Best mATX case?

**kris23** · Sep 23, 2009, 01:36 AM

hey guys.... just wondering, for those that own or have looked into them.... what is the highest performing mATX case you have seen?

my friend wants me to build him a performance mATX system so i need a good case..... asked him to consider an ATX mid-tower but that wasnt so good....

sadly, i havent seen any good ones since the NZXT Rogue and that thing is long gone....

any other ideas? i looked at the silverstone cases and while nice... a little funky with the PSU right over the CPU cooler or were prohibitively expensive....

Earthmonger · Sep 23, 2009, 11:06 PM

The Rogue is still available in limited quantities here and there, but almost exclusively the silver version. If you can find it, that would be my pick. I'd turn all four side fans inward, however.

Silver Rogue is still available here in Norway, but I doubt you'd want to import it.

**kris23** · Sep 23, 2009, 11:13 PM

yea its nice but hard to find since its EOL..... i prefer black too..... i found out cooler master also came out with a performance case thats basically a tiny tower.

Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Elite 341 RC-341C-KKN1-GP Black Steel MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

not as attractive as the rogue but it still is nice..... cheap too! 4 120mm fans for a microATX setup

Earthmonger · Sep 23, 2009, 11:23 PM

Too boring for my tastes, but damn, it is cheap.

PS, I just found a black Rogue. I was so shocked that I emailed the vendor to find out if it was an error. If it's legit, that sucker is mine.

**kris23** · Sep 23, 2009, 11:31 PM

niiiice

Earthmonger · Sep 24, 2009, 07:34 PM

Well, it wasn't an error. My guess would be someone found it in a dusty, lightless corner of warehouse. I bought it.

So now I have a black Rogue (soon to be fitted with red LEDs all around) AND a Lian Li 351B en route to me. I ordered the Lili last week. But I just couldn't help myself when I found that Rogue.

PS, I'm building the mATX system for my wife. She just don't know it yet.

BlueMak · Sep 24, 2009, 08:30 PM

Thermaltakeusa»Chassis»Small Form Factor

Thermaltakeusa»Chassis»Home Theater

***Veridian3*** · Sep 24, 2009, 10:03 PM

Silverstone SG04, i use one for a system containing 4890 + core i7 9xx... CPU cooling isnt an issue with 2 front fans and one of the Skythe Shuriken's.

**kris23** · Sep 24, 2009, 11:23 PM

that sounds amazing Stuart...

so it uses the PSU fan as the main exhaust and has 2 intakes? yea ill probably look into it to see if i can fit it into the budget..... $150 is a little pricey but if it works.... it works

***Veridian3*** · Sep 25, 2009, 02:33 AM

Yeah, it comes with one fan as standard for the intake but that an be moved up/down and a 2nd installed. The PSU can also be installed in either direction if i remember correctly.

There are a few things you can do to help the overall temps and how easy the build will be...

1) Shop around for custom PCB's for the gfx card you want to use. Often they will be slightly shorter than the reference which gives you a little extra room to play with wiring wise.

2) Look at gigabytes cards as they usually run pretty cool.

3) Try to get one where the power connectors point up rather than out the back of the card.

4) Coolers which exhaust air out the back of the case will help.

Also, its not essential but an SSD will save some more space and reduce heat further.

There is a good pic of the intake here: http://www.silverstonetek.com/images...H-Front-03.jpg Basically when you move the pre-installed fan up/down and add a 2nd fan you create a really good amount of airflow passing through the chassis and there are several vents at the back which let the air pass out the back in addition to ther PSU/gfx doing the same.

