Looking for case recommendation

[bogate]

Hello, 

I am looking into building a new pc and im having much trouble deciding on a case. I am looking for a case with following specs:

• full tower ( I never again want to have to deal with the limited space of a mid tower)
• good airflow
• separate compartment for PSU, like a shroud or such
• space behind motherboard panel for all PSU cabling and have these plastic "seals" protecting the holes where the PSU cabling comes from the back into the main "chamber?"
• at least 2 3.5" Hot swap bays at the front. installation of hdd must be plug and play, no screws ( I have a lot of old hdds with stuff and I dont want to open the case and install them each time I need something.)
• easily removable or cleanable dust filters (top, bottom, front)

optional:

• I know I can install a hot swap cage in 5.25" slots but would prefer them already in the case. If the case only has 5.25" please recommend a hot swap cage for 3.5". installation of hdd must be plug and play, no screws
• 1 extra 5.25" slot for a CD+DVD+blu-ray burner (are external USB burners as fast as an internal one? if so then this can be ignored)

 

I dont understand the new craze of having fans in the side panel before the motherboard. would appreciate some explanation of that. (fans in the same panel as the motherboard towards the front of case where the old 5.25" bays used to sit at

 

I came across this case "https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WpsKHx/corsair-case-cc800dw" but it is out of stock.

I'm not going to watercool

[camieabz]

Perhaps? Not sure if it satisfies the hot-swap requirements, but it should have the rest:

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/BfPKHx/phanteks-enthoo-pro-tg-rgb-atx-full-tower-case-ph-es614ptg_bk

[Middcore]

8 minutes ago, camieabz said:

Perhaps? Not sure if it satisfies the hot-swap requirements, but it should have the rest:

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/BfPKHx/phanteks-enthoo-pro-tg-rgb-atx-full-tower-case-ph-es614ptg_bk

This is the case I use for my folding and media server/backup system. It does probably satisfy all his requirements, but it's massive and probably overkill. It has six 3.5" bays and three 5.25" bays. Also because of the now rather old-fashioned arrangement with all those drive bays stacked in the front (although some can be removed), the airflow isn't as great as a more modern case with a full-mesh front. 

 

My first thought is the Cooler Master NR600, especially if you can find the model with an optical drive bay, although I am not 100% sure that the hard drive bays in it are tool-less. 

[bogate]

1 hour ago, camieabz said:

Perhaps? Not sure if it satisfies the hot-swap requirements, but it should have the rest:

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/BfPKHx/phanteks-enthoo-pro-tg-rgb-atx-full-tower-case-ph-es614ptg_bk

Thanks a lot for the recommendation. I was looking for a case like that. I can install a hot swap cage in those 3 frontal 5.25" slots. Do you know if the drive cages blocking the 2 frontal fans can be removed? A 3 5.25" hot swap cage can hold 4 hdd so I would use one or two of those slots for my permanent storage and leave the rest for hot swaps or go with a smaller cage and a blu-rayburner

1 hour ago, Middcore said:

This is the case I use for my folding and media server/backup system. It does probably satisfy all his requirements, but it's massive and probably overkill. It has six 3.5" bays and three 5.25" bays. Also because of the now rather old-fashioned arrangement with all those drive bays stacked in the front (although some can be removed), the airflow isn't as great as a more modern case with a full-mesh front. 

 

My first thought is the Cooler Master NR600, especially if you can find the model with an optical drive bay, although I am not 100% sure that the hard drive bays in it are tool-less. 

I dont mind the hard drive bays requiring tools. The only thing I would want tool-less are the hot swap bays. Are there cases with the 3.5" bays somewhere else than the front? edit: i have seen the NR600 you recommended and the hdds being inside the PSU shroud is pretty nice. shame that the case doesnt have frontal 5.25" slots. A case with 2 frontal fans should be more than enough

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by bogate

[camieabz]

Not sure. I really just plugged in your requirements to the PCPP site, and picked the one that still had a price on it (i.e. not obsolete). I imagine browsing the completed builds or checking out the spec sheets might give some info on that.

