Cases

[gatekeeper53]

Can someone recommend a good reasonably priced well ventilated case that you would use if you were going to build 10 or 12 dual core crunchers? I ordered the lumber for the shed today and I think it's time to start ordering parts to fill it. Mama says it's ok since it gets me out of her hair. lol

[Bender10]

I just bought 2 of these (they come in different colors and prices):

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811144160

#1 has an xp 3800+, when running 100%, the cpu temp is around 82 F. But that is with an after market cpu cooler.

#2 has an x2 4200+ (65w), when running at 100%, the cpu temp is around 83 F. And this is with the oem cooler. This is my BOINCpe box.

The case has a temp display with 2 probes. They may be off 5-10, I don't have a way to double check. The cases are kind of thin. But with the cover on it is pretty solid. The case has 1 120mm fan.

I'll buy more of these unless I find something better. I'm open to suggestions...

[gatekeeper53]

Thanks but I want to stay away from the micros (fat fingers) I'll have these in a 12x12x8 room dedicated just to puters. I'm building a 12x24 shed and one room will have the units and the other will have me and my monitors. I plan on cooling this room in the summer so it will have 12 inches of styro insolation top, bottom, and walls. Hence a mid tower with 2 120mm fans that have good front to back flow thru I think might be best. I plan on building in racks with slide outs so I can service them. The wife wants it built and me out of our bedroom as it's been hot in here all winter. She even let me sleep with the window cracked most nights. lol I hate the noise but that's the one thing she likes. She says it makes her sleep sounder.

[Bender10]

Yup, The 120's will move more air (and with less noise). I still have 2 tower cases I picked up when I first changed to 120's. They are quiet and cool.

I'm gonna try and stick with micro cases, as I want to move to diskless if I can....

I'm watching cpu prices drop now, and hope to pick up a couple more in a little while. I set my bottom end cpu at x2 4200+ (65w). And with the low power cpu's I don't have to buy an aftermarket cooler.

[vaughan]

Antec Super LanBoy (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15001) has 2x 120mm fans which are pretty quiet. Case is easy to work on but is a smaller size - suitable for carrying to Lan parties :)

Antec SLK3000B (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=93000) is a lot cheaper than the Super LanBoy. The front plastic door is pretty flimsy but on the other hand if its a cruncher you won't be opening it often! Comes with 1x 120mm fan at the rear and has room for 1 on the front with an included dust filter already mounted. The design flaw is that they have a gap under the front housing that allows air to bypass the filer - you just clog it up with tape to force the air to flow via the filter. It has a air duct on the LHS to allow ambient air to be directed on the CPU hsf. However, it doesn't align with my Gigabyte 965P-DQ6 motherboard and e4300 hsf. Case size is bigger than Super LanBoy but smaller than a full tower.

Antec P160WF (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=81602) is probably my favourite. I have a CoolerMaster MiniAquagate R120 watercooler mounted inside this case and it vents via the rear 120mm fan. This keeps my Opteron 165 under control. I dislike the ultra bright blue LED on the front but that doesn't matter now because I have the case turned around so I can access the rear ports.

I considered the Antec 900 case but as it has open mesh grills (to allow superior cooling) it also allows the fan noise to escape. I have most of my cases off the floor so they are too close to face height to put up with noisy fans all day and night. The 900 allows multiple fans including a 200mm whopper on the top so it should cool pretty well. :icon_wink:

Doomeva wants one of them for his next rig so I'll probably get my arm twisted into buying one eventually. Its probably the "wow" factor of such a cool looking case that appeals to a 15 yr old boy. :icon_lol:

[Ototero]

There is a good review here. Looks sexy too.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/shopper/reviews/105224/antec-nine-hundred.html?searchString=case

Watch the video here http://www.antec.com/uk/productDetails.php?ProdID=08009

[Beerknurd]

Sexy.... It looks mean... :lol:

[mitchellds]

I thought this was kinda cool, except I'd like to find a setup that handled multiple mb's like what you originally asked about. I to would like to farm 5-10 pc's in a similar setup.

http://www.highspeedpc.com/

[NVM]

i prefer not to use cases. i like to just bolt them to the wall.

http://members.shaw.ca/northvanmike/Images/Image43.jpg

[gatekeeper53]

Thanks guys I sure have a lot of reading to do now lol The noise or looks really won't matter as they will be in a room with no windows and I'll have the only key. There will be nothing in the room but crunchers. I plan to run the cables through the wall into the other room and set up my controls there. At a warmer temp I might add. I'll cool it in the summer and the machines will warm it in the winter.

