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/produc...82E16811144160

#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 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 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 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.

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.

[Ototero]

There is a good review here. Looks sexy too.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/shopper/revie...rchString=case

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

[Beerknurd]

Sexy.... It looks mean...

[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.

[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.