That's the second thing I look for in a case. First is motherboard form factor. So when I read ATX, and then saw the claimed dimensions in inches, I was a little peeved. Thankfully it seems the dimensions given in mm are much more believable.
Thanks for all these great case reviews, Dustin! Might I suggest a look into slim HTPC cases? You know, cases one can put right next to their home theater amp in the TV stand, such as the Silverstone Milo ML03. Perhaps an article with many cases being compared to each other. I don't remember ever seeing a review about those cases on Anandtech. Anyways, thanks for all your great articles =)
If you know of one, please let me know! If you look at what companies are buying from Dell and HP, they are mostly small or slim computers that don't take up much desk space. But I can't seem to find quality cases to build my own. How are the mainstream markets and the builder markets that much out of step?
Looks like a nice case, but if asking for help should have added what i'm looking for. I really want a slim MicroATX case that can stand vertical on my desk behind my monitor. Nice enough to handle an i5 and mid range, low-profile graphics card. USB3 and optical drive on the front, internally an SSD, hard drive, and quality power supply. Quite and efficient cooling is a must. Seems simple, yet I can't find one.
Nanoxia actually contacted me; I initially declined because their cases aren't available stateside.
However, BitFenix wasn't exactly easy to come by when I started reviewing their stuff either. Between your request and the potential for press to help them get a foothold out here, I went ahead and contacted them again to see if they're willing to shoot me one of the Deep Silence enclosures.
This is REALLY great! I had never heard of this case and while it isn't a case I'm personally interested in purchasing because of its size, it looks like a very interesting case that I can't wait to read about. This case looks like it has the potential to be the best in class case for it's category.
According to the review in LegitReviews.com: "Nanoxia will begin selling cases on Newegg at the end of November or early December, so they will be available in North America very soon! Right now they are shipping the cases and they have to clear customs, so that is what is issue at hand!"
I'm really glad you're going to review the Nanoxia DS1. So far, it's received quite a few excellent reviews and competes favorably with the FD Define R4 and Antec P280; however, I'm waiting for your analysis for the final word. Based on the other reviews, it appears to be the class winner and it may be the one you've been looking for.
My current workstation has a door. I obviously used to really like cases with a door design. They allowed me to close the door and achieve a clean look, reduce noise and still have external drives. Now that there is no reason to have external bays doors are noting but negative for me. The reason this case has a door is that it has 4 external bays. Either they put a door on it or they are not going to achieve a low noise case.
Since we can't hear as well as younger people perhaps noise is less of a factor.
I advise older people to place their computer on a table next to their work area to make access easier. We don't like getting down on our hands and knees and groping around behind things to disconnect cables.
And here is the problem with doors.
They get in the way and they are a hazard. Walk by an open door enough times, and sooner or later you get a broken door or a computer knocked on the floor.
It seems that cases are stuck in the past and I'm losing hope that they will ever move forward. I'm not claiming Dustin shares my concerns but he certainly shared some level of frustration when he commented that it seems unbelievable that this is the first case he has seen to provide obvious and reasonable support for 2.5" drives. My big beef is why do I have to put up with all those useless 5.25" drives?
Drop the external bays and you do lose the option to put a legacy optical drive inside your computer. However, so much else would be gained that it would easily offset this lose even for those few that still need an optical drive and have to use an external one.
Better cooling. 6-8 additional 3.5" or 2.5" bays. The case no longer needs a door improving cooling and cost. The width of the 5.25" drives to some degree define the width of the case which could now be narrower. Instead of adding additional 3.5" and 2.5" drives the entire case could get smaller.
Narrower case -> you lose the ability to use the biggest, baddest tower coolers and/or you lose area behind the mainboard to route cables And external 5.25" drive bays can be re purposed in tons of ways, I personally have a "ODD Slim Drive + 2.5" HDD + 2xUSB" adapter thing in one and a 6 x 2.5" HDD adapter in the other 5.25" bays of my TJ-08E. Since I don't use the internal 3.5" drive cage (wanted the space for my water cooling pump and reservoir), I now have easy access to all my hard drives and extra front USB ports. There are tons of adapters for multiple 3.5" HDDs in 5.25" bays with hot swap capabilities etc.
Completely agree that narrowing the case has downsides like you mentioned. The question is to what degree these would be problems. Given that every case I've seen is basically designed to be as wide as a 5.25" bay plus the thickness of 4 pieces of sheet metal I would guess that the depth is driven by the 5.25" bay and not so much on cooling and cable routing needs. The funny thing is that the 5.25" format was setup back before any processor needed active cooling much less tower coolers. I would add to your list of negative effects that it will make it less stable, although how much depends a lot on other decisions like where the PSU is located.
I'm glad you've overcome your cases disability. Imagine how much easier and cheaper if the case had simply come with additional 2.5" and 3.5" bays instead? Of course I also am a huge fan of the bays being removable so the case can be worked on easier or for better airflow. Typically 5.25" bays are not removable because they are the width of the case and simply made structurally part of it.
