# Sick of my corsair case - all flimsy cheap plastic



## Fif23 (Feb 9, 2017)

I have their Carbide 540 Airflow, an expensive case from Corsair and every time I build hardware into it something breaks.

The SSD cage is made of single use friday night high school party forks material, the cage that holds the 3" hard drives is made of plastic with strength equivalent to the base of a paper cup.
I put my leg on the top of the case, the entire thing split and all tabs broke off. 

This entire case is a big joke for someone who understands material integrity.
Half of it broke, and Corsair said I am out of the 2 year warranty and cant do anything.
But even if I got the parts, it would still be shit.

Are there any cases with TOUGH parts, maybe metal or thick plastic ?  Up to 200$.

Thanks for any recommendations !


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## alucasa (Feb 9, 2017)

Lian Li cases.

There are some other dedicated case makers that specialize in high quality aluminum cases. I forgot the names for now.


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## Athlon2K15 (Feb 9, 2017)

I hear ya man, i have stopped using anything from corsair and thermaltake.


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## jagjitnatt (Feb 9, 2017)

NZXT. Try the H440, built like a tank, but they are too heavy to move around.


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## rtwjunkie (Feb 9, 2017)

Fractal cases are sturdy. Even the HDD caddies are metal.


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## thebluebumblebee (Feb 9, 2017)

Caselabs


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## Deleted member 24505 (Feb 9, 2017)

Lian Li for my recommend. Or just buy something without a shitty plastic front. It annoys me that some companies charge hundreds for a case with a shitty plastic front. Anything over £100 should be all metal.


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## adulaamin (Feb 9, 2017)

rtwjunkie said:


> Fractal cases are sturdy. Even the HDD caddies are metal.


Yup Fractal Design cases are built to last, well that's based on the experience I've had with the Define Mini. I've read somewhere though that the newer models use thinner metal.


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## alucasa (Feb 9, 2017)

Finally recalled the name.

Junsbo cases. http://www.jonsbo.com/en/products.html

It's Lian-Li alternative. While I like Junsbo more than Lian Li, they are harder to get in America.


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## LFaWolf (Feb 9, 2017)

For my Corsair 540, the (hot swap?) SATA connectors at the bottom of the case do not work. Do you have that issue?

Do you watercool? Time to update your system specs.

I have the following cases in alphabetic order -

Antec P100 – Great for ATX board. Pretty silent. Okay airflow. Roomy for cable management. Sturdy. All intakes have dust filters

Antec P280 – Very silent and good airflow if you install 2 additional internal fans. Very sturdy. Great cable management. All intakes have dust filters

Antec 1100 - Very noisy but great airflow if you install 2 additional internal fans. Actively cool your CPU via an additional fan on the right side panel. Okay sturdy. Lots of room for cable management. All intakes have dust filters

Corsair 750D - Huge case, great cable management, but airflow could be restricted if you don't get the version with the high airflow front, but then you will need a filter to keep dust out. 

Corsair 800D – Huge case, and too heavy for me. So much room for cable management it is the best case for that. However, minimal airflow if you don’t watercool and mod it. All intakes have dust filters except the top.

Cooler Master HAF 932 – Sturdy and very heavy. Great airflow but getting the Demcifilter is a must to reduce dust. Lots of rooms for cable management. Comes with wheels to make transport easier.

Cooler Master HAF XB – Sturdy and very heavy. Side panels are all steel. Great airflow (I even install the 80mm fans) but getting the Demcifilter is a must to reduce dust. Lots of rooms for cable management. Short PSU would make things easier but I have a Corsair AX1200 in there and it barely fits. No fans for the hard drive bays and it could be a problem for HDD.

Cooler Master HAF-X – Bigger version of the 932. Sturdy and very heavy. Great airflow but getting the Demcifilter is a must to reduce dust. Lots of rooms for cable management. Comes with wheels to make transport easier. Comes with graphics card stabilizer.

Cooler Master Storm Stryker – On sale now on Newegg by the way with an additional 5% off with promo code. Case with a handle. Feels a bit small on the inside, but lots of rooms for cable management. For my case I had a hard time putting in the MB standoff, either due to the paint not done properly or bad threads. I also re-oriented the front fans to blow from front to back, instead of side to side. If you do that then all intakes have dust filters.

