I know that the following cases are good in being/becoming QUIET and keeping temps down but I still can not make my mind up on what to grab
Antec p180
http://www.endpcnoise.com/cgi-bin/e/p180.html
Antec Sonata 2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811129155
Coolermaster Centurion 530
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811119076
They all look great and all have god case designs *120 front and rear* but I just can not decide. yes some have vents which I intend to cover up with a thin layer of styrofoam.
What case should I grab?
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee
What case should I grab?
Last edited by ckamc on Wed Aug 10, 2005 7:11 am, edited 3 times in total.
big red x over the idea of using 80mm fans. I currently do on my old case and I dont want to go back to using 80...no more! 120 is where I like to stay. so which one of those would anyone of you people here on the forum choice to get out of all the cases. Sonata 2 is nice and clean...not as much as an attention grabber as the super lan boy or the 530.
removed the p160 and super lanboy as I remembered that it is constructed of alum an other enemy of mine. changed link to SPCR p180 since its black and sports the logo
removed the p160 and super lanboy as I remembered that it is constructed of alum an other enemy of mine. changed link to SPCR p180 since its black and sports the logo
Last edited by ckamc on Wed Aug 10, 2005 7:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Ralf Hutter
- SPCR Reviewer
- Posts: 8636
- Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2002 6:33 am
- Location: Sunny SoCal
If it's large size and price aren't a problem to you, the P180 seems to have the greatest potential for quiet and cool operation. Read the many threads about it in these forums, and also note that there are some cable routing issues to consider in selecting a motherboard and PSU for this case.
The Centurion has lots of intake flow capability because of the mesh front, but that also allows the noise from less quiet components to escape toward the user. Some Centurions don't easily allow isolation/suspension of the HDD's.
The Sonata II is pretty good as a more quiet case - not as good as the P180, but better then many. It's also smaller then the others you mention, which I prefer since mine is on top of the desk. But that also means that it is more cramped when working in it. The HDD arrangement has good and bad points, and some criticise the airflow, but the intake is better then original Sonata. General consensus around SPCR is that the internal duct for CPU and VGA cooling doesn't work all that well. The included PSU is apparently pretty good. I'm pleased with my modified Sonata I/II hybrid, but also recognize it's shortcomings.
If I could do it over, I would look for the (unfortunately discontinued) Fong Kai FK330 case.
Have you read the articles and reviews of these or similar cases and searched/scanned the Cases and Damping forum for these cases (or similar Centurions)? Remember that our opinions are only as valuable as our own priorities, which surely are different then yours.
The Centurion has lots of intake flow capability because of the mesh front, but that also allows the noise from less quiet components to escape toward the user. Some Centurions don't easily allow isolation/suspension of the HDD's.
The Sonata II is pretty good as a more quiet case - not as good as the P180, but better then many. It's also smaller then the others you mention, which I prefer since mine is on top of the desk. But that also means that it is more cramped when working in it. The HDD arrangement has good and bad points, and some criticise the airflow, but the intake is better then original Sonata. General consensus around SPCR is that the internal duct for CPU and VGA cooling doesn't work all that well. The included PSU is apparently pretty good. I'm pleased with my modified Sonata I/II hybrid, but also recognize it's shortcomings.
If I could do it over, I would look for the (unfortunately discontinued) Fong Kai FK330 case.
Have you read the articles and reviews of these or similar cases and searched/scanned the Cases and Damping forum for these cases (or similar Centurions)? Remember that our opinions are only as valuable as our own priorities, which surely are different then yours.
That reply just set me up and over for the p180 
530 has like said great intake but no way to contain the noise from it.
sonata 2's intake wont cut it in keeping as cool as a p180 as I did a search and found temps in the p180 to be cooler than a sonata 2.
I live in arizona where the summers are extremely hot and even though my room is constantly being cooled it still remains slightly warm than idea and thus the sonata 2 wont preform as well as the p180 would.
Most likely going to go nexus to replace all the stock fans and thermal right 120 cpu cooler and zalma VF for gpu and seasonic s12. Plan to get a thin sheet of dampering materical for the top exaust cover to make it more of an vent like I saw someone do to their psu exhaust fan...some reason cant find that thread.
530 has like said great intake but no way to contain the noise from it.
sonata 2's intake wont cut it in keeping as cool as a p180 as I did a search and found temps in the p180 to be cooler than a sonata 2.
I live in arizona where the summers are extremely hot and even though my room is constantly being cooled it still remains slightly warm than idea and thus the sonata 2 wont preform as well as the p180 would.
Most likely going to go nexus to replace all the stock fans and thermal right 120 cpu cooler and zalma VF for gpu and seasonic s12. Plan to get a thin sheet of dampering materical for the top exaust cover to make it more of an vent like I saw someone do to their psu exhaust fan...some reason cant find that thread.
I have both the Centurion 5 and the P180. The Centurion is as quiet as the P180 most of the time, with better temperatures.
Of course, the Centurion was modded, and the P180 hasn't been (yet).
I cut out the grills, soft mounted the single exhaust, have the HDD resting on Sorbothane strips.
Both of them use the same MB, CPU, CPU heat sink (XP-120 with a 120mm fan running at 650rpm), Seasonic S12-430 rev 1. The components were transplanted from one to the other.
I took out the PSU chamber fan on the P180, and taped up the holes around the PSU. Other than that the P180 is untouched.
I'm sure if I tweaked with it a little (e.g. experimenting with different fan configurations) I can get it at least as cool and possibly quieter than the Centurion. But the C5 is almost 1/3 the cost of the P180 (if you get it without PSU).
Of course, the Centurion was modded, and the P180 hasn't been (yet).
I cut out the grills, soft mounted the single exhaust, have the HDD resting on Sorbothane strips.
Both of them use the same MB, CPU, CPU heat sink (XP-120 with a 120mm fan running at 650rpm), Seasonic S12-430 rev 1. The components were transplanted from one to the other.
I took out the PSU chamber fan on the P180, and taped up the holes around the PSU. Other than that the P180 is untouched.
I'm sure if I tweaked with it a little (e.g. experimenting with different fan configurations) I can get it at least as cool and possibly quieter than the Centurion. But the C5 is almost 1/3 the cost of the P180 (if you get it without PSU).
found it!! http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-pp02.htm
One over the psu and see if I can place another one/two on the top *for the two exhaust fans located up there*. Hopefully with some moding I might be able to replicate the one that fits naturally over the psu onto the others... or something simular.
One over the psu and see if I can place another one/two on the top *for the two exhaust fans located up there*. Hopefully with some moding I might be able to replicate the one that fits naturally over the psu onto the others... or something simular.