Suggestions for picking a case

[goshot]

Hello everyone! I need help with picking a PC case for my budget build with an mATX board, I'd like to hear your suggestions for some budget cases, with decent - good airflow and 2-3 USB ports infront. 

I've been looking at these cases:

• AeroCool Cylon RGB (this one also has a SD card reader)
• Segotep Legend C2 
• DeepCool TESSERACT BF

Do they have good airflow? Speaking of airflow, how do you know if a case has good or bad airflow (except by seeing reviews)?
Are there any other big concerns for cases that i'm missing?

[Slottr]

Versa H15

[TVwazhere]

14 hours ago, goshot said:

Do they have good airflow? Speaking of airflow, how do you know if a case has good or bad airflow (except by seeing reviews)?

Generally speaking you cant know for sure how good any airflow on a case is, even if it has a fully mesh front panel, the filter could be super restrictive (Lain Li PC-O11 Air for example) but you can generally make good estimates based on appearance. What you want to see is either a full/mostly mesh front panel, or large side intake vents. 

 

So for example, the Aerocool Cylon has NO vents, gaps, or anywhere airflow can enter the case (except maybe the bottom, cant tell from photos) which probably would not do good for a system beyond entry level gaming. The Segtop Legend has a pretty big bottom opening, which would be good for a single 120m fan to draw air but thats about it.

 

The Deepcool tesseract has a full mesh front panel (and actually comes with two fans instead of one) so of the three cases, this is the one I would choose even though it's the oldest of the three. 

[goshot]

6 hours ago, TVwazhere said:

What you want to see is either a full/mostly mesh front panel, or large side intake vents. 

Can you give me some examples of budget cases with a mesh front panel, or with large intake vents?

Btw I forgot to mention that I'll most likely be keeping my PC on the floor on a piece of wood, does that change anything? Like making the mesh panel more relevant, or making the side intake vents more relevant?

[TVwazhere]

11 minutes ago, goshot said:

Can you give me some examples of budget cases with a mesh front panel, or with large intake vents?

Btw I forgot to mention that I'll most likely be keeping my PC on the floor on a piece of wood, does that change anything? Like making the mesh panel more relevant, or making the side intake vents more relevant?

Not for front airflow really. It can affect bottom airflow to the PSU which could suck indust, but if it's on a board and elevated from the floor it should be fine. 

 

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/Yn7CmG/thermaltake-case-ca1d400s1nn00

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/fGvRsY/thermaltake-case-ca1b800s1wn00

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/Pdprxr/deepcool-matrexx-30-microatx-mini-tower-case-matrexx-30

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/Bds8TW/deepcool-frame-microatx-mid-tower-case-frame (Beware this comes with 0 fans)

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/4ykwrH/thermaltake-case-ca1d400s1wn00

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/Xm4gXL/thermaltake-case-ca1b300m1wn00

[goshot]

22 hours ago, TVwazhere said:

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/Yn7CmG/thermaltake-case-ca1d400s1nn00

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/fGvRsY/thermaltake-case-ca1b800s1wn00

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/Pdprxr/deepcool-matrexx-30-microatx-mini-tower-case-matrexx-30

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/Bds8TW/deepcool-frame-microatx-mid-tower-case-frame (Beware this comes with 0 fans)

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/4ykwrH/thermaltake-case-ca1d400s1wn00

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/Xm4gXL/thermaltake-case-ca1b300m1wn00

I can only find the Versa H22 here, and it's 3 bucks cheaper than the Tesseract.

I actually found a DeepCool Tesseract SW Window and it looks like it has some small intake gaps on the side of the window.

 

I'm leaning towards the Tesseract because of the 2 fans, btw how load are they? And is there support for cable management on the Tesseract?

If the Versa H22's airflow something else is waaay better I might change my mind. So how good is it?

[TVwazhere]

1 minute ago, goshot said:

I'm leaning towards the Tesseract because of the 2 fans, btw how load are they? And is there support for cable management on the Tesseract?

If the Versa H22's airflow something else is waaay better I might change my mind. So how good is it?

Tesseract fans aernt super loud, but they're not high quality fans either. 

Cable management is good for a $35 case, but you'll need to put effort into it.  

I wouldnt say the Versa22 is way better, it's just a different option. 

[goshot]

On 8/13/2019 at 8:40 PM, TVwazhere said:

I wouldnt say the Versa22 is way better, it's just a different option. 

