What would be better?

[Nd4spd]

I am torn between getting the Athenatech case http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=11-190-005&depa=0 or the Shuttle XPC ST61G4B http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=56-101-423&depa=0 I need it to have enough power to run a DVD+/-RW, 1 HD, 2.8 P4 and a 9800pro or XT. The shuttle says it has it has a 250watt ps whereas the Athenatech comes with 200watt sparkle. I've heard good thing about the Athenatech case and the sparkle powersupply but I don't want to start dropping money until I'm sure that it'll have enough power. If anyone has any suggestions or has either case let me know what you think. Thanks.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

I was looking into the Athenatech for myself, but abandoned it when I found that the hard drive mounts aren't in a great place for cooling. Also, I had some concerns that my choice of heatsink would fit and not have problems with the length of the cd writer I was going to put in it.

BTW - they come with Highpower/Sirtec, and not Fortron/Sparkle last I heard. Fortron does, however, have a 270w PSU that I believe will fit (I just don't know where to get it - FSP270-50SNV).

[Speed_Mechanic2]

Originally posted by Nd4spd
I am torn between getting the Athenatech case http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=11-190-005&depa=0 or the Shuttle XPC ST61G4B http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=56-101-423&depa=0 I need it to have enough power to run a DVD+/-RW, 1 HD, 2.8 P4 and a 9800pro or XT. The shuttle says it has it has a 250watt ps whereas the Athenatech comes with 200watt sparkle. I've heard good thing about the Athenatech case and the sparkle powersupply but I don't want to start dropping money until I'm sure that it'll have enough power. If anyone has any suggestions or has either case let me know what you think. Thanks.

The Athena mATX case is much larger then a Shuttle case. The Shuttle motherboard (ATI chipset) wouldn't be the best for overclocking - compared to Intel's i875P or i865PE (though it's comparable to i865G). The PSU's offered arn't ideally suited to getting the most out of your system, but the Shuttle SilenX 250W is capable of powering a stock 9800, Optical Drive, and power hungry P4 chips (stock). The Athena, you may have to purchase a seperate PSU as a low-grade PSU may cause you problems in the short/long run.

[Nd4spd]

I also have some concern that if I get the Athenatech case that I won't have enough room for a good heatsink. I heard that Lite-On makes a very short almost square drive that will fit nicely. Also I'm not looking for really big numbers in overclocking maybe an extra 200mhz. I am still leaning towards the Athenatech because there's alot more I can do with it than the shuttle. Thanks for the quick replys :)

[Speed_Mechanic2]

Lite-On produces Optical Drives that are 150mm (W) x 170mm (D). These are a little less then an inch shorter (D) then the average Optical Drive that is 150mm (W) x 190mm (D).

[Oklahoma Wolf]

One more note about the Athenatech - I saw some Chenbro cases on their website with the same chassis as the Athenatech, but thought their front panels were a little better looking. You might want to look into them too, but from the looks of things they only have one exhaust fan instead of Athenatech's two.

[Nd4spd]

I found a place to buy the Fortron power supply http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=100899&Category_Code=ps-200

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Originally posted by Susquehannock
Nah ... for $5 less you could have the #fsp300-60atv
Fortron at your doorstep from NewEgg. :p

That's a full size ATX PSU... the case in question takes something a bit smaller ;)

Very cool there's a place to buy it from though... that 270w Fortron is about the highest output SFX unit I can think of.

[Susquehannock]

Originally posted by Oklahoma Wolf


That's a full size ATX PSU... the case in question takes something a bit smaller ;)

Very cool there's a place to buy it from though... that 270w Fortron is about the highest output SFX unit I can think of.

Yeah, I edited my post as I didn't first realize they were
looking for an SPX or micro case.

My mistake. :beer: