Replacement case dilemma - please help!

RikA · Post by **RikA** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 4:56 am

Hello!

I just bought a little Asus Terminator PC to act as a file/MP3/video/download server. It's great! It runs quiet and cool. However, it's made me realise quite how noisy my 'main' PC is!

My main PC is an AMD 2100+ (cooled by a zalman copper flower heatsink), on an Asus motherboard, with a Geforce 4 Ti4200. These sit inside a full tower AOpen case - in which I've installed 3 thermaltake (smart case fan II) fans. (2 exhaust, 1 intake). I replaced the stock power supply with a thermaltake silent purepower 380w a little while ago. finally, all 4 system fans (the case ones, and the zalman CPU fan) are linked to a Zalman fan controller.

Since I use the 'main' PC for tasks such as gaming and video editing, I keep the CPU fan on full nearly all the time. However, even with the remaining 3 fans powered at 5v, the whole thing is pretty noisy - and it doesn't run too cool either! I think part of the problem is that since the air has to travel a long way, the fans have to go quite fast to circulate a decent amount of air. Anyway.....

I have decided to replace the case (I don't need a full tower case any longer - I want something that takes up less space!). I'm very taken with some of the models that use a single 120mm exhaust fan and a single 120mm intake fan - such as the Antec Sonata. The Antec Sonata caught my eye also because of the 'sideways' HDD caddy. Although I understand this to be slightly detrimental to cooling, it does make everything look much neater, and easier to maintain, IMO.

Then, I noticed the Antec SLK3700BQE. The review on this site suggests it is every bit as good as the Sonata, yet with improved cooling. Yay! so I go to try and find one. I'm in the UK - and I can't find a single supplier of the SLK3700BQE. Indeed - one supplier has told me they are not expecting them! Grrrrr.... (I'm awaiting an official response from Antec).

So what do I do now? Get the Sonata? Get the SLK3700AMB? Get something else?

Things to consider:
- I want something that is quiet
- I want something that runs quite cool.
- I want something I can buy in the UK!!
- If I can re-use my Thermaltake PSU (is this quiet enough or will the PSUs that come with Antec cases be quieter?), great. If not, no big deal.

Any thoughts gratefully received!
Thanks in advance,

Rik

AntecRep · Post by **AntecRep** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 7:48 am

BQE should be getting to Europe by the end of October. At least according to the latest info I have.

AntecRep

ColdFlame · Post by **ColdFlame** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 10:51 am

You might consider 3700AMB. Ralf Hutter built an awesome system with this case that runs cool and quiet.

You'd need to modify 3700AMB though, so if you want something out of the box then it is not for you.

I ordered 3700AMB myself with new PSU (Fortron 300w) and grommets and fan holders from McMaster. Supposedly just this should be enough to keep it quiet. Yes, Panaflo 120mm and 92mm fans are going to help too but I wasn't able to find 120 mm so I'm going to live with stock fan for some time and see how good it is.

GamingGod · Post by **GamingGod** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 11:57 am

The antec fan is pretty loud at 12v, but i 5v it and use it in the front now. The new 3700amb (at least mine) had hex holes instead of round ones, which made cutting out the grill really really easy.

Tigr · Post by **Tigr** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 12:09 pm

I would recommend GlobalWin YCC-61F1. I got this case myself, bought from TekHeads in UK. An awesome case with excellent build quality and very good airflow. I run now all fans at 5v and it is cool and quiet.

RikA · Post by **RikA** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 11:52 pm

Thanks for the replies.
I think i will wait to see when the 3700BQE comes out in the UK, then. Hopefully, it should be in the next couple of weeks!
I am quite tempted by both the 3700AMB and the Globalwin case Tigr mentioned - but those sideways mounted HDD things in the Sonata/BQE are very appealing!