Any experience with these cases?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ohaya
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Ohaya

Hi,

Looking to put together a budget machine using some spare parts, and am now
looking at cheap cases :). Here're a couple I'm considering:

- PC-132:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0168140

- PC-166-BK:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0169667


I think that Newegg carries these, but the PC-132 that Newegg carries
apparently has a 350W vs. 300W power supply at Microcenter. There are
images of both at Newegg, and lots of reviews there for the PC-132, but none
for the PC-166.

I want to try to buy the case locally so I don't have to worry about dings
from shipping, etc.

The PC-132 is cheaper (plus I don't know if the Microcenter one is with a
300 or 350W power supply), but the PC-166-BK looks 'cooler' :).

I don't know if it means anything, but it looks like the power supply on the
PC-166 is temperature controlled, and the label actually has a manufacturer
name (vs. the PC-132, which is "generic").

Any thoughts, comments, opinions would be welcome. I'm going to be putting
an old KT7E board in it, and am mainly interested in quiet, cooling,
reliability of the power supply, etc. (what else, right).

Thanks,
Jim
 
Ohaya said:
Any thoughts, comments, opinions would be welcome. I'm going to be putting
an old KT7E board in it, and am mainly interested in quiet, cooling,
reliability of the power supply, etc. (what else, right).
Click to expand...

Looks like you are most interested in price.

You should not get cheap with your power supply.
 
Matt said:
Looks like you are most interested in price.

You should not get cheap with your power supply.
Click to expand...

Yes, for this one, cheap is good :). Like I said, I'm just trying to "find
a home" for this old KT7E, but at the same time, I don't want to end up with
a machine that'll be so hot or so noisy or poorly powered that I can't use
it.

That's why I'm seeking feedback on these cases, plus why I want to get it
locally (so can return if it's no good).

Jim
 
Yes, for this one, cheap is good :). Like I said, I'm just trying to "find
a home" for this old KT7E, but at the same time, I don't want to end up with
a machine that'll be so hot or so noisy or poorly powered that I can't use
it.

That's why I'm seeking feedback on these cases, plus why I want to get it
locally (so can return if it's no good).
Click to expand...

ATX boards will probably not go away that quick... (how
soon is BTX coming?). A good ATX case and power-supply
can easily outlive 2 or 3 motherboards. I have a pair
of full-height SuperMicro cases that are close to 5
years old now and still being upgraded.

I'm partial to the Antec p160 at the moment... has a few
quirks but is well made, well laid out, but case+PS will
run you $150.
 
Toshi1873 said:
ATX boards will probably not go away that quick... (how
soon is BTX coming?). A good ATX case and power-supply
can easily outlive 2 or 3 motherboards. I have a pair
of full-height SuperMicro cases that are close to 5
years old now and still being upgraded.

I'm partial to the Antec p160 at the moment... has a few
quirks but is well made, well laid out, but case+PS will
run you $150.
Click to expand...

My newly built PC is sitting in the old full height case I used to have
my self-towered Amiga in. It's well over 5 years old. I had to replace
the power supply (originally an AT power supply, but butchered for the
Amiga's non-standard power connector).

The holes in the box were still ATX dimensions.

I may replace the box as it's full of holes I cut for the non-standard
Amiga motherboard, but for now it's fine. Lots of space too.
 
Toshi1873 said:
ATX boards will probably not go away that quick... (how
soon is BTX coming?). A good ATX case and power-supply
can easily outlive 2 or 3 motherboards. I have a pair
of full-height SuperMicro cases that are close to 5
years old now and still being upgraded.

I'm partial to the Antec p160 at the moment... has a few
quirks but is well made, well laid out, but case+PS will
run you $150.
Click to expand...

Well, my problem (and I admit, it is *my* problem :)) is that I tend not to
throw these things away, and rather just turn them to other uses. I'm stuck
with the KT7E, and don't expect to be my "main" system, but I'm sure that
I'll be able to come up with some use for it, maybe set it up as another
Linux server, or give it to someone who needs a system.

Thus, I don't particularly want to plunk a lot of cash into making it a
useable system. Since I already have the memory (768MB of PC133), video,
network, sound card, and a bunch of old CDROM drives, some of this left over
from my daughter's system, all that I'll need besides the case is a CPU
(ordered a Duron 1.2), fan/heatsink (probably a TR2-M1), and a hard drive.

BTW, I ended up getting the PC-132. When I checked out the other case at
the store, it had the same power supply as the PC-132 (an "Austin 300W"), so
the only difference was purely cosmetic. I powered it up yesterday, just to
see what the power supply fan sounded like, and it was reasonably quiet.
Still waiting for the CPU to arrive to give that a shot...

Jim
 
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