Looking for a new, maybe smaller case

Man going without a 5 1/4" drive bay is soo tempting, thanks for the nudge guys
Going to look at some more video reviews but Arc Midi R2 - Window and Enthoo Evolv ATX seem to be the leaders right now...

Also since posting some pics of desk area/cases. Here is mine. What is even funnier Blaylock is those desks you have I actually had for years, including the desk hutch, til I got this from a family member. Course my desk is a wee bit messier than yours as trying to sort through files. My SilverStone HTPC case is over on the other desk includes my old PC which I'll probably drop back into this case after I get a new one.


Now here is the case, I redid the inside semi recently with my new mobo/cpu/ram/psu and took out a 2x 5 1/4" bay (3 HDD) removable HDD rack. Really does me no good now so no need to utilize it. Course can't find the face plates for this then. Didn't get a snap shot inside but not proud of it

If you're dropping the ODD, I'll say again, consider mITX if you really want to size down

ATMINSIDE said:

If you're dropping the ODD, I'll say again, consider mITX if you really want to size down

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If I found a nice replacement for a motherboard... I'd probably have the mITX/ITX case sitting on my desk to show case it some how. Course I went through months of looking to find my ASRock Z170 Extreme6. Since your partially suggesting it... I'm curious on your idea's? Maybe ideal for another thread (going over the the mobo section now) but curious if there is a performance issue with going to a smaller motherboard? Started a thread here on that potential route. Guess maybe I will be thinking a bit more on this

And I've basically decided on this external optical drive that was discussed partially in this thread. Blu-Ray Reader/Burner
Pioneer USB 3.0 BD/DVD/CD Portable Burner Model BDR-XD05B

Unless you're chasing every last MHz or running multiple GPU's you won't see any difference with going mITX.

This system is my 5760x1080 gaming rig:
Processor-----Little Power-6700K
Motherboard----------------Z170 Stinger
CPU Cooling----------------Noctua NH-U9S
Video------------------------980Ti 6GB ACX 2.0
OS Drive--------------------500GB 850 EVO
Power-----------------------EVGA 500W
Memory---------------------2x16GB 2800 CL14
Case-------------------------EVGA Hadron Air

There are quite a few good options in Z170 and Z270 for mITX boards. I'd be looking at the Z270 Stinger (the Z170 is overpriced) and the Fatal1ty Z270 Gaming-ITX/ac if you want a premium board.
I'm running 4.5GHz on my 6700K without it breaking a sweat, even being right above my 250W GPU in an mITX case.

Added to the short list

Man was just thinking hey new case.. now all these choices. Probably going to be a month or two before I really pull the trigger on it unless a really good deal comes by. Gotta do some measuring on the desk to see what my options are for space for a case on the desk if I do go that route. Future water cooling is something I am looking at, and WitchDoctors commit in another thread... top notch for showing off some good things.

Water cooling and mITX cases usually don't go hand and hand(at least custom water). The water cooling parts just take up a lot of real estate. Not saying it can't be done or that it's not an option. I'm just saying that your case choices will be down to about 2 or 3.

Blaylock said:

Water cooling and mITX cases usually don't go hand and hand(at least custom water). The water cooling parts just take up a lot of real estate. Not saying it can't be done or that it's not an option. I'm just saying that your case choices will be down to about 2 or 3.

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Yeah I know. Hence why still looking and probably going to think on it for a bit. Though I really do like the styling of the Phantek cases now after really looking at them. Fractal Design is a close second with features at least the ones I've been primarily focused on now.

Man even remotely thinking ITX or mITX (ITX most likely, as got confused by the lingo above) reminds me of the days of carrying my PC from School to Home/Friends Houses/Even to Work to mess around.

If I was really wanting to play around with setups this even caught my eye if I had more money to drop into a setup. http://www.phanteks.com/Enthoo-MiniXL-DS.html Dual PC in one case, HTPC and Gaming Rig. Ah the options these days to easily do something like this.

deathman20 said:

Added to the short list

Man was just thinking hey new case.. now all these choices. Probably going to be a month or two before I really pull the trigger on it unless a really good deal comes by. Gotta do some measuring on the desk to see what my options are for space for a case on the desk if I do go that route. Future water cooling is something I am looking at, and WitchDoctors commit in another thread... top notch for showing off some good things.

Click to expand...

The good thing is you can change just your motherboard. Your CPU, RAM, etc will all still work just fine on either Z170 or Z270.

I was looking at that dual case when it first hit the market. I would have used it for NAS and Gaming. Would be sweet. Also would be a good PFSense and Gaming set-up if I were to go that route, which I'm NOT Austin! LOL

Yeah they do. My interior lighting is a 1 meter strip from Phanteks. It was cheap enough and I fifured the colors would be a perfect match for the exterior. Not something I wanted to gamble on to save $5 on a cheaper lighting strip. Plug n play is the way to go. LOL The only thing that didn't work out is the red lighting washes out the rest of the red on my mobo and fans. Kinda kills the red and white theme.

Still playing around with potential setups. Not abandoning this idea at all. Just trying to decide if I really want to go smaller and ditch internal ODD, replace my motherboard, and just thinking for future setup potentials.

If I go with the ITX idea, the Phantek Evolv ITX and thanks to Witchdotor showing his magic to fit not one but even 2x 240 rads in there (amazing). The case just clears my desk giving about 1/2" between the top and my upper cabinet if sitting on my desk. Great show piece and can always re-use my old case to sit another PC if needed under the desk, concealed.

Or even just going to a mATX board, which found out really not much of a change in cases between that and a mid tower. More of better just to stick with my current board which I am happy with as well in this case which means just a standard ATX mid tower case, with potential options for expansion. Maybe I'd set that up on the desk some how or side cabinet and move my NAS/Routers/UPS and such and hide it in the desk area where its more out of sight.

Top that off, if out in the open, lighting options inside the case, and even motherboards, thanks to the links for the ideas on the ITX Z270's with it built into the motherboard and those vendors cards. Use to have a minor lighting system in some of my old cases... waaay back in the early 2000's. Really did like it back then, just my cases haven't been show ones, or concealed so really made no sense for any of the fancy things like that.

Really do appreciate all the idea's here its really got me thinking. Back to thinking more

Alaric said:

And in white, if you're looking at something besides black. It will swallow a 360 or 420 rad up top and 6 fans for a push/pull if you need it.


View attachment 187540

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Blaylock said:

I have the Phanteks Enthoo Luxe. Great case but I would classify it as a true full tower. It's to large to fit in the space designated for the it in my desk so it sits on top off to the side.

Here's a couple older pics from when I was testing the system out while waiting for some water cooling components and one from the completed build.
View attachment 187536

If you look in the background in the corner you can see a traditional Mid Tower to give you a size comparison. The Case is supposed to fit in the bay under the Monitor stand in these desks. The Luxe is too tall.
View attachment 187537

And how the internals look now but prior to the wire management. I'll try to get a shot of the current desk view. Pretty happy with it.
View attachment 187538

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One question about the phanteks enthoo luxe is possible to put the tempered glass in the White version of the phanteks enthoo luxe or is only for the phanteks enthoo luxe tempered glass?

Sadly no. The tempered glass version uses a different hinged side panel while the original was a sliding side panel. There's no reason you can't buy the black one and paint it white though.

Blaylock said:

Sadly no. The tempered glass version uses a different hinged side panel while the original was a sliding side panel. There's no reason you can't buy the black one and paint it white though.

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ok you have conviced me i have make the order of the enthoo luxe tempered glass gray edition and i have buy the phanteks ph-f140sp red led (4)!!!