Fractal Design R4 – Good case, very silent, easy to install, surprisingly good airflow (add another 140mm fan) unless you have multiple GPUs. Great for ATX board. Good cable management. All intakes have dust filters

Fractal Design R5 – Better than the R4 in all aspects, except you are sort of limited to ATX boards only. All intakes have dust filters.

Fractal Design XL R2 – Full tower case of the R4. However, the case feet are kind of flimsy and will break off if you are not careful.

Lian-Li A70F (?) – Don’t remember the exact model. Elegant, easy to work with case. A lot of room but virtually no cable management capability in the back. A bit noisy and rattle a bit. PSU intake is from the inside of the case. Great for ATX board. Still one of my favorite cases though.

NZXT 810 Switch – Not sure you can still get it. Good cable management, okay airflow if you install the 2 optional internal fans. Very heavy but sturdy. Front intake has no dust filter. Has a neat LED light in the back to light up the I/O. Very useful. Also comes with multicard reader in the front, and has nice DVD cover that works well.

Thermaltake Chaser MK-I – Good airflow. Not too noisy considering all the fans plus the additional 200mm that I installed. A copycat of the HAF 932. Good cable management. All intakes have dust filters.

If I have to pick a case now I take the R5, especially if you have just an ATX board.
Edit: Added the Corsair 750D


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## biffzinker (Feb 9, 2017)

Phantek? http://www.phanteksusa.com/collections/cases
http://www.phanteksusa.com/collections/cases

The Phantek Eclipse P400S I recently bought is a all metal case (front, top, and side panels.)

The feet on the case, and the drive mounts are plastic.


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## Fif23 (Feb 9, 2017)

I will have to check Lian Li and Junsbo  for availability! 
Thanks Wolf for the list, I sure can get the Fractal cases here including the R5. Are the drive bays metal ? 
 Blzz thes plastic cages are exactly what I am talking about, replace your hard drive 4-5 times and it will break.


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## P4-630 (Feb 9, 2017)

Be Quiet! cases made in Germany are decent quality as well.


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## rtwjunkie (Feb 9, 2017)

Fif23 said:


> Are the drive bays metal ?


yes they are.  The R5 is slightly superior except the metal is not as thick as the R4.  Air Filter removal and cleaning is easier on the R5, though.

Ninja'd by @P4-630.  Was also going to mention Be Quiet!


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## RejZoR (Feb 9, 2017)

If you want tough case, look at Lian Li. 100% shaped aluminium. But they aren't cheap.


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## thebluebumblebee (Feb 9, 2017)

I forgot Nanoxia.  I think they use the same ODM as Fractal.
Mountain Mods


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## natr0n (Feb 9, 2017)

my dinosaur case is made of steel, just about everything now is bulky plastic


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## dorsetknob (Feb 9, 2017)

natr0n said:


> my dinosaur case is made of steel, just about everything now is bulky plastic


Recently Aquired a full Wide Tower Server case
gutted it of its working innards ready for a project build
weighed it bare no PSU Ect ( 44 LBS of Solid Steel on Castors )


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## xkm1948 (Feb 9, 2017)

I wish the front bezel of Define R5 is metal. That plastic front really ruined R5 for me. Kinda wish I went with LianLi


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## jboydgolfer (Feb 9, 2017)

i will never go Phanteks again personally, front panel has broken 3 times in a year...acryllic panel warping, and the worst of all...theyre support is so bad id rather stare at a dog penis for 5 hours than go through dealing with them one more time.

its different for everyone though, some will love Corsair, and vice versa. I like thermaltake, Coolermaster, Fractal, inWin for theyre designs, but that doesnt mean they will be Solid quality, it doesnt mean they Wont either, but my point is its all what YOU need/feel/like.