I just found a Fractal Design OEM FOCUS INTEGR BLACK WINDOW case for a similar price to the Tesseract, what's your oopinion on it? How's the airflow? Is its fan loud?

[TVwazhere]

1 minute ago, goshot said:

I just found a Fractal Design OEM FOCUS INTEGR BLACK WINDOW case for a similar price to the Tesseract, what's your oopinion on it? How's the airflow? Is its fan loud?

Thats's a good case. Fans are pretty quiet

[goshot]

8 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

Thats's a good case. Fans are pretty quiet

Is it better than the tesseract?

Also i found another case, MAKKI-8872-RED-4F, it has 4 fans! Sadly it doesn't have any mesh panels nor side intake vents.

[TVwazhere]

32 minutes ago, goshot said:

Is it better than the tesseract?

Also i found another case, MAKKI-8872-RED-4F, it has 4 fans! Sadly it doesn't have any mesh panels nor side intake vents.

If it doesnt have any vents or mesh, ask yourself where those fans will get air to deliver to your case  If you came up with "It wont be able to get any air" then you came to the right conclusion!

 

Many of those cases are strictly for show; meaning the case manufacturer doesnt care about making sure your system stays cool and only cares about drawing customers in with glass and LED lights without making sure the product is any good at doing what it should; adequately cooling a computer.

 

AS to whether the Fractal Design case is better than the tesseract, I'd say it's marginally better but only because both fans are intakes, the side window is bigger and the I/O is more modern. 

[goshot]

@TVwazhere This will probably be the last case i'm considering, Floston Blue Wind. What do you think? 

[TVwazhere]

3 minutes ago, goshot said:

@TVwazhere This will probably be the last case i'm considering, Floston Blue Wind. What do you think? 

Looks solid, but cable management wont be as good as the Focus G Mini, and I cant tell how those fans are connected (Some go directly to a power supply so they're always spinning at max RPM, but if they're plugged into your motherboard than they're probably fine because you can control the speed if they're too loud)

[goshot]

@TVwazhere Is there any way i can predict how many fans i'll need? I tried looking up builds similar to mine (Ryzen 5 2600, Sapphire Pulse rx 570) but i can't find any with the same case.
Also what are some examples for fan configurations on the Tesseract? Like which fans should be intake and exhaust? There's only 1 front fan. I heard the rule - front and bottom intake, top and rear exhaust and an equal number of intake and exhaust fans - but there's room for  only1 intake and up to 3 exhaust! I looked up the Versa H22 fan spots, there are 2 infront and 1 rear, the site didn't mention if fans can be mounted on top. If they can't, that makes 2 intake and 1 echaust fan. What do you suggest?

[TVwazhere]

3 hours ago, goshot said:

@TVwazhere Is there any way i can predict how many fans i'll need? I tried looking up builds similar to mine (Ryzen 5 2600, Sapphire Pulse rx 570) but i can't find any with the same case.

2 fans as intake 1 fan as exhaust is the general rule of thumb, unless you have a fairl high end system. Anything more than that is diminishing returns on cooling, while just adding more noise to your system.

[TrainFan475]

Meshify C.

[goshot]

13 hours ago, TVwazhere said:

2 fans as intake 1 fan as exhaust is the general rule of thumb, unless you have a fairl high end system. Anything more than that is diminishing returns on cooling, while just adding more noise to your system.

On the Tesseract, i'm planning the front fan to be intake and the reat o be exhaust, if i decide to add a 3rd fan as intake where would you recommend i put it?

[TVwazhere]

1 minute ago, goshot said:

On the Tesseract, i'm planning the front fan to be intake and the reat o be exhaust, if i decide to add a 3rd fan as intake where would you recommend i put it?

If you get one of the versions with side mount fans, definitely there as side mount fans are one of the most effective cooling solutions since they're so direct downside is you gotta unplug/replug the fan with every side panel removal). The only other options for fans are at the top. I'd have to then suggest the forward-most top fan mount as intake, to blow cool air into the path of the CPU cooler.

[goshot]

3 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

If you get one of the versions with side mount fans, definitely there as side mount fans are one of the most effective cooling solutions since they're so direct downside is you gotta unplug/replug the fan with every side panel removal). The only other options for fans are at the top. I'd have to then suggest the forward-most top fan mount as intake, to blow cool air into the path of the CPU cooler.

I'm not the biggest fan of putting it on the side panel.
A friend made his rear fan intake and his top fan exhasut, what do you think?

