Micro ATX Vote - Not Many Real Options

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:28 pm

Okie Dokie!

I have it narrowed down to three completely different cases. Price does not matter as in the end, it lasts for many years (I think anyways).

One needs 120mm fans. One needs solid build. One needs Small-Tiny-Squish case for micro-Atx.... here's what I gleaned!

System Specs:

AMD 1090T - raWr 6 CaWr m0aR h0rRzz p0wArrrrRRrr!!
Micro-Atx board - something not crappy with PATA connector
8 gigs 1600 speed cas6 ram
1TB samsung HD
Plextor DVD burner
Blu-ray Player - I could reduce these to one drive, but that would be added cost. Worth it only for Da Box 100, no other case.
XFX 5770 - first version one with crappy heatsink placement. Not yet solved.
Fanless PSU - 450 Watt Nightjar - It really rocks the party.

Here are the choices if you want to view them:
Lan Gear Da Box 100
Lian Li PC-A05N
Cooler Master 341

faugusztin · Post by **faugusztin** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:49 pm

I have both Da Box 100 and PC-A05N (sorry, no Elite 341) :

Da Box 100 :
+ smaller than the other options
+ lots of space if you forget the 3.5" HDD's
+ nice airflow considering the size
+ nice power/reset buttons
- not really nice install at all, the top/side cover is nightmare to put back
- with AMD, with most coolers you must use the back outtake, which is not how airflow works in this case
- stupid power cable routing
- cable management is not nice at all

PC-A05N :
+ nice small considering it's ATX
+/- airflow might and might not work for you
- interior is not black

- stupid power cable routing
- cable management is not nice at all if you take out the 3.5" bay
- ugly plastic power/reset buttons

Personally, if you want a mATX case get the Da Box, if you want a ATX case get the PC-A05N.

quest_for_silence · Post by **quest_for_silence** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:25 am

~El~Jefe~ wrote:Cooler Master 341

If you're lookin' at the CM 341, the AeroCool QS200 might be a better bet (they are first cousins): always a bit crappy/ugly/cheapy as the CM (or the SS TJ08, the smart bro of the previous CM 340), but perhaps with somewhat superior cooling and disk mounting.

Regards,
Luca

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 6:11 am

QS-200 is not available in US

speedkar9 · Post by **speedkar9** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 6:35 am

Are you up for any case modding?

My pick is the CM 341, with a (modded) floor HD mount. Also add weight to the side panels (dampening stuff, or peel and stick tiles etc), block up the side holes, and remove fan grills.

Remove the original floor mount for the HD by drilling through the rivets, remove grill while your at it,

Drill four holes that align with those on the bottom of your HD,

Install rubber grommets in the drilled holes and screw your hard drive from the bottom to that. The drive is now *securely soft mounted*

.

Too bad there wouldn't be any noise difference hard vs soft mounted with that XFX cooler in there. Hmm, mod an Accelero?

Living in the US you have a slew of other cheap micro atx options, alternatively to the CM341.

Trav1s · Post by **Trav1s** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 7:09 am

I don't have any experience with the above cases but I have built two different systems in this case: HEC 6T Series 6T10BB Black 0.7mm SECC Steel MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811121071

On the first system (in the church office and I got it on Black Friday for $20 shipped) I did away with the heat sink cooling duct and reversed the case sides. It is very quiet and the secretary does not even realize it is on when compared to the previous Socket 939 Athlon64 ATX based system. It accepts a full ATX power supply and works best with shorter optical drives.

System Two is in the process... more later this week if you are interested. Moving from an Intel m-itx mobo/5200 to an 5050e/mATX set-up.

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 1:52 pm

acrylic case ftw!

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:16 am

quest_for_silence wrote:
~El~Jefe~ wrote:Cooler Master 341

If you're lookin' at the CM 341, the AeroCool QS200 might be a better bet (they are first cousins): always a bit crappy/ugly/cheapy as the CM (or the SS TJ08, the smart bro of the previous CM 340), but perhaps with somewhat superior cooling and disk mounting.

Regards,
Luca

That AeroCool is a nice find, thanks

Thomas

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:47 am

I agree!

They have really cool products. I only can see a portion in the US. We get their controllers and a few cases. I can say that their controllers should be reviewed and looked at. They are priced well and use very different electronic tech compared to the normal rheobus controllers I have used.

Too bad, if I could get that case I might have done that, but alas, no cool tiny aero cases here in the US of Mofo'n A.

loimlo · Post by **loimlo** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:40 pm

CM 341's steel is so thin that I can bend it using single finger. I dislike this fragile structure. Just my 2 cents.

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 8:48 pm

I sorta felt that. It wasnt that strong.

Yeah, micro-atx cases are like not built well for the most part.

Should be easier to make one stronger being that it's smaller, less to bend.

Micro ATX Vote - Not Many Real Options

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Micro ATX Vote - Not Many Real Options

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Re: Micro ATX Vote - Not Many Real Options