SPCR

My current case is a Superflower SF-461. http://www.super-flower.com.tw/english/sf-561bl.htm My sister wants me to build her a machine so I thought I'd giver her this case and use it as an excuse to buy a new one. I thought I'd consult the experts here before I bought.

I thought about an Antec P180 or Sonata II, but I use my optical drives a lot and don't really want a door.

As such, I've been looking at:

SilverStone TJ04
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-tj04.htm

Coolermaster Centurion C5
Coolermaster Centurion C5

Evercase 4292 or 4802
http://www.evercase.com/newsite/2product/index5.htm

Chenming 501AWBU-F-0
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811125486
Chenming only has the older version of this shown on their site

Any thoughts on these cases? Are there any other cases I should consider? As you can tell I like fairly bling-free cases, but a window isn't an immediate disqualification.

Thanks for your time!

Edit: Just realized more information is probobly warranted. This will be a for an Athlon64 X2 system, with a Geforce 6600 for now and a faster card later. I don't envision ever having more than 2 optical drives and more than 2 hard drives in it. I'll be using a Seasonic S12-430 power supply.

Moderator Edit: Reduced an oversized link

The Centurion 5 is an SPCR recommended case

Nexus Breeze

http://www.nexustek.nl/breeze.htm

Thanks for the responses.

The nexus breeze is tempting, but expensive and I don't like the idea of all the air only being exhausted through the power supply.

Right now I'm leaning towards a Centurion 5 and throwing an Asus A8N-SLI premium in there.

Remember, the Antec Sonata II and P180 rotate 180 degrees so they are always out of the way.

Is there anything that will hold the door at 180° or it will just keep swinging?

I keep my pc on the floor though, and there's no room for the door to be open unless I pin it all the way open to the side of the case somehow.

Ordering the C5 tonight!

Thanks for all the help.

I have a C5 and I am very happy with it, looks great and is very well build, I made it some mods have a look here http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=24644 but If you like the C5 you may consider centurion 530 as well, it has the 120 mm intake instead of 80 mm already and more room if you want to suspend your hard drive.
hope it helps

I have a Centurion 5 (silver) and I'm mostly happy with it. Build quality is OK but not great. Parts of it seem too flimsy to me.

The back of my case looks a little different from agus_c_o's. I guess Cooler Master revised their case a little - for the better too, I'd say. Mine looks like the one in Rusty's SPCR review. Note that in the original design, the right half of the 120mm exhaust has a raised sheet of metal. It makes it a little harder to trim out the fan grill neatly.

I had my hard disk on Sorbothane strips at the bottom of the case. Between the rear 120mm, AC VGA Silencer and PSU exhaust, I didn't find the need for an intake fan. With quiet components it is a decent case noise-wise.

I'm about to pull the trigger on this sucker for real now. I like the ports at the top of the 530, since I keep my case on the floor but I really like the looks of the C5 so I think I'm gonna stick with that.

Here's hoping my motherboard will have a bios that supports the X2 out of the box.

Where can I get ahold of some sorbothane strips? My current machine is near silent, except for the seek noise of my drive (SP0802N) and I imagine I'll have similar problems in this new machine unless I do something.

Thanks again!

Sheik Rattle Enroll wrote:Where can I get ahold of some sorbothane strips? My current machine is near silent, except for the seek noise of my drive (SP0802N) and I imagine I'll have similar problems in this new machine unless I do something.

Sorbothane doesn't cut down seek noise that much (it does cut down some) - it's mostly good for reducing idle noise and eliminating the vibration transmitted to the case. Enabling AAM (if your drive supports it) does wonders for seek noise.

Not sure where you are located. Easiest place to find Sorbothane in the U.S. is McMaster-Carr. Search the forums - someone will have the part # in some of the posts, and tips on how to cut them too.

most motherboards have big problems with dual core and a fresh boot.


sux right? I myself dont have 939 system, I havea 754 system. I would have bought a european Gigabyte board that had all the specs i wanted but Gigabyte, Abit and Asus all said that half the time or more, it doesnt boot with the dual core.

hit or miss they said. yay....

im waiting for the 939dual sata one from asrock. ihave to call them on monday again. they are taking forever to release the board. I might have to go get it from europe (sux)

~El~Jefe~ wrote:most motherboards have big problems with dual core and a fresh boot.

