The Official PC building thread - 4th Edition

Not what I said, I said specifically if you own such a video card. Such things are a rarity and typically cost in excess of $800. If you own a card that pricey, you'll probably have a pricey case for the system.
You do not need an expensive case for a gaming PC in general, partly since you don't need a very expensive graphics card for a gaming PC in general.

I'm not entirely sure I see why rotating the drives improves the cooling much if I'm honest, as the drives are still secured the same way.

 

You said:

I disagree the cost of a card doesn't justify the cost of a case! I've seen many cheap cases that work as well or even better than very expensive cases, functionality is all that matters and then pretty can follow.

Also putting the card cage so that hard drives aren't easily accessible means you do not have the metal side(s) of the cage interfering, blocking, with the front fans airflow. So you maybe honest but you are missing something here. Open end of the drive cage with gaps between the drives, verses a metal structure is a huge difference.

 

Stevo,

You want to back down just a teense, please. First, I never said that the rotating blocks being antiquated, I was talking about the airflow! Your sole argument is based on the assumption that I didn't watch the video (I didn't)? Did you ask me to, because if you had, I would have watched it! I don't make a habit out of watching those types of videos. I have better things to do than waste 11 minutes and change, watching a promo ad! So why are you lecturing me now, about my not watching it? BTW, that model Fractal case has been discontinued, JSYN!

Which case is better? Let's review! Aesthetically, the Fractal is a nice enough looking case, just a bit dated. At 9" wide, with air cooling, it severely limits how tall the CPU cooler can be to around roughly the height of a Freezer 64. I wouldn't give it a second look if I was air cooling. I've been there before, with my 3 year old CM RC-534+ case for the same reasons. That's why I bought the CoolIt LCS CPU cooler in the first place, because it get's too hot here in the summertime (triple digits). It gave me another year out of the case, but I've retired it now!

Aesthetically, the 400R is also a nice looking case, but has much more modern cooling than the fractal. It looks to me like science is finally beginning to recognize the need for better cooling for computers, and is finally doing something about it. Yesterday, when I got up it was 51F in the room (I use an electric blanket), and when I turned the computer on, the CPU temp was 11C, or 51F! It doesn't get much better than that. Normal Idle is 23C-25C If I needed 2 more HDD's, I could always install them in a 5.25" bay adapter, and have 8 HDD bays, and 2 5.25" bays just like the fractal.

So the "Bottom Line" of which is the better case, is easy. Sorry Stevo, but it's the 400R all the way. It isn't even close. Quality goes to the 400R, for it's fit and finish, as well as the magnificent black fine metallic paint job, inside and out! Cooling ability and performance, go to the more modern design 400R, as well. It's simply a more modern and efficient design, that works extremely well!

You know what they say, "Time and tide wait for no man!" Just remember they also say, "Time marches on"! LOL!!

Best Regards,
Russ

 

You know... Cases really do boil down to each individual. We shouldn't argue any further. Aesthetics are very important when it comes to a case. And a lot of blind buyers will shoot for only the aesthetics, and hope it accommodates most of their needs, because they like the way it looks. Let's face it. Even if it doesn't meet every expectations, there are always ways of adapting. For a lot of us, the PC is within Eyes view.

And if it's cheap, what the hey! Especially if you're building for a living, or just to make a few bucks. As long as cooling is agreeable, it holds two hard drives, isn't noisy, or overly cheaply made, I'd buy any cheap case. I could always improve upon a really bad case. I've done it...

