Recommend me a case.

[Distinctly Average]

I had planned to build a new machine this year but with the insanity of ram and storage that plan has changed.

 

So now I plan to just move my kit to a new case. I recently upgraded my AMD 2700x to a 5800x which cost me nothing. A couple of months back when there was that little dip in GPU prices I got  a 5700ti for a good bit below msrp. So now have a system that is working well for my current needs. 
 

The case however is an old Corsair. It is that old it still has 2 5 1/4 inch bays. Recently the second front USB port died so both now knackered. It has no front usb c.

 

So my current setup 5800x. 32gb 3600 ddr4 2*16 kit, RTX5700ti, 1000w Corsair RMx PSU, X470 AM4 MB and a Thermalright assassin cooler. I also have 2^2gb M.2 drives, one for windows and one for other stuff. There are also 4*8TB 3.5 inch spinning rust drives which I use for photo and video storage.

 

So I need a case suitable for all that preferably with room for more rust if needed if the price drops. I would like front usb c and preferably not where I have to buy a kit to add it. Not too big a case and one with decent cable management as the current one is terrible. Hopefully not too an expensive case. Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

[Dedayog]

1 minute ago, Distinctly Average said:

I had planned to build a new machine this year but with the insanity of ram and storage that plan has changed.

 

So now I plan to just move my kit to a new case. I recently upgraded my AMD 2700x to a 5800x which cost me nothing. A couple of months back when there was that little dip in GPU prices I got  a 5700ti for a good bit below msrp. So now have a system that is working well for my current needs. 
 

The case however is an old Corsair. It is that old it still has 2 5 1/4 inch bays. Recently the second front USB port died so both now knackered. It has no front usb c.

 

So my current setup 5800x. 32gb 3600 ddr4 2*16 kit, RTX5700ti, 1000w Corsair RMx PSU, X470 AM4 MB and a Thermalright assassin cooler. I also have 2^2gb M.2 drives, one for windows and one for other stuff. There are also 4*8TB 3.5 inch spinning rust drives which I use for photo and video storage.

 

So I need a case suitable for all that preferably with room for more rust if needed if the price drops. I would like front usb c and preferably not where I have to buy a kit to add it. Not too big a case and one with decent cable management as the current one is terrible. Hopefully not too an expensive case. Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

Fractal Design Define R6.

 

I'd say North but no HDD mounts.

[Ha-Satan]

1 minute ago, Dedayog said:

Fractal Design Define R6.

Does the R6 have front panel USB-C? I'm looking at the Fractal website and it has a "USB-C" version listed on the page but clicking on the link for that just takes you to a different, seemingly unrelated page.

 

The Define 7, on the other hand, does have front panel USB-C and it has room for more 3.5" drive bays compared to the R6 so that's what I would recommend. It's not exactly "small" but the reality is that OP's not going to get both "small" and ">4 3.5" drive bays" in a modern case.

[Dedayog]

1 minute ago, Ha-Satan said:

Does the R6 have front panel USB-C? I'm looking at the Fractal website and it has a "USB-C" version listed on the page but clicking on the link for that just takes you to a different, seemingly unrelated page.

 

The Define 7, on the other hand, does have front panel USB-C and it has room for more 3.5" drive bays compared to the R6 so that's what I would recommend. It's not exactly "small" but the reality is that OP's not going to get both "small" and ">4 3.5" drive bays" in a modern case.

Yeah, the R6 has the optional USB C front.  It came out after release.

 

7 is nice too, but I like the R6.

Agreed otherwise.

[Distinctly Average]

Grrr, case looks lovely but not one new one in stock in the UK that I can find. Plenty of mashed up ones on fleabay but none new.

[Distinctly Average]

32 minutes ago, Ha-Satan said:

 

 

The Define 7, on the other hand, does have front panel USB-C and it has room for more 3.5" drive bays compared to the R6 so that's what I would recommend. It's not exactly "small" but the reality is that OP's not going to get both "small" and ">4 3.5" drive bays" in a modern case.

The current designs don't seem to accommodate 3.5 bays like they did just a few years ago. M.2 and 2.5 SSDs are the thing now I suppose. But to replace all my 9month old 3.5s would be a waste and expensive. 

[Ha-Satan]

2 minutes ago, Distinctly Average said:

The current designs don't seem to accommodate 3.5 bays like they did just a few years ago. M.2 and 2.5 SSDs are the thing now I suppose. But to replace all my 9month old 3.5s would be a waste and expensive. 

Have you considered getting a DAS instead?

[Distinctly Average]

12 minutes ago, Ha-Satan said:

Have you considered getting a DAS instead?

I already have a Fujitsu DX Nas (I work in a data centre on high end storage, mainframes etc. This one was getting chucked out as end of sales) in my shed for backups. I really wanted the internal drives I already have indoors

[Distinctly Average]

Looking at other Fractal design cases, the POP Air XL is available but the website seems to contradict itself on 3.5 bays. On one page it says 3, but there is also mention of 4 in the specs - https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/pop/pop-xl-air/ It says 2 dedicated 3.5 inch bays included and 3 combo 3.5/2.5 bays. I would have to buy the USB C cable too.

