AMD Athlon XP 2800+ Case suggestion

[cloneman]

I want keep the case & psu under 100$, but I want 'em quiet. Can I get anything of quality (and silent, of course) for 100$? I'm planning on using this system with a barton 2800+ and a ATI 9800.

Also, I'll eventually invest in a SATA HD, maybe put it in some kind of enclosure, I heard the seagates are pretty nice, any particualr model I should be looking at?

[steveo]

Antec slk3700-bqe is my pick. They usually sell for around 70-80$, but best buy has them on sale right now for 40. They are way high quality, great design, cooling isn't bad, and very very quiet. They come with a 350wpsu made by antec, and are set up for 120mm fans, and comes with an Antec fan to use as an exhaust fan.

[snowman59]

I would strongly recommend the Antec SLK3000B (no PSU) or the SLK3800 (400watt SmartPower2.0) which is the same basic case only with a PSU. I would say one of these over the 3700BQE that steveo recommended only because the hard drive cage doesn't restrict the airflow coming from the front fan (or opening). These cases will also allow you more room for expansion in the future to either a dual core or better graphics card or something with a larger PSU than the 3700BQE. The only thing that I would say the BQE has going for it is that it doens't have the side case panel certified as Intel's Thermally Advanced Chassis (TAC) so it is without the side vents in the case possibly making it a little quieter than the 3000B/3800.

[Elixer]

Antec 3000B from Amazon.com for ~$45 shipped and a refurbished 300W SS or ST from seasonic for $32 shipped. Or you could get a seasonic S12 330W for a little more, especially if you want future sata capability.

[NeilBlanchard]

Greetings,

The two least expensive cases on the SPCR recommended list are the Evercase 4252BB-53, and the Antec SLK-3000B. Both come sans PS, so you can pick a sturdy and quiet 300-400watter from the recommended list, and the package is do-able for your budget.