# Caseless or not?



## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

So I'm debating whether I want to put my system back in a case or not.  Currently, it's spread out across one of the tiers of my desk.
Here's what it's like currently:





This is the case it would be going back in:




Here's the advantages of a case:

Tidier
Takes up less space
Less dust issues
Would make parents happy 

And the disadvantages:

The case is small and cramped
No effective way of cooling the 2 GPUs--temps in the case are easily 10c+ higher for the GPUs
Louder (fans have to spin faster to keep temps under control)
Less convenient for tinkering with
I'm probably adding a 3rd GPU next weekend, which would roast (even more than the other 2)

So, should I go back to a case or not?  A new, larger case w/ better airflow will be in my future, but not yet (because of the recent purchase of a GTS450).

I'm leaning towards 'no', but I want to hear what you guys think


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## Radical_Edward (Oct 16, 2010)

Get a better case. Honestly I thought about a tech bench for a while, but I like to enjoy beverages now and again and I'd hate to slip that towards a tech bench, etc. While with a case, at least you have some protection from outside elements. (I have cats, so that's another reason.)


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

A better case is coming, but probably not until Christmas at the earliest 

And I don't have to worry about beverages, it's elevated above the part of my desk where I keep things (only store books up there)


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## TeXBill (Oct 16, 2010)

Got a micro atx test bench not be used right now Ion? Is your setup going to fit in a micro atx test bench?


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

TeXBill said:


> Got a micro atx test bench not be used right now Ion? Is your setup going to fit in a micro atx test bench?



Sorry, I don't understand your first question 

And, no, my setup is standard ATX   It would, after all, be hard to fit 3 dual-slot GPUs and a WiFi card in a mATX board


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## KieX (Oct 16, 2010)

Damn, you forgot the third option!

Cut up the case to make it into a testbench like TexBill suggested above?


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

KieX said:


> Damn, you forgot the third option!
> 
> Cut up the case to make it into a testbench like TexBill suggested above?



Hmm.  How exactly would I go about doing this?  And how would it be any better than just using the mobo tray I'm using ATM?


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## KieX (Oct 16, 2010)

[Ion] said:


> Hmm.  How exactly would I go about doing this?  And how would it be any better than just using the mobo tray I'm using ATM?



The drive cages, PSU mount... stuff like that can be taken and put together as a two-tier bench table.

EDIT: You can probably use the case frame/panels to make the two levels:





Dunno if i'm making sense


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## TeXBill (Oct 16, 2010)

> And, no, my setup is standard ATX


No I meant I have a Micro ATX test bench that is still in the box. I would sent it to you for the shipping charges. 
But if it's a standard atx board it won't work...:shadedshu
Just a thought about getting it into a test bench setup... Let it run NAKED for awhile..
I need to get another micro board and set it up so I can put the new GTS450 in it when it arrives next week.....
Got everything I need but the board..


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

KieX said:


> The drive cages, PSU mount... stuff like that can be taken and put together as a two-tier bench table.
> 
> EDIT: You can probably use the case frame/panels to make the two levels:
> http://img.techpowerup.org/101015/Untitled992.jpg
> ...


That makes perfect sense 

I'll think about it, I don't really want to chop up the only case I have when I could just go out and buy a tech station


TeXBill said:


> No I meant I have a Micro ATX test bench that is still in the box. I would sent it to you for the shipping charges.
> But if it's a standard atx board it won't work...:shadedshu
> Just a thought about getting it into a test bench setup... Let it run NAKED for awhile..
> I need to get another micro board and set it up so I can put the new GTS450 in it when it arrives next week.....
> Got everything I need but the board..



Oh, well that's very generous of you!

Thanks for the offer, it's a shame it won't work for me


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## Fourstaff (Oct 16, 2010)

Unless you need the desk space or your parents are threatening to cut your budget, I think it will be better for you to leave it as it is.


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## n-ster (Oct 16, 2010)

What case is that?


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## MetalRacer (Oct 16, 2010)

KieX said:


> The drive cages, PSU mount... stuff like that can be taken and put together as a two-tier bench table.
> 
> EDIT: You can probably use the case frame/panels to make the two levels:
> http://img.techpowerup.org/101015/Untitled992.jpg
> ...



This method has worked well for me.

 Show off your WCG farm

 Your PC ATM


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## Black Panther (Oct 16, 2010)

[Ion] said:


> A better case is coming, but probably not until Christmas at the earliest



In that case I'd stay caseless till Xmas, then get a good case


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## qubit (Oct 16, 2010)

Ion, your system looks a mess!  Put the damn thing in something! Also, over time, stuff is likely to get broken if it's flopping around outside, unprotected from knocks and bangs. That fan balanced precariously on the graphics card is especially likely to fall and break something.

What you want is something like the CoolerMaster HAF 922 like I have or the Antec Skeleton - this might be an even better choice for you.

