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 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.
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
R4
Ghost
Thanks for any/all help you guys can give me. it is soooo appreciated.
-xero
Edited by xeromynd, 30 October 2014 - 09:12 AM.