Seeking recommendations on good potential cases for big h2o cooling rig

[krazy]

I'm [slowly] planning a water cooling rig that will have my main components as a base, along with several upgrades and I want to build it into a new case. I've been sifting through google searches for an hour now trying to fin a case that has the right combination of features to be able to hold the stuff I'm going to want in it and be moddable in certain ways. I'm hoping some of you veterans will have some advice about some cases that might fit the bill.

Here are features I'm looking for in the case:
full size modern ATX tower (none of this mid tower passed off as a full tower BS)
door covering drive bays would be very nice, but I can live without it
open or easily openable space behind the bottom of the front bezel to cut into for a heatercore
preferrably a plain or nearly so front bezel so my cutting doesn't make the existing designs or holes look weird

And features I would prefer to avoid:
towers with a floppy drive slot thing or the 3.5" bay(s) at the very top (it just screams 1994)
beige-- black or blue would be nice, but I can always paint it...
side panels with a bunch of holes and fan mounts already in them (nead clean slate for big window and whatnot)
tons and tons of HDD racks (unless the can come right out to make room for more important stuff)

So far, I'm mostly seeing the typical antec-style cases (louvered front panel, too much wasted space inside, and not enough room for comfort). I've seen a few potential cases here and there, but I'm hoping someone will have a few links to sites with a bunch of cases that are more what I'm looking for.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[fhorst]

The only good ones out there are the chieftec dragon series. (big tower) there is also the YY cube, but that's not a big tower.
As far as I could find, all the rest is smaller.

For me this chieftech has 2 downsides.
1. The case is "small" (21 cm), and not posible to put a 12cm fan in the back.
2. It does not come with Audio/USB/Firewire in the front

The rest? it's availible in Beige, Black, Blue, Silver and there are ton's of windows for it!

If anyone knows a case with the same hight/options/space, that has more width (22 to 25 cm) PLEASE let me know!

[krazy]

oh wow. I just saw the Chieftec Matrix full tower. I was weak at the knees. The price is freaking awesome for such a huge case that's so pretty to boot. I think I could pretty easily mod a 120mm fan into the uppermost area of the back panel (reorient the PSU and extend that cut up a little further to accomodate a larger adapter plate). Is the cube radiator (or a similar product) anywhere close to being as efficient as a typical heatercore? I'm not looking to get tremendous hotrod performace out of this setup, but I want to at least be doing well.

Originally Posted by fhorst

For me this chieftech has 2 downsides.
1. The case is "small" (21 cm), and not posible to put a 12cm fan in the back.
2. It does not come with Audio/USB/Firewire in the front
...
If anyone knows a case with the same hight/options/space, that has more width (22 to 25 cm) PLEASE let me know!

Here's an interesting looking ~230mm (9") wide full tower. Enermax CSF7200BRP ATX file server It has the PSUs mounted on the bottom of the tower with the mobo tray above. It also appears to have front USB ports, but the picture is pretty grainy. I guess the obvious downside would be the price: $400 figures...

[punish3r]

I bought one a while back from Target USA that was good size. Had four 5 1/2 inch and two 3 1/2 inch bays on the front, and the HDD's sat "sideways" in the bottom of the case (with room for 6 drives. I was building a RAID server for some small business), had two fans in the front, two in the rear, and two on the side. They don't sell it anymore, but I remember it being in the fifty dollar range w/o a PSU. Nice black case with a clear steel drilled faceplate & top USB and sound under a cool fliptop door. Everything was designed without screws, including the drive mounts, which used these funky snap in sliding rails. Lemme see if I can find it.

Alright, that wasn't as hard as I thought. It's on Newegg.com as an Entry Server Case made by Enermax, and it's $70 US.

[Caeberos]

You seem to want a nice looking case, but if somthing purely functional is all-right as well, you should attempt to find the old Lite-On FS-020 cases, those would be good, but they look pretty awful. Only problem is they have been disscontinued for a while now

[Gooserider]

I got my case from Servercase.com, and was very happy with their service. They were very much the best price for the case I got, so I assume they are probably competitive on other cases.

The case I got was an AMD CK1100B server cube, not a full tower (though they have those) and I think it's just about as ideal as you can get for a WC setup in a server grade machine. It is expensive though, about $190 w/o PSU delivered from CA to MA.

I posted a review on this case here quite a while ago, I don't know if / when Joe will ever put it up.

