[GTALUG] Custom build: Which case?

[Nicholas Krause]

On 9/19/19 12:58 PM, Lennart Sorensen via talk wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 11:51:25PM -0400, William Park via talk wrote:
>> I built all of my computers, last one being a basic i3-4170.  There is
>> one part that I was never satisfied with, and that is "computer case".
>> Selections at Canada Computers and Newegg are disappointing.  If you
>> were building a full-tower computer, which case would you buy?  And
>> where?
> What does 'full tower' mean to you?
>
> Almost all my machines are in Silverstone TJ04 or TJ04-E cases (the
> newer -E is much improved in fact).  Those I would consider a mid size
> case.  I have eight 4TB WD RED drives in a TJ04-E, which is how many 3.5"
> drive bays it has.  The specs claim there is room for another 3.5" drive
> somewhere in the case, but I haven't looked.  It also has mounting for
> six 2.5" drives as far as I recall and of course four 5.25" drive bays.
>
> Unfortunately, I have no idea where to buy them these days.  I can only
> find them at insane prices online it seems.  By insane I mean over $300,
> rather than the $150 or so I recall paying for them.  Sundial Micro in
> california has them for $150 US, so perhaps that is the "reasonable"
> price these days.
>
> For a real full case, I have used a TJ09 once.  Lovely case if you need
> the space and cooling capacity.  Not nearly as much capacity for drives
> though.  I think it is discontinued years ago though.  For totally insane
> large case, the TJ11 looks like a fit.  Not sure what one would do with
> nine 5.25" drive bays and dual power supplies.  I guess one could get
> some of their FS305 adapters and turn the nine drive bays into 15 hot
> swap 3.5" drive bays.
>
> I used to be able to get silverstone cases at canada computers.
> They still have some, just not the models I want.

The only warning I would give you is that you if your building new is that

of trying to get a front USB 3.1 type c. There don't seem to be that many

options and having one of those would make the case much longer lasting

with most devices either coming that way or already.


Nick