5.25 bays Requirements for a computer case.

[Whirledcast]

How to pick out a computer case that has a 5.25" external drive bay? 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drive_bay

What is the important choice for computers a driver bay and access to optical options or none?

I noticed cases get very cheap and move fast with tempered glass and a lot of room. But, when shopping the ones available for sale with bays are still the original high cost price if still available. What is the deal here? Are there even options for sticking the driver bays somewhere else to the case?

[Woxolifo]

most have bays in the back of the case under the PSU shroud 

[Jurrunio]

It's just something old fashioned and largely phased out on new designs. In PCPP you can set filter to only show cases with any number of external 5.25" bays

 

2 minutes ago, Woxolifo said:

most have bays in the back of the case under the PSU shroud 

he's not talking about 3.5" bays

[Nena Trinity]

not killing the computer or overheating it?

[Intergalacticbits]

Yeah all the new cases I've seen don't have optical drive bays.

If there are any out there I have not seen them.

Most everything is digital download and cloud based now so many manufacturers don't see the need for those big bays in new cases.

They just expect people who want optical drives to buy exterior stand alone ones.

 

I have a lot of my personal stuff on DVDs and wanted a case with the optical drive bay too.

So I had to buy an older model case (Bequiet Pure base 600). No glass in that one though.

 

If you want glass side on it too your probably going to have to really look hard for one that also has the optical bay.

 

[Donut417]

23 minutes ago, Whirledcast said:

How to pick out a computer case that has a 5.25" external drive bay? 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drive_bay

What is the important choice for computers a driver bay and access to optical options or none?

I noticed cases get very cheap and move fast with tempered glass and a lot of room. But, when shopping the ones available for sale with bays are still the original high cost price if still available. What is the deal here? Are there even options for sticking the driver bays somewhere else to the case?

Sadly optical drives are kinda dead. Your other option is to do an external optical drive. Most cases now days don't have external drive bays. Though you could check out Fractal Design, I know some of their older cases for sure have 5.25 drive bays. For example the Fractal Design R4 has several, Not sure if newer versions of the R series have drive bays but its worth a look. 

[Whirledcast]

1 minute ago, Intergalacticbits said:

Most everything is digital download and cloud based now so many manufacturers don't see the need for those big bays in new cases.

They just expect people who want optical drives to buy exterior stand alone ones.

 

 

If you ever visit a library they use basic HPE stands and the computers are there just to handle the remote access. Sorry for replying just to one person. I am reading.

I am wondering if that's what the customers are asking for. It's just that it's more than that. There were also popular places to put switches and other types of external components inside the 5.25 bays. Besides the importance of an optical drive just for me personally. And there is still a question of attaching an optical drive "just elsewhere". Like one case for example used to have that type of a bay extension that put the drive bay sideways outside of the side door. And what about Blu-Ray? That's still irreplaceable.

[mariushm]

Newegg should have a filter for that maybe in power search mode.

 

My preferred IT store has such filters so if you want I can give you some models that have 5.25" bays

 

Here's a link with filter set to at least 1 5.25" bay : https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?Submit=Property&Subcategory=7&N=100007583 4814 600030545 600030551 600030546 600030552 600030547 600030553&IsPowerSearch=1

 

Note that it's not perfect, some entries may not have the number of 5.25" bays specified and may have bays but won't show up in this search result.

Anyway, there's  4+ pages worth of results, around 140 models.

 

There's cheap and decent options like the Fractal Design ones, example if you don't mind mATX only : Fractal Design Core 1000 Black Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case - Newegg.com

Fractal Design Core 1100 Black Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case - Newegg.com

 

Fractal Design Focus G Mini Black MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Newegg.com

Fractal Design Focus G Petrol Blue ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Newegg.com

 

 

[Whirledcast]

2 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

Sadly optical drives are kinda dead. Your other option is to do an external optical drive. Most cases now days don't have external drive bays. Though you could check out Fractal Design, I know some of their older cases for sure have 5.25 drive bays. For example the Fractal Design R4 has several, Not sure if newer versions of the R series have drive bays but its worth a look. 

Sad but true. And I mentioned expensive compared to new products. It's like paying extra 25$ per bay in some of these old ones.

[Whirledcast]

1 minute ago, mariushm said:

Newegg should have a filter for that maybe in power search mode.

 

My preferred IT store has such filters so if you want I can give you some models that have 5.25" bays

 

Here's a link with filter set to at least 1 5.25" bay : https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?Submit=Property&Subcategory=7&N=100007583 4814 600030545 600030551 600030546 600030552 600030547 600030553&IsPowerSearch=1

 

Note that it's not perfect, some entries may not have the number of 5.25" bays specified and may have bays but won't show up in this search result.

Anyway, there's  4+ pages worth of results, around 140 models.

 

 

 

Not for OP topic. That's why I asked the choices are bad. And I don't have most of the results appear as listed anyway. Even if the filter says +999.

[Whirledcast]

4 minutes ago, mariushm said:

Anyway, there's  4+ pages worth of results, around 140 models.

Also funny. That there are more back orders than ever!

[mariushm]

4 minutes ago, Whirledcast said:

Also funny. That there are more back orders than ever!

Simple explanation for that, cases are big, due to coronavirus and interruptions in shipping over the last few months the boats coming from asia are now full of more profitable merchandise, so manufacturers have to pay more to get place on boats for their containers and therefore it costs too much to ship big bulky items and everything will cost more for a while.  For some models of cases that have small profit margins, they may not ship as many, they may give priority to models that are more in demand.

Same issue with heavy power supplies (shipping costs several times more compared to a few months).

 

[Intergalacticbits]

I just looked on the bequiet site and they still list a 600 model case with window and optical bays.

I can't say if it will fit your budget but they still show it.

I'm sure some other brands still sell older models with bays plus windows but like I said your going to have to look through a lot of stuff probably to get something close to the new look you want.

 

I like having the bays too but manufacturers don't seem to care about it anymore.

 

[Whirledcast]

4 minutes ago, Intergalacticbits said:

I just looked on the bequiet site and they still list a 600 model case with window and optical bays.

I can't say if it will fit your budget but they still show it.

I'm sure some other brands still sell older models with bays plus windows but like I said your going to have to look through a lot of stuff probably to get something close to the new look you want.

 

I like having the bays too but manufacturers don't seem to care about it anymore.

 

I had something else going on with the choices. Now I am loosing ground to this.

[Intergalacticbits]

6 minutes ago, Whirledcast said:

I had something else going on with the choices. Now I am loosing ground to this.

 

Very cool looking. 

I'd guess that is expensive.