Cases $80-200

[top41]

I'm planing to buy a case Mid-tower or bigger.
I like the Coolermaster Praetorian and Mystique.
What is the pros/cons between them?
The CM Stacker is really big, is it nessary if I use the spec show on the left hand side with 4 HDDs, more isn't nessary but would be nice if I knew I could expand.
I found the Stackers looks terible even 830.

Antec and other don't ship to my country or have to pass lots of my country taxes so it would be really expensive.

Lian Li, Tt, Sunbeam is the only popular brand that sells in my country.

Could you recomend me anything?

And what about the tool-free thingy??

[Zalmann]

I personally like the CM Stacker, i've seen some very nice modded up examples in TPU case mods.

[top41]

TPU ????
What is that?
Sorry I don't really been in English webboard very much.

[Zalmann]

TPU is this website, TechPowerUp. Sorry, I also had the same problems when I first joined the forum.

[top41]

Alright, thanks. I would find it in the website myself then to see what I like.

[Zalmann]

Yep, certainly. You can view before finally deciding. Some people have done some really nice modifications, which you may be able to do yourself if you wish.

[top41]

I think, personaly, Stacker is really big and ideal for watercooling.
But I use aircool so it might be too big.
Also, the bigger the harder to mod.
I mod successfuly 3 cases. 2 are barebones and 1 is mid tower.
It MIGHT be to big but who knows, maybe my 4Hdds would suck up the spaces

[Zalmann]

Well, a good rule of thumb is, the more room you have, the cooler the environment inside. Having too small a case can cause you problems with cooling and air circulation. Trust me, I've got a slim-line HTPC case, and I have to run extra fans to ensure adequite cooling, and it defeats the purpose of having a slim-line case, as the additional fans add to the noise, and HTPC setups, noise is the enemy.

[top41]

Aha,

[tkpenalty]

Airflow is a must as well, it is pointless to have a large case when you dont have airflow. I would recommend the Antec P182 or the P182SE (Polished Steel version) They are excellent in terms of airflow and will reduce the clutter. Its one of the most quiet cases and it makes sure you dont need to buy extra fans. If you like LED fans however and windows, go for the antec 900. Similar but not isolated partitions. I dont like LED fans so yeah.

[Velocity]

there are like 900 other threads about this one below, usualy it results in a huge list of the same cases, check em out and u can get a pretty good idea of what cases there are...

[top41]

Right, thanks

[top41]

Sadly, I still cant choose between mid and full size -*-.
Antec is not on sell on my country.
Stacker 830 is great big and looks great but does not have clear side.....
Stacker 810 is damn big and supports 2 PSUs !! It would allow me to do what I want but it looks ugly in the front....
Mystique is the coolest design I can think of but somewhat, maybe a bit too small.....
Lian-Li I don't like th design....
Tt (I think produce low quality product)

Please forgive me for complaining but I can't really decide on one

[ex_reven]

The 830 is good in terms of airflow for me.
It comes with 2 120mm fans (and has space for 7 more).

I run mine with just the two and a cpu fan and its extremely quiet.
With regards to the clear sides, I find them quite ugly. If you want to display your lighting, you can see through the mesh of the 830 really easily when the inside is lit up. I find perspex just an ugly and cheap medium that displays wires and fans when its unnecessary.

[freaksavior]

CMstacker_830.jpgThe original CM Stacker was so audacious that we wondered what Cooler Master would do to one-up it: Now we know. The follow-up—dubbed the CM Stacker 830—improves on the original design in every way possible, and is one of the most badass cases we’ve ever laid our grubby (yet grounded for static) hands on.

So, what’s new in the second rev of the Stacker? Damn near everything but the materials: It’s still made entirely of aluminum.

Now, before you go thinking all-aluminum cases are too flimsy, know that this is old-school, Wave Master-style aluminum. It’s thick, and feels incredibly solid. This is not a case that flexes when you sit on it, but yet it’s light enough that you won’t inflame your hernia when you pick the case up by the handles built-into its top.

USB, FireWire, and audio ports are now on top of the case as well as in the front—a marked improvement. The internal audio cable that dangles from the connector sports four various plugs to ensure compatibility with every kind of audio jack on the market. The case still boasts 10 5.25-inch bays, and you can fill them with whatever you want—including optical drives, fan buses, and the included 3.5-inch drive cage, though the latter holds only three drives. If you have more drives than that, you’ll have to purchase a 5.25-to-3.25-inch adapter. This is clearly a mark against the Stacker, though not a big one. The only PC we’ve seen in the past two years that had more than three drives is our very own Dream Machine—still, it’d be nice if Cooler Master threw in an adapter or two for storage mavens.

Perhaps the biggest improvement to the Stacker is in the cooling department. The case’s included hard drive cage has its own dedicated 12cm fan, but you can also mount two more 12cm fans in any remaining empty 5.25-inch bays. Cooler Master only includes an adapter for one additional fan. Where the case gets insanely cool is with the swing-out, removable side door that hides behind the left-side panel. It can hold up to four 6cm-12cm fans, and if you’re not using it you can simply remove it with the push of a button. You can also attach another 12cm fan on the top of the case. And there’s yet another 12cm exhaust fan in the traditional location—above the ATX connector block.

In total, the Stacker 830 accepts nine 12cm fans, providing almost ridiculous cooling power. There’s even an optional cross-flow fan that blows air across the motherboard, but it’s not included with the case.

Other trick features include a front-panel door that can open to either side—extremely convenient! Removing the front-bezel slot covers is much easier with the new case, as now narrow metal wings on either side of the bezel swing out to give you easy access to the bezel’s locking mechanism (before you had to pop out the slot covers using force from inside the case). When you push the wings back in place the bezel is secured.

Just like before, the case is completely tool-less, though you will have to attach the hard drives to their cage via screws. Aside from that, everything comes off or locks into place with just the twist of a lever. The removable motherboard tray even has a handle on it, which should be a feature of every case. Both side doors and the motherboard tray unlock with the push of a lever.

What’s really shocking is the list of motherboard formfactors that the Stacker supports: ATX, E-ATX, Micro-ATX, BTX, Pico-BTX, and Micro-BTX. Yep, that’s all of them—even BTX, should that formfactor ever see the light of day.

Aside from the aforementioned drive-adapter shortage, there’s really nothing missing from the Stacker, aside from the “dream case” features we imagined in our Holiday 2005 case roundup—interior lighting, a tool tray, cable runs, and other pie-in-the-sky features we’d love to see. If Cooler Master saw fit to add these extras to the next iteration of the Stacker, we just might want to marry it.
—Josh Norem

Month Reviewed: January 2006

+ BIG CASE: Huge and highly customizable, abundant cooling.

- BAG RASH: Holds only three hard drives out of the box.

Verdict: 9
kickass=yes

URL: www.coolermaster.com
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From the Magazine
2006
January 2006


http://www.maximumpc.com/article/Cooler-Master-CM-Stacker-830
that is from Maximum pc

[top41]

I'm getting CM Stacker 810 (the old one).
I think twice and still say that's my decition.
Thanks everyone..

[TSX420J]

http://www.xoxide.com/ssttjo41.html