Enlight Cases Still Good?

[Clocker]

This Enlight case looks like a good option for the gift system I'm building.

http://www.directron.com/en7255ab1.html


At $59 with front USB and a 360W PS it sounds great. If I remember correctly, Enlight is pretty good quality. The price seems too good to be true, especially with a 360W P4 approved power supply. But, I remember Enlight being good stuff...is it still true or are they cheaping out?


Thanks,
C

 

[P5-133XL]

I like my 8950 Enlight server case but it isn't very new and it was certainly not inexpensive. Enlight PS's have a medium level reputation: I thought they were a bit loud. The cooling fan's on my 8950 are also very loud, but they do a good job cooling the case and for a server case it is normal to have excessively loud fans (the point of a server is reliability, and cooling not noise level)

I have no idea about the case you linked to.

 

[CougTek]

I remember their drive rail system wasn't the best. No idea if they have improved.

For the case you linked... The fan hole on the rear should allow a relatively good airflow as it is unobtrusive. However, I wouldn't buy that case for an Athlon XP platform as it doesn't meet AMD's minimal chassis requirements : it misses the dual-fan PSU. For a P4, it should be ok, although not ideal. Having only a single 80mm fan to exhaust all the heat the internal components produce should worry you.

 

[blakerwry]

hahah.. has to have dual fan PSU? lol, I've ran many athlons without a dual fan PSU. Besides, it seems odd to disqualify a case because of the PSU when you can probably get the case without a PSU or upgrade later.


Personally, I think Enlights are built well. Not as heavy as Antec, but I could probably stand on mine without damaging it.

I don't know about the drive rails, I think they're fine personally... never seen a drive rail implemented better or worse.

I will agree on the PSU, if you're used to good PSUs you will be dissapointed, they short you on power connectors and I wouldn't trust the PSUs to be perfect. But the 20 or so 250-300watt enlight PSUs I've had experience with were pretty quiet. Certainly quieter than the Allied/Deer megacrap PSUs by a long ways.


The enlights I've seen in recent months are pretty similar to my own, I don't think much has changed. If you're looking for THE well built cheap case Enlights are it.

 

[Mercutio]

I don't care for them. Drive rails suck (part of the reason I'm not big on Antec also), their PSUs are loud and I always seem to be able to find the bits inside their cases that aren't finished.
Better than Premier, not as nice as Aopen, Antec or Compucase.

 

[Clocker]

I think I will get them one of these cases. I may just get one for myself while I'm at it. I like the option for 2 120mm fans and the $69 price is right too.


http://www.mwave.com/mwave/doc2/A14403.html

C

 

[P5-133XL]

I've never really had problems with HD rails (except for the off-brand cases with unusual sizes that effectively prevent replacing). What is the big complaint? I've always found rails to be easier to deal with than removing the off-side cover and attaching into the side walls. But then I have a basic complaint against the inconsistancies of cover removal.

 

[blakerwry]

I think I will get them one of these cases. I may just get one for myself while I'm at it. I like the option for 2 120mm fans and the $69 price is right too.


http://www.mwave.com/mwave/doc2/A14403.html

C

I was dissapointed with my Antec 3700AMB. It's pretty loud.. the 120mm fan at the rear is too slow in 5v mode and too noisy in 12v mode.. I would have prefered an 80-92mm fan instead. Also, my case was damaged in several places(all fixable with some glue) but it shows poor CQ on Antec's part. (this was definately an assembly problem)

My main beef is that for less I could have had the quieter Enlight, or for a bit more I could have had a dragon style case.

 

[Clocker]

Blake-
DId you try running that fan at 7v?

Thanks for your input guys...


C

 

[blakerwry]

I don't run my fans at 7v. I don't trust things that way.

I would rather run a resistor on the + line, but i don't have any at the moment that can meet the wattage requirement of that fan. If it were a 3pin fan I would just use a fanmate.

 

[Mercutio]

Mark, I question the reliability of drives held in rails rather than bolted directly to a case. I've never found truly snug-fitting rails (antec is a terrible offender here), and it seems that drives vibrate more in a rail-type chassis. Some rail arrangements also seem to be a bit louder than screws as well.
Plus, rails get lost and broken. Never a rail when you need one. I end up using strips of cardboard from time to time. It annoys me greatly.

 

[Howell]

I don't run my fans at 7v. I don't trust things that way.

I would rather run a resistor on the + line, but i don't have any at the moment that can meet the wattage requirement of that fan. If it were a 3pin fan I would just use a fanmate.

What do you not trust about it? Adding a resistor in series (if you use the right resistor) produces the same voltage across the fan as running the fan at 7V from the supply?

 

[P5-133XL]

Mark, I question the reliability of drives held in rails rather than bolted directly to a case. I've never found truly snug-fitting rails (antec is a terrible offender here), and it seems that drives vibrate more in a rail-type chassis. Some rail arrangements also seem to be a bit louder than screws as well.
Plus, rails get lost and broken. Never a rail when you need one. I end up using strips of cardboard from time to time. It annoys me greatly.