Nice review...love seeing cases like these. Something well built and nice clean lines with a more grown up look. What was that last horrid case reviewed here - Cougar Challenger? Stay far away from anything like that. Need more cases like this...
Give me 5 mins with a dremel and a drill and I promise you they will be!
Very nice review, the case is not bad, just not good enough.
My main compliant is that the case designers are playing safe. With the exception of Lian Li nobody is really experimenting - the interior is the same as 5 years ago. In fact over the last 10 years the only noticeable change is moving the PSU from the top to the bottom.
Have you not been paying attention to SilverStone?
And Lian Li are much tamer than you'd like to think. They keep experimenting but most of the time they never actually fix the problems that have dogged most of their enclosures in my reviews: poor build quality, awkward drive mounts, and needlessly complicated assembly.
which one should i pick: Bitfenix ghost, Antec P280 or Fractal Design Define R4? i'm looking for a silent case which still has a pretty good airflow (at least has to be better than CM Elite 430!)
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darkling - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
I sincerely wish that the dimensions were 8.7" x 11.6" x 13.9".Alexvrb - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
That's the second thing I look for in a case. First is motherboard form factor. So when I read ATX, and then saw the claimed dimensions in inches, I was a little peeved. Thankfully it seems the dimensions given in mm are much more believable.Dustin Sklavos - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
Argh, I knew I forgot to fix something. Fixed.Kepe - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
Thanks for all these great case reviews, Dustin!Might I suggest a look into slim HTPC cases? You know, cases one can put right next to their home theater amp in the TV stand, such as the Silverstone Milo ML03. Perhaps an article with many cases being compared to each other. I don't remember ever seeing a review about those cases on Anandtech. Anyways, thanks for all your great articles =)
sunflowerfly - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
If you know of one, please let me know! If you look at what companies are buying from Dell and HP, they are mostly small or slim computers that don't take up much desk space. But I can't seem to find quality cases to build my own. How are the mainstream markets and the builder markets that much out of step?Death666Angel - Sunday, November 11, 2012 - link
I can recommend the JCP-MI-102, that is a great, small mITX case with a PSU supplied. They have more very slim, small cases as well. :)sunflowerfly - Tuesday, November 13, 2012 - link
Looks like a nice case, but if asking for help should have added what i'm looking for. I really want a slim MicroATX case that can stand vertical on my desk behind my monitor. Nice enough to handle an i5 and mid range, low-profile graphics card. USB3 and optical drive on the front, internally an SSD, hard drive, and quality power supply. Quite and efficient cooling is a must. Seems simple, yet I can't find one.Howard - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
"As far as assembly goes, the Ghost is all but bulletproof"should be rewritten as
"As far as assembly goes, the Ghost is anything but bulletproof"
cjb110 - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
Don't think so, Dustin seems to be overall positive about the assembly. So its not quite bulletproof.Reading it your way, suggests the assembly was pretty bad, with lots of areas for bullets to get in :)
geforce912 - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
Dustin, i think you should review the Nanoxia Deep Silence 1, it is an amazing case and you would love it.Dustin Sklavos - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
Nanoxia actually contacted me; I initially declined because their cases aren't available stateside.However, BitFenix wasn't exactly easy to come by when I started reviewing their stuff either. Between your request and the potential for press to help them get a foothold out here, I went ahead and contacted them again to see if they're willing to shoot me one of the Deep Silence enclosures.
Grok42 - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
This is REALLY great! I had never heard of this case and while it isn't a case I'm personally interested in purchasing because of its size, it looks like a very interesting case that I can't wait to read about. This case looks like it has the potential to be the best in class case for it's category.roberta - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
@DustinGreat news!
I am looking forward to the review of the Nanoxia Deep Silence 1
Thank You Very Much for All the Superb reviews,
Roberta
LarryDan - Sunday, November 11, 2012 - link
According to the review in LegitReviews.com:"Nanoxia will begin selling cases on Newegg at the end of November or early December, so they will be available in North America very soon! Right now they are shipping the cases and they have to clear customs, so that is what is issue at hand!"
I'm really glad you're going to review the Nanoxia DS1. So far, it's received quite a few excellent reviews and competes favorably with the FD Define R4 and Antec P280; however, I'm waiting for your analysis for the final word. Based on the other reviews, it appears to be the class winner and it may be the one you've been looking for.
jabber - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
...most people over the age of 18 could handle having in their home.JohnMD1022 - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
Put a door on the front and you lose me.Grok42 - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
My current workstation has a door. I obviously used to really like cases with a door design. They allowed me to close the door and achieve a clean look, reduce noise and still have external drives. Now that there is no reason to have external bays doors are noting but negative for me. The reason this case has a door is that it has 4 external bays. Either they put a door on it or they are not going to achieve a low noise case.JohnMD1022 - Sunday, November 11, 2012 - link
I do a lot of work for seniors.Since we can't hear as well as younger people perhaps noise is less of a factor.