[TVwazhere]

3 hours ago, goshot said:

I'm not the biggest fan of putting it on the side panel.
A friend made his rear fan intake and his top fan exhasut, what do you think?

Not the worst idea. Depending on the CPU cooler, that could work out better, but if you had an aftermarket air tower that's designed to blow air out the back, then this might not be a great option. If you''re using a stock cooler or a downdraft cooler, then it's fine either way. 

[goshot]

@TVwazhere What do you think about Zalman S2 and Zalman T5 comapred to the tesseract? Specifically the Zalman S2, and is its fan quiet?

http://www.zalman.co.kr/contents/products/view.html?no=608

https://www.zalman.com/contents/products/view.html?no=54

 

Someone in a review in newegg said "Two front intake fans are molex powered" - how is this possible? Doesn't this depend on the mobo and not the case?

[TVwazhere]

13 hours ago, goshot said:

Someone in a review in newegg said "Two front intake fans are molex powered" - how is this possible? Doesn't this depend on the mobo and not the case?

Cheap fans often come with Moles plugs, not Voltage 3 pin or PWN 4 pin motherboard connectors. This means they plug directly into your PSU and spin at 100% fan speed all the time with no way of controlling it. 

 

The S2 has better potential airflow to it than a Tesseract with an acrylic window, and a more modern interior layout.. No way to know how the quiet the fans are since their part number arent listed anywhere so you cant look up stats. 

[goshot]

3 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

Cheap fans often come with Moles plugs, not Voltage 3 pin or PWN 4 pin motherboard connectors. This means they plug directly into your PSU and spin at 100% fan speed all the time with no way of controlling it. 

 

The S2 has better potential airflow to it than a Tesseract with an acrylic window, and a more modern interior layout.. No way to know how the quiet the fans are since their part number arent listed anywhere so you cant look up stats. 

Another thing about the molex fans, im not sure what the guy writing the review in newegg ment by "Two front intake fans are molex powered" - The case comes with only 1 exhaust fan, what intake fans is he talking about? Could it be that, 2 of the front fans must be molex, and connot be connected with the coltage 3 pin/pwn 4 pin? If that's the case, this is the first time i've ever heard of something like this, and is this a concern?

 

Otherwise the case seems pretty good, i'll pick it over the tesseract even though it's not as pretty from the front side. Although I do love how it's inside is more modern and organized, and  there's space for 3 fans in front.

A silly question but just to be safe, the front fans pull in the air from the spaces between the vertical rib thingies on the front, right? It'd suck if it looks like it does pull the air from there but doesn't haha

[TVwazhere]

3 minutes ago, goshot said:

Another thing about the molex fans, im not sure what the guy writing the review in newegg ment by "Two front intake fans are molex powered" - The case comes with only 1 exhaust fan, what intake fans is he talking about? Could it be that, 2 of the front fans must be molex, and connot be connected with the coltage 3 pin/pwn 4 pin? If that's the case, this is the first time i've ever heard of something like this, and is this a concern?

I'm not sure. I think what might have happened was Zalman revamped the S2, and Newegg updated the listing, so the reviews reflect a different case. I've seen this a lot on Amazon for example. The website lists it as as a rear fan only, so I woudl expect that.

 

Yes, the (supposed) front fans likes I mentioned earlier, if they are molex, cannot be connected to your motherboard to be controlled. They will always spin at 100% fan speed, and as a result probably be loud. 

4 minutes ago, goshot said:

A silly question but just to be safe, the front fans pull in the air from the spaces between the vertical rib thingies on the front, right? It'd suck if it looks like it does pull the air from there but doesn't haha

Yes, though I have seen what you've described in past cases (not fro Zalman though). The Zalman case looks good though, so I would recommend buying 1-2 fans to put in the front. 

[goshot]

4 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

I'm not sure. I think what might have happened was Zalman revamped the S2, and Newegg updated the listing, so the reviews reflect a different case. I've seen this a lot on Amazon for example. The website lists it as as a rear fan only, so I woudl expect that.

 

Yes, the (supposed) front fans likes I mentioned earlier, if they are molex, cannot be connected to your motherboard to be controlled. They will always spin at 100% fan speed, and as a result probably be loud. 

Yes, though I have seen what you've described in past cases (not fro Zalman though). The Zalman case looks good though, so I would recommend buying 1-2 fans to put in the front. 

Hopefully it isn't that loud, even if it is i bet i can replace it and be fine with only the 2 new fans.

If there's any other question that i happen to think about imma ask.

 

Thanks for all your help!!!