trick.
That seems to have reduced my overall noise levels by maybe half. Speculating, I think most of the noise that went away was turbulence from the grille, rather than fan noise per se.
The remaining noise seems to be mostly from the Seasonic 330 PSU and front 120mm Yate Loon intake. I just don't think my drives (Seagate 320 and WD 640) contribute much.
Temperature changes per Intel Desktop Utilities:
Motherboard: up from 43 to 47/48; yellow line is 66; red line is 83
ICH: up from 64 to 75; yellow line at 85, red line at 107
MCH: up from unknown to 59; yellow line at 84; red line at 103
Processor: up from unknown to 42; yellow line at 53; red line at 69
So I have considerable headroom, even with the exhaust fan shut down.
PSU exhaust is somewhat warmer.
I've got half a mind to leave the screwdriver where it is.
I may temporarily disable the Scythe Mine cooler 100mm fan to see if that makes any difference also.
Isn't that Silverstone the one that is virtually identical to another case from another supplier at half the price--the only difference being a fan grille that has been cut out or something like that?? I think I read about it in the last few days. At any rate, 99 is more than I would like to spend, although I certainly would spend that IF I KNEW it was the answer to my prayers. But a little looking will reveal a lot of complaints about it too, just like most of the others.
Just for laughs, about an hour ago I deliberately stuck a screwdriver through my rear 120mm exhaust fan grille and stopped a Yate Loon fan in its tracks. It's an old Indian trick.
That seems to have reduced my overall noise levels by maybe half. Speculating, I think most of the noise that went away was turbulence from the grille, rather than fan noise per se.
The remaining noise seems to be mostly from the Seasonic 330 PSU and front 120mm Yate Loon intake. I just don't think my drives (Seagate 320 and WD 640) contribute much.
Temperature changes per Intel Desktop Utilities:
Motherboard: up from 43 to 47/48; yellow line is 66; red line is 83
ICH: up from 64 to 75; yellow line at 85, red line at 107
MCH: up from unknown to 59; yellow line at 84; red line at 103
Processor: up from unknown to 42; yellow line at 53; red line at 69
So I have considerable headroom, even with the exhaust fan shut down.
PSU exhaust is somewhat warmer.
I've got half a mind to leave the screwdriver where it is.
I may temporarily disable the Scythe Mine cooler 100mm fan to see if that makes any difference also.
That's the one I was referring to. There's also one that can be mounted as a tower or desktop.F for Fragging wrote:What about the Cooler Master Elite 341?
It's got two 120 mm fans at the front and rear.
Flimsiness is going to be a matter of fact with a cheap case. However, damping can be applied to help with resonance. And properly chosen quiet fans will keep you from having to "mod" too much.
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honeymonster
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- Location: UK
