PC Cases - Negative points

[Zforgetaboutit]

I think these should be called out in the Value/Conclusion thumbs down section

• No power reset button (useful for single-push faster restart)
• No full-length bottom filter and/or no way to remove it from the front.

My venerable Fractal Design Define R5 has an effective one:

"... there is a dust filter along its entire bottom. It is easily removed by opening the door, as you can pull it out through the front. This setup is a step above the norm as most allow for the same removal method, but through the rear." - See here.

• No HDD/SSD activity LED

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I don't prefer dumbed-down cases. I'm willing to pay for these features.

 

[A Computer Guy]

First and foremost they all lack an old style Power & Turbo button these days. I consider that a negative point. I miss that tactile feel of increasing performance and earthshattering clicking sound when turning the PC on for the day.

In general when it comes to RAD support not having the mounts far enough from the motherboard (top or bottom) can be a PITA including for routing the CPU power connector around top mounted rads thorough the motherboard tray.

Peeves about my original 011D
- bottom rad mounting not full length (360) because of rear slot hole doesn't provide enough clearance for the end of rads.
- bottom fan and rad mounting can be problematic with clearance issues when using ATX motherboards bottom connectors.
- distroplate design required drilling out some rivets.
- front panel i/o blocks some side rad mounting options.
- top panel would have been better to have a cutout for the rad exhaust or bigger and more frequent holes for exhaust to reduce splash back airflow from the rad.
- grommet design still feels ineffective
- rear intake on the mb side is not utilized and sized properly for a fan mount
- bottom intake is not designed for flush mounted magnetic filter, bottom screws for fan mounts make the filter fit poorly.

 

[skizzo]

First and foremost they all lack an old style Power & Turbo button these days. I consider that a negative point.

no "Turbo" button is a negative? no one wants a button that slows down their CPU clock speed, nor does anyone need such a feature anymore

 

[cvaldes]

Skizzo is correct.

The "Turbo" button is obsolete. Modern CPUs and GPUs have variable clock frequencies, they use very little power at idle. Also modern operating systems have better power management algorithms.

And not just Winblows, macOS has great power management as well. My daily driver Mac mini 2018 (Intel inside!) sips power. Your operating system will do a FAR better job than a human at cutting unnecessary power to under utilized circuitry.

Imagine having a "turbo" button on your phone in 2023? LOL

30+ years of government mandates and EnergyStar programs has changed how home electronics -- and not just desktop PCS -- consume electricity. Your refrigerator today uses a fraction of the power of a 1983 model.

As for the absence of a physical reset button, I'm not sure I miss this. Holding down the power button will eventually force shutdown the PC. Also today's PC hardware seems to require fewer power resets. Maybe the PC industry has progressed in the past thirty years? Perhaps that's wishful thinking but it might be possible.

Because I put my PCs on the ground -- frequently in poorly illuminated places like under my desk -- more than once I've accidentally restarted my PC while fumbling around with the audio jack or USB port. I don't miss those days.

Have Macs ever had a reset button? Maybe back in the Eighties or Nineties but luckily Apple left those reset buttons back in that era. None of my Macs have had a reset button in over 20 years.

 

[AusWolf]

In general when it comes to RAD support not having the mounts far enough from the motherboard (top or bottom) can be a PITA including for routing the CPU power connector around top mounted rads thorough the motherboard tray.

I completely agree! Especially since when you check the case online, it says "x mm rad support", but when you try to install the recommended size rad, it won't fit because of some cable routing bollocks. Or like the Corsair 280X I was using before the one I have now. It has 2x 140 mm mounts on the front, and the same on the top, but it only fits a 280 mm rad on the top because of their extra length. Even then, it only fits if you have 120 mm fans in the front. I managed to install 140 mm ones, but man, was it a struggle!

• No HDD/SSD activity LED

I agree with this, too! It's important for checking whether the system has completely frozen, or just the foreground application locked up. (edited)

I can live without a reset button (long pressing power does the job), but it's not ideal.

 

[Vario]

Holding down the power button will eventually force shutdown the PC.

Screw that I want it resetted immediately. I like having a reset button. So much so that I added one to my O11 Air Mini.

