The Right Case

spanky

spanky

New Member
I'm shopping around for a computer case, and I'm having some trouble finding what I want; thought maybe you guys could help. I'm looking for a case has 11 external 5.25 bays, 2 x 120mm rear fans, and preferibly with window. Case material or color is not a big deal. Only one I found was CM Stacker 810 RC-810-SKN1. I suppose I could turn the side vent into a window but I'm not into modding nor do I have the tools.
 
You just missed a sale on the Antec Nine Hundred at Frys that offers 9 external 5.25 bays if you don't use three for 3 1/2" HDs and six 5 1/4's. The Antec model has two 120mm front intake fans with a single rear 120 and offers a 200mm top fan. The retail price is $139.99 seen at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021 Not too many cases in the mid tower range will see 11 bays for 5 1/4" application.
 
That won't do. I need 11 bays. Full tower is fine. Also a single rear 120mm fan won't cut it.
 
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You are probably better off looking into a server type case or a full tower gaming model for the larger number of 5 1/4" bay capacity then. One place with about the largest selection of cases to look through is found at http://www.xoxide.com/pccases.html They will more then likely carry a more suitable model there over other vendors like newegg or TigerDirect.
 
It will depend on what you are trying to do with that many 5 1/4" drive bays. Things like the Creative sound mixer control panel and optical drives, maybe tying one case into another that does have 3 1/2" internal drives used there. Without being specific most cases are geared for different combinations of 3 1/2" and 5 1/4" application.

This is seen more with the gaming style over the average desktop model with one or two openings for floppy drives in addition to hard drives and optical. A full tower case seems the most likely way to go there for the additional drive bays seen with those. A server case on the other hand generally assumes more 3 1/2" however.
 
The_Beast said:
the 810 RC was the only 11 bay case I have found

why do you need so many bays???
Click to expand...

3 bays for DVD burners
2 bays for HDD water block
2 bays for water cooled HDDs
2 bays for for fan cooled HDDs
1 bay for 5.25 to 3.25 floppy/card reader.
------------------
10 bays

Also, I feel like I may have forgot something, so an extra bay won't hurt. Might get another DVD burner.
 
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Three dvd burners? You can only use one at a time with any burning software. Here I'll end up leaving a game cd or dvd in one drive while burning with the other depending the project. The cd writer for speed on vcds or small burns like burning a copy of GParted to cd-r or a data dvd with the dvd burner. With the Antec Nine Hundred the 3rd 5 1/4" bay will have to be used for the 5 1/4" to 3 1/2" drive bay adpater to have a floppy drive in. That will leave 6 bays for ide and sata drives there.
 
PC eye said:
Three dvd burners? You can only use one at a time with any burning software. Here I'll end up leaving a game cd or dvd in one drive while burning with the other depending the project. The cd writer for speed on vcds or small burns like burning a copy of GParted to cd-r or a data dvd with the dvd burner. With the Antec Nine Hundred the 3rd 5 1/4" bay will have to be used for the 5 1/4" to 3 1/2" drive bay adpater to have a floppy drive in. That will leave 6 bays for ide and sata drives there.
Click to expand...

My bad I meant 2 DVD drives and 1 Blu-ray.
 
That explains the 3rd drive there! :P Unlike the AeroCool model case now in use I have tinker around finding a face plate that will fit over a floppy drive in the 900 along with the adapter. I figured I would push that back a little and simply put the cover back in since the supply is installed at the bottom not the top as generally seen in other atx cases.

The floppy will be there for sata driver disks if required on the board for XP and otherwise see the floppy controller disabled in the bios until and if needed for other things. For your case the water coolers will need space there.
 
PC eye said:
That explains the 3rd drive there! :P Unlike the AeroCool model case now in use I have tinker around finding a face plate that will fit over a floppy drive in the 900 along with the adapter. I figured I would push that back a little and simply put the cover back in since the supply is installed at the bottom not the top as generally seen in other atx cases.

The floppy will be there for sata driver disks if required on the board for XP and otherwise see the floppy controller disabled in the bios until and if needed for other things. For your case the water coolers will need space there.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I think the CM 810 is gonna work well. I just wanted to be able to see all the cool water tubing and have it make me smile, as well as make others jaws drop.
 
That model will stand higher then others by the look of it. When looking at case here lately having the extra drive bays came into it. While not going with any HD coolers with the twin 120mm fans in the front where the case is put namely into the cabinet portion of a pc desk the front intake along with not having doors covering the drive bays along with the power and reset buttons was a factor here.

I go from 6 internal, one floppy and four 5 1/4" bays to 6 internal, three 5 1/4" or six 5 1/4" and three internal. Other cases saw only 3 or 4 internal often in removable cages. One NZXT case has the slide in adapters for 5 1/4" drives but has a large drive bay door and not as many 5 1/4" externals. You wouldn't get more then one cooler in there.
 
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