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## therealmeep (Feb 9, 2017)

natr0n said:


> my dinosaur case is made of steel, just about everything now is bulky plastic


Gotta say they don't make cases strong anymore, my HAF XB EVO is awesome cause the majority of it is steel, save for the front faceplate, gotta say I like the antec 900 (though it can get kinda cramped and doesn't like very long GPUs now my server chassis) as well as the sadly discontinued centurion series from CM (still rocking 2 of these one)


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## Deleted member 24505 (Feb 9, 2017)

therealmeep said:


> Gotta say they don't make cases strong anymore, my HAF XB EVO is awesome cause the majority of it is steel, save for the front faceplate, gotta say I like the antec 900 (though it can get kinda cramped and doesn't like very long GPUs now my server chassis) as well as the sadly discontinued centurion series from CM (still rocking 2 of these one)


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## TheoneandonlyMrK (Feb 10, 2017)

rtwjunkie said:


> Fractal cases are sturdy. Even the HDD caddies are metal.


Nice sturdy cases more like
I built an R5 refine for family, he nearly didn't get it back, if I were not a rad addict.


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## Vario (Feb 10, 2017)

Lian Li is nice, its not super sturdy though, the aluminum can be thin.  But it has a premium feel that you won't get with the plastic cases.

If you want really sturdy, try some old Chenming/Antec/Enermax/Chieftec cases.





these things last forever


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## FreedomEclipse (Feb 10, 2017)

Corsair 760T (V1)  here. It has some plastic but its 80% metal. Drive cages are made out if metal but the drive trays that hold the HDDs or SSDs are plastic but i havent done many rebuilds or swapping a load of hardware in and out of the case constantly. Maybe you should of read some reviews and had a proper proper look at the case online before deciding to buy in on it. 

Ive owned a fractal define XL and built many machines for other people using the R4. Its heavy once you got everything inside but its almost bombproof


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## Fif23 (Feb 10, 2017)

How is the build quality of that H440 ? It looks REALLY well thought of inside. Like they had actual engineers working on it. Same with the R5.
 Is everything RIDIG and not flimsy and crackling like the Corsair 540 ? ?


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## MustSeeMelons (Feb 10, 2017)

I second Fractal Design, I think I could sit on my R4 and it still would not care.


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## Papahyooie (Feb 10, 2017)

Plus another for Fractal Designs. I have the Arc Mini R2 and it's great. Nice and sturdy, all the amenities you'd look for in a higher end case. Good alternative to something super expensive like Lian Li. The Mini R2 is even a micro ATX case with room for 2 radiators (whaaat?) And tool-less drive bays that DON'T break (double whaaaat?)


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## eidairaman1 (Feb 10, 2017)

CM HAF, Aerocool Xpredator, Silverstone Temjin series,


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## blacktruckryder (Feb 10, 2017)

Pretty impressed by the Inwin 303 build quality!


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## revin (Feb 10, 2017)

LFaWolf said:


> Cooler Master HAF 932 – Sturdy and very heavy. Great airflow but getting the Demcifilter is a must to reduce dust. Lots of rooms for cable management. Comes with wheels to make transport easier.


 *Demcifilter*
Well now I love my 932 even more than ever!
I love the size having way too many large  HDD's  but most of all there is soooo much slow cool air thru the case.
Yes it's kinda heavy, no it is heavy but it's so freaking quiet with those large slow moving fans. Even the under volted  sanyo denki san ace 1011 in front of the CM 4in3 HDD cage w/3 HDD's keeps it so very quiet.
But the openness of it was the biggest issue with every couple months needing to take it out in the garage to clean it out.
Since my pc's have always lived inside a large desk, it was a necessity to have lot's of air movement, and I have really liked the large style of ATX boards, but the ruggedness build quality that Cooler Master has with it made it a no brainer. 
The 932 fit the bill for me in all those regards except for the dust and now since the filter kit is available [ thanks @LFaWolf !!] it will be a dream to continue to use this case for another dozen years if I last that long !


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## LFaWolf (Feb 10, 2017)

revin said:


> *Demcifilter*
> Well now I love my 932 even more than ever!
> I love the size having way too many large  HDD's  but most of all there is soooo much slow cool air thru the case.
> Yes it's kinda heavy, no it is heavy but it's so freaking quiet with those large slow moving fans. Even the under volted  sanyo denki san ace 1011 in front of the CM 4in3 HDD cage w/3 HDD's keeps it so very quiet.
> ...



