Best case for 100$?

[Howitz]

(Looking for atx mid tower) - Here are some of my contenders. what i want is an overall quality look and feel to it, i prefer a plain metal panel than a cheap window, but if we can find something with tempered glass at that price range that is still a very good case, i would be very amazed. I'm not so sure about the acrylic window on the enthoo pro.

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811854038

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352055&cm_re=define_s-_-11-352-055-_-Product

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352048&cm_re=define_r5-_-11-352-048-_-Product (a bit more pricey)

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811854028&cm_re=phanteks_eclipse-_-11-854-028-_-Product (my favorite)

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146217

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146206 (pretty much the top of my price range)

 

[Curufinwe_wins]

6 minutes ago, EnemySp0tt3d said:

Cooler masters master case maker 5 features their free form modular system which allows you to customize, adjust, and upgrade. Make it yours in the link below.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6ZP47K1127&cm_re=mastercase_5-_-11-119-310-_-Product

WTF is wrong with you... Best case under 100 dollars.... And he is CAD.

 

@ OP I'd highly recommend the Define S.

[vladonizer]

You could try looking into the corsair 400c and Lian Li InWin 303. Both beautiful cases and in the USA its $100. I'm not sure about your prices. Also I have built a friends rig in the enthoo pro m and it is good quality

[Howitz]

5 minutes ago, Curufinwe_wins said:

WTF is wrong with you... Best case under 100 dollars.... And he is CAD.

 

@ OP I'd highly recommend the Define S.

well, it's around 100$, not necessarily under. the mastercase could be a consideration but i think that for it's benefits over other less expensive cases i listed above are not really worth.

 

other than that, you say you recommend the define S, but i think the define R5 have a metal front and the define s have a fake brushed aluminum plastic front? 

[Curufinwe_wins]

1 hour ago, Howitz said:

well, it's around 100$, not necessarily under. the mastercase could be a consideration but i think that for it's benefits over other less expensive cases i listed above are not really worth.

 

other than that, you say you recommend the define S, but i think the define R5 have a metal front and the define s have a fake brushed aluminum plastic front? 

He linked the maker variant which is 180 USD...

 

Both cases use the same faux Aluminium Brushed finish, while the Define S has better airflow through the sides (and the door never has to open.).

 

Honestly the plastic finish is better than the Aluminium because it doesn't show fingerprints and dust nearly as bad while looking nigh on identical (I mean you even thought the front was Metal on the R5.

[CrackheadKyle]

I think you should get this http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811854028&cm_re=phanteks_eclipse-_-11-854-028-_-Product

It's your favorite and I'd personally roccmend it, has great airflow and doesn't look like a fucking black box (fractal design)  and has that nice acrylic

windows to look at your sexy parts

[LordGrizzillaKreme]

I have the phanteks p400 case that you claimed is your favorite and its really nice. Would recommend it if your interested in rgb lighting as it has its own built in controller (strip sold separately). Nice and easy to build in and looks like a beast sitting on my desk. Has plenty of space and very easily hides a lot of your unwanted cables and hardware in the basement. Only thing I would recommend is replace the fans since their not very good and quite loud.

[Howitz]

1 hour ago, LordGrizzillaKreme said:

I have the phanteks p400 case that you claimed is your favorite and its really nice. Would recommend it if your interested in rgb lighting as it has its own built in controller (strip sold separately). Nice and easy to build in and looks like a beast sitting on my desk. Has plenty of space and very easily hides a lot of your unwanted cables and hardware in the basement. Only thing I would recommend is replace the fans since their not very good and quite loud.

i claimed the eclipse my favorite, click the link to check it out ;P

[Howitz]

3 hours ago, Savageiste said:

I think you should get this http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811854028&cm_re=phanteks_eclipse-_-11-854-028-_-Product

It's your favorite and I'd personally roccmend it, has great airflow and doesn't look like a fucking black box (fractal design)  and has that nice acrylic

windows to look at your sexy parts

if i was to get it i don't even think i'd pick the window version, i'm the ''tempered glass or nothing'' kind of guy, i saw the inwin case too, there it is

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108483

 

no fans included tho =(

[Howitz]

3 hours ago, Curufinwe_wins said:

He linked the maker variant which is 180 USD...

 

Both cases use the same faux Aluminium Brushed finish, while the Define S has better airflow through the sides (and the door never has to open.).

 

Honestly the plastic finish is better than the Aluminium because it doesn't show fingerprints and dust nearly as bad while looking nigh on identical (I mean you even thought the front was Metal on the R5.

right, the define S or R5 is still a very highly considered choice for me.

[Curufinwe_wins]

45 minutes ago, Howitz said:

if i was to get it i don't even think i'd pick the window version, i'm the ''tempered glass or nothing'' kind of guy, i saw the inwin case too, there it is

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108483

 

no fans included tho =(

I'm not going to say it isn't pretty. But functionally that case is pretty darn poor. NCIX did a recent review of it, and it has lots of corners cut (among other stupid Lian Li choices).

44 minutes ago, Howitz said:

right, the define S or R5 is still a very highly considered choice for me.

I'd say it should always be. Also if you are interested in really nice windows, I'd totally recommend checking out some of the window glass mods done to both the P400 and the Define S (I myself replaced the acrylic with glass. Mod took like an hour and cost like 30 USD.)

