Good Cheap Case

[Wolveon]

My friend is building a gaming PC and his budget is quite low. He needs to choose a case for it and it should be preferable below £40. He isn't too picky about the aesthetics as long as its black and it should have a few fans included. Any personal experience with the case would be helpful and I would like to know whether cooling is moderate. Thanks for all help in advance.

[Pugs501]

Corsair 200R

[DudeWazap]

The NZXT Source 210 is a pretty inexpensive case that still offers a good build quality and features.

[ForsakenLive]

Source 210/220

Fractal Design Core series 2xxx

Cooler Master Silencio

[Wolveon]

Source 210/220

Fractal Design Core series 2xxx

Cooler Master Silencio

Which would you say is better, Source 210 or Fractal Design Core 2300? They are both similar prices and I want to know which has better cooling or better cable management options. Thanks for giving me all the suggestions.

[ForsakenLive]

Which would you say is better, Source 210 or Fractal Design Core 2300? They are both similar prices and I want to know which has better cooling or better cable management options. Thanks for giving me all the suggestions.

The Source 210 feels bigger on the inside, and the white model is certainly appealing. The 2300 looks a bit more compact and has better cable management.

I'd probably go with the Source 210 and then mod it.

[Wolveon]

The Source 210 feels bigger on the inside, and the white model is certainly appealing. The 2300 looks a bit more compact and has better cable management.

I'd probably go with the Source 210 and then mod it.

Do you know anything about the cooling performance of either case? As for modding, neither of us has ever modded a case and we are pretty novice pc builders and that is a pretty big undertaking. Should I get the 2300 if we're not modding?

[ForsakenLive]

Do you know anything about the cooling performance of either case? As for modding, neither of us has ever modded a case and we are pretty novice pc builders and that is a pretty big undertaking. Should I get the 2300 if we're not modding?

I'd mod it for the looks, not because it has anything bad or it's warmer, the white color would have great looks with something on it.

Cooling-wise, they are pretty much the same, with kinda blocked front panel access but bottom fan placement and top exhausts. Also the side air vent helps too.

Both cases will get dusty, that's for sure, the Fractal case has those little mesh vents on the front, that get blocked easily if you never clean them, if you do it's fine then.

The source 210 feet are not amazing, if it's going to be placed in a desk then they are ok, but on the floor it won't breathe terrifically thanks to dusk always getting catch. The most likely thing its going to happen if you add top fans it's that some of the air will enter passively though the side panel, which leads to even more dust.

 

It's very tied up, I think you should go with what makes you feel better, the Fractal case is modern, but the source 210 it's a classic. Personally I like the 210 a bit more because I had experiences with it in the past, but I trust fractal enough.

[STRMfrmXMN]

Get a Source 210 or 200r if you need an ATX case, although a Cooler Master N200 is a great Micro-ATX case and is pretty on-par with the Source 210 for value.