Essentially it is like to midi-towers side by side, with the mobo, two 5.25" and one 3.5" external bays on one side, and the PSU, eight 5.25 external bays, and five 3.5" internal bays on the other. The mobo can be up to extended ATX size, and mounts on a removable tray.

There is a front bezel with three lockable doors over the external bays. The interchangeable sides have a row of vent holes top and bottom but are mostly plain, I think there would be all sorts of neat options for doing windows if desired. (I lined mine w/ roofers tape and carpet padding to reduce noise)

The back has a 120mm fan outlet on each side, a 120X25 mm fan is included for the drive side, positioned to pull air over the internal drive cage. A plate for mounting a standard size ATX PSU is included, you can get optional redundant power supplies as well in several configurations.

The build quality is excellent, it is heavy, solid and definitely industrial quality.

I have cut the front side of the PSU chamber to fit a FedCo 2-342 heater core rad, which is one of the best cooling rads there is, big, single pass, low restriction. I'm putting my pump and res in the PSU chamber, and have plenty of room.

I highly reccomend this case, I think it is far better than the YY Cube.

Gooserider

[rocketmanx]

Another big case that used to be one of the best around is the old Supermicro 750 & 750A. They are made by someone else, I can't remember who, but they are still around. There's a place close to me that still has them. They can accept dual redindant PSU's and have massive space. I have 2 and still love em. Planning on putting a water system in one soon.

[fhorst]

Originally Posted by rocketmanx

Another big case that used to be one of the best around is the old Supermicro 750 & 750A. They are made by someone else, I can't remember who, but they are still around. There's a place close to me that still has them. They can accept dual redindant PSU's and have massive space. I have 2 and still love em. Planning on putting a water system in one soon.

(Dimentions 0.69 x 2.20 x 1.44 ft3 (WxHxD))
2.2 feet in hight is about 670.56mm, that's OK, the width is 210mm

(you are not able to place a 12cm fan at the back by the motherboard (on the place ther now the 80mm fan is) It's the same problem there is with the chieftec dragon/matrix series. (big tower) (only 5mm wider)
Biggest downside is the floppy drive at top! (looks like the old A-Open cases)

The Entry Server Case made by Enermax (post by punish3r) is NOT a full tower.
(only D558 x W219 x H540 mm) but the width is quite impressive.

The Enermax CSF7200BRP ATX file server (D640 x W250 x H650)
It has the right dimentions, but the prize.... and a lot of modding to do
(place radiator at the botom, PSU at the top)

The Lite-On FS-020 (post by Caeberos) is NOT a full tower.
(Dimensions:235*535*463.15mm) but the width is even better.

For now (to me that is) the chieftec's still look the best prize / feature wise.
I only wish there was a simular case with a width of 220-250mm

[Gungrefjaert]

This might not live up to all of your wishes but it shure is a nice tower:

Lian Li PC-73SL

http://www.studiedata.dk/productitem...=CCLL208&Fane=

[Abe White]

You didn't mention a budget or how adventurous you are feeling

http://www.mountainmods.com

Abe

[bigben2k]

The Matrix is a good choice. I got the Dragon DA-01 (26" tall tower). Added casters, and chopped it all up (for three PSUs, a big heatercore, etc...). Next is the paint job (not looking forward to it).

If I had to do it again though, I'd spend a bit more on a cube case.

[UberBlue]

AMS GTower 1009

I have this case with a very large WC system in it.

It has plenty of room, a large HD rack that is removeable, and the front bezel is mounted on standoffs so you can cut the heck out of the front and nobody would ever know.

You can also get it without the side window.

[Ewout_vB]

Originally Posted by fhorst

The only good ones out there are the chieftec dragon series. (big tower) there is also the YY cube, but that's not a big tower.
As far as I could find, all the rest is smaller.

For me this chieftech has 2 downsides.
1. The case is "small" (21 cm), and not posible to put a 12cm fan in the back.
2. It does not come with Audio/USB/Firewire in the front

The rest? it's availible in Beige, Black, Blue, Silver and there are ton's of windows for it!

If anyone knows a case with the same hight/options/space, that has more width (22 to 25 cm) PLEASE let me know!

Mine has Firewire and 2 usb on the front, you see that little square on the grid? (front... middle) thats the USB+ firewire...

[Ewout_vB]

Originally Posted by Ewout_vB

Mine has Firewire and 2 usb on the front, you see that little square on the grid? (front... middle) thats the USB+ firewire...

