# Choice PC Case?



## KrebD98 (Oct 15, 2019)

Hello everyone I'm looking to do a new PC build within the next couple of months and I'd just like to get some opinions and information on these PC cases that have caught my attention.  Which one do you guys like the best?  Any first hand experience with them?  Any pros or cons you can point out? Any other cases you would recommend?

This is going to be a personal gaming/entertainment PC, I'm coming from a Corsair Carbide Air 540.  I usually liked understated cases, but the new tempered glass / lighting / display style of cases have really caught my attention, supposedly the glass can help with noise levels too.  I'll probably be doing watercooling, not a fully custom loop but an expandable AIO like Swiftech, I already have a H240-X, with an additional 360mm radiator, I may just stick with this or upgrade not sure yet.

Here is the list of cases I've narrowed down to so far; no specific order:

Corsair Crystal Series 570X - https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=corsair+570x
Corsair Crystal Series 680X - https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=corsair+680x
Phanteks Enthoo Evolv X - https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=phanteks+evolv+x
Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL - https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=lian+li+o11+dynamic+xl
Thermaltake Level 20 GT - https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=thermaltake+level+20+gt
NZXT 510 Elite - https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=nzxt+510+elite

Of these my favorites probably are the Phanteks Evolv X, NZXT Elite, Lian LI Dynamic XL or Corsair 570X


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## Calmmo (Oct 15, 2019)

I was looking a few months ago my self. Soon as I laid eyes on the Evolv X I couldnt even think about any other case seriously. Regardless of looks tho it's great to build in.


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## dirtyferret (Oct 15, 2019)

KrebD98 said:


> Hello everyone I'm looking to do a new PC build within the next couple of months



In the next couple months you will have even more cases to choose from, may want to wait until then to select a case...


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## Eskimonster (Oct 15, 2019)

I have also looked a few months, im going with a Dune PRO case, if Apple dont manage to stop the production.








						Dune Pro - PC Cases
					

Dune Case is a leading designer and manufacturer of premium high end PC Hardware including computer cases, monitors and accessories.



					www.dunecase.com
				



prize for model is 199$ when it comes out, cheese grill is 80$ x-tra.


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## dirtyferret (Oct 15, 2019)

Eskimonster said:


> I have also looked a few months, im going with a Dune PRO case, if Apple dont manage to stop the production.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Frag people playing Fortnite and have freshly grated romano cheese for your gnocco...that is a win - win


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## KrebD98 (Oct 15, 2019)

dirtyferret said:


> In the next couple months you will have even more cases to choose from, may want to wait until then to select a case...


Good point although I’m pretty particular when it comes to aesthetics so I doubt it would be anything too different from this selection.  Maybe there will be some new innovation in the next 5-6 weeks but I’m not so sure.



Calmmo said:


> I was looking a few months ago my self. Soon as I laid eyes on the Evolv X I couldnt even think about any other case seriously. Regardless of looks tho it's great to build in.


Yeah that looks like a stellar case to be honest, it’s definitely on my short list as of now, I really like the Lian Li XL as well.


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## phanbuey (Oct 15, 2019)

Check out the jonsbo U5 if you havent, it has that apple look to it.  Im currently using the little u4 and couldnt be happier with it.  The aluminum is very thick as is the glass and there is no plastic anywhere on it.


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## sam_86314 (Oct 15, 2019)

I have a Phanteks Enthoo Pro M, and I like it. I'd suggest giving it a look. It has good airflow, a 5.25" bay (for those of us that still use optical drives, like me), and has plenty of accommodations for water cooling.


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## KrebD98 (Oct 15, 2019)

phanbuey said:


> Check out the jonsbo U5 if you havent, it has that apple look to it.  Im currently using the little u4 and couldnt be happier with it.  The aluminum is very thick as is the glass and there is no plastic anywhere on it.
> 
> View attachment 134234


Thanks, that is super sleek, where did you buy yours? I only see black available on Amazon and it’s nearly $300!



sam_86314 said:


> I have a Phanteks Enthoo Pro M, and I like it. I'd suggest giving it a look. It has good airflow, a 5.25" bay (for those of us that still use optical drives, like me), and has plenty of accommodations for water cooling.


