Cheap rack-mountable case

[time]

I know that the Silverstone LC17/LC20 has an 18" rackmount option.

Is there anything else out there that's consumer-orientated and therefore cheap?

I'm after the shallowest possible case (to keep international freight costs manageable, so definitely not 700mm deep), with at least one 5 1/4" bay (that I can mount a 4x 2.5" adapter in).

 

[ddrueding]

Here is a list of generic cheap-os.

Here are the Antec ones, which are just a little better IMHO.

 

[time]

Okay, thanks for that, but further research today has made me realize why a former prime minister reputedly described Australia as the "arse end of the world".

Locally, I can buy the cheapest Antec, the 4U, for about $200 + tax. Unfortunately, it's ridiculously heavy (and large) and would be uneconomic to ship anywhere.

All the others are unavailable, with the possible exception of an Antec 3U + 650W PSU bundle for $356 + $22 postage + $38 tax.

I can't find any of the cheapies anywhere. The problem is, you can't import bulky stuff unless you buy a container lot. So unless it reaches a critical sales volume, stuff just doesn't appear on the market here.

Ignoring the Antec, best I can find is a HEC Compucase 'short' 2U for about $230 wholesale + ~$30 freight + ~$26 tax:

In contrast, I can drive 25 minutes and pick up a Silverstone LC20 (plus rackmount ears) for about $130 + tax. Of course, there's all sorts of questions about where cables and cooling are supposed to go.

At this point, I think I give up. Maybe it would be best to just get a shelf for the rackmount cabinet? There's no shortage of space in the site I have in mind.

 

[Mercutio]

The Norco cases are solid, generic enclosures if they're available locally. The one I like is an RP450 or something. They have a "bridge" center support that's designed to hold six 3.5" hard drives and they can be made silent fairly easily.

 

[time]

Hmmm, perhaps I wasn't persistent enough? I found the Norco RPC-450 at a single store for $190 + tax - so only triple what it sells for in the US ...

At 15.5kg empty it's a bit of a brute (the Antec is about 14.5kg). Depth is 550mm.

In contrast, the HEC 2U is 10.6kg and 535mm depth. So for 20% more money (before freight), the Norco is more than twice the size and 46% heavier. Without the advantage of a low price, I think international shipping will sink it.

The Norco RPC-430 is out of stock at the same shop for a mere $150 and only weighs 6.8kg (387mm depth). The single front panel bay (5.25") is a bit spartan, but maybe not completely impossible to work with. Probably academic though, seeing I'd have to wait for them to order another container load.

 

[Mercutio]

I think the thing to emphasize is that the Norco case is SOLID. It's a good bit of steel with tons of room for expansion and for that matter customization if need be. I can't argue with your pricing concerns, but I've bought them for as little as $80 shipped with rails, and at that price they're rather difficult to pass up.

 

[Bookmage]

I like the Norco cases... but they're pretty cheap and available in the US... We use that HEC compucase at work... I hate it... it works, but the design and layout is so 90s and i dont like the hot powersupply blowing hot air out the front of the case while all my other new servers intake air from the front... they may have changed that? in the past 9 years from when this case was bought...

but i guess this is all dependent on your local pricing...

 

[time]

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Mercutio]

I just bought a couple of these. 2U, 8 3.5" bays, and they accept a uATX board. That's good enough for me.