[mitchellds]

heh heh, very nice NVM. I was also looking at something like this.

http://www.rackmount.com/Rackmt/PC_Blade_HPC_Cluster_Pictures.htm

[jmblazek]

Check out this custom job...4 motherboards in a single case.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/03/02/weird-and-wonderful-pcs/page7.html

If you're wondering about heat...he claims temps are around 50 to 60 C. You gotta love his innovation! :)

However, if we're allowed to dream...here's mine...filled with quads for a total of 200 cores! Thanks for the link mitchellds.
Heck, while I'm at it, how about 5 of these bad boys stacked in my basement for an even total of 1000 cores!!!

http://www.rackmount.com/Rackmt/ExtremeNode_web.jpg
Five ATXBlade S101 clusters in a 42U rack with Gigabit ethernet switches on top; total of 50 PC Blades.

from http://www.rackmount.com/Rackmt/ATXBladeS100.htm

[mitchellds]

wow, I bet that 4 mb case had some big heat problems. Yep I saw that big rack link, pretty cool huh?

[Beerknurd]

Well this is my favorite case...

http://www.ohgizmo.com/images/beer_pc.jpg

[PcManiac]

here bro, how about some A/C for your computer? that should help :D
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811221001

[gatekeeper53]

here bro, how about some A/C for your computer? that should help :D
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811221001


not bad but I have a 3 ton unit that will be dedicated to the Zoo room.

[PcManiac]

lol, oh, that might work a bit better ... :icon_lol:

[vaughan]

I'm in the market for another case ... so what did you end up getting gatekeeper53?

I'm considering the Antec P180 silver (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=81800) but might be tempted by the Coolermaster CM Stacker 830 Evo (http://www.coolermaster.com/index.php?LT=english&Language_s=2&url_place=product&p_serial=RC-830&other_title=+RC-830+CM%20Stacker%20830%20Evo)

[gatekeeper53]

Nothing like those I ended up with more Thermaltakes.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133132

I've had one for about a year and a half and really like it so....... I guess I just hate change.lol It's really easy to work with.

[mitchellds]

I just bought one of these, it has the benefit of being open for those of us that constantly like to tinker.
http://www.highspeedpc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Tech_Station

I gonna put my new to be water cooled Asus QuadFather mb on this.

[Frederic Brillouet]

Antec Super LanBoy (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15001) has 2x 120mm fans which are pretty quiet. Case is easy to work on but is a smaller size - suitable for carrying to Lan parties :)

Antec SLK3000B (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=93000) is a lot cheaper than the Super LanBoy. The front plastic door is pretty flimsy but on the other hand if its a cruncher you won't be opening it often! Comes with 1x 120mm fan at the rear and has room for 1 on the front with an included dust filter already mounted. The design flaw is that they have a gap under the front housing that allows air to bypass the filer - you just clog it up with tape to force the air to flow via the filter. It has a air duct on the LHS to allow ambient air to be directed on the CPU hsf. However, it doesn't align with my Gigabyte 965P-DQ6 motherboard and e4300 hsf. Case size is bigger than Super LanBoy but smaller than a full tower.

Antec P160WF (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=81602) is probably my favourite. I have a CoolerMaster MiniAquagate R120 watercooler mounted inside this case and it vents via the rear 120mm fan. This keeps my Opteron 165 under control. I dislike the ultra bright blue LED on the front but that doesn't matter now because I have the case turned around so I can access the rear ports.

I considered the Antec 900 case but as it has open mesh grills (to allow superior cooling) it also allows the fan noise to escape. I have most of my cases off the floor so they are too close to face height to put up with noisy fans all day and night. The 900 allows multiple fans including a 200mm whopper on the top so it should cool pretty well. :icon_wink:

Doomeva wants one of them for his next rig so I'll probably get my arm twisted into buying one eventually. Its probably the "wow" factor of such a cool looking case that appeals to a 15 yr old boy. :icon_lol:
i have the antec ninehundred. i can tell you it cools bloody good! my full load temps dropped from 55-60 degrees celsius to 42 degrees! and the casetemp with all fans on minimum never rises above 30 degrees celsius (at least not at my place)

