Alternative to Antec SOLO?
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Devonavar
Alternative to Antec SOLO?
Hello,
I would love to get myself a SOLO but it's a bit expensive (96 €) and the budget is tight so I'm trying to find a cheaper alternative. I've read the cases recommendations but it's a tad outdated... What do you recommend?
Forget the P180/182 and SOLO/P150... what's the next best thing?
UPDATE: Now that I was really going to buy a SOLO... it just had to happen It's out of stock everywhere! And noone [stores] knows when they'll be back in stock So... I love the SOLO but I'm just not going to wait for weeks and weeks for it.
The P182 is still too expensive (not to mention overkill) to me... so what now? I'm royally screwed.
I would love to get myself a SOLO but it's a bit expensive (96 €) and the budget is tight so I'm trying to find a cheaper alternative. I've read the cases recommendations but it's a tad outdated... What do you recommend?
Forget the P180/182 and SOLO/P150... what's the next best thing?
UPDATE: Now that I was really going to buy a SOLO... it just had to happen It's out of stock everywhere! And noone [stores] knows when they'll be back in stock So... I love the SOLO but I'm just not going to wait for weeks and weeks for it.
The P182 is still too expensive (not to mention overkill) to me... so what now? I'm royally screwed.
Last edited by rpsgc on Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Posts: 419
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 1:05 pm
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
Antec NSK6000 - 48 € (although I don't see how it's any better than my SLK3000B)
Coolermaster Centurion 5 Black - 61 € (same as above)
Coolermaster Centurion 534 Black - 58 €
Coolermaster CM 690 - 83 €
Lian Li PC-G50 - 77 €
Lian Li PC-G7 - 82 €
Nox Coolbay 25 - 58 € (Aerocool Masstige-25 copy)
Nexus Caterpillar is not available and I doubt it'll ever be. *sigh*
If you give me some good suggestions I might be able to get it... one way or another.
Coolermaster Centurion 5 Black - 61 € (same as above)
Coolermaster Centurion 534 Black - 58 €
Coolermaster CM 690 - 83 €
Lian Li PC-G50 - 77 €
Lian Li PC-G7 - 82 €
Nox Coolbay 25 - 58 € (Aerocool Masstige-25 copy)
Nexus Caterpillar is not available and I doubt it'll ever be. *sigh*
If you give me some good suggestions I might be able to get it... one way or another.
-
- Posts: 153
- Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:14 pm
- Location: Vancouver
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 419
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 1:05 pm
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
Agreed.rpsgc wrote:Antec NSK6000 - 48 € (although I don't see how it's any better than my SLK3000B)
Ginormous window. It's actually not that bad once you completely cover it with a layer of Dynamat Extreme, it looks pretty coolrpsgc wrote:Coolermaster Centurion 5 Black - 61 € (same as above)
Both look promising. Has a significant number of intake/exhaust locations to choose from; just block off the ones you don't use so noise doesn't escape.
All Lian-Li cases that I have had have the same flaw. They put a fan in front that magically draws air from...nowhere! The intake is completely blocked! It just sits there and spins and makes noise. These look like they have the same problem.
Looks a lot like an Antec 900 (I own a few). Great cooling, does not contain any noise. Unless your components are silent, this computer won't be.rpsgc wrote:Nox Coolbay 25 - 58 € (Aerocool Masstige-25 copy)
Hope that helps.
I'd keep the 3000B. I've owned both it and the Solo, and the 3000B is a great case. Although it doesn't look as nice as the Solo, it is extremely competitive in silence terms and probably has superior cooling potential.
I blocked the upper vent on the side panel and filtered the lower one, which gave a great direct cold air supply to the graphics card and CPU. A slow spinning front 120mm fan kept the hard drives cool and a slow spinning rear 120mm fan and PSU fan exhausted the hot air. It's a great design.
I blocked the upper vent on the side panel and filtered the lower one, which gave a great direct cold air supply to the graphics card and CPU. A slow spinning front 120mm fan kept the hard drives cool and a slow spinning rear 120mm fan and PSU fan exhausted the hot air. It's a great design.
Some pics of the CM 690
PSU foam spacer:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... psubay.jpg
Rubber feet:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... erfoot.jpg
HDD plastic (vibration free?) trays:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... dtrays.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... ddtray.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... filled.jpg
Full review:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/CoolerMaster/RC_690/
Would those "silence" oriented features really make a difference?
PSU foam spacer:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... psubay.jpg
Rubber feet:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... erfoot.jpg
HDD plastic (vibration free?) trays:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... dtrays.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... ddtray.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Cool ... filled.jpg
Full review:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/CoolerMaster/RC_690/
Would those "silence" oriented features really make a difference?
not sure how "silent" the recent iterations would be but in-win makes some very solid cases for about half the price of antec.
there was some buzz about their micro-atx a while ago; i am talking about regular atx.
"solid" is pretty much their selling point. thick steel is not too prone to vibrations.
would need some work silencing hard drives and such but that's pretty much as it's with most cheaper cases.
there was some buzz about their micro-atx a while ago; i am talking about regular atx.
"solid" is pretty much their selling point. thick steel is not too prone to vibrations.
would need some work silencing hard drives and such but that's pretty much as it's with most cheaper cases.
Ordering from Germany makes sense if you're getting more than the case. http://geizhals.at/eu/a209341.html