Jump to content

Help Me Choose A Case (I'm At A Standstill)


13 replies to this topic

#1 xeromynd

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 1,022 posts
  • Facebook: Link
  • Twitter: Link
  • LocationNew York

Posted 30 October 2014 - 09:10 AM

Hello All,

I am in the market for upgrading my current build, and I am so torn between the following two cases:

Bitfenix Ghost
Fractal Define R4

Here are the various quirks I am debating:
R4 Positives:
  • R4 has both HDD cages removable. Ghost does not.
  • R4 has two slots behind the mobo for mounting SSDs
  • R4 has more cable routing space behind the mobo afaik. (Ghost will have trouble fitting a sleeved ATX power connector back there from what I understand)
  • R4 has plenty of cable tie down points on the back, something which the Ghost lacks.
  • R4 is all aluminum/steel afaik. Ghost front plate is plastic
Ghost Positives:
  • Ghost has 3x 5.25' bays. I currently have all four of my drives in a Triple-5.25"-to-Quad 3.5"Bay adapter up top (also has an intake fan). Switching this out into the Ghost would be pretty damn easy and fast. R4 has only two 5.25" bays, so it would not be possible
  • I like the look so much more than the R4
  • I like the blank side panels more. The R4 has fan holes on the left, which I think are ugly.
  • Ghost has a handy fully concealed hot-swap bay up top for 3.5 and 2.5in drives. Useful for testing drives, R4 does not. On the other hand, this means more cables to manage.
  • Ghost has it's own dedicated slot up top for a radiator, R4 does not.
Does anyone on here have either of these cases, and want to share their experiences with them? I'm interested to know any and all downsides or positives you've found about either case.

Couple things about my case choice process:
  • Anything more silent than my 650D is desireble, dead quiet is not important to me, just quietER.
  • I really like the minimalistic, monolithic look (hence the Ghost and R4 choices)
  • Side window is not important to me, I've not many people to actually show my innards to. Plus my case sits under my desk, with the window'd side is right up against a wall anyway.
  • I have many SP120 fans which Ill be transferring over to either new chassis.
  • I currently run my radiator with Push/Pull setup and would like to do so in the new case as well, but I can't find much online about whether or not it's possible in either case I've mentioned
Pics:


R4
Spoiler



Ghost
Spoiler


Thanks for any/all help you guys can give me. it is soooo appreciated.

-xero

Edited by xeromynd, 30 October 2014 - 09:12 AM.


#2 Goose

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Civil Servant
  • Civil Servant
  • 3,463 posts
  • Twitch: Link
  • LocationThat flattop, up the well, overhead

Posted 30 October 2014 - 10:28 AM

So much for the Ghost

#3 Alienized

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Rage
  • Rage
  • 3,781 posts
  • LocationGermany

Posted 30 October 2014 - 10:34 AM

http://www.corsair.c...ompact-atx-case got this one...

looked at the ghost too and wanted to get it. but someone that builds PC for a living told me not to do it....
so i took his advice and got the corsair. nothing to moan at this thing =)

#4 xeromynd

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 1,022 posts
  • Facebook: Link
  • Twitter: Link
  • LocationNew York

Posted 30 October 2014 - 11:44 AM

View PostGoose, on 30 October 2014 - 10:28 AM, said:



Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah I was kind of leaning towards the R4 because it seems to be much more popular and widely used. This puts the nail in the coffin down a couple pegs for me. Unless someone posts a stellar review of the Ghost that'll lift those nails back up, I'm now leaning full tilt towards the R4.


View PostAliisa White, on 30 October 2014 - 10:34 AM, said:

http://www.corsair.c...ompact-atx-case got this one...

looked at the ghost too and wanted to get it. but someone that builds PC for a living told me not to do it....
so i took his advice and got the corsair. nothing to moan at this thing =)


Think the Carbide 200 might be a bit small for my tastes. I've looked at the Obsidian 500 too, but I really don't like the look of it. I have a 650D now and simply stepping down to a 500 seems a bit pointless. I do have a friend who has the Carbide 500R, but it's much too open for my tastes, and gets about as loud as my 650D. Your suggestion got me looking at the Carbide 330R, but I would like something a bit different, and most reviews put it (more or less) equal to the Fractal R4.

Your buddy that builds PCs seems to be in line with most of what I'm seeing online (that the R4 or Corsair is a much better choice than the Ghost). I was hoping it was a 'personal preference' thing, and not a functionality thing, but it does seem to be the latter. A shame they don't make a 'Ghost Pro' that's all aluminum, with removable cages & some other features. I think my main aesthetic draw to the Ghost was the fact that i think the Bitfenix logo is badass.

Edited by xeromynd, 30 October 2014 - 11:48 AM.


#5 Wo0t

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • The Butcher
  • The Butcher
  • 51 posts
  • LocationHere, there, everwhere!

Posted 30 October 2014 - 11:57 AM

I know it seems like you have your mind set already but have you even seen this NZXT model? It is a fantastic silent case that I had for a couple years. I have moved on to the Corsair Vengeance C70 because it looks amazing, but the NZXT case had so much going for it as well. It didn't take me long to find a buyer for the NZXT case even used.

http://www.nzxt.com/...ail/103-h2-case

#6 xeromynd

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 1,022 posts
  • Facebook: Link
  • Twitter: Link
  • LocationNew York

Posted 30 October 2014 - 12:14 PM

View PostWo0t, on 30 October 2014 - 11:57 AM, said:

I know it seems like you have your mind set already but have you even seen this NZXT model? It is a fantastic silent case that I had for a couple years. I have moved on to the Corsair Vengeance C70 because it looks amazing, but the NZXT case had so much going for it as well. It didn't take me long to find a buyer for the NZXT case even used.

http://www.nzxt.com/...ail/103-h2-case


The H2 is a fine case as well, but it suffers from the same weird design choice that I hate about my Corsair 650D. The front USB3 ports connect not to motherboard headers, but out the back of the case to the I/O on the rear of the motherboard, basically eliminating two USB3 ports from the back of my Mobo.