I suggest the Antec series, although its the same case its higher quality, I was VERY VERY disapointed at the quality of the chieftec dragon while its the same design compared to the antec ones.

[yoshana]

Here is the case I was lookin gat for my next watercooler..

Joe was having them mod a case for him a while back and poked around the site to find this...

http://www.coolcases.com/cases/w8500_s_p1.html

the 8600 has a door over the 5.25" bays...

Disadvantages are that the rad would need to be bottom mounted.. but it is the WIDEST case that I could find....
actual size, 21.6" h x 12.4" w x 21.25" deep.

And it is a WTX....

I am using a very cramped Antec mid right now and the width is the biggest pain...

[Blackeagle]

Lain-Li PC76

or with a front door

PC78

These are HUGE cases, on castors, 22"H X 24"D X 10"W. They have a total of 20 bays as they are server cases, but 12 of them are in 2 X 6 removable HD racks in the lower front. The other 8 are 6 X 5.25 external bays & 2 X 3.5" external bays.

They aren't cheap, I have the PC76 and it's approx. $300 with shipping and all to you, without a PSU.

A ton of room to work with however, and very well made.

[aitor]

looks here:
http://www.devilmaster.org/modules.p...rder=0&thold=0

[superart]

the foxconn full tower cases are pretty big.

Also, my antec case I have is pretty big too, although you already mentioned you dont like the chieftech cases, and the antecs are the same, just dont look like shit.

[fhorst]

Originally Posted by Ewout_vB

Mine has Firewire and 2 usb on the front, you see that little square on the grid? (front... middle) thats the USB+ firewire...

What's the hight of your case? I know they have the middle towers with USB e.g.
The case we are talking about is 670mm high

[msv]

I´m quite happy with my Chieftec Dragon, but if I was to WC a new tower case I would try to get one of these: http://www.addtronics.com/7896A.htm
regards
Mikael S.

[fhorst]

Originally Posted by yoshana

Here is the case I was lookin gat for my next watercooler..

Joe was having them mod a case for him a while back and poked around the site to find this...

http://www.coolcases.com/cases/w8500_s_p1.html

the 8600 has a door over the 5.25" bays...

Disadvantages are that the rad would need to be bottom mounted.. but it is the WIDEST case that I could find....
actual size, 21.6" h x 12.4" w x 21.25" deep.

And it is a WTX....

I am using a very cramped Antec mid right now and the width is the biggest pain...

Fram the same site, could be even better....
http://www.coolcases.com/cart/ams_1009_cases.php

[rocketmanx]

The Addtronics is basically the Supermicro 750's with a differnet face, Addtronics makes Supermicro's cases. Your post reminded me of that msv.

Man that width requirement I've only ever seen in the short wide and deep server cases. I have an Enlight case with triple redundant psu and enough width to park a VW and length out the wazoo but the height is that of a midtower.

Those are some tough specs
If I may ask, why not go with length instead of the height ?

[fhorst]

Originally Posted by rocketmanx

Those are some tough specs
If I may ask, why not go with length instead of the height ?

Simple, for the airflow.
With a high case, you can place a rad at the bottom, and one at the top (horizental) With a long case, you need to make the airflow from side to side.

If you have a D-Tec rad 15x15cm and a D-Tec double rad (28x15), a BIX and a 12x18cm rad (thin one) how would you place them? (2 seperate loops)

[iroc409]

i dunno if they still make them, but i've got an inwin q500 i picked up a couple years ago. no front door. the design is fairly simple, not all wavy or goofy like most cases these days. a slight curvature to the front, but that's about it (i believe inwin is still using the same basic design on some of their midtowers, at least not that long ago i saw them like that).

the inside is nice, 6x3.5" hard drive cage, 1 fdd at the top, 5x5.25" external bays at the top. there's enough space above the psu to mount a 120mm fan with some extra space, and i _believe_ there's enough space at the front under the drive cage for a 120 as well without yanking the drive cage (too lazy to walk over there). and, it's built out of the good metal, as opposed to today's trend of shitty galvanized-looking bendy stuff. very similar to the old-skool full tower desins, a very solid case. the front bezel is mounted with 4 screws and a clip. i leave the screws out, all you have to do is grab the clip and rotate it up. i also cut up the bottom of the front panel to increase the front airflow and it did just that quite effectively, without being noticed.

you might try for something like that, but i dunno if they're still around. otherwise try that lian li, or the other model they make that looks like a tall pc60.