I advise older people to place their computer on a table next to their work area to make access easier. We don't like getting down on our hands and knees and groping around behind things to disconnect cables.
And here is the problem with doors.
They get in the way and they are a hazard. Walk by an open door enough times, and sooner or later you get a broken door or a computer knocked on the floor.
Olaf van der Spek - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
> The addition of the BitFenix fansDidn't you add BQ fans?
Dustin Sklavos - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
Agh, yes.rickon66 - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
I too hate doors on cases. The Antec 1100 is still the overall cooling champ and it is almost as quiet while doing it with no door.IceClaec - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
According to NewEgg, it should be 8.27" x 20.55" x 20.08"Apetn - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
Last paragraph on 'noise and thermal testing, stock' you say addition of BitFenix fans when I'm pretty sure you added Be Quiet! fans.Grok42 - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
It seems that cases are stuck in the past and I'm losing hope that they will ever move forward. I'm not claiming Dustin shares my concerns but he certainly shared some level of frustration when he commented that it seems unbelievable that this is the first case he has seen to provide obvious and reasonable support for 2.5" drives. My big beef is why do I have to put up with all those useless 5.25" drives?Drop the external bays and you do lose the option to put a legacy optical drive inside your computer. However, so much else would be gained that it would easily offset this lose even for those few that still need an optical drive and have to use an external one.
Better cooling. 6-8 additional 3.5" or 2.5" bays. The case no longer needs a door improving cooling and cost. The width of the 5.25" drives to some degree define the width of the case which could now be narrower. Instead of adding additional 3.5" and 2.5" drives the entire case could get smaller.
Death666Angel - Monday, November 12, 2012 - link
Narrower case -> you lose the ability to use the biggest, baddest tower coolers and/or you lose area behind the mainboard to route cablesAnd external 5.25" drive bays can be re purposed in tons of ways, I personally have a "ODD Slim Drive + 2.5" HDD + 2xUSB" adapter thing in one and a 6 x 2.5" HDD adapter in the other 5.25" bays of my TJ-08E. Since I don't use the internal 3.5" drive cage (wanted the space for my water cooling pump and reservoir), I now have easy access to all my hard drives and extra front USB ports. There are tons of adapters for multiple 3.5" HDDs in 5.25" bays with hot swap capabilities etc.
Grok42 - Monday, November 12, 2012 - link
Completely agree that narrowing the case has downsides like you mentioned. The question is to what degree these would be problems. Given that every case I've seen is basically designed to be as wide as a 5.25" bay plus the thickness of 4 pieces of sheet metal I would guess that the depth is driven by the 5.25" bay and not so much on cooling and cable routing needs. The funny thing is that the 5.25" format was setup back before any processor needed active cooling much less tower coolers. I would add to your list of negative effects that it will make it less stable, although how much depends a lot on other decisions like where the PSU is located.I'm glad you've overcome your cases disability. Imagine how much easier and cheaper if the case had simply come with additional 2.5" and 3.5" bays instead? Of course I also am a huge fan of the bays being removable so the case can be worked on easier or for better airflow. Typically 5.25" bays are not removable because they are the width of the case and simply made structurally part of it.
Bonesdad - Saturday, November 10, 2012 - link
Nice review...love seeing cases like these. Something well built and nice clean lines with a more grown up look. What was that last horrid case reviewed here - Cougar Challenger? Stay far away from anything like that. Need more cases like this...cjs150 - Monday, November 12, 2012 - link
"While neither drive cage is removable"Give me 5 mins with a dremel and a drill and I promise you they will be!
Very nice review, the case is not bad, just not good enough.
My main compliant is that the case designers are playing safe. With the exception of Lian Li nobody is really experimenting - the interior is the same as 5 years ago. In fact over the last 10 years the only noticeable change is moving the PSU from the top to the bottom.
Dustin Sklavos - Wednesday, November 14, 2012 - link
Have you not been paying attention to SilverStone?And Lian Li are much tamer than you'd like to think. They keep experimenting but most of the time they never actually fix the problems that have dogged most of their enclosures in my reviews: poor build quality, awkward drive mounts, and needlessly complicated assembly.
dingetje - Tuesday, November 13, 2012 - link
Anyone have the Cooler Master HAF-XB ?Dustin Sklavos - Wednesday, November 14, 2012 - link
I've asked CM to send me a review sample, we'll see how it goes!dingetje - Friday, November 16, 2012 - link
sweet!HyperDuckling - Thursday, May 30, 2013 - link
which one should i pick: Bitfenix ghost, Antec P280 or Fractal Design Define R4? i'm looking for a silent case which still has a pretty good airflow (at least has to be better than CM Elite 430!)