Sunbeam Quarterback case

[Just an ordinary rabbit]

As my current case is a generic cheapo thing which is literally falling apart as we speak, I need a new case.
I can't afford any of the SPCR recommended cases and don't really want to spend more than £30 on a case anyway.

Spec-wise, the Sunbeam Quarterback seems to be a fairly decent case. It has a 120mm intake and exhaust, and a bar in the middle of the PC with 2 more 120mm fans (4 free fans ) and the entire front of the case is vented. However, it also has a window in the side panel (which I hear isn't the best for silence) and with a £20 price tag, you do wonder just how sturdy it can be.

So before I buy it I thought I'd consult the experts.

[speedkar9]

Terrible case for quiet computing if you ask me,
The front is too open, allowing the HD and fan noises to escape directly to the user. The fan grills are to restrictive, and more importantly the HD cage's 90 degree orientation blocks all airflow from the front bottom fan. That wall of fans in the middle won't be any good for long video cards.

It might be worth looking at lower end brand name cases from CoolerMaster or Antec, depending on their pricing in your country.

What kind of hardware are you putting in this case anyway?

[atmartens]

Since you already bought a cheap case and found out that it couldn't last, I suggest saving up for a nicer one and saving yourself the trouble of going through this again. Time is money, too.

[Just an ordinary rabbit]

I've looked into the lower end CM and Antec cases but the Sunbeam is usually at least £10 cheaper

The PC is an Athlon 7750 (dual core 2.7GHz) with 3 HDDs. It stays fairly cool when its idling (currently at 41° with the stock cooler which is going to be replaced with an AC Freezer 64 Pro) although when its taxed the CPU does get quite hot (and noisy). I'm currently using the onboard graphics though I'd like room to install a passive low end card if I want to later.

It occurred to me that most OEMs use decent cases for their PCs, and loads of used/faulty PCs are thrown out all the time. I've also noticed that Compaq use removable chrome fan grills like these on a few of their PCs (which is certainly preferable to a stamped metal). What do you think about reusing an OEM case (if I can find a decent one in ebayland)?

[speedkar9]

It occurred to me that most OEMs use decent cases for their PCs

This is a HUGE misconception. Show me any potential OEM case and there will be big airflow issues with it. I don't think most OEM cases can hold more than 2 HDD's anyways...
Poor case design is one of the main reasons you see so many problematic OEM PC's out there. HP is a big culprit of this with their sealed front panels leaving only the side panel to intake air.
Seriously, there are better generic cases out there that can be made silent if you don't mind some modding. It may be worth spending the extra euros or time especially if your investing in something that you will expand on (for example a graphics card) later down the line.

[Just an ordinary rabbit]

I've looked about and the CoolerMaster Elite 330 looks alright for £30.
I'd been hoping to avoid modding by buying a new case, but most cases come with fan grills (which I don't want) so it looks like I'm going to have to at least cut some fan grills. With slightly more modding I could probably get my current case to at least stay together and perhaps also put some cloth over 3 empty 5.25' bays to make a front intake. I need a big front intake as my PC is in a cupboard where the only fresh air is at the front, so side vents recycle warm air.
I'd prefer not to bother modding such a crap case, but I also don't want to have to hack chunks out of a £30 investment especially when I'm so prone to mucking stuff up; possibly destroying another case...

[Luke M]

It occurred to me that most OEMs use decent cases for their PCs, and loads of used/faulty PCs are thrown out all the time. I've also noticed that Compaq use removable chrome fan grills like these on a few of their PCs (which is certainly preferable to a stamped metal). What do you think about reusing an OEM case (if I can find a decent one in ebayland)?

Keep in mind that most OEM cases are non-standard in some ways, such as I/O cutout. Many can be used with minor work (e.g. making your own I/O shield), but some are so weird that they are worthless. And forget about using an old discarded case if you want to build a quiet high power system. They are only suitable for low power systems.

[speedkar9]

The CM 330 might work fine, though the front is really open and would let all the sound out. If its in a cabinet though, you wouldn't notice it. The CM 335 just looks alot cooler . I guess the Antec equivalent would be the NSK 4 or 6 series, which would be alot quieter.

I did a build in this case 2 years ago and I found it kinda flimsy, and don't even bother with those "tool less" drive holders...
You'd also have to rig up a way to suspend your HD's (all in the 5.25 bays?), and definitely cut the fan grills out. Swap the side panels so the left side doesn't intake recycled air or at least cover the holes with some paper, and forgo the noise amplifying CPU duct. I was surprised though at how quiet the stock fan performed though.

Keep in mind that most OEM cases are non-standard in some ways, such as I/O cutout. Many can be used with minor work (e.g. making your own I/O shield), but some are so weird that they are worthless. And forget about using an old discarded case if you want to build a quiet high power system. They are only suitable for low power systems.

True, to add, the front panel ports (USB, Sound, power switch etc) are usually stuck to a proprietary connector, so you'd have to do some wire cutting/ soldering to hack it to work.

[JamieG]

The CM 330 might work fine, though the front is really open and would let all the sound out. If its in a cabinet though, you wouldn't notice it. The CM 335 just looks alot cooler . I guess the Antec equivalent would be the NSK 4 or 6 series, which would be alot quieter.

+1 for the Antec NSK 4*** series. With a bit of modding you can improve it for quieting purposes though.

I bought an Antec NSK4000-II recently to replace my brother's old no-name case and did a bit of modding to it. Basically, I removed the HDD cage, covered the front and sides of the case with some vinyl floor tiles and cut 2 x new 120mm intakes in the floor. I added some dust filters to the bottom intakes and some new case feet to raise it up from the carpet. Worked pretty well actually.

Anyway, I would stretch your budget to buying a low end Antec case if possible. Most of the cheaper CoolerMaster cases have prety open fronts, whereas the Antec cases are better in this regard.