# Best Case Under $150?



## paulm (Feb 16, 2009)

Hey!

I'm sure this is a cliche topic, but I couldn't find any good answer...

I need to figure out what the best case I can get with a budget of ~$150. I'm interested in the interior much more than the exterior. Needs good cooling, cable management, and +1 for silence. Been looking at the HAF 932 but its at least $180 with shipping, and I don't want to go overboard. I don't need anything extremely fancy, if it works, and it works well, I can care less about bling or anything of the sort. That being said, I would rather it not look like the designers of the case dragged it down the highway for a mile, threw in some LED's and a fan or two and called it "technologically advanced".

Thanks.


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## Binge (Feb 16, 2009)

My Lian Li V1000 Plus II Silver


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## paulm (Feb 16, 2009)

Binge said:


> My Lian Li V1000 Plus II Silver



Over budget 

How do you like the case? What will you replace it with?


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## Marineborn (Feb 16, 2009)

get a thermaltake armor series, its a tank but its under 150, it has good ventilation and can take a artillery barrage and kepe ticking!!!


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## fenurch (Feb 16, 2009)

Antec 300, haven't actually held it but I'm getting it.

Or

Antec 900, which personally I don't like but it's a very popular choice.


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## paulm (Feb 16, 2009)

Marineborn said:


> get a thermaltake armor series, its a tank but its under 150, it has good ventilation and can take a artillery barrage and kepe ticking!!!



You say this from experience ?

Antec 300 is so barebones, and I prefer something a little roomier. Antec 900 cable management is bad, and its so cliche, which I would normally not care about, but nothing about the case makes it stand out as better than a CM690 for example.

Armor is alright, but I don't see what makes it worth $150...


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## Maelstrom (Feb 16, 2009)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160
$10 over budget, but great case from what I've heard


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## paulm (Feb 16, 2009)

Maelstrom said:


> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160
> $10 over budget, but great case from what I've heard



+ shipping & tax = $47.93 over budget


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## Maelstrom (Feb 16, 2009)

paulm said:


> + shipping & tax = $47.93 over budget



Doh, forgot about that , sry


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## paulm (Feb 16, 2009)

Maelstrom said:


> Doh, forgot about that , sry



Its alright 

I'm really wanting a HAF 932 but I would rather spend more money on my components than the box holding my shiny parts...


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## Asylum (Feb 16, 2009)

Have a look at my case I love it...May be the last case i ever buy!!


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## Lionheart (Feb 16, 2009)

Go with A Xclio A380 man. http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Apluscase/TwinEngine


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## ShadowFold (Feb 16, 2009)

Do not get the Antec 300. I freakin hate mine. 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129025
I wish I got that case..


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## ghost28 (Feb 16, 2009)

go for the HAF 932....IMHO the nicest case for the money right now...Although i am  little green..LOL....i have a local deal going on one thats 2 weeks old and the guy doesnt like the way it looks for only $85.00 but if that falls through i am going to go to Micro center this week and get a new one....


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## Conti027 (Feb 16, 2009)

spend alittle extra (if you can) and get the HAF 932.


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## Binge (Feb 16, 2009)

paulm said:


> Over budget
> 
> How do you like the case? What will you replace it with?



I replaced it with an overpriced tech bench!  I love the case though.  It was cool, roomy, built like a tank, and looked really sweet 

I'm willing to make a deal to sell the case though.


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## DaedalusHelios (Feb 16, 2009)

http://cmstore.coolermaster-usa.com/product_info.php?cPath=18_19&products_id=106

Its a beast. Coolermaster makes the best cases. I love my Cosmos 1000.


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## fenurch (Feb 16, 2009)

DaedalusHelios said:


> Coolermaster makes the best cases.



They're over-priced, not really worth it unless you do a lot of modding/overclocking e.t.c. (I'm going on about CM cases)

And Owner of the thread - go for that Cosmos S, it's such a bargain.


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 16, 2009)

My vote: HAF 932 or any NZXT, specifically the Tempest.


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## Marineborn (Feb 16, 2009)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133062

bam suckas...read the reviews


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## DaedalusHelios (Feb 16, 2009)

I have a full tower Silver Thermaltake Armor and its awful. Expensive and awful. The Power supply support bar broke while I was installing the Power Supply. If your components make any noise its amplified by the case because of the fact that the whole front is open and made of flimsy aluminum with holes for airflow. Its the worst case I have ever bought and looks ugly in Silver. But everybody has different tastes of course.

A better case design would be made of higher grade aluminum but maybe the mid tower is different... its definately cheaper.


