CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Non-Audio Stuff => The Geek Cave: Home Theatre, Computers, and More! => Topic started by: Skyline on January 25, 2014, 02:17:39 AM
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No reason in particular to post this other than I've had fun geeking out and researching the past few days. I haven't built a PC since around 2005 (been living in laptop world), so it's been fun to think about building something from the ground up
I'm not a PC gamer at all other than the occasional RTS which isn't very demanding. All of my gaming is done on my PS3/PS4. Just looking for a stable office desktop for my wife and I. She's a programmer that works from home 2x/week and I'll be using it mostly for music and movies.
Anywho, here it is. I'm open to suggestions:
Case: Corsair Obsidian 350D (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16811139021&user=u00000687") - $99
PSU: Corsair CX430 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16817139026&user=u00000687") - $45
MB: ASRock H87M Pro 4 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16813157384&user=u00000687") - $73
PSU: i5 4440 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16819116895&user=u00000687") - $189
Memory: Team 16GB DDR3 1600 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16820313354&user=u00000687") - $140
Solid State: Samsung EVO 128GB Sata III (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3D9SIA0ZX1AJ8237&user=u00000687") - $90
Hard Drive: WD Blue 1TB (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16822236339&user=u00000687") - $60
Blu-ray: LG 16x (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16827136269&user=u00000687") - $70
Should be able to fit all of this in under $800...
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Not bad, what about a cpu cooler? I would recommend the Corsair CPU coolers. I use them and they keep my CPU very nice and cool. You can look at the different models here and they have different prices on the different models depending on your budget.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=corsair+cpu+cooler&N=-1&isNodeId=1 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=corsair+cpu+cooler&N=-1&isNodeId=1)
What about graphics cards? If you need a graphics card or cards, PM me.
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Not bad, what about a cpu cooler? I would recommend the Corsair CPU coolers. I use them and they keep my CPU very nice and cool. You can look at the different models here and they have different prices on the different models depending on your budget.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=corsair+cpu+cooler&N=-1&isNodeId=1 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=corsair+cpu+cooler&N=-1&isNodeId=1)
What about graphics cards? If you need a graphics card or cards, PM me.
The built-in graphics should be good enough for blu-ray playback. Since I don't plan on doing any gaming, I don't think I'l have any need for an additional video card.
As for cooling, the stock fan and heatsink that come with the cpu should work.
Of course, if I ever change my mind on the gaming thing, then this could all change. But, we're on a definite budget here...
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Do you have a Microcenter location near you, by chance? If you do, you can cut a lot off of your costs by getting one of their motherboard/processor bundle combos. Substantial cost savings.
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No reason in particular to post this other than I've had fun geeking out and researching the past few days. I haven't built a PC since around 2005 (been living in laptop world), so it's been fun to think about building something from the ground up
Case: Corsair Obsidian 350D (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16811139021&user=u00000687") - $99
PSU: Corsair CX430 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16817139026&user=u00000687") - $45
MB: ASRock H87M Pro 4 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16813157384&user=u00000687") - $73
PSU: i5 4440 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16819116895&user=u00000687") - $189
Memory: Team 16GB DDR3 1600 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16820313354&user=u00000687") - $140
Solid State: Samsung EVO 128GB Sata III (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3D9SIA0ZX1AJ8237&user=u00000687") - $90
Hard Drive: WD Blue 1TB (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16822236339&user=u00000687") - $60
Blu-ray: LG 16x (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16827136269&user=u00000687") - $70
Should be able to fit all of this in under $800...
The 350D is ok, but I think the Fractal Define R4 is more solid for the same money. Keep in mind that Corsair doesn't actually make that PSU, it's a Super Flower or FSP or something. Spend a little bit more and get a Seasonic that's 80 Plus Gold. For RAM, G.Skill. I would also seriously consider spending a bit of cash on something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186058 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186058)
The noise level will be reduced DRASTICALLY compared to the POS stock cooler, for half the price of a Noctua or Prolimatech.
