Budget enclosures research. Asus and Logisys.

[CougTek]

The cases we currently sell are, IMNSHO, pieces of crap. They bend in every possible ways when we try to replace the side panel, are made of paper-thin metal sheets and are finger-hazardous areas (I cut my finger badly last Monday). Bottom line : I'm sick of it.

Tomorrow, I want to make a few suggestion to the store owner about possible replacements. Keep in mind that I'm talking about budget cases here. For the higher-end stuff, we use Antec Sonata II and similar enclosures and there are no issue there. But the systems we sell the most cost 400$-500$CAN (350$-435$ US), so even an Antec SLK1650 is too expensive to make it there.

I've been browsing the Net for solutions and I became curious about the Asus enclosures. Particularly the TA-250/551/581 and the TM-230/551/581. The first models are standard ATX while the latter are µATX. They all come whit low cost power supplies that seem to be better or at least equal to the RAIDmax we currently use. And they all include a rear 92mm exhaust fan, something our current cases don't have (no rear fan at all).

Then there's also the super-cheapo Logisys CS-51WBK. It has a rear hole for a 12cm fan, but doesn't include one. The bundle PSU comes from a cow's rear, but that's to expect in that price range.

Our suppliers don't sell Compucase, in case Merc. thinks about mentioning those.

 

[Buck]

Do you have Apex computer cases available to you?

http://www.apextechusa.com

 

[Mercutio]

Apex are OK except that I've had problems with Apex-branded PSUs.
I'd suggest FoxConn, which makes wonderfully sturdy mid-range cases that have the drawback of having kind of loud case fans, or CodeGen, which are also well constructed but have CodeGen PSUs (again, not a really great choice in that department).

Foxconn cases don't seem to come with any particular brand of PSU. They ship from Newegg with FSP (Sparkle) and from my local distributor with AGI (HEC).

 

[CougTek]

Do you have Apex computer cases available to you?

http://www.apextechusa.com

The enclosure we uses the most looks a lot like their SK-337 model.

I'll look into Foxconn models. Their TLA-570 (ATX) and TW-01 (µATX) don't look too bad. Hopefully, they have less sharp edges than our most popular chassis.

 

[Buck]

I haven't built any systems where the Apex case branded the PSU, they have all used 250 watt or 300 watt Allied units.

 

[Mercutio]

The ones I ordered from Newegg used Apex-labelled or Allied PSUs. They appear to be identical. I bought them because their looks have a nice "wow" factor associated with them, but found myself replacing about 40% of the power supplies from those machines within a year.

 

[Buck]

That isn't good. I only use the G2 series from them and have only had to replace one PSU. I couldn't tell if it was the fault of the PSU or not. Their electrical mains are flaky -- sags and brown-outs are common for them. They are now using UPS units. I never suspected that their posh part of town would be so poorly built.

 

[CougTek]

This is the enclosure I ended up chosing : Raidmax O2 ATX-302.

Somewhat flimsy, although it is expected at this price point, but great airflow thanks to the rear (and silent) 12cm fan (included). The power supplies that come with ours are 450W, also from Raidmax. The whole enclosure is quite easy to work with compared to the former P.O.S. with used. My job will be quite easier.

 

[timwhit]

Still not that cheap of a case.

I thought most bargain computers are built in $20 cases?

 

[mubs]

Still not that cheap of a case.

I thought most bargain computers are built in $20 cases?

My thoughts exactly.

 

[P5-133XL]

The $20 cases don't typically come with PS's

 

[Bozo]

If the $20 cases do come with a power supply, they are only good for 3 on/off cycles :lol:

Bozo :mrgrn:

 

[timwhit]

Here are 2 under $25 that have power supplies:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811145046

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811164057

 

[CougTek]

Our past cheapo cases cost us about 20U$ and they come with a 420W (advertized) power supply. Although it is written on the box that their purpose is to house computer's components, I'm pretty sure they are in fact finger-cutting/technician-swearing devices.

 

[Buck]

Our past cheapo cases cost us about 20U$ and they come with a 420W (advertized) power supply. Although it is written on the box that their purpose is to house computer's components, I'm pretty sure they are in fact finger-cutting/technician-swearing devices.

Sort of a suicide for the technician type case . . . that's when my 5 lb. hammer comes in handy.

 

[Mercutio]

I wouldn't trust a case/PSU under about $35. Not only because of unfinished edges, but also the possibility of bending the whole back of the case while installing the I/O plate or just bending one site to the point that devices can't be installed or covers can't be put back on without Buck's 5lb. hammer.

I won't even bring up what kind of PSU you get with a $25 case.
Shudder. Shudder. Shudder.

 

[paugie]

That casing looks like 90% of the casings we can buy here (only the face changes). but these usually pack a keyboard, a ball-mouse and small pair of speakers. cost around $24 or Pesos 1600.

The side panels flap. and you would have to be careful about hoisting one on which you have installed your system without first screwing the side panels on. The whole think might wrench out of shape. They really have ultra thin gauge steel.

 

[CougTek]

That casing looks like 90% of the casings we can buy here (only the face changes).

I doubt 90% of the cases you can buy have a rear thin grill that won't block the airflow produced by the rear 12cm fan. At least that's not the case here.

They really have ultra thin gauge steel.

0.6mm thickness. That's standard for low cost enclosures. I wouldn't buy this for myself, but I think this is better than many other enclosures with poor thermal designs.

 

[time]

A couple of years ago, I would have wholeheartedly agreed with Coug, but now I'm not so sure. 12cm fans are all well and good, but they either cost more than 8cm fans or are of inferior quality (I've had several that were included with cases fail). They are also often way too powerful and may even steal airflow from the power supply (shortening its life), as well as being noisy.

Of course, none of this applies as you move upmarket and can afford decent fans (I strongly prefer 12cm fans throughout), but I question the usefulness in low-budget applications.

When the fan does fail, you get thermal short-circuits: airflow bypasses the CPU and other components, and when the case is near a wall, hot air from the PS gets sucked back in and recirculated. With AMD boxes, I often just seal up the rear fan vent to avoid all this - I think the power supply provides sufficient airflow. Of course, if you insist on Intel space-heaters with their wacky CPU fresh-air vent, you need all the help you can get.

It might be better to concentrate on using a power supply that includes a decent 12cm fan; they can move a surprising volume of air. Anyway, just 2c from someone who regularly has to deal with temperatures over 35C.

 

[CougTek]

The PSU we use now also has a 12cm fan at the bottom sucking the hot air from the CPU. I'll try it more extensively, but so far in the two or three systems I've built with the 12cm fans case/PSU combo, the result has been both quiet and efficient.

Thanks for your input.