Future proof water cooling case

[The Sweetroll]

I am about to build a water cooling loop for my current rig (3570k and 7970) but I need a new case since my FD XL isn't very well suited for water cooling. I want a case that I can stick with for years and that supports a more powerful system than the one I have today. I want to achieve a very quiet system with my loop and my case needs to support up to two high-end graphics cards and a CPU with moderate overclocks. 

 

The cases I have been looking at are the TJ07,TJ11 and the new 900D but availability is quite bad where I live and the used market is almost non existent. Is there any other case that would fit my needs or should I wait to get one of the above mentioned cases for a fair price? 

[Hyydrah]

I personally prefer the 900D's layout and looks over the two others.You may also want to consider CaseLabs as well although their cases aren't for everyone in terms of their aesthetics and price.

[calebp123]

Well 900D is really awesome but the switch 810 by nzxt is one of the wc legends in the way of cases.

[I'm Batman]

900D seems like its the best ATM

[alpenwasser]

I seriously recommend having a look at Caselabs. Sure they're pricey, but if you

really plan on keeping it for many years and many upgrade cycles then it's really

not going to be that much anymore I'd say. It's how I justified buying one for

myself, I consider it very much a very long term investment. :)

Also, they do ship to pretty much anywhere in the world.

[The Sweetroll]

 

I personally prefer the 900D's layout and looks over the two others.You may also want to consider CaseLabs as well although their cases aren't for everyone in terms of their aesthetics and price.

 

The 900D does look very nice and has alot of room for radiators, but i do prefer the more curved silvestone cases when it comes to looks. Caselabs are just too expensive with tax and shipping.

 

Well 900D is really awesome but the switch 810 by nzxt is one of the wc legends in the way of cases.

 

 

 

Switch 810 has a very appealing price but i've heard that the build quality isn't really the best.
 

[alpenwasser]

The 900D does look very nice and has alot of room for radiators, but i do prefer the more curved silvestone cases when it comes to looks. Caselabs are just too expensive with tax and shipping.

The TJ11 is a gorgeous beast. I almost bought one before going with Caselabs. But

at least where I live the TJ11 is not that much cheaper than the Caselabs I bought.

And if I split the price difference over several years it's going to be quite a

small amount of money.

But the decision's yours, of course. 

 

 

Switch 810 has a very appealing price but i've heard that the build quality isn't really the best.

Well, I'd say you get what you pay for. You can still put good engineering and

nice features in a rather affordable case, but when it comes to build quality

corners will have to be cut somewhere. This is also quite evident on the more

affordable Lian Li cases, the Aluminum used on them is quite thin and flimsy

(I mention that because I have one of those, as well as one of the more solid

ones).

Personally I would much rather go with the TJ11 than the 900D, but that's not

really because I think the 900D is a bad case but simply because I prefer the

look of the Silverstones as well. The 900D doesn't really appeal to me. I don't

really like the case feet and the look of the lower compartment. But tastes differ.

EDIT:Also, the 5.25" bays look horrible if you have something in them IMHO.

[AraSarkisyan]

The TJ11 is a gorgeous beast. I almost bought one before going with Caselabs. But

at least where I live the TJ11 is not that much cheaper than the Caselabs I bought.

And if I split the price difference over several years it's going to be quite a

small amount of money.

But the decision's yours, of course. 

 

 

Well, I'd say you get what you pay for. You can still put good engineering and

nice features in a rather affordable case, but when it comes to build quality

corners will have to be cut somewhere. This is also quite evident on the more

affordable Lian Li cases, the Aluminum used on them is quite thin and flimsy

(I mention that because I have one of those, as well as one of the more solid

ones).

Personally I would much rather go with the TJ11 than the 900D, but that's not

really because I think the 900D is a bad case but simply because I prefer the

look of the Silverstones as well. The 900D doesn't really appeal to me. I don't

really like the case feet and the look of the lower compartment. But tastes differ.

EDIT:Also, the 5.25" bays look horrible if you have something in them IMHO.

who even uses 5.25 bays anymore? 

[alpenwasser]

who even uses 5.25 bays anymore?

Fan controllers, HDD backplanes... but yes, they're certainly not as important as

they used to be. Personally I used to run two Aquadrives for a few years. I love

a case which has a front full of 5.25" bays instead of internal 3.5" ones. That

way I can simply mount HDD cages and other stuff where I want it, and if I don't

need the bays I can use them for radiators.

Of course, Caselabs' flexbay system is even more awesome because you don't need

to mount the bay mounting brackets if you don't use the bays (it's really such

an obvious solution I'm terribly surprised nobody thought of it sooner).

[AraSarkisyan]

Fan controllers, HDD backplanes... but yes, they're certainly not as important as

they used to be. Personally I used to run two Aquadrives for a few years. I love

a case which has a front full of 5.25" bays instead of internal 3.5" ones. That

way I can simply mount HDD cages and other stuff where I want it, and if I don't

need the bays I can use them for radiators.

Of course, Caselabs' flexbay system is even more awesome because you don't need

to mount the bay mounting brackets if you don't use the bays (it's really such

an obvious solution I'm terribly surprised nobody thought of it sooner).

IMO things that use 5.25 bays ruin the aesthetics of the case. 

[alpenwasser]

IMO things that use 5.25 bays ruin the aesthetics of the case.

For the most part I agree, but I belong to the "form follows function" group,

and there's nothing that can beat the flexibility of the good old 5.25" bay.

I can fit 20 HDDs into the 5.25" front of my Xigmatek Elysium with the right

3.5" cages, few cases even have half of that (and not all of those that come

close are solid enough to support 14 kg/30 lbs of HDDs in their front ;)).

But yes, there's a reason I'm only using one 5.25" in HELIOS, and that reason

is indeed aesthetics.

[mnemonicman]

Future proof watercooling case? Most anything from Caselabs.

[The Sweetroll]

Caselabs gets a lot of love in this thread. The cases they make are indeed very good looking and functional but the price is just too high, a SMH10 with the needed accessories,shipping and tax would end up at a bit over 900€. So getting a new caselabs is pretty much out of the question.

 

The TJ11 is the most attractive of the three but the price is noticeably higher at 600€ than the 900D at about 350€ and the TJ07 at 285€. The TJ07 is better looking IMO but does it feel a bit dated without a lot of modding? 

[alpenwasser]

SMH10 with the needed accessories,shipping and tax would end up at a bit over 900€

Yeah, mine was not quite that expensive, but it's around there somewhere...

It's your decision of course.

The TJ11 is the most attractive of the three but the price is noticeably higher at 600€ than the 900D at about 350€ and the TJ07 at 285€. The TJ07 is better looking IMO but does it feel a bit dated without a lot of modding?

Agree about the TJ07. It can still be a phenomenal case, but at least for my needs

I would need to do some serious modding. Personally, if it really is supposed to last

you a few years, I'd go for the TJ11. From what I've seen, it's built like a tank,

and I just love how it looks, especially when compared to the 900D. But that's just me. ;)

I'd say all three are very good cases (provided you do some mods to the TJ07), and

I'd guess you won't regret either choice, so in the end you really have to know if

the additional money is worth the TJ11 for you, but that's a decision only you can

make.