 

[skizzo]

Imagine having a "turbo" button on your phone in 2023? LOL

well if we're gonna do a turbo like button, let's do it right! we need a "Ludicrous Speed" button. who wouldn't want that..... unless you take after Col. Sanders and are also......chicken?!

As for the absence of a physical reset button, I'm not sure I miss this. Holding down the power button will eventually force shutdown the PC. Also today's PC hardware seems to require fewer power resets. Maybe the PC industry has progressed in the past thirty years? Perhaps that's wishful thinking but it might be possible.

you can change that behavior in Windows also whether you want a reboot, sleep, shutdown or hibernate. so it makes a dedicated button for rebooting also a bit redundant in my opinion

front panel i/o blocks some side rad mounting options.

this was a legit issue I avoided but almost made. so to make this practical for this thread, I'd say it would be more like case companies need to not only provide current component capabilities like "fits a 360 rad" but also the max dimensions, of all dimensions, of said rad. I don't recall seeing anything other than fits up 120, 240, or 360 rads. maybe goes into "thickness" but never about "width" (edit: or height at that), as in if the rad is actually 120mm wide or not which is why anything bigger cannot fit there thanks to those i/o cables. but THANKFULLY I read some random users review of it and they complained they couldn't get anything but EK's 360 slim version to fit (SE series) and saved me from making an incompatible purchase.

 

[A Computer Guy]

this was a legit issue I avoided but almost made. so to make this practical for this thread, I'd say it would be more like case companies need to not only provide current component capabilities like "fits a 360 rad" but also the max dimensions, of all dimensions, of said rad. I don't recall seeing anything other than fits up 120, 240, or 360 rads. maybe goes into "thickness" but never about "width", as in if the rad is actually 120mm wide or not which is why anything bigger cannot fit there thanks to those i/o cables. but THANKFULLY I read some random users review of it and they complained they couldn't get anything but EK's 360 slim version to fit (SE series) and saved me from making an incompatible purchase.EK's 360 slim

I don't mean to get too off topic but did you go with EK's 360 SE slim on the side (back compartment)? I was thinking Alphacool NexXxoS ST20 HPE might work (being 390x120x20mm) and was worried 27mm thick from EK 360 slim might have been too thick with Corsair LL 120 fans also in the side (rear) compartment. (for the same reason I thought Corsair Hydro X Series XR5 360mm might not work being 30mm thick although it appears to be 120mm wide)

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[BSim500]

• No power reset button (useful for single-push faster restart)
• No full-length bottom filter and/or no way to remove it from the front.
• No HDD/SSD activity LED

I completely agree. "We can't afford 2x $0.02 power / storage LED's or a reset button but we added $20 of pretty rainbow LED fans and a special button that changes their colour!" along with Fractal Pop Air (2022) somehow managing to turn front USB-C port (standardised in 2014-2016) into "premium case DLC" and be praised for it by tech sites has to be the pinnacle of dumbing down (both manufacturer and 'tech' reviews). If you don't care about 4ft long water-cooling radiators for the latest nVidia Kiln / AMD Hearth flagships and just want air cooling, then case design peaked several years back...

As for the absence of a physical reset button, I'm not sure I miss this. Holding down the power button will eventually force shutdown the PC.

Pro-tip - If your case's power button develops a fault, you can swap the power and reset button's internal cables around and still have a working power button.

 

[Tomgang]

Hmm there are really not much negative things to say about my current case that is a Phanteks enthoo 719 black, accept that for the high price it cost. There are not a single fan coming with it and there are no 5,25" drive bay. For that you have to buy additional equipment to ad for an all ready expensive case.

Besides that, I really like it. It can even have two systems in side it at once and what I have currently in it.

 

[Zforgetaboutit]

As for the absence of a physical reset button, I'm not sure I miss this. Holding down the power button will eventually force shutdown the PC. Also today's PC hardware seems to require fewer power resets.

Because I put my PCs on the ground -- frequently in poorly illuminated places like under my desk -- more than once I've accidentally restarted my PC while fumbling around with the audio jack or USB port. I don't miss those days.