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## fenurch (Feb 16, 2009)

Hate some of modern cases, they are made to look so flashy and to give impression they could withstand a nuclear war. Good example are Thermaltake Armor, Antec 900, Antec 1200, loads of CM cases... ehhh, that's why I  the way Antec 300 looks, just amazing.


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## DaedalusHelios (Feb 16, 2009)

The Cosmos S and Cosmos 1000 are strong thick cases with sound dampening material. They are really heavy.... especially the Cosmos 1000. Really big too as they are full tower. Plenty of space inside. They won't make a graphics card big enough to not fit. 


But they are so large and heavy they are too big for dorm rooms or small apartments unless you make room for it of course.


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## AsRock (Feb 16, 2009)

Maybe ?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133074

Or for a little more

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133062


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## Marineborn (Feb 16, 2009)

well yes i speak from personal exsperience, i dropped my thermaltake armor down 9 stairs, picked it up nothing was out of place or broken, plug it in and it started right up. let me seey ou do that with your cases..HAHAHAH!! thermaltake for life just for that reason


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## Duffman (Feb 16, 2009)

My vote is for that refurb Cosmos S


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## freaksavior (Feb 16, 2009)

CHAOS_KILLA said:


> Go with A Xclio A380 man. http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Apluscase/TwinEngine



Bad for cable management. Hated the case.



DaedalusHelios said:


> http://cmstore.coolermaster-usa.com/product_info.php?cPath=18_19&products_id=106
> 
> Its a beast. Coolermaster makes the best cases. I love my Cosmos 1000.



Nothin wrong with dat, nothin wrong with dat at all (its from a movie and i cant think of it lol)

on a serious note there isn't anything wrong with CM.


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## bcp (Feb 16, 2009)

*Gigabyte 3D Mars*

I won't argue with the Cooler Master, Thermaltake suggestions, take a hard look at the Gigabyte cases. The 3D Mars is a full atx that is missing a removable MB tray, but it's still a dream to work on, very well built, and can be found under $150.00 total.  

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...=2010090007 50001314 1054808289&name=GIGABYTE


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## Supreme0verlord (Feb 16, 2009)

Not sure if your a big nVidia fan or not but the CM690 nVidia Edition is a great case. I have one and it has great cable management, really good airflow, and it looks cool.

There's also the regular CM690 if your not a big nVidia fan, pretty much the exact same thing, but without the nVidia logo, and without the side window. Both are excellent cases.


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## delnaci (Feb 16, 2009)

My suggestion is the CM RC-690.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137

It's got a great, sturdy design, sound dampeners where possible, and it's very roomy for easy installation. Its also got 3 large fans and 7 expansion slots!


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## paulm (Feb 16, 2009)

Does anyone know if the CM Store offers free shipping, or the the buying experience from them? Doesn't seem to say anywhere in the store? I was looking at the Cosmos S but if shipping is expensive its not worth it...

I am considering the 690, but I would like to find it for ~$60 as it was in the past...

I would also appreciate the possibility of being able to put bigass CPU coolers in the case, but its not a necessity.

Note: I have a overbearing preference for hard drive cages being perpendicular to the 5.25" bays...


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## paulm (Feb 17, 2009)

Found two cases on the cheap.

What do you think, Antec 1200 vs. CM HAF 932?


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## Charper2013 (Feb 17, 2009)

paulm said:


> Found two cases on the cheap.
> 
> What do you think, Antec 1200 vs. CM HAF 932?



HAF 932 no doubt...


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 17, 2009)

Oooh .. 

Iunno that's a really tough decision paulm. I kinda like the Haf 932, I say whichever is cheaper out of the 2.


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## paulm (Feb 17, 2009)

JrRacinFan said:


> Oooh ..
> 
> Iunno that's a really tough decision paulm. I kinda like the Haf 932, I say whichever is cheaper out of the 2.



There's a $2 price difference.


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 17, 2009)

paulm said:


> There's a $2 price difference.



Wow that makes it even tougher. I still say the HAF932, be a little easier on the cable management and has a 2nd psu bay if your feeling "moddy".


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## paulm (Feb 17, 2009)

JrRacinFan said:


> Wow that makes it even tougher. I still say the HAF932, be a little easier on the cable management and has a 2nd psu bay if your feeling "moddy".



Out of curiosity, does that mean I can use two PSU's? How does that work (I know there is some kind of device which powers up both supplies simultaneously and such)? Is it difficult? What are the negatives?


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## Duffman (Feb 17, 2009)

There is usually a "y" type adaptor for them.  It might take a bit more than that seeing as how they are opposite ends of the case on the HAF932 though...


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