Yes with the Demcifilter you will be amazed. I barely get any dust in the system after running it almost a year. However, you do need to take the filters (external, magnetic) and wash them (yes running through them with water is the best way to clean) and dry them. I do that before I sleep and just let it dry overnight with the system off. Cleaning once every few months keeps the system running great. I also don't see any noticeable drop in airflow and system temp. You can get the filters from Performance PCS with a slightly lower shipping cost but probably higher price.


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## Liviu Cojocaru (Feb 10, 2017)

I would also go for a Phanteks P400 S , I have an Enthoo Luxe but this thing is huge I kind of regret that I got this case because of it's size


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## Deleted member 24505 (Feb 10, 2017)

I really like that Phanteks P400s, I think that might be my next case.


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## HUSKIE (Feb 10, 2017)

tigger said:


> I really like that Phanteks P400s, I think that might be my next case.



I have spare one here lying around white colour,..... just  changed to core x9 case


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## micropage7 (Feb 12, 2017)

what about 2nd branded cases?
i use HP from pentium 4 era and so far its pretty good, maybe the bad things are you need to make sure it supports M-atx board and so far i can find they just M-atx cases, so if you use ATX board you cant use it and its for standard setup, with limited space


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## Ebo (Feb 12, 2017)

Lian Li, Silverstone or NZXT.

Once you have gone that way theres no going back.


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## Tsukiyomi91 (Feb 12, 2017)

my Air 240's hard drive & SSD caddy didn't give my any problems since I bought it...


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## Fif23 (Feb 12, 2017)

I am proud to tell you all that I got rid of the Corsair piece of crap plastic and bought an H440 New edition. 

The corsair looks like a 10 dollar case next to it. 
Live and learn !


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## Tsukiyomi91 (Feb 12, 2017)

uh... good for 'ya man... =/


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## micropage7 (Feb 12, 2017)

Fif23 said:


> I am proud to tell you all that I got rid of the Corsair piece of crap plastic and bought an H440 New edition.
> 
> The corsair looks like a 10 dollar case next to it.
> Live and learn !


hahaha.. in here $40 cases are the same, looks nice but the steel just meh


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## fusionblu (Feb 12, 2017)

For price point you could easily go for a solid Fractal design case, but as a fan of Midi towers while nothing will beat a case that can be cooled by 3x 230mm Fans (my case, Corsair 650D) the Raijintek Asterion Plus Aluminium Midi Tower Case does seem aesthetically pleasing to the eye and seems to be of a solid build from reviews (also in price point I think, not sure on currency exchange and at £140 price point in the UK).
Only negatives I saw was some cables being too long, but I would recommend checking reviews for the case if you like the appearance too.


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## Melvis (Feb 13, 2017)

rtwjunkie said:


> Fractal cases are sturdy. Even the HDD caddies are metal.



Overall I would agree, but the Fractal case I got only a few months ago was not what I was expecting. The case looked the part, looked great, everything about it said quality. When I got the case and and unwrapped it all that thought in my head what I was expecting it to be dropped very quickly. Alot more plastic then I was expecting and alot thinner metal as well. Dont get me wrong I still like the case its alot better then others ive seen but just wasnt what I was lead to beleave. Case was a Fractal Arc Midi. 

Lian Li cases so far are the best quality ive seen, my one is stunning, but bloody expensive and to even put a slight mark on it makes me cry lol.


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## rtwjunkie (Feb 13, 2017)

Melvis said:


> Overall I would agree, but the Fractal case I got only a few months ago was not what I was expecting. The case looked the part, looked great, everything about it said quality. When I got the case and and unwrapped it all that thought in my head what I was expecting it to be dropped very quickly. Alot more plastic then I was expecting and alot thinner metal as well. Dont get me wrong I still like the case its alot better then others ive seen but just wasnt what I was lead to beleave. Case was a Fractal Arc Midi.
> 
> Lian Li cases so far are the best quality ive seen, my one is stunning, but bloody expensive and to even put a slight mark on it makes me cry lol.


Yeah I can't believe speak for sturdiness of the Arc Midi. I know the R4 is a frickin tank, and the R5 is just a step down in sturdiness, being a slightly lighter tank. The only plastic is the opening front door, although it's very thick and sound insulated.


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