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No reason in particular to post this other than I've had fun geeking out and researching the past few days. I haven't built a PC since around 2005 (been living in laptop world), so it's been fun to think about building something from the ground up
Case: Corsair Obsidian 350D (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16811139021&user=u00000687") - $99
PSU: Corsair CX430 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16817139026&user=u00000687") - $45
MB: ASRock H87M Pro 4 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16813157384&user=u00000687") - $73
PSU: i5 4440 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16819116895&user=u00000687") - $189
Memory: Team 16GB DDR3 1600 (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16820313354&user=u00000687") - $140
Solid State: Samsung EVO 128GB Sata III (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3D9SIA0ZX1AJ8237&user=u00000687") - $90
Hard Drive: WD Blue 1TB (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16822236339&user=u00000687") - $60
Blu-ray: LG 16x (http://"http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16827136269&user=u00000687") - $70
Should be able to fit all of this in under $800...
The 350D is ok, but I think the Fractal Define R4 is more solid for the same money. Keep in mind that Corsair doesn't actually make that PSU, it's a Super Flower or FSP or something. Spend a little bit more and get a Seasonic that's 80 Plus Gold. For RAM, G.Skill. I would also seriously consider spending a bit of cash on something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186058 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186058)
The noise level will be reduced DRASTICALLY compared to the POS stock cooler, for half the price of a Noctua or Prolimatech.
The Define R4 is also on my "watch-list". Along with the nanoxia deep silence series and the arc midi r2.
I ended up choosing the 350D due to it being a microATX case and all of the glowing reviews I've read about ease of install and excellent cable management (I'm a neat freak). The last PC I bought was a full-sized monster and so I'm kind of excited about a smaller/lighter PC. Of course, if I change to an R4 or something, then it would probably cause me to re-think my MB purchase as well.
I have G. Skill on my memory list...there's is only $10 more than what I have listed. But, I honestly don't think there's anything special about G. Skill. A lot of rebranded stuff just like you mentioned with the PSU.
And speaking of the PSU, I just finished having this discussion with a bunch of guys over at anandtech. I've got a Rosewill and Seasonic on my watch-list. If they drop down to a good price, then I'll go that direction. That said, the CX430 has gotten some high price for its price/quality ratio. The review at hardware secrets is especially positive. My system is extremely low-power, so I'm not going to be taxing it. It has a 3-year warranty and if I get 3 years out of this PSU, then I'll consider it a win, especially since it can often be had for $25 or so after rebates.
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Fair enough. Arctic Cooling also sells a similar version of that heatsink with a 92mm fan for about $20. The G.Skill recommendation was just personal experience, very high quality stuff and low failure rates.
If a lighter case is a priority, you may want to also consider a Lian case, they are a fraction of the weight of anything made out of steel at the same size. You can also always mount a Micro ATX board inside a regular ATX case. Fractal also sells a M-ATX version of the Define, I think it's called the Define Mini.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112395
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112397
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112331
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112316
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Fair enough. Arctic Cooling also sells a similar version of that heatsink with a 92mm fan for about $20. The G.Skill recommendation was just personal experience, very high quality stuff and low failure rates.
Yep, I've read good things about G.Skill. If the price difference stays at $10 I may go that way in the end. I'm going to be building this system over a period of time...just buying parts a piece at a time as I see good deals on them.
I'll certainly keep the heatsink/fan combos in mind. I know cooling won't be an issue with the stock stuff, but if the noise is too much for me then I'll be looking for an aftermarket solution.
Any thoughts on the rest of the system?
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System looks fine, but it's very odd that you're going for a 'cheaper' build while still getting a premium case. Tons of cheaper options for the mATX platform.
The R4 is fucking massive compared to the 350D - not even close to being in the same class. If you're eyeing the deep silence or the r4, the define mini is the better option. Cheaper, mATX platform but with almost the exact same layout.
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System looks fine, but it's very odd that you're going for a 'cheaper' build while still getting a premium case. Tons of cheaper options for the mATX platform.
The R4 is fucking massive compared to the 350D - not even close to being in the same class. If you're eyeing the deep silence or the r4, the define mini is the better option. Cheaper, mATX platform but with almost the exact same layout.
I'm a sucker for nice cases. I have no real defense beyond that :P
The 350D just seems so nicely laid out with a lot of attention to detail. Great cable management and no obvious corner cutting to save on cost. It also seems like something I could grow into if I ever change my mind down the road and decide to pursue gaming, water cooling, etc.