1. The reset button isn't for a mere shutdown, as you mentioned, but a one-click reboot. With a new video game, I set an optimistic high'ish graphics quality. Starting the game can hang my PC. The reset button is so easy for booting so I can quickly try a different graphics config.
2. My front panel is on the top. The audio ports & reset button are to the left of the large power button. The reset button is much smaller than the power button, and also recessed. I can't think of the last time I accidentally pushed the power button when intending to push the reset button. In a tactile sense they feel worlds apart. My PC is also on the floor. All the USB ports are on the right side. The power/HDD activity LED (blinks as a brighter blue when activity) is below the power button's 6 o'clock position, and is visible from the top and front (since it wraps around the case) so I also have visual clues guiding me to the intended button in dark circumstances.

My case front panel

My Win 10's 4 settings for what the power button does, doesn't include "reset". Even if it did, how would I then shut it down with the power button?

In some other product I think I've seen a long-push (~3 seconds) => power down, short-push => reset. That would be OK.

 

[Kodehawa]

no "Turbo" button is a negative? no one wants a button that slows down their CPU clock speed, nor does anyone need such a feature anymore

You know, in Ryzen it'd be funny to have a hardware button to enable PBO.

Unnecessary? Yes
Getting more performance at the push of a button? Heck yeah. Also sometimes I'd rather run PBO off unless I'm doing something demanding, but its a pain to do and Ryzen Master is just a software solution, which I don't like.

Definitely not a serious suggestion tho lmao

 

[A Computer Guy]

You know, in Ryzen it'd be funny to have a hardware button to enable PBO.

Unnecessary? Yes
Getting more performance at the push of a button? Heck yeah. Also sometimes I'd rather run PBO off unless I'm doing something demanding, but its a pain to do and Ryzen Master is just a software solution, which I don't like.

Definitely not a serious suggestion tho lmao

Or flipping between ECO and non-ECO modes.

 

[skizzo]

I don't mean to get too off topic but did you go with EK's 360 SE slim on the side (back compartment)? I was thinking Alphacool NexXxoS ST20 HPE might work (being 390x120x20mm) and was worried 27mm thick from EK 360 slim might have been too thick with Corsair LL 120 fans also in the side (rear) compartment. (for the same reason I thought Corsair Hydro X Series XR5 360mm might not work being 30mm thick although it appears to be 120mm wide)

Yes, exactly that. I put a 360 PE series on the top position (which makes snaking cables into those top cable management holes difficult as you suggested lol). and I put a 360 SE slim series in the side rad position. So this is what I was saying about width vs thickness. I do believe Lian Li provides the user with thickness, for example does a 30mm or 45mm thick rad fit (using some random numbers there)....but they do NOT provide width. one would think a 120 or multiple thereof rad would be 120mm wide....but not all are. Many exceed by a few mm which is normally not a problem but this case (no pun intended) is way too tight in this area because of those damn I/O cables. I tried to put my PE version rad there just to see and sure as hell didn't fit all because of those few extra mm's and cables in the way. There might even be a rivet or screw in the way too if I remember right. This is why I will never go off just specs from the manufacturer anymore, I gotta get first hand reviews from people who are using them. Whether it's actually tech reviewers or randos on a forum. The real world experience gives a better picture of small details that fall through the cracks like this. So yea, if you want to put a 360 rad in that side position, make sure it is only 120mm wide and EKs 360 SE slim fits. I mounted the rad in the rear compartment, and fans in the front. So there is a chance with a different config the problem may not exist, like if both rads and fans are in the front side of the case

 

[AusWolf]

Or flipping between ECO and non-ECO modes.

Modern PCs do that automatically thanks to C-states, core parking and other various power saving features.

 

[skizzo]

Thanks, very helpful. Ports on top correct?

Yes. I think I found routing tubes difficult, if not impossible if they were on the bottom. the links in my description are the same build, just the 2nd link is when I upgraded GPU. if you wanted to take a look at exactly what parts I used I put a pcpartpicker link on the forum posts those links go to also

 

[neatfeatguy]

Only real grip I have about my Cooler Master HAF XB Evo is the top spot for a 200mm fan. Sure, you can put a 200mm fan at the top of the case for exhaust, but you're extremely limited to what 200mm fan you can mount there without having issues.

