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#7344 by Neil Blanchard
Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:28 am
Greetings,

The new Antec P150 computer case is now available, and while it is fairly expensive, it is probably the best case you can currently buy. Too bad it is not available (yet) in a black color scheme; currently, it is white and aluminum only.

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The P150 has a unique built-in hard drive suspension system -- this will quiet whining hard drives as much as possible without causing the drives to become warmer. In fact, the front intake air flow of this case is also excellent -- equal to or better than the Evercase 4252.

The Evercase is quite a bit less expensive, though you have to choose your own power supply (I suggest SeaSonic), and your own case fan (I suggest Nexus/Yate Loon), which will bring the cost up to about $100+/-. It is also available in all black, as well as beige.

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Both these cases have 120mm exhaust, and the intakes are good enough to avoid the need fro an intake fan, in almost all situations. They both have their intake grills on the sides of the front bezel, so that noise from the inside of the case is diminished.

The Evercase is steel which dampens vibrations well. It has nicely rolled edges, and has optional rubber grommets for the HD, and even the standard HD mounting is helpful at quieting the HD's -- there are small "leaf springs" that hold the HD's.

The Antec P150 is a steel and plastic "sandwich" construction which should be even better at dampening vibrations ans quieting interior noises.

Keep in mind that aluminum cases are much more prone to vibration than are steel, due to the lower stiffness, and neither do they shield RFI or EMF, both of which are present inside the computer.

[Edit: Here's a bargain-priced case that is fundimentally decent, but probably makes some compromises on the details:

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It includes a fairly quiet, decent quality power supply, and a 120mm fan (that probably has to be slowed down to be quiet), and has a very good rear fan grill and has a good intake, too -- all for about $60 shipped.
Last edited by Neil Blanchard on Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:12 am, edited 2 times in total.
#7351 by TheNextStepp
Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:27 pm
I have to highly recommend the Antec Super Lanboy case as well. It has a nice hard drive rack that loads from the side rather than the rear with built in rubber grommets that reduce the amount of noise they produce. The case also uses 120mm fans (one in the front and one in the rear) which reduce that dredded fan whine.

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P.S.
I don't have the carrying strap on mine :P
#7391 by Nick Pyner
Fri Nov 04, 2005 2:38 am
TheNextStepp wrote:.
I don't have the carrying strap on mine :P


Geez, I'm glad to hear that.

Quietness and cleanliness are the only two criteria that count, and are none too compatible, but you can do quite well at both with any case, provided you are prepared to do a bit of metalwork. Nearly all cases on the market are designed by morons with no idea of the real job, for sale to primary school kids with no idea either, and don't care.
The quietest computer I know was home built by Mel Foux on the other side of town, and he still has the stock cooler on his Athlon. The reason why his is quieter than mine is that he wants to keep dog-hair out, while I need to keep dust out. It's all a matter of refinement.

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