[PoorBoy]

i have the antec ninehundred. i can tell you it cools bloody good! my full load temps dropped from 55-60 degrees celsius to 42 degrees! and the casetemp with all fans on minimum never rises above 30 degrees celsius (at least not at my place)

That's good to hear, I ordered 6 of them the other day to replace some Cases that I had that are quite old and don't really have good air flow. I'm hoping they keep the Cases cool enough so I don't have to back off the CPU's from where their at now ... :)

[Frederic Brillouet]

That's good to hear, I ordered 6 of them the other day to replace some Cases that I had that are quite old and don't really have good air flow. I'm hoping they keep the Cases cool enough so I don't have to back off the CPU's from where their at now ... :)
hope they'll work as good for you :)

i like the psu at the bottom technique. keeps my psu cold at last. for your information, my cpu cooler is a zalman 7000, it helps to keep those cpu temps down. my last case was a crappy mstech thing. now that i have the antec, i know why this one costs 100 euro and the previous one 30!

you bought 6 cases :icon_eek: the machines have to be worth the effort then :)

[PoorBoy]

hope they'll work as good for you :)

i like the psu at the bottom technique. keeps my psu cold at last. for your information, my cpu cooler is a zalman 7000, it helps to keep those cpu temps down. my last case was a crappy mstech thing. now that i have the antec, i know why this one costs 100 euro and the previous one 30!

you bought 6 cases :icon_eek: the machines have to be worth the effort then :)

:icon_mrgreen: ... A guys gotta do what he's gotta do ... :icon_wink: ... I have good CPU Coolers but the cases I have blow, the 9 Hundred should cure that problem anyway. The QUAD Core's I have run a lot hotter than the DUO Core's & need all the help they can get ...

[Frederic Brillouet]

:icon_mrgreen: ... A guys gotta do what he's gotta do ... :icon_wink: ... I have good CPU Coolers but the cases I have blow, the 9 Hundred should cure that problem anyway. The QUAD Core's I have run a lot hotter than the DUO Core's & need all the help they can get ...
i only have a simple athlon64 3000+ :help:

[PoorBoy]

i only have a simple athlon64 3000+ :help:

Hey, your doing what you can do for the Team & that's what counts & is Appreciated too ... :)

[Frederic Brillouet]

Hey, your doing what you can do for the Team & that's what counts & is Appreciated too ... :)
thanks man!

(i really should get working on that date with paris hilton:icon_lol: )

[leavitron]

Nothing like those I ended up with more Thermaltakes.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133132

I've had one for about a year and a half and really like it so....... I guess I just hate change.lol It's really easy to work with.

The HDD and floppy cages in that are identical to those of the Antec 3000. The 5.25" bays look the same but it's hard to tell from the pic. I wouldn't be surprised if both cases came off the same line. At least the main chassis, anyway.

I have 3 of the Antec 3000 cases in one interation or another. I sold my 4th one with my old Celeron system to some friends from church. I am sticking with this case because it is great.

One thing about this TT this is nice is that the front bezel is on hinges and opens with a key. More like a server than a regular computer. I can see the advantage to that over the way the 3000 works.

[Bender10]

I have a couple of TT Soprano cases, and will buy more when I need a tower case. I like the clean look, and 120mm fans. I don't access the dvd/cd very often, so a door is no big deal. I just leave my 2 game dvd's in the drive all the time anyway.

[gatekeeper53]

The door is the one thing I don't like about the case. But, this thing does cool well and that Monsoon II puts off a major amount of heat.

[Bender10]

If I was burning disks and other crazy stuff, i would be doorless.

[gatekeeper53]

Me too but the disk that went was a 200 gig that was 4 years old and ran 24/7 it just died. I didn't lose anything with it as it was mirrored. I just have to replace it. I'm sure the hot weather we've had the last couple days helped.

[Jason1478963]

I've been thinking of something like these guys are doing. http://bhs.broo.k12.wv.us/homepage/staff/seti/farms.htmI'd like to maybe take something like a pantry cabinet and put shelves with slideout rails on it. I could then maybe do liquid on them and a heat exchanger to preheat water for the domestic hot water use. Similar to a solar hotwater setup.

[drezha]

Nice link there Jason.
Saw the crunchy hog there as well (one of TPR's first SETI stacks) Unfortunately, it's creator and owner, Bob Whitaker passed away last year :(

[Opteron]

I wish we had that -Crunchy Hog- on PI-S right about now...