Good recommendation I like it, although I do prefer the Evolv X and NZXT cases. Thanks man


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## phanbuey (Oct 16, 2019)

KrebD98 said:


> Thanks, that is super sleek, where did you buy yours? I only see black available on Amazon and it’s nearly $300!
> 
> 
> Good recommendation I like it, although I do prefer the Evolv X and NZXT cases. Thanks man



I got mine from B&H... they used to be about $180; looks like the amazon vendors sold out, the shipping is from China so the stock comes in waves.


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## oxrufiioxo (Oct 16, 2019)

I vote Evolv X, I used the black version for my wife's ryzen 3000 build and gotta say I love it even more in person just make sure you add a 3rd fan to the intake and 1 fan to the exhaust and you're golden for temps. I really like the 011 dynamics look but I did builds in the Black and Razer versions of the smaller one and felt they were pretty cheaply made. The 570X is sorta a pain to build in the back area is pretty small and the cable channel especially if you use HDD is a pain in the butt. The 680X is neat but for that price I would buy the 500D SE instead considering it comes with the $70 commander pro.

The H510 Elite is probably the worst case on that list going by reviews but if you absolutely love the look you can probably build around its flaws. I would also steer you more towards the H710 if you stick with NZXT I did a build in both the H500 and H700 and like the latter substantially better. 

To me a case is a very personal choice though....

Some pics

011 dynamics I did recently. 



My wife's Evolv X


My 500D SE Just to throw another expensive case for you too look at in the flesh nearly identical internal layout to the 570X


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## KrebD98 (Oct 16, 2019)

oxrufiioxo said:


> I vote Evolv X, I used the black version for my wife's ryzen 3000 build and gotta say I love it even more in person just make sure you add a 3rd fan to the intake and 1 fan to the exhaust and you're golden for temps. I really like the 011 dynamics look but I did builds in the Black and Razer versions of the smaller one and felt they were pretty cheaply made. The 570X is sorta a pain to build in the back area is pretty small and the cable channel especially if you use HDD is a pain in the butt. The 680X is neat but for that price I would buy the 500D SE instead considering it comes with the $70 commander pro.
> 
> The H510 Elite is probably the worst case on that list going by reviews but if you absolutely love the look you can probably build around its flaws. I would also steer you more towards the H710 if you stick with NZXT I did a build in both the H500 and H700 and like the latter substantially better.
> 
> ...


Great feedback, thanks!  The more I look at them the Evolv X continues to impress, and I’ve read the build quality is really up there as well.  Coming from Corsair(s) I don’t want to deal with poor build quality.

I’ll definitely check out the 500D although you said it wasn’t as nice to build in overall as the Evolv X, being the 500D is so similar to the 570X.  I also want A case with a more narrow footprint since I’ve had the Air540 for the past 5 years or so.  At this point I’m favoring the Evolv X in Galaxy Silver.  Which fans do you usually prefer?  I’ve used a few brands from Cougar, Corsair, Noctua, Swiftech and Akasa Vipers which are very nice outside of their green/yellow fan color.



phanbuey said:


> I got mine from B&H... they used to be about $180; looks like the amazon vendors sold out, the shipping is from China so the stock comes in waves.


I found one on EBay for $170 + free shipping, from a reputable seller.  Very clean, high-end looking case, how is the build quality on your model?


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## oxrufiioxo (Oct 16, 2019)

I prefer Corsair ML 120/140 I own 7 of them and they've do the job well on both my cases. 

The stock phanteks fans are more than serviceable though and depending on your hardware setup you may not even need additional fans. 

The 500D SE you definitely need to love the look or it isn't worth buying. I really like it but $280 is pretty steep even with the $100 set of fans and the $70 commander pro thrown in.


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## phanbuey (Oct 16, 2019)

KrebD98 said:


> I found one on EBay for $170 + free shipping, from a reputable seller.  Very clean, high-end looking case, how is the build quality on your model?



Mine is amazing (I actually bought an extra U4 just to have for my next build, I never do that).  If you've ever seen the origian lian li cheesgrater v series in person, it's very similar to that.  All jonsbo / bravotek cases have good construction quality from what I've seen.