Yeah I'm gambling that my A8N-SLI Premium will have a newer bios. Not sure what I'll do otherwise. I know someone with a venice single core chip, hopefully that'll work if the dual core won't.

Sheik Rattle Enroll wrote:

~El~Jefe~ wrote:most motherboards have big problems with dual core and a fresh boot.

Yeah I'm gambling that my A8N-SLI Premium will have a newer bios. Not sure what I'll do otherwise. I know someone with a venice single core chip, hopefully that'll work if the dual core won't.

You’ve got me worried. I’m planning an A8V-Deluxe with +3800 X2. You’re talking about the very first boot of a new build, right? I’ve heard of this, and understand that problem, but you’re not talking about ongoing boot problems, or problems in general, once it’s up and running?

Sheik Rattle Enroll wrote:

~El~Jefe~ wrote:most motherboards have big problems with dual core and a fresh boot.

Yeah I'm gambling that my A8N-SLI Premium will have a newer bios. Not sure what I'll do otherwise. I know someone with a venice single core chip, hopefully that'll work if the dual core won't.

order it as part of a combo from Monarch Computers and they will load the newest bios for the board and test the setup before they ship it out to you.

Sheik Rattle Enroll wrote:My current case is a Superflower SF-461. http://www.super-flower.com.tw/english/sf-561bl.htm My sister wants me to build her a machine so I thought I'd giver her this case and use it as an excuse to buy a new one. I thought I'd consult the experts here before I bought.

I thought about an Antec P180 or Sonata II, but I use my optical drives a lot and don't really want a door.

As such, I've been looking at:

SilverStone TJ04
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-tj04.htm

Coolermaster Centurion C5
Coolermaster Centurion C5

Evercase 4292 or 4802
http://www.evercase.com/newsite/2product/index5.htm

Chenming 501AWBU-F-0
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811125486
Chenming only has the older version of this shown on their site

Any thoughts on these cases? Are there any other cases I should consider? As you can tell I like fairly bling-free cases, but a window isn't an immediate disqualification.

Thanks for your time!

Edit: Just realized more information is probobly warranted. This will be a for an Athlon64 X2 system, with a Geforce 6600 for now and a faster card later. I don't envision ever having more than 2 optical drives and more than 2 hard drives in it. I'll be using a Seasonic S12-430 power supply.

Moderator Edit: Reduced an oversized link

I'll probably get flamed for this, but check out some lian li cases if your willing to spend 200.00 on a case. I love the V1000, it has an excelent internal design and it can have top notch cooling if you modify it a little bit.

The CompuCase LX-6A19 is the same internally as Antec's SLK3700-BQE but it doesn't have a door. It does have 120mm fans in the front and rear, so you can get excellent airflow through the case.

Something to consider.

John

Sooty wrote:

Sheik Rattle Enroll wrote:

~El~Jefe~ wrote:most motherboards have big problems with dual core and a fresh boot.

Yeah I'm gambling that my A8N-SLI Premium will have a newer bios. Not sure what I'll do otherwise. I know someone with a venice single core chip, hopefully that'll work if the dual core won't.

You’ve got me worried. I’m planning an A8V-Deluxe with +3800 X2. You’re talking about the very first boot of a new build, right? I’ve heard of this, and understand that problem, but you’re not talking about ongoing boot problems, or problems in general, once it’s up and running?

Just talking about not being able to POST because the bios doesn't recognize the processor, and not being able to flash the bios to make it recognize the processor because there's no way to get it to post.

teknerd wrote:

Sheik Rattle Enroll wrote:

~El~Jefe~ wrote:most motherboards have big problems with dual core and a fresh boot.

Yeah I'm gambling that my A8N-SLI Premium will have a newer bios. Not sure what I'll do otherwise. I know someone with a venice single core chip, hopefully that'll work if the dual core won't.

order it as part of a combo from Monarch Computers and they will load the newest bios for the board and test the setup before they ship it out to you.

Oh damn, I should have done that