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[RESOURCE] Cases for the budget and enthusiast buyer

Last Content Update: December 28


I created a thread so we can share our ideas on cases we include when a member asks us for a PC build.

Some people have different tastes in aesthetics such as color, shape, and visual appeal.

This project is more like a database that we can constantly read off of.

Contributions are highly welcome.

These cases should contain these qualities:

Great airflow
Expandable storage
Great build quality

Extra qualities:

Room for SLI/Crossfire
Room for a radiator

PRICES ARE IN US DOLLARS AND LINKS ARE TO AMERICAN PCPARTPICKER.
To change regions, just choose your region on the top right corner.

$50 OR BELOW:

Antec GX700 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Antec One (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Azza SIRIUS (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
BitFenix Comrade (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (White)
Cooler Master Elite 110 (Mini ITX Tower) LINK
Cooler Master Elite 130 (Mini ITX Tower) LINK
Cooler Master Elite 430 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)
Cooler Master N200 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Corsair 200R (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)
Corsair Carbide SPEC-01, SPEC-02, and SPEC-03 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)
Enermax OSTROG (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)
Fractal Design Core 1000 USB3.0 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
NZXT Source 210 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (White) - LINK (Black)
Spoiler (Click to View)
NZXT Source 210 Elite (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (White) - LINK (Black)
Spoiler (Click to View)
NZXT Source 220 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)
Rosewill CHALLENGER (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)
Thermaltake V3 Black AMD Edition (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Not on PCPartPicker)
Zalman Z5 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)
Zalman Z9 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)
Zalman Z11 Plus (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)

$50 - 100:

Antec Nine Hundred (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Antec P280 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (White) - LINK (Black)
Azza Solano 1000R (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
BitFenix Shinobi (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Spoiler (Click to View)
BitFenix Shinobi with Window (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (White)
Corsair 300R (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Corsair 350D (Micro ATX Mid Tower) LINK - LINK (Window)
Corsair Air 240 (Micro ATX Mid Tower) LINK (White) - LINK (Black)
Cooler Master HAF 912 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Cooler Master N600 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK - LINK (Windowed)
Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Fractal Design Define R4 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Arctic White) - LINK (Black Pearl) - LINK (Titanium Grey)
Spoiler (Click to View)
Fractal Design Define R4 with Window (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Arctic White) - LINK (Black Pearl) - LINK (Titanium Grey)
Spoiler (Click to View)
Fractal Design Core 3000 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Fractal Design Node 304 (Mini ITX Tower) LINK
NZXT Phantom 410 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (Gunmetal/Black) - LINK (Red) - LINK (White) - LINK (White/Blue)
NZXT H230 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (White)
NZXT S340 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (White)
Rosewill R5 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Silverstone TJ08B-E (Micro ATX Mid Tower) LINK

$100 OR MORE:

Antec Twelve Hundred V3 (ATX Full Tower) LINK
Thermaltake Chaser MK-I (VN300M1W2N) (ATX Full Tower) LINK
Corsair 450D (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Corsair 500R (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (White)
Corsair 600T (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (Silver) - LINK (Graphite)
Corsair 650D (ATX Mid Tower) LINK
Corsair 750D (ATX Full Tower) LINK
Corsair 780T (ATX Full Tower) LINK (Black/White) - LINK (Black)
Corsair 900D (ATX Full Tower) LINK
Corsair Air 540 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (White/Black) - LINK (Black)
Cooler Master Cosmos II (ATX Full Tower) LINK
Cooler Master HAF 932 (ATX Full Tower) LINK
Cooler Master HAF XB (ATX Desktop) LINK
Cooler Master Storm Stryker (ATX Full Tower) LINK
NZXT Phantom (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (Black/Green) - LINK (Black/Orange) - LINK (White) - LINK (White/Red)
NZXT H440 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black/White) - LINK (Red/Black)
NZXT Phantom 530 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (Red) - LINK (White)
NZXT Phantom 630 (ATX Mid Tower) LINK (Gunmetal) - LINK (Matte Black) - LINK (White)
NZXT Switch 810 (ATX Full Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (Gunmetal) - LINK (White)
NZXT Phantom 820 (ATX Full Tower) LINK (Black) - LINK (Grey) - LINK (White)
Phanteks Enthoo Pro (ATX Full Tower) LINK

Special notes:

- A considerable percentage of NZXT cases are covered in plastic. The insides are mostly metal. The NZXT S340 is pure metal/aluminium.
- The NZXT H440 has no 5.25 inch bays, so no DVD drives and such if you choose that build.
- Pricing may fluctuate. This list does not take in mail-in-rebates.

Cases that fit the H100i (Chose H100i because seems to be the most popular of the AIO water coolers)
Spoiler (Click to View)
[Image: tGl3Trx.gif]
This article helps a bit:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ante...12-10.html

Moreso for mid-high end builds as they're all over 50$ but under 100$.
Arc Midi R2 is a superb case and fits all those requirements.
Want a case with good airflow? Check out the Antec Lanboy Air.
NZXT Switch 810 and NZXT Source 530
Add the Antec 1200V3 to the "over $100" section. I have one for my desktop, and all I can say is that it kicks ass, it's huge, and it's built like a tank, and the airflow is OVER 9000!! cfm. It's also very quiet when you have the fans turned down, just a low hum. Only fault I can find with it is that you can only shut the LEDs from one fan off, the rest are always on.
Updated the case list.

Will work on H100i compatibility tomorrow.

I would like for everyone to use this thread when making a build.
[Image: tGl3Trx.gif]
I don't think anyone wants to click on 200 links, it would be much better if you just embedded a picture of each case into this thread.
(Nov 14, 2013 05:36 PM)‎Cloud Wrote:  I don't think anyone wants to click on 200 links, it would be much better if you just embedded a picture of each case into this thread.

I considered that, but it will be a pain in the arse for the user to load each image.
[Image: tGl3Trx.gif]
(Nov 14, 2013 05:48 PM)CyberneticTitan Wrote:  I considered that, but it will be a pain in the arse for the user to load each image.

Anything wrong with using spoilers?
(Nov 14, 2013 05:59 PM)‎Cloud Wrote:  Anything wrong with using spoilers?

Oh I thought images loaded regardless.

What angle should the images be?
[Image: tGl3Trx.gif]
An isometric angle is good (can see three sides of the case).
Nice case list. This will help alot of people who cant decide on a case.
Breaking News: Evangelist uses a mac.


You know you are a audio enthusiast when all you listen to is FLAC audio.
AZZA Solano 1000 is a good case, it has those LEDs too which everyone loves.
I am fine without the images CyberneticTitan. In fact, I would rather just be linked to the webpage because that will tell you the specs and everything. From the webpage, I can find images.

Don't judge a book by it's cover when it comes to cases. The picture can throw everything off, especially your perception of how big the case is compared to others in the thread.


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