This is in Chinese but he pretends to hit it a mallet? for some reason? at the end of the video, it's a good overview of the case quality you can see the thickness of the aluminum throughout and the machining of the frame w/ glass fit.  (mute it and put it on 1.5x)

He stands on it at the end with no sidepanels on. lol.  It's pretty sturdy.


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## Calmmo (Oct 16, 2019)

KrebD98 said:


> Great feedback, thanks!  The more I look at them the Evolv X continues to impress, and I’ve read the build quality is really up there as well.  Coming from Corsair(s) I don’t want to deal with poor build quality.
> 
> I’ll definitely check out the 500D although you said it wasn’t as nice to build in overall as the Evolv X, being the 500D is so similar to the 570X.  I also want A case with a more narrow footprint since I’ve had the Air540 for the past 5 years or so.  At this point I’m favoring the Evolv X in Galaxy Silver.  Which fans do you usually prefer?  I’ve used a few brands from Cougar, Corsair, Noctua, Swiftech and Akasa Vipers which are very nice outside of their green/yellow fan color.



I put x4 noctua NFA14 chromax in mine. Dunno how it performs with stock fans (ive heard they underperform because they dont have enough static pressure performance) but with the noctuas the case has more airflow then I could possibly ever need.


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## jaytron1 (Oct 16, 2019)

aesthetic wise, i would go for the DUNE PRO...all about elegance haha, just like a classy sophisticated woman lmao, also perfect for drinking wine with your woman and eating cheese


and cheese.


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## Bill_Bright (Oct 16, 2019)

I no longer use Corsair cases in any of our builds. Their designs are generally good but their construction has been a mixed bag in terms of quality control. Two cases were not "true". That is, the bends in the sheet metal were not exactly 90°. This resulted in only 3 feet sitting firmly on the floor so the cases wobbled unless heavily laden with lots of drives and radiator. It also resulted in the side panels being very difficult to align properly when trying to put them back in place.

And a couple cases had knuckle scrapping edges in the sheet metal. That is, they edges were not properly finished or rolled over.  

That jonsbo U5 looks nice but it would not be for me. My cases sit on or near the floor. So having the USB ports and power and reset switches low on the case is a big inconvenience for me. I want my front I/O ports up near the top, where I can see them sitting in my chair. 

For the record, I like Fractal Design cases. We've done several builds with them and never been disappointed. Their included fans provide great cooling and are exceptionally quiet. The included air filters work and are easy to remove and clean. The cases are "true". And they have nice, never go out of style, designs too.


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## M4NGUN88 (Oct 17, 2019)

I think Alienware Aurora case looks awesome!


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## freeagent (Oct 17, 2019)

I bought a meshify c last spring. It’s been a great case. For the type of fans I use, it has by far the best case flow I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with. 6x 120x38s, 4 in 2 out. Can also fit large air coolers with no problem.


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## Vayra86 (Oct 17, 2019)

+1 for the Evolv X

Spacious, great build quality, sexy as hell.



jaytron1 said:


> aesthetic wise, i would go for the DUNE PRO...all about elegance haha, just like a classy sophisticated woman lmao, also perfect for drinking wine with your woman and eating cheese
> View attachment 134257and cheese.



Yep, thát is a nice design too *drool*

It does however look like a noisy case. The Evolv X will dampen sound a lot better. Probably also 2-3 C warmer inside.

Don't forget about USB ports. This Dune only seems to have 2 on front. Having 2 on my Define right now, as opposed to 4 previously, its something to consider. No major issues but I don't use a headset at all, if you do, two might be annoying.


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## Komshija (Oct 20, 2019)

Check AeroCool, Rampage, Deepcool, Zalman... They have very interesting cases which are equally as good as more expensive hyped NZXT, Corsair and alike.

For the example *AeroCool* P7-C1, Claw, Tor or DS230; *Deepcool *Earlcase, Macube 550, Dukase Liquid; *Rampage* Redsky, Chaser*; Zalman* Z9 Neo Plus, Z7 Neo...


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## seiya (Dec 20, 2019)

Does anyone know huntkey? 
Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL - ​https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=lian+li+o11+dynamic+xl​
PLS Search the keyword "MVP Apollo”，look like the lian li O11


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