I'll go check out the define mini, though.
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I am a sucker for cases too, I have the Thermaltake BMW (yes the car company) case. It was $800 but they have newer versions now that are cheaper.
(http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/3783/r303.jpg)
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Haha okay, I'm not THAT much of a sucker :)p17
Looks pretty sweet, though. No way I could afford something like that even if I wanted to.
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I have a Define R4.
Pros
-$80
-Pretty silent for $80
Cons
-Holes used for mounting the motherboard don't line up properly, a friend used the same case for his build and came across the same issues. You'll have to brute force the install and hope for the best
-Case USB 2.0 ports became faulty after six months. Any cheap case will be prone to this, so just be careful
-Installation of parts in general is a fuckin' pain, this is not a case you want to rebuild in again
-Giant pulsing circular LED when in standby mode, but it can be disconnected with no collateral damage
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I have a Define R4.
Pros
-$80
-Pretty silent for $80
Cons
-Holes used for mounting the motherboard don't line up properly, a friend used the same case for his build and came across the same issues. You'll have to brute force the install and hope for the best
-Case USB 2.0 ports became faulty after six months. Any cheap case will be prone to this, so just be careful
-Installation of parts in general is a fuckin' pain, this is not a case you want to rebuild in again
-Giant pulsing circular LED when in standby mode, but it can be disconnected with no collateral damage
Thanks for the input!
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You also should give Antec a look. They have some very decent, very low cost cases like the One Hundred for around $60 and the Three Hundred for around $70. Or you could think outside the box a bit:
(http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/bitfenix/bf-phenom-matx-bk_11.png)
(http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/silverstone/SG09_02.jpg)
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You also should give Antec a look. They have some very decent, very low cost cases like the One Hundred for around $60 and the Three Hundred for around $70. Or you could think outside the box a bit:
I've got the Solo II right now - very quiet and easy to work with. With each build I'm going for smaller and smaller cases, next one will be a mini-itx.
Also, if you're concerned about noise you could consider a fanless power supply, or one of the newer models which only spin the fan under load.
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I'm going for smaller and smaller cases, next one will be a mini-itx.
Yeah, unless you need a dual CPU workstation, going any bigger than ATX just doesn't make sense anymore. The only thing those full size towers give you is a bucket of 5.25" external bays you don't need, and loads of internal 3.5" bays which would be better put to use inside a NAS. They are also terribly inefficient in terms of cooling because the fans are nowhere near the hardware.
I am looking very closely at Silverstone's new FT-05 for an upcoming gaming rig build. The FT-02 I always thought was too big and way too heavy, but the idea behind it in terms of airflow is sound. The FT-05 takes the same idea, but in a much more modern type of design - nobody needs all those 5.25" bays so why have them?
(http://media.bestofmicro.com/B/8/417716/original/silverstone_fortress_ft05.jpg)
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You also should give Antec a look. They have some very decent, very low cost cases like the One Hundred for around $60 and the Three Hundred for around $70. Or you could think outside the box a bit:
(http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/bitfenix/bf-phenom-matx-bk_11.png)
(http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/silverstone/SG09_02.jpg)
Absolutely love both of those cases - excellent taste! Although I find the cooling in both can be tricky if you want to put performance parts in it.
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Taking a step back, I have a few questions to ask before making suggestions. For fun I do a lot of builds and assessments of potential builds for coworkers and have found that the best way to avoid small regrets/compromises that crop up 6 months post-build is to ask a lot of questions before the process starts:
- What programming needs does your wife have? Is she SSHing/remoting into another machine? Is she doing something ridiculously RAM intensive like building custom Android images locally? Does she have multiple 1TB files in her codebase or anything else like that?
- Do you have space concerns?
- Do you have noise concerns? If so, are you open to modding?
- What size/resolution monitor are you using?
- Is there a particular space the computer needs to integrated well into? Are there furniture or decorations you want it to match/blend well with?
- Is the case going to be wedged in a corner, up against a wall, or have any other ventilation restrictions?
- Music/movies only? You certain you'll never game outside of RTSes? Which RTSes do you play? Do you play them competitively? Will you ever want to max them out graphically?
