case and power supply advice wanted

[rendel]

Hi,

I am about to build a new pc and am currently looking for a case and a power supply.

I have not yet decided on all details of my new system but most probably it will have an AMD Phenom II quad-core, 8 GB RAM and 2 1TB hard disks.

I am not a gamer, so for the time being I will probably just go with an integrated graphics solution, but I may add a dedicated graphics card later.

At the moment I am trying to find a case that ideally is easy to build with, allows for a quiet system and is not too expensive (around 100 Euros).

Currently I am thinking about an Antec Solo, as I have seen some good reviews of it, but there are some things (power supply at the top, 4 year old design, cheap power-button) that make me look for alternatives.

As power supply I am currently considering a BeQuiet Pure Power 430 W.

So can someone please let me know if these would be a good starting point for me or are there other cases / power supplies that you would recommend?

Many thanks!

[Flanker]

not entirely about pricing in EU but I think these fractal define cases can be had for about or just under 100 euro's. While they are probably not as good as the P183, they are still pretty decent imo.

[quest_for_silence]

Currently I am thinking about an Antec Solo, as I have seen some good reviews of it, but there are some things (power supply at the top, 4 year old design, cheap power-button) that make me look for alternatives.

Some Lian-Li are older (for example) but still successful, be time proven it's not mandatory an issue.

However, if you don't mind to go with mATX, the Antec Mini P180 has similar aesthetics, almost the very same dimensions, the PSU at bottom in a separate chamber, probably more cooling power while less sound dampening right out of the box (with reference to the Solo). A major drawback might be that it also looses the disk suspensions, but you may replicate it by yourself (for an example, see SPCR article on Mid Tower Home Server), or maybe you don't need at all them (SSD?).

As you are looking at the Antec Solo, we may assume you don't need inside your future case either a lot of disks, or a lot of or very long video cards, don't we?

As power supply I am currently considering a BeQuiet Pure Power 430 W.

I don't know it, but I mean that you already read SPCR reference and recommended lists of PSUs: in those lists you may find several 400-450W, if this is your needed power.

So can someone please let me know if these would be a good starting point for me or are there other cases / power supplies that you would recommend?

I guess you have to define a budget (and a buying region as it's not the same to buy in Uk, Germany, Canada, USA, or in another country). Using the Solo+Be Quiet as references, here where I am you would spend roughly 110-160 euros (plus shipping charges, if applicable): which is your actual budget? 110 or 160 euros (150 or 220 usd, 160 or 230 cad, et c.)?

Then, you may go through SPCR Reference/Recommended lists and pick up your favourites.

[rendel]

As you are looking at the Antec Solo, we may assume you don't need inside your future case either a lot of disks, or a lot of or very long video cards, don't we?

Yes, that's right. I will have at most one normal video card and 2 HDs (as a RAID-1).

As for the budget the 100 Euros (I buy in Germany) is not a hard limit.
If I find a case that costs more but where I can see that it would be money well spent (for my needs) I would spend more.

However as this will not be a high-performance or gaming pc I think it would be a waste of money to shell out 300 Euros just for a case when basically the Antec Solo (that I can get delivered for 90 Euros) would be adequate for my needs.

I am not too sure how important HD-suspension is with today's drives but if it is a desirable feature (I currently assume it still is), then I rather have a case that already comes with it, rather then having to do a lot of modding myself.

Basically I am trying to find a sweet spot, optimising ease of build, silent features and price.

[quest_for_silence]

Basically I am trying to find a sweet spot, optimising ease of build, silent features and price.

Is space a variable? An Antec Solo is a relatively small mid-tower, a Fractal R3 is much bigger, you know.

And about right-out-of-the-box HDD suspension, the Antec is the only one I'm currently aware of: about their effectiveness, as distance from ears and placing may affect the perceived noise, your mileage may vary (I mean it's not the same to have 2 Hitachi 5K500.B and the case place under a desk at about 2 meter from your hears, and having a couple of Hitachi 7K2000 above the same desk just 50cm in front of you: the latter situation REQUIRE HDD suspension, if you care quietness).

[KayDat]

If you have a small low-powered system in mind, then I do recommend the Solo. Only issues are space (therefore, a small system with limited drive/expansion space), and heat (so, lower-powered systems are more suitable).