**kris23** · Sep 25, 2009, 04:07 AM

all great tips.... thanks man! i wouldnt have thought of all those right off the bat

Sep 23, 2009, 01:36 AM	#1
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Best mATX case? hey guys.... just wondering, for those that own or have looked into them.... what is the highest performing mATX case you have seen? my friend wants me to build him a performance mATX system so i need a good case..... asked him to consider an ATX mid-tower but that wasnt so good.... sadly, i havent seen any good ones since the NZXT Rogue and that thing is long gone.... any other ideas? i looked at the silverstone cases and while nice... a little funky with the PSU right over the CPU cooler or were prohibitively expensive.... __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Sep 23, 2009, 11:06 PM	#2
Earthmonger HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sitting inside a cube of kickass. Posts: 161 Rep Power: 36	Re: Best mATX case? The Rogue is still available in limited quantities here and there, but almost exclusively the silver version. If you can find it, that would be my pick. I'd turn all four side fans inward, however. Silver Rogue is still available here in Norway, but I doubt you'd want to import it.

Sep 23, 2009, 11:13 PM	Thread Starter #3
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Re: Best mATX case? yea its nice but hard to find since its EOL..... i prefer black too..... i found out cooler master also came out with a performance case thats basically a tiny tower. Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Elite 341 RC-341C-KKN1-GP Black Steel MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases not as attractive as the rogue but it still is nice..... cheap too! 4 120mm fans for a microATX setup __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Sep 23, 2009, 11:23 PM	#4
Earthmonger HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sitting inside a cube of kickass. Posts: 161 Rep Power: 36	Re: Best mATX case? Too boring for my tastes, but damn, it is cheap. PS, I just found a black Rogue. I was so shocked that I emailed the vendor to find out if it was an error. If it's legit, that sucker is mine.

Sep 23, 2009, 11:31 PM	Thread Starter #5
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Re: Best mATX case? niiiice __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Sep 24, 2009, 07:34 PM	#6
Earthmonger HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sitting inside a cube of kickass. Posts: 161 Rep Power: 36	Re: Best mATX case? Well, it wasn't an error. My guess would be someone found it in a dusty, lightless corner of warehouse. I bought it. So now I have a black Rogue (soon to be fitted with red LEDs all around) AND a Lian Li 351B en route to me. I ordered the Lili last week. But I just couldn't help myself when I found that Rogue. PS, I'm building the mATX system for my wife. She just don't know it yet.

Sep 24, 2009, 08:30 PM	#7
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,465 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	Re: Best mATX case? Thermaltakeusa»Chassis»Small Form Factor Thermaltakeusa»Chassis»Home Theater __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Sep 24, 2009, 10:03 PM	#8
*Veridian3* Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cloaked Posts: 5,027 Rep Power: 181	Re: Best mATX case? Silverstone SG04, i use one for a system containing 4890 + core i7 9xx... CPU cooling isnt an issue with 2 front fans and one of the Skythe Shuriken's.

Sep 24, 2009, 11:23 PM	Thread Starter #9
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Re: Best mATX case? that sounds amazing Stuart... so it uses the PSU fan as the main exhaust and has 2 intakes? yea ill probably look into it to see if i can fit it into the budget..... $150 is a little pricey but if it works.... it works __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Sep 25, 2009, 02:33 AM	#10
*Veridian3* Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cloaked Posts: 5,027 Rep Power: 181	Re: Best mATX case? Yeah, it comes with one fan as standard for the intake but that an be moved up/down and a 2nd installed. The PSU can also be installed in either direction if i remember correctly. There are a few things you can do to help the overall temps and how easy the build will be... 1) Shop around for custom PCB's for the gfx card you want to use. Often they will be slightly shorter than the reference which gives you a little extra room to play with wiring wise. 2) Look at gigabytes cards as they usually run pretty cool. 3) Try to get one where the power connectors point up rather than out the back of the card. 4) Coolers which exhaust air out the back of the case will help. Also, its not essential but an SSD will save some more space and reduce heat further. There is a good pic of the intake here: http://www.silverstonetek.com/images...H-Front-03.jpg Basically when you move the pre-installed fan up/down and add a 2nd fan you create a really good amount of airflow passing through the chassis and there are several vents at the back which let the air pass out the back in addition to ther PSU/gfx doing the same.

Sep 25, 2009, 04:07 AM	Thread Starter #11
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Re: Best mATX case? all great tips.... thanks man! i wouldnt have thought of all those right off the bat __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!