 

There is also a "hidden" set of 2 5.25 inch bays. I wonder if I could fit drives in there? 

[Ha-Satan]

2 minutes ago, Distinctly Average said:

There is also a "hidden" set of 2 5.25 inch bays. I wonder if I could fit drives in there? 

Wouldn't that be where you need to put the USB-C ports?

[Distinctly Average]

4 minutes ago, Ha-Satan said:

Wouldn't that be where you need to put the USB-C ports?

No, that goes at the top. The manual shows one of those 5.25 bays with an optical drive in place but it looks like it would take up room where the 3.5 bays are. Hard to tell from the manual if there is enough room to fit 3.5s in the 5.25 bays and use the existing 3 3.5 bays.

 

Also the manual contradicts the specifications on the web page linked. I think the 2* dedicated 3.5 bays is a typo and should read 2.5 bays.

[Ha-Satan]

4 minutes ago, Distinctly Average said:

No, that goes at the top.

Ahh, OK, I misunderstood what you meant. I didn't realize there was a specialized add-on for this case in particular; I thought you were talking about getting one of those connector panels that goes in a 5.25" bay.

 

I can't make any more sense of the Pop XL specs than you can, unfortunately.

[Ha-Satan]

Speaking of that, you could just get one of those 5.25" USB front panel add-ins and put it in your current case.

[Distinctly Average]

2 minutes ago, Ha-Satan said:

Speaking of that, you could just get one of those 5.25" USB front panel add-ins and put it in your current case.

Mu current case is knackered TBH. The bulge from the cabling is not pretty. And I have no way of sorting that.

[Distinctly Average]

Anyone know if the Phanteks G500a is any good? They seem available.

[Ha-Satan]

4 minutes ago, Distinctly Average said:

Mu current case is knackered TBH. The bulge from the cabling is not pretty. And I have no way of sorting that.

Sounds great! The older and more beat-up a case is, the better IMO.

 

Jokes aside, what about the Enthoo Pro 2?

 

https://www.awd-it.co.uk/phanteks-enthoo-pro-2-tempered-glass-drgb-e-atx-full-tower-pc-case-satin-black.html?source=webgains&siteid=206719&utm_source=webgains&wgu=13527_206719_17721408083313_51aba7de3d&wgexpiry=1803676808

 

It's big, but it has a front panel USB-C port and comes with 4 3.5" drive bays with the possibility to add 8 more.

[Crunchy Dragon]

1 hour ago, Distinctly Average said:

Grrr, case looks lovely but not one new one in stock in the UK that I can find. Plenty of mashed up ones on fleabay but none new.

PCPartPicker has some links that seem to show it in stock on a couple UK sites

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/L8xbt6/fractal-design-define-7-atx-mid-tower-case-fd-c-def7a-01

 

Define 7 XL seems a little more readily available:

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/dyLwrH/fractal-design-define-7-xl-atx-full-tower-case-fd-c-def7x-01

[Distinctly Average]

9 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

PCPartPicker has some links that seem to show it in stock on a couple UK sites

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/L8xbt6/fractal-design-define-7-atx-mid-tower-case-fd-c-def7a-01

 

Define 7 XL seems a little more readily available:

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/dyLwrH/fractal-design-define-7-xl-atx-full-tower-case-fd-c-def7x-01

Clicked on the links for first one. Newegg is a ships from the US, which is a pain here and usually involves taxes. Scan have one but they ripped me off in the past with a delivery of wood in the box instead of what I ordered. They didn't want to know as I "hadn't videoed myself opening the box". Fortunately I claimed back through my card.

 

I've just ordered the Enthoo pro 2. Shame I couldn't get the fractal design as I really like their products.

[Crunchy Dragon]

12 minutes ago, Distinctly Average said:

Clicked on the links for first one. Newegg is a ships from the US, which is a pain here and usually involves taxes. Scan have one but they ripped me off in the past with a delivery of wood in the box instead of what I ordered. They didn't want to know as I "hadn't videoed myself opening the box". Fortunately I claimed back through my card.

 

I've just ordered the Enthoo pro 2. Shame I couldn't get the fractal design as I really like their products.

Enthoo Pro 2 is a good case. That was actually the one I had wanted until I found a Define 7 XL in stock here in the USA. 

[Distinctly Average]

Thanks to both of you. Unfortunately, here in the UK getting a lot of stuff is no longer as easy as it once was. For instance, yesterday I needed thermal paste. There was a time when PC world had it, or there were many small independents. Now it is Amazon or a trip into London. Same day is just hard. I wasn't in a rush so could wait for delivery. It just reminds me how much the industry has changed. While I used to build PCs all the time, I have done very little in the past 10 years building just the one and upgrading as needed. So jumping in and out I see big changes. Working in enterprise kit nothing really changes, every 5 years end of support arrives so we install the next variant for lots more money and extra red tape.  

 

My home PC is mainly used for photo editing (Photoshop/Lightroom) and video with DaVinci Resolve. I do a bit of gaming on it (Baldurs Gate 3, Doom etc) but mainly images. The GPU was a nice jump in speed over my 2060 particularly. Noise reduction in Lightroom for instance went from c45 seconds to about 5 seconds. Given I process probably 50 images a week that is quite a time saving.