The H440 is also pretty cool too, but I hate the colors on all the models (I probably sound like a real grumpy/bitching dude right now, sorry =P) but I just can't get around the Black/NEON color choice on the 440. If they had all black, I'd be comparing it to the R4 as we speak, believe me haha.

Edited by xeromynd, 30 October 2014 - 12:14 PM.


#7 Metus regem

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Sureshot
  • The Sureshot
  • 10,282 posts
  • LocationNAIS College of Military Science OCS courses

Posted 30 October 2014 - 12:16 PM

I went with a http://gaming.cooler.../cases/stryker/

Works great, and looks great.

#8 Wo0t

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • The Butcher
  • The Butcher
  • 51 posts
  • LocationHere, there, everwhere!

Posted 30 October 2014 - 12:33 PM

View Postxeromynd, on 30 October 2014 - 12:14 PM, said:


The H2 is a fine case as well, but it suffers from the same weird design choice that I hate about my Corsair 650D. The front USB3 ports connect not to motherboard headers, but out the back of the case to the I/O on the rear of the motherboard, basically eliminating two USB3 ports from the back of my Mobo.

The H440 is also pretty cool too, but I hate the colors on all the models (I probably sound like a real grumpy/bitching dude right now, sorry =P) but I just can't get around the Black/NEON color choice on the 440. If they had all black, I'd be comparing it to the R4 as we speak, believe me haha.

Ya I think that was a common issue among enthusiasts for the H2, but if I remember correctly there was a USB internal header adapter that came with mine, not the old school USB cable that went to the back of case.

Edited by Wo0t, 30 October 2014 - 12:34 PM.


#9 Lord Letto

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Giant Helper
  • 900 posts
  • LocationSt. Clements, Ontario

Posted 30 October 2014 - 12:33 PM

not sure of your budget but here's some suggestions:
Antec P280, $100-$30 MIR=$70 @ NCIX: http://pcpartpicker....antec-case-p280
Bitfenix Comrade, 4 different ones to chose from (Black or white, Window or no window), Prices range from $40+ at NCIX for the Black no Window (http://pcpartpicker....fccom100kkxs1rp) up to $68.70+ for White Windowed @ mwave: http://pcpartpicker....fccom100wwwk1rp

I chose the Bitfenix Outlaw in Black(Older version with no USB 3.0 Headers) for my first custom build, there's a USB 3.0 Version now in Black or White, but might not be as blank for your liking with all the Fan Holes. Only Problems I Found with it is that the Front Panel USB Ports were iffy with windows 8.1 Preview, seems OK now with windows 7 HP 64 Bit & not much room/routing for a non modular PSU Cables, than again was my first build so lack of experience, might be OK in that department.

Edited by Lord Letto, 30 October 2014 - 12:48 PM.


#10 Goose

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Civil Servant
  • Civil Servant
  • 3,463 posts
  • Twitch: Link
  • LocationThat flattop, up the well, overhead

Posted 30 October 2014 - 02:56 PM

View Postxeromynd, on 30 October 2014 - 12:14 PM, said:

The front USB3 ports connect not to motherboard headers, but out the back of the case to the I/O on the rear of the motherboard, basically eliminating two USB3 ports from the back of my Mobo.

IIRC, there was a stretch of time where internal USB3 patches on mobos where few and far-between, so this was a common work-around; I never had to deal with it, and just assumed it would be a non-issue once the proper mobos caught up …

#11 Napoleon_Blownapart

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Shredder
  • Shredder
  • 1,166 posts

Posted 31 October 2014 - 07:27 AM

my 2cents more fan holes =more fans=more airflow=cooler comp

#12 Catamount

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • LIEUTENANT, JUNIOR GRADE
  • 3,305 posts
  • LocationBoone, NC

Posted 31 October 2014 - 07:53 AM

View PostGorantir, on 31 October 2014 - 07:27 AM, said:

my 2cents more fan holes =more fans=more airflow=cooler comp


and as I mentioned in the other thread, the fans one uses matters as much or more than case selection for noise, especially since blocking off fan holes can, as noted above, increase noise rather than decrease it by forcing components to spin fans faster (especially GPUs).

I like quiet(ish) machines, too, but I pick for all other features first and work my noise down second. I've never ended up with objectionable noise levels in the end. OTOH, if your'e cramming 35dBA SP-120s into a case, I don't care if it's the most dampening case on Earth, locked in a car trunk at the bottom of a lake 6 miles away. It's still going to sound like being next to a jet engine.

Edited by Catamount, 31 October 2014 - 07:56 AM.


#13 Odins Fist

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 3,111 posts
  • LocationThe North

Posted 31 October 2014 - 08:13 AM

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16811133269
.
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16811133253
.
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16811133270
.
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16811133247

#14 darqsyde

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Blood Bound
  • The Blood Bound
  • 348 posts
  • Facebook: Link
  • Twitter: Link
  • Twitch: Link
  • LocationFar Beyond The Black Horizon

Posted 31 October 2014 - 08:14 AM

What about the NZXT S340? Similiar to the H440, but available in all-Black or White(black top). Every review has mentioned a less than stellar PSU filter though(works, but flimsy), but otherwise a lower cost, slightly more compact H440.





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users