- For movies, are you doing anything intensive? Are you a stickler for the best scaling and need madVR Jinc 3+AR / Lanczos3+AR?
- Do you have a separate NAS solution? Do you need redundancy for data stored on the machine?
- Are you planning on suspending the mechanical drives or considering other options to eliminate drive vibration?
- I'm assuming you're not going to tinker like crazy to try to get the best overclocks, etc down the line?
- How long are you planning on using the system before upgrading?
I don't think it's odd that you're looking at cases you consider to be on the nicer end of things. Once thing I've found consistent for most of the folks I've built for is that solid choices for case and PSU last through many many upgrades (if you choose to go down that rabbit hole), even after the rest of your system is out of date.
A bit of caution: I've done 2 builds in the 350D and one thing I've noticed about the case is the 3.5" drive mounting mechanism is not ideal. Even using the rubber grommets for the drives, fast spinning mechanical drives can cause the drive trays to vibrate against the case. It's possible to suppress but it requires some light modding.
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I have a Define R4.
Pros
-$80
-Pretty silent for $80
Cons
-Holes used for mounting the motherboard don't line up properly, a friend used the same case for his build and came across the same issues. You'll have to brute force the install and hope for the best
-Case USB 2.0 ports became faulty after six months. Any cheap case will be prone to this, so just be careful
-Installation of parts in general is a fuckin' pain, this is not a case you want to rebuild in again
-Giant pulsing circular LED when in standby mode, but it can be disconnected with no collateral damage
I also have a Define R4, and I can't say I've had these issues after almost a year. It is by far the most pleasing case I've worked with yet. Definitely didn't have issues with motherboard mounting holes. As for the blinking light, that's pretty standard on a lot of cases I've used. Sometimes you can disable this in the BIOS depending on the mobo.
Mine is also build extremely well. It feels like a tank. I instantly recommended it to several friends after building with it because I was so impressed in nearly all aspects. And all that for $80-90? I'm wondering what was up with the two cases you had a chance to use...
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Taking a step back, I have a few questions to ask before making suggestions. For fun I do a lot of builds and assessments of potential builds for coworkers and have found that the best way to avoid small regrets/compromises that crop up 6 months post-build is to ask a lot of questions before the process starts:
- What programming needs does your wife have? Is she SSHing/remoting into another machine? Is she doing something ridiculously RAM intensive like building custom Android images locally? Does she have multiple 1TB files in her codebase or anything else like that?
- Do you have space concerns?
- Do you have noise concerns? If so, are you open to modding?
- What size/resolution monitor are you using?
- Is there a particular space the computer needs to integrated well into? Are there furniture or decorations you want it to match/blend well with?
- Is the case going to be wedged in a corner, up against a wall, or have any other ventilation restrictions?
- Music/movies only? You certain you'll never game outside of RTSes? Which RTSes do you play? Do you play them competitively? Will you ever want to max them out graphically?
- For movies, are you doing anything intensive? Are you a stickler for the best scaling and need madVR Jinc 3+AR / Lanczos3+AR?
- Do you have a separate NAS solution? Do you need redundancy for data stored on the machine?
- Are you planning on suspending the mechanical drives or considering other options to eliminate drive vibration?
- I'm assuming you're not going to tinker like crazy to try to get the best overclocks, etc down the line?
- How long are you planning on using the system before upgrading?
I don't think it's odd that you're looking at cases you consider to be on the nicer end of things. Once thing I've found consistent for most of the folks I've built for is that solid choices for case and PSU last through many many upgrades (if you choose to go down that rabbit hole), even after the rest of your system is out of date.
A bit of caution: I've done 2 builds in the 350D and one thing I've noticed about the case is the 3.5" drive mounting mechanism is not ideal. Even using the rubber grommets for the drives, fast spinning mechanical drives can cause the drive trays to vibrate against the case. It's possible to suppress but it requires some light modding.
Thanks for the in-depth reply. Let's see:
1) She mostly deals with web development and database design. Nothing too intensive and no gargantuan file sizes. She does remote into her desktop at work quite a bit, though.
2) No real space concerns. It'll be going under a desk, though, so we don't want it to take up too much leg room, which is why I eventually decided on a microATX case. OR, if you meant space INSIDE the case, then no...the 350D should be sufficient.