[Middcore]

21 minutes ago, bogate said:

Thanks a lot for the recommendation. I was looking for a case like that. I can install a hot swap cage in those 3 frontal 5.25" slots. Do you know if the drive cages blocking the 2 frontal fans can be removed? A 3 5.25" hot swap cage can hold 4 hdd so I would use one or two of those slots for my permanent storage and leave the rest for hot swaps or go with a smaller cage and a blu-rayburner

I dont mind the hard drive bays requiring tools. The only thing I would want tool-less are the hot swap bays. Are there cases with the 3.5" bays somewhere else than the front? edit: i have seen the NR600 you recommended and the hdds being inside the PSU shroud is pretty nice. shame that the case doesnt have frontal 5.25" slots. A case with 2 frontal fans should be more than enough

 

I was thinking that by "hot swap" you just mean tool-less without the need to use screws not truly hot-swappable.

 

On the Enthoo Pro, all six 3.5" bays can be removed (they're in two cages with three bays each).

 

A version of the NR600 with a single 5.25" slot exists, but if I recall correctly Cooler Master made an arbitrary decision where they only released the version with the ODD in some regions and the version without in other regions, and did the same for the smaller NR400. 

[bogate]

7 minutes ago, Middcore said:

 

I was thinking that by "hot swap" you just mean tool-less without the need to use screws. 

 

A version of the NR600 with a 5.25" slot exists, but if I recall correctly Cooler Master had made an arbitrary decision where they only released the version with the ODD in some regions and the version without in others, and done the same for the smaller NR400. 

I meant something like this by "hot swap". Basically a DVD player for HDDs. Thanks for the extra info on the NR600, I havent been able to find one with a 5.25" bay but I found the Thermaltake X71 which allows the 3.5" bay to be put in the PSU shroud and has 2 5.25" bays. The thing is bloody massive but should allow for good airflow

Now I need to decide between the X71 or the phanteks enthoo pro. They are a bit similar in price and I should have enough room for the X71. Guess i will sleep before taking that decision. Thanks a lot for the help!

Edited January 31, 2021 by bogate

[Jason 57]

I know this may sound like nothing that you are looking for, but hear me out.

 

I would recommend the Lian Li Lancool II Mesh. Yes there aren't any drive cages in the front for 5.25" or 3.5". 

In the bottom front, you can purchase a hot swappable HDD panel that works with the 3X 3.5 HDD cage. https://lian-li.com/product/lancool-ii-3x/

 

 

 

And you can always just use a USB adapter for your DVD-drive. 

 

I currently use this when I want to use my DVD-drive to convert discs. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07452Z3KH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

And I use this https://www.newegg.com/wavlink-wl-st336a-dock/p/0VN-0069-00021?Item=9SIA6PF7JH4286&Description=wavlink&cm_re=wavlink-_-9SIA6PF7JH4286-_-Product&cm_sp=SP-_-56631-_-0-_-2-_-9SIA6PF7JH4286-_-wavlink-_-wavlink-_-3

If I have a hard drive I need to get data off of. 

 

[bogate]

On 2/3/2021 at 8:01 PM, Jason 57 said:

I know this may sound like nothing that you are looking for, but hear me out.

 

I would recommend the Lian Li Lancool II Mesh. Yes there aren't any drive cages in the front for 5.25" or 3.5". 

In the bottom front, you can purchase a hot swappable HDD panel that works with the 3X 3.5 HDD cage. https://lian-li.com/product/lancool-ii-3x/

 

 

 

And you can always just use a USB adapter for your DVD-drive. 

 

I currently use this when I want to use my DVD-drive to convert discs. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07452Z3KH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

And I use this https://www.newegg.com/wavlink-wl-st336a-dock/p/0VN-0069-00021?Item=9SIA6PF7JH4286&Description=wavlink&cm_re=wavlink-_-9SIA6PF7JH4286-_-Product&cm_sp=SP-_-56631-_-0-_-2-_-9SIA6PF7JH4286-_-wavlink-_-wavlink-_-3

If I have a hard drive I need to get data off of. 

 

Thank you for the suggestion, this is a pretty good option. I think I will forget about the X71 but will have to think this through before going with the phanteks case or this one. The Phanteks case seems more accesible with the hot swap at the front and has more filtered intakes. But I like the design of the lian li more and it looks like the hdds are easily accesible through the bottom door. I will have to think this one through.