The oddly placed mounting holes at the top only seem to specifically fit the Cooler Master MegaFlow 200 (I can confirm, I do have them and they fit). I've tried a couple other 200mm fans and you can only get 2 screw holes to line up. I hear that possibly this Noctua 200mm fan could work, but I cannot personally confirm that it does.

 

[P4-630]

Cases with just 2 USB-A ports in the front panel..... (and there are a lot)
Currently my Be Quiet case has 4 USB-A ports.

 

[caroline!]

Wait, you mean there are cases without a disk activity LED??? or a reset button?
>what has this world become.jpg

Mine has a turbo button for the fans, I've only wired it to control the two front fans. Getting the LEDs required a rewire to be compatible with my mobo but nothing serious.
The power button behaves a little different though, if I press it the PC instantly shuts off rather than sending a sleep/shutdown command to the OS. And I'd rather make the power LED green rather than red, red is typically used for disk activity, maybe one day I'll replace the LED on my case for a green one, who knows. I think it's surface mounted though, doesn't looks like there's a regular one there.

None of my Macs have had a reset button in over 20 years.

Because they're Macs lol, less features = higher price


Thumbs down for me would be RGB, glass and lack of 5.25" bays.

 

[ShiBDiB]

Unnecessary lighting and glass windows.

Call me old fashioned by my case is tucked away in my desk where it can't be seen anyway.

 

[Sithaer]

For me the reset button is a grey zone, I'm okay w/o but I wouldn't mind having it sometimes but then I just keep my power button pressed till it resets anyway.
HDD activity I don't really need, in my previous In Win 101 case once I've wrongly wired it or pulled the cables out idk but when I noticed that its not working I couldn't be arsed to fix it for years and it never bothered me and I'm fairly sure my current case doesn't have it either. 'never checked to be honest'

USB connections eh, I'm not a power user so they are enough usually and I don't really use C connection either and it only collected dust in my previous case.
What I don't like about my current Be Quiet! FX 500 case is the dumb oldschool thumb screws that hold in the glass panel, holy crap those make me feel paranoid whenever I have to take off the glass and I hold onto it with my hand like my life depends on it.. 'and then I have to clean the glass off..'
Fairly expensive case yet they couldn't use some push pins like even my 2018 In Win case could.. I guess they had to save money somewhere huh. 'luckily its not like I have to take off the glass often'

HDD drive bays I'm cool with 1 or 2 since I don't use more now nor plan to.

 

[bobbybluz]

For my tastes the Corsair Carbide 500R was the best case ever made. I'm glad I bought two of them back when Newegg had them for $59-69 after rebate. I'll never get rid of them. No tempered glass is also a huge plus for me.

 

[R-T-B]

Wait, you mean there are cases without a disk activity LED??? or a reset button?

Wait until you find out that for those few with a drive activity led, nvme drives often won't "blink" it.

 

[caroline!]

Unnecessary lighting and glass windows.

Call me old fashioned by my case is tucked away in my desk where it can't be seen anyway.

Midtower huh? and what about the airflow

Wait until you find out that for those few with a drive activity led, nvme drives often won't "blink" it.

Not part of the nvme fad yet but my mobo has onboard LEDs that supposedly blink when you install one of those drives. SuperMicro cases do support blinking as their front panel is more complex than the average case, or at least that's what the pinout on the mobo indicates, there's 3.3V pins and room for several LED cables, even one for network activity so you don't have to peek the back of the case to check the link/usage LEDs.

 

[R-T-B]

Not part of the nvme fad yet but my mobo has onboard LEDs that supposedly blink when you install one of those drives. SuperMicro cases do support blinking as their front panel is more complex than the average case, or at least that's what the pinout on the mobo indicates, there's 3.3V pins and room for several LED cables, even one for network activity so you don't have to peek the back of the case to check the link/usage LEDs.

"Often," not always. tl;dr it's becoming trendy amonst "consumer" boards.

Supermicro has their act together as per usual, yeah.