3) No major noise concerns. The last machine I built was an absolute beast...sounded a bit like an airplane taking off. I can't imagine this being worse than that especially if I go up a step on my psu (looking at the seasonic G360) and without a video card.
4) Monitor is a small Samsumg HDTV/monitor. 24" or so, but I don't remember exactly...1080p.
5) I just wanted a case that looks slick. No worries about matching. I don't think they make cases in cherry wood. :P
6) It will be about 6 inches away from the wall and under a desk. Should be plenty of airflow, though...no real restrictions there.
7) 99.9% certain about gaming. Starcraft II is the only thing I own right now that I might dust off at some point. I've got a PS3/PS4 and do all of my gaming on there.
8) I just want good blu-ray playback. I'm not familiar with the terms you mentioned, so...no?
9) My wife uses Carbonite for backup. I have an external drive that I back all my music onto so I can transfer back and forth between work and home. Also use dropbox a fair amount.
10) I just planned on using whatever is built into the 350D for my drives. My current build only has one SSD and one HD.
11) No overclocking. I used to be into it and it's a headache I was happy to be done with.
12) I'd be happy to get 3 years or so out of it. If it's still working well by then that'll be cool. If not, I'll feel like I haven't thrown my money down a drain.
Yes, I would like to use this case again if all goes well. Every review I read of the 350D seems to scream quality and ease of use. Your note about the 3.5" mounting issues are interesting.
Like I said before, I'm not opposed to other cases. I've researched a lot of them. The nanoxia deep silence series. The Define R4 (although I've read of similar issues with MB alignment that others have mentioned). Arc Midi R2. Arc Mini R2. Define Mini. Several Antec cases (Three Hundred Two, etc.). I will say I found the Antec cases to be on the uglier side of things, though.
I also looked into some Bitfenix options.
The 350D is what I came away with. If something changed one day, and I did decide to pursue gaming, it seems well set up for liquid cooling. Alignment of the MB and ease of build don't seem to be an issue. Cooling seems adequate if you aren't using a serious video card. Noise is average.
But anyway...all this to say, if you have something you feel strongly about, I'm happy to reconsider.
Thanks again for the help!
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Silverstone's little TJ08 may be worth considering if you are looking for something more restrained than the Antec cases. I've had mixed results with Silverstone over the years - I grew to hate my TJ07 (mostly because it was just too damn big), and a GD05 I used had pretty mediocre build quality. The TJ08 seems to be quite popular though, and cooling is definitely not an issue.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163182
There's also the new SG10, which is about as small as you can get with M-ATX while still having room for an optical drive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163237
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Silverstone's little TJ08 may be worth considering if you are looking for something more restrained than the Antec cases. I've had mixed results with Silverstone over the years - I grew to hate my TJ07 (mostly because it was just too damn big), and a GD05 I used had pretty mediocre build quality. The TJ08 seems to be quite popular though, and cooling is definitely not an issue.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163182
There's also the new SG10, which is about as small as you can get with M-ATX while still having room for an optical drive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163237
Both of those cases look pretty cool. Just a little too tightly packed for my taste.
I'm looking for a compromise between smaller and lighter, while still being roomy enough to work in and to manage cables easily.
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This is a nice Corsair case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139010 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139010)
Hardware Secrets GOLDEN AWARD and 5 eggs, not sure if it is in your budget or not at $119.99 but it is $20.00 off plus you get a $10.00 rebate card making the final price $109.99
But it is a ATX Mid Tower case
(http://cwsmgmt.corsair.com/media/catalog/product/5/0/500rw_hero_up_led.png)
If you must have a microATX case check out:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139021 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139021)
Corsair actually make great cases, and if you could afford it, a Lian-Li microATX is also a good choice.
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This is a nice Corsair case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139010 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139010)
Hardware Secrets GOLDEN AWARD and 5 eggs, not sure if it is in your budget or not at $119.99 but it is $20.00 off plus you get a $10.00 rebate card making the final price $109.99
But it is a ATX Mid Tower case
(http://cwsmgmt.corsair.com/media/catalog/product/5/0/500rw_hero_up_led.png)
If you must have a microATX case check out:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139021 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139021)
Corsair actually make great cases, and if you could afford it, a Lian-Li microATX is also a good choice.