There's little and large versions of it, too.


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

Fourstaff said:


> Unless you need the desk space or your parents are threatening to cut your budget, I think it will be better for you to leave it as it is.


Thanks 


n-ster said:


> What case is that?


Lian Li PC-A05S.  I have a hard time justifying destroying a Lian Li to turn it into a tech bench 


MetalRacer said:


> This method has worked well for me.
> 
> Show off your WCG farm
> 
> Your PC ATM


I'll look at those 


Black Panther said:


> In that case I'd stay caseless till Xmas, then get a good case


That was my thought, something like the CM692 is very tempting IMO


qubit said:


> Ion, your system looks a mess!  Put the damn thing in something! Also, over time, stuff is likely to get broken if it's flopping around outside, unprotected from knocks and bangs. That fan balanced precariously on the graphics card is especially likely to fall and break something.
> 
> What you want is something like the CoolerMaster HAF 922 like I have or the Antec Skeleton - this might be an even better choice for you.
> 
> ...



A mess it certainly is :shadedshu
IMO the HAFs are very ugly, on my list of considerations ATM is the Antec 300, CM Centurion 590, CM 690/2 and the Lancool PC-K62.

The Skeleton seems like a pretty expensive tech station, I must say I prefer the design & cost of the HSPC ones


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## n-ster (Oct 16, 2010)

yikes, that case is nice, but SMALL!

I LOVE my case, and its so easy to tinker with Li-Li K62


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

n-ster said:


> yikes, that case is nice, but SMALL!
> 
> I LOVE my case, and its so easy to tinker with Li-Li K62



It is great, it's one of the smallest ATX cases yet it supports GPUs up to 11.5 inches.  With top fans, I'm sure that it would cool decently well, but I don't have the the tools to add them and have it look at all nice.

I'm sure it would be a great case for my mom's rig, she has an UCed/UVed C2D & a Radeon X1300 

But she can't have my Lian Li.  I paid too much for it do use it for that


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

Well, my parents made the decision for me 

I was told I could put the computer back in the case or it would be confiscated until such time that I would put it back in the case


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## n-ster (Oct 16, 2010)

LOLOL

How old are you? I'm 18, and you can bet my parents would have never let me take it out of my case in the first place


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

16 

Apparently, my rig was 'too messy and was prone to falling off the desk' in it's old configuration 

I spent a while on the cable management when I was putting things back together and I think that the end result is it looks pretty good for the amount of HW, the number of non-modular cables (4 PCIe, 1 24-pin, 2 8-pin CPU) and the size of the case:






EDIT:


t77snapshot said:


> You forgot about the _safety_ advantages of having a case....like when there is a lot of static in the air. Do you have any pets or younger siblings? And you can't label size was a disadvantage because there are really large cases out there.



I was referring to my specific case, a larger case is coming 

I have a younger brother and sister, but they're both old enough to be responsible and to know that if they do anything to my computer there is going to be hell to pay 

How would a case help w/ static in the air?  I never run with a side panel, airflow is too bad for that


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## t77snapshot (Oct 16, 2010)

You forgot about the _safety_ advantages of having a case....like when there is a lot of static in the air. Do you have any pets or younger siblings? And you can't label size was a disadvantage because there are really large cases out there.


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## n-ster (Oct 16, 2010)

Nice tidying in such a space


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2010)

Thanks, I think that it looks far better than last time I had it set up in this case.  I'll have to redo basically all of the wires next weekend when I add the GTS250....but that shouldn't take more than a few minutes.  It'll be more of an issue to see how well all 3 cards could stay cool in such close proximity..I'm afraid that I might need a 2nd fan over the GPUs


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## keakar (Oct 26, 2010)

just get some plexi and make your own case, that way it addresses your own cooling concerns best and you just glue it together with special bonding glue so you can modify and make changes until your happy.

myself i love coolermaster cases and my centurian 5 has the full front grill so its about as wide open to airflow in a case as you can get but it still looks like a closed case. many well placed but silent fans will solve your cooling needs without becoming a leaf blower lol. 

the trouble you have is the way mobo are designed dont allow room for proper video coolers so you might want to use water cooling to solve your problem


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## [Ion] (Oct 26, 2010)

WC is way too expensive IMO.  Building a custom case would be awesome, but I don't think I have the skills to do it, so I'd rather get some mid-range case (Antec 300, Centurion 590) and mod it from there


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## [H]@RD5TUFF (Oct 27, 2010)

Only my folding rigs have ever been caseless and after my girl friend got drunk and spilled her drink (a slippery nipple) all over 1200 dollars worth of hardware, and killed all but the CPU and PSU, their all in server cases in the garage now. Luckily I was able to clean off the hardware enough and use denatured alcohol to get the sticky dried booze off, so i was able to RMA them with no troubles.


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