If one is a gamer, they're gonna buy a case that can support a long card easily, period! They don't want it mucking up their hard drives, or cramping the case. That's one of the reasons I bought the HAF 932. It literally supports multiple configurations. Could I do as good for cheaper? Probably not. You do get what you pay for. I didn't even look very closely at the fractal case. I'm a sucker for Large cases. Mid towers aren't something I shop around at often. Only if I'm building for somebody. In which a lot of consulting would be done, prior to purchase! A lot of cases are plain, in which I would shoot for functionality If they're not concerned about the bling factor, than functionality is important. But if they see a case online, that they're dead set on, who am I to argue? I'll simply improve upon it

 

I'll settle this.
Both cases are ugly. Quality is poor, neither look like they will stand the test of time. You bring shame upon your family name. Your mother was a hamster and your father smells of elderberries.
Anyone with a certain level of sophistication, education and class knows that a thermaltake armor full tower is what a true afficianado uses to house their collection of parts that make up a PC...

 

I respect your opinion

 

I'll never know how you people can argue about cases when the SilverStone Temjin Series TJ11B-W takes the cake, bakes it for you, and serves it to you in comparison to those others. Unless your first name is Tom, you're not a real computer enthusiast if you don't have one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

EDIT: Anyone who says that I just went to pcpartpicker.com and looked up the most expensive case is a liar.

 

That is a nice case Blazorthon. If I had the funds, I would totally entertain the idea of a build in that wonderful case! I don't know that the 600+USD figure is justified, but it certainly is a beauty. It nearly dwarfs my current case!

 

ROFL, I'll say this much. I had a mid-tower case as my main gaming PC case (NZXT Lexa) which served the role perfectly well until I took on the pair of HD4870X2s. Between them, those cards summed near enough 600W of heat. While that wasn't a problem for the cards themselves, it certainly was an issue for the chipset (having a chipset is a nuisance I don't miss!)

Enter the HAF932. Overkill for the majority of PCs of course but with that much heat, a system that was too hot to really work too well suddenly became a perfectly controlled thermal environment, at least until the graphics cards started to fill up with dust!

There are situations when you need a big case legitimately, just not many.

 

And in my situation, I simply love large PC cases Large cases can vent a lot of heat as well

 

Some rumours have begun circulating that AMD have cancelled the remainder of their large core architecture CPUs - Steamroller, Kaveri and Excavator.

AMD have officially denied these rumours, but it does make you wonder - rumours like this have to come from somewhere...

These architectures are already quite late, with 2014 releases slated for the successor to Piledriver.

 

Perhaps they've realized a new possibility, aimed more at per core performance. I certainly hope they're not going under though. A world of solely intel does not sound promising at all :S

 

I would disagree that it is that much better and I think you are getting picky a one or two points that don't warrant your conclusion as being much better, Sorry but true. I think your case is better, don't get me wrong as I would rather have a metal case, but as to performance not totally, and definitely not to price point.

I think I stated well prior why it isn't antiquated so I won't reiterate that point as you obviously aren't willing to comprehend. Inner height doesn't necessarily qualify that conclusion which seems to be the root of your argument.

We will have to disagree I guess,
Stevo

That's a really nice case Blaze but expensive.... WOW

 

Stevo,

This is the second time you mentioned about "why it isn't antiquated", but you haven't given the reason or reasons. I'm willing to learn!

Russ

 

I think we should, really. It's not really that important. If anything, it's less important than arguing superiority between like products from a performance standpoint as people will buy those solely on how well they perform. With cases, a large amount of the sale is personal taste, so even if a case did come out as 'better' from this argument, that wouldn't necessarily read large numbers of readers to buy it over the other.

 

You'll have to read back, as I have given the reasons, or give up on it as I'm not wasting my time on this further, it's just not worth it and you've frustrated me enough especially as busy as I am with work and other stuff more important right now.

Sorry but thanks for trying,
Stevo

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/mr/ncixus/silverstone-case-tj11bw

NCIX has it for a little over $560

Honestly though, I've never sent much more than $50 on a case and I can't imagine doing so except on a very expensive build. I've really gotten into the habit of watching for good deals on getting higher end cases so I often don't even spend $50 anymore, granted I don't normally look for anything bigger than a mid-tower anyway.

 

I'll need to advance at my job a bit further before I can justify an expense like that. Yes, I have two jobs, but I still only pocket/save a few hundred a month