Yeah, the 350D you linked is the one I have in my original post. It's my current plan.
The Carbide looks pretty nice, although I'm not a fan of quite that much mesh.
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Yeah, the 350D you linked is the one I have in my original post. It's my current plan.
Damnit, stop being so set in your decision and buy the four cases we've told you to buy!
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i could get creative with 4 cases of beer (preferably returnables), glue, and a wallboard saw.
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Yeah, the 350D you linked is the one I have in my original post. It's my current plan.
Damnit, stop being so set in your decision and buy the four cases we've told you to buy!
Certainly. May I borrow your wallet?
i could get creative with 4 cases of beer (preferably returnables), glue, and a wallboard saw.
I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
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Hmmmmm, the Define R4 is on sale for $79.
I like the 350D better, but it IS tempting...
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Skyline is right, building in the Corsair cases is nice. Will give more complete info later, but having worked in both case it really comes down to:
R4:
- Spiritual successor to p180 series
- Quiet design
- Pushing the edges of size for a mid tower
- not ideal for large radiator in the future
- requires a lot of foresight for planning airflow with a packed system with a powerful GPU (not a problem in your case)
Corsair:
- SUPER easy to build in
- much smaller case
- can fit 240mm radiators in two spots
- slightly more costly
- windows looks tacky
I give the nod for cable management to the Corsair because the distance for cable runs is shorter and the mount points for cable ties are a little better.
if you need 120mm fans, this is a good deal:
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/cougar-120mm-3pack
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Skyline is right, building in the Corsair cases is nice. Will give more complete info later, but having worked in both case it really comes down to:
R4:
- Spiritual successor to p180 series
- Quiet design
- Pushing the edges of size for a mid tower
- not ideal for large radiator in the future
- requires a lot of foresight for planning airflow with a packed system with a powerful GPU (not a problem in your case)
Corsair:
- SUPER easy to build in
- much smaller case
- can fit 240mm radiators in two spots
- slightly more costly
- windows looks tacky
I give the nod for cable management to the Corsair because the distance for cable runs is shorter and the mount points for cable ties are a little better.
if you need 120mm fans, this is a good deal:
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/cougar-120mm-3pack
There is a cheaper version of the 350D without a window. I don't have an issue with it myself, but that could change after seeing it in person.
Also, I've added the Arc Mini R2 to my list. It seems pretty on-par with the 350D and I might give it a slight edge in looks, although it's hard to tell without seeing it in person.
At least there's a smaller and darker window which should make you happy :P
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hello,
to really, really throw a wrench into the works (and it is overpriced, to boot) this is the case i want for my next build:
http://www.amazon.com/Lian-PC-10N-Aluminum-Mid-tower-Case/dp/B00H6XVZRQ
wishes, horses... but you may have made a buy that will last through a bunch of future builds!
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hello,
to really, really throw a wrench into the works (and it is overpriced, to boot) this is the case i want for my next build:
http://www.amazon.com/Lian-PC-10N-Aluminum-Mid-tower-Case/dp/B00H6XVZRQ
wishes, Sarah Jessica Parkers... but you may have made a buy that will last through a bunch of future builds!
Nice.
I made a decision early on to pretend that Lian-Li doesn't exist. It's far easier that way.
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The downside to Lians, particularly more recently, is that the build quality of the lower end cases isn't all that good. The $200+ V series and $400 Tyr cases are VERY well built as you would expect, but Lian Li tries to compete with the <$100 stuff, which means very thin aluminum.
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350D on sale:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139021 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139021)
$99.99 - $10 code (EMCPWGP34) PLUS a $10 rebate.
Dave's right in that the Lian Li cases (especially the lower end) are not as well built. They use thin aluminum and a fair amount of mass loader is necessary if you want to eliminate all vibrations. They are also generally terrible for cable management. You'll spend way more time trying to tidy up than in the 350D.
You're looking in the right direction for the CPU, motherboard and PSU. I'd only go much crazier on the PSU if you're planning on adding a beefy video card later. Otherwise the CX430 was reviewed pretty favorably in the sub $50 range by jonnyguru who is very thorough in his testing.