 

Personally I think if you aren't shipping your case, tempered glass makes even less sense than regular glass in a case window. Tempered glass just shatters EVERYWHERE, while regular glass is perfectly happy to crack in manageable pieces.

[Howitz]

1 hour ago, Curufinwe_wins said:

I'm not going to say it isn't pretty. But functionally that case is pretty darn poor. NCIX did a recent review of it, and it has lots of corners cut (among other stupid Lian Li choices).

I'd say it should always be. Also if you are interested in really nice windows, I'd totally recommend checking out some of the window glass mods done to both the P400 and the Define S (I myself replaced the acrylic with glass. Mod took like an hour and cost like 30 USD.)

 

Personally I think if you aren't shipping your case, tempered glass makes even less sense than regular glass in a case window. Tempered glass just shatters EVERYWHERE, while regular glass is perfectly happy to crack in manageable pieces.

I see, thanks for the info. So now I'd go either define s or something else like maybe phanteks enthoo pro or phanteks eclipse. How do they compare on the fan size? Plus I've heard things about the define S about how it amplifies noise.

[Curufinwe_wins]

17 minutes ago, Howitz said:

I see, thanks for the info. So now I'd go either define s or something else like maybe phanteks enthoo pro or phanteks eclipse. How do they compare on the fan size? Plus I've heard things about the define S about how it amplifies noise.

Well the Define S is literally the quietest non-extreme silent case on the market, by a wide margin.

 

The Phanteks Eclipse 400p will run hotter and no more quieter, but may very well look better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Case performance - CPU Delta T

Difference over ambient

• SilverStone Raven RVX01
• Cooler Master MasterCase Pro 5
• No case - open test bench
• Corsair Carbide Series 600C (max speed)
• Be Quiet! Silent Base 600 (max speed)
• Corsair Carbide Series 400C
• Corsair Carbide Series 600C (med speed)
• Corsair Carbide Series 600C (min speed)
• BitFenix Pandora ATX
• Phanteks Eclipse P400S (max speed)
• Be Quiet! Silent Base 600 (med speed)
• BitFenix Nova
• Be Quiet! Silent Base 600 (min speed)
• Phanteks Eclipse P400S (med speed)
• Phanteks Eclipse P400S (min speed)

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• • 70

°C, lower is better

• CPU delta T

 

Case performance - GPU Delta T

Difference over ambient

• Cooler Master MasterCase Pro 5
• No case - open test bench
• Corsair Carbide Series 600C (max speed)
• SilverStone Raven RVX01
• Corsair Carbide Series 600C (med speed)
• Phanteks Eclipse P400S (max speed)
• Corsair Carbide Series 600C (min speed)
• Be Quiet! Silent Base 600 (max speed)
• Be Quiet! Silent Base 600 (med speed)
• BitFenix Pandora ATX
• Corsair Carbide Series 400C
• Phanteks Eclipse P400S (med speed)
• Be Quiet! Silent Base 600 (min speed)
• BitFenix Nova
• Phanteks Eclipse P400S (min speed)

• • 47
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• • 48
• • 48
• • 49
• • 50
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• • 57

 

°C, lower is better

• GPU delta T

 

 

 

You'll note that in both charts with the P400, the 400C and 600C outperform it. As does the MasterCase Pro 5.

 

Then note that in the top three charts, the Define S outperforms the 400C, 600C, and Pro 5 in all but one test (it is second overall in gpu cooling to the Pro 5.)

 

This not even taking into account the fact that the Define S was much quieter than the Pro 5 and almost incomparable to the 400C and 600C.

[CrackheadKyle]

On 7/12/2016 at 5:21 PM, Howitz said:

if i was to get it i don't even think i'd pick the window version, i'm the ''tempered glass or nothing'' kind of guy, i saw the inwin case too, there it is

 

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108483

 

no fans included tho =(

well you might as well get some nice noctua fans anyways

[Howitz]

3 minutes ago, Savageiste said:

well you might as well get some nice noctua fans anyways

yeah tho i'm pretty sure i'm go with the P400S Phanteks Eclipse, no window anthracite grey with sound cancelling pads - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811854031

 

with the sapphire RX480 and asus sabertooth z170 mark 1 mobo 

[Manchu]

NZXT S340? I've heard good things about the quality and cable management.

[vladonizer]

Corsair also is rolling out with ML fans, finally led that is actually good

[Howitz]

7 hours ago, acheahead said:

For what its worth, and if you haven't bought the case yet, my P400S came with two faulty motherboard spacers.
I was a bit careless, and only had my letherman handy so I scratched the bottom slightly as I unscrewed the spacers. Among the plethora of screws in the bag supplied with the case is a SINGLE motherboard spacer...
Since it's working fine with 8/9 screws + I didn't want to go through the hassle of returning it to the shop just to get a new case (Internet retailer, not a local shop) I thought I'd let Phanteks know.

I haven't heard from them since march. They haven't even got an automated email service responding to incoming support/RMA cases.
Browsing a few other sites there are other people reporting terrible service and long response time.

Safe to say: I won't buy another Phanteks case, and I'm more inclined to buy Noctua fans and replacing the ones that came with the case 

/gripe over

yeah i'm planning to buy it around christmas hopefully there will be sales, what would you suggest other thank the p400s?