?Strips of cardboard"? I'd be annoyed greatly too. Rails might be noisier (I'd suspect that you are right there) - I'm relatively noise insensitive (Unless it rattles, I'm not likely to notice). As far as not having rails when I need them - I have a drawer of just surplus rails that I pick from as needed. The problem I have is a surplus of rails is, too many and the annoyance of having to sort through them to find one that matches: Being a native pack-rat has both its advantages and disadvantages.

All-in-All I don't find your arguements that rails are the scourge of the computer world to be all that convincing. However, each to their own.

Enjoy

 

[NRG = mc²]

What do you not trust about it

Cheaper PSUs can be damaged, the better ones simply heat up more as you're sending current back up the 5v line etc.

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=4260&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

 

[Clocker]

Thanks for the link. Looks like a good excuse to buy one of those Vantec fan controller thingys.

C

 

[SteveC]

I'm looking for a new case, and I need something that stays cool, and has good air flow, especially over the hard drives and video card, since the room it'll be in gets into the mid-80s (~29-30C) in the summer.

What I want: at least (4) 3.5" bays, front USB, comes with a couple of fans (although I can get them separately, if need be).

What I don't need: power supply, plastic windows, neon lights, or any of that other garbage.

At most, I'm willing to spend US$75, including shipping, but less would be better. Noise isn't a big concern unless it's very excessive (the only good thing about having poor hearing). I was thinking about something like this. For $38, shipped, it looks like it has everything I need.

 

[blakerwry]

hmm.. doesn't look like those front holes go anywhere... might have to do some drilling in order to help keep your drives cool.

 

[CougTek]

Looks flimsy, but airflow should be good. Don't expect it to be silent though : the metal seems too thin not to fibrate and insonorise the interior components' noise.

For 75$ shipped, the best case you could have is probably one of those.

 

[Mercutio]

I like the Compucase 6919 ($72) and its little brother the 6A19 ($60). Both appear to be clones (?) of the Antec design, just like Coug's Chemming.

 

[CougTek]

Yes, I thought about the Compucase, but they don't have the front USB ports Steve wants. Otherwise, they would be perfect.

 

[Mercutio]

They do have the cut-outs, just not the connectors. The 6919 actually has cutouts for sound and firewire, too.

I don't use them. I'm refusing to touch front-mounted anything until someone standardizes the cabling.

 

[time]

The 6A19 we get here has had the front connectors for several months at least. The newer ones (last few months) have Firewire as well.

Merc, do yours have the filter?

The Compucase 6919 has been available for more than a year. I'm fairly sure the Antec is the knock-off, not the other way around.

I'm slightly less happy with the latest 6A19 - it uses rocker clamps intead of screws for the cards (admittedly they work), and they've reduced the thread size of the optional knurled nuts on the back, making them fiddly.

On the plus side, we're now scoring the improved twin fan 300W power supply (which I assume is the High Power Factor version). And they thoughtfully provide both individual connectors and a combined plug for both the audio and USB front panel cables. I think that's called having your cake and eating it too.

Unfortunately, the 1394 connector is simply an extension - you plug it into the mainboard's own adaptor.

 

[Mercutio]

Yup. Sounds like you're getting better PSUs than I am, though.
I'm really fond of Compucase. I'm a believer in buying high quality at reasonable price, and Compucase mangages that fairly well, being both higher-quality and lower priced than AOpen and Enlight.

 

[e_dawg]

I believe all the Antec, Thermaltake, Compucase, and Enermax style cases are made by Chieftec.

 

[time]

No, I don't think that's completely correct.

Firstly, it's obvious that Antec isn't a case manufacturer themselves. Their most famous case (the style CougTek linked to) is clearly a Chieftec. Chenming is apparently an alternative name they appear under in the US (yet another of many rebadges, I assume - they are sold under at least two other brands here in Oz).

Compucase is the tradename of HEC. They are definitely a real case manufacturer, but like Chieftec, most of their products turn up wearing someone else's name. Just today, I saw a range of Antec cases on display; one was a Chieftec and one was a Compucase. The Compucase used a facia that isn't displayed on HEC's website, but there are certain distinguishing features unique to Compucase.

 

[dingo]

just got a new enlight 72500az p4 usb case from new egg for 58.00 shipping included.they have went back to the heavy gauge steel on this case and have done away with the rail system.the 5.5 bays are screwless and hold drives as tight as any case i have seen.two levers on the drive bays slide part the way out and you insert your drive and press levers back in.believe me they are in to stay till you make a change.

 

[SteveC]

I decided to get the Maxtop case I was looking at, afterall, since it'll cost me nothing, thanks to my sister. I should have it by the middle of next week, and will report how it is.

 

[SteveC]

I got the case yesterday, and I'm quite satisfied with it. Even though it doesn't say on the Newegg page, the front USB ports are USB2, which is nice. It's not the quietest case around, but I wouldn't call it loud*, either, probably about average. The case temp is 28C, which is probably around what the room temperature is. The metal could be a little sturdier, but it's not as if it feels like it's going to fall apart.

*With my bad hearing, my definition of loud might be different from someone else's.