As for RAM, troll slickdeals, fatwallet, Overclock (http://www.overclock.net/f/327/online-deals (http://www.overclock.net/f/327/online-deals)) and Hardforum (http://hardforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=280 (http://hardforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=280)) hot deals. I'd be patient with the build and wait for the best pricing. Doesn't hurt to take a month to get all the parts.
I'll check the parts closet for whatever stuff I've gotten on random deals. I might actually have a CX430 new in box and Seasonic 660 XP2 sitting around. I'll see what else is in there.
CPU coolers, I'd see if the stock cooler is fine for your needs. If you need a quieter cooler, you can replace it later, but there's no use spending money on unnecessary items given everything you've told us. Sure, later you can decide to do a larger hsf with slow fans or one of the better closed loop coolers with undervolted fans, but you're better off holding off until you know you'll need it.
Your thread has made me re-evaluate my system. The gutted Q25 I use is annoying as heck for cable management and I think I'll be moving everything into the much larger 250D if they offer a version without a window :) . I can also mount my radiators INSIDE the case!
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350D on sale:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139021 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139021)
$99.99 - $10 code (EMCPWGP34) PLUS a $10 rebate.
Dave's right in that the Lian Li cases (especially the lower end) are not as well built. They use thin aluminum and a fair amount of mass loader is necessary if you want to eliminate all vibrations. They are also generally terrible for cable management. You'll spend way more time trying to tidy up than in the 350D.
You're looking in the right direction for the CPU, motherboard and PSU. I'd only go much crazier on the PSU if you're planning on adding a beefy video card later. Otherwise the CX430 was reviewed pretty favorably in the sub $50 range by jonnyguru who is very thorough in his testing.
As for RAM, troll slickdeals, fatwallet, Overclock (http://www.overclock.net/f/327/online-deals (http://www.overclock.net/f/327/online-deals)) and Hardforum (http://hardforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=280 (http://hardforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=280)) hot deals. I'd be patient with the build and wait for the best pricing. Doesn't hurt to take a month to get all the parts.
I'll check the parts closet for whatever stuff I've gotten on random deals. I might actually have a CX430 new in box and Seasonic 660 XP2 sitting around. I'll see what else is in there.
CPU coolers, I'd see if the stock cooler is fine for your needs. If you need a quieter cooler, you can replace it later, but there's no use spending money on unnecessary items given everything you've told us. Sure, later you can decide to do a larger hsf with slow fans or one of the better closed loop coolers with undervolted fans, but you're better off holding off until you know you'll need it.
Your thread has made me re-evaluate my system. The gutted Q25 I use is annoying as heck for cable management and I think I'll be moving everything into the much larger 250D if they offer a version without a window :) . I can also mount my radiators INSIDE the case!
I saw that sale on the 350D. Tempted to pull the trigger, although I see it was on sale for $49 in December. I wonder if it's realistic to think that may happen again...
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Are you talking about the 58.99 after rebate at NCIX US? Doubtful.
Edit: holy balls. $40AR was nuts. Just saw newegg had that in Dec.
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Are you talking about the 58.99 after rebate at NCIX US? Doubtful.
Edit: holy balls. $40AR was nuts. Just saw newegg had that in Dec.
Haha yep. I nearly cried when I read all the reviews mentioning what a great case it was for $50. :P
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Not happening except during Q4 by a retailer as large as NewEgg (or Fry's 10 years ago) as a loss leader to post up big numbers.
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Not happening except during Q4 by a retailer as large as NewEgg (or Fry's 10 years ago) as a loss leader to post up big numbers.
Good point...
The build may be put on hold for a few months. My wife and I have started house hunting and it may be easier to wait and do all this once we're in our new place.
Still I could buy the case and stash it away for a few months. It's not like a motherboard or memory where I'll be in a hurry to install it and make sure it works. And, of course, I'm still going to be price watching. If something comes up that I just can't pass on, then I'll go ahead and grab it and take my chances.
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So, I went and added the 350D to my cart just for fun.
Sales tax!!! When did Newegg build a shipping facility in TN!?!?
Curse them...after tax, the case is basically $10 off once the MIR comes in. Not all that exciting of a deal...