Looking for Case alternatives

[zartor]

Hello DazMode community,

I'm here to request your help. Last year I've upgrade the hardware of my gaming machine and made a huge mess just because I didn't have the time to make something cute. Now I'm tired of this ugly thing and it’s time to rectify the situation.

I currently use a Xigmatek Elysium. While it does have a lot of space, it’s not really water cooling friendly and the cable management is poor to my taste. I’ve look around what is made on the market. I really like Caselabs Mercury series especially the S8 but the delay to order one are really insane right now (they have frozen their online shop until ?? due to too much BO). Now maybe I’ve overlook a model from a competitor and that’s why I’ve start this thread.

Here is a small list of what I currently have to fit inside:
Motherboard Asus X99-Deluxe with a 5930k cpu
4x8GB ram
A few disks….
4x 1Tb WD black 3.5” 2x 2TB WD green 3.5” 8x IBM 200GB SSD 2.5” in two 5” bays enclosures 1x OCZ Vertex 4 256Gb SSD 2.5”
And some cards….
IBM SAS 5015 controller, Creative ZXR sound card, XFX Radeon 280x
The CPU is water cooled by a 240mm rad and 2bay reservoir dual D5 pumps. The environmental monitoring is done by an Aquaero 5 Pro.

With this refresh, I want to trade the R9 280x for a GTX1080 that I’ll water cool, increase the ram to 8x8GB with water cooling, trade the 240mm rad for 2x360mm rad and maybe water cool the MB because… why not. I haven’t choose any color schema so I’m open mind to anything. I also want to switch to hard tubing (it'll be a first for me). I also have a preference for cube style cases. They are easier to carry for lan party.

[bungwirez]

hmm... a cube. that fits 2x360.

for sure this fits the Caselabs design.
or a Mountain Mods.
or that XSPC thingy that Daz gave to Nass.
or (god forgive me) that Tt product...

oh ya... and WELCOME to DAZMODE

[Bartacus]

There is that monster STH10 for sale from Daz, but it's a little bit huge. I think your ideal solution is a used Caselabs M8 cube. At one time, I had 2 88mm thick Monsta 360 rads in the back of that thing, no pedestal. You can put 360's everywhere in the M8.

[zartor]

Thermaltake have some nice products but all cube version doesn't have enough bay drives for all the stuff I have to fit in.
Nice hint on Montain Mods. I'll look into it. They don't seem to publish many pictures so I may need to dig a little.

Do you have any link for the XSPC one? I'm curious.

[zartor]

The STH10 is indeed a nice option. But I'm trying to get away from towers for a few reasons... one of them being my daughter who can't avoid to push on it and make my heart skip a beat each time. Another one being that I transport it a few times/years and supertower have no place to have a firm grip on it except having your hand under it wich nearly impossible when it's 2'+ tall and see in front of you.

[Bartacus]

Eeeek, yeah if you need to transport it, Caselabs + a bunch of rads isn't the way to go! It's going to be a bit tough to find a reasonable sized case that can handle 2 360s. I *think* the Corsair Air 540 cube can hold a 360 and a 280. I have that one's baby brother, the Air 240, and I managed to cram a pair of Darkside 240s in that little thing, so I'm betting you could stuff plenty of cooling in the 540. It's a cheaper option too.

[bungwirez]

Do you have any link for the XSPC one? I'm curious.

Discontined.... http://www.xs-pc.com/discontinued-eo...ube-case-10pci

its the case that is in the top right banner on the forums here.
Daz has lots of old vids on it.

[zartor]

It took me a while to look at montainmods but now that I've find the flash configurator I can see how flexible those cases are! I probably would have more than enough space with the U2-UFO to fit everything. I see they also offer custom paint colors which is a nice addition. My main concern is I can't find any indication on where the disks drives should be install. I still have 14 of those to fit in (ya I know it's not a typical usage). 8 of them (ssd) have a drive enclosure that fit in the 5” drive bays but I can’t find where I’ll put the 6 others. Any idea?

The ascension model with the 2 in 1 motherboards option also give me some crazy ideas. Just don’t tell the wife

[bungwirez]

Mountain Mods is an awesome choice,
you certainly have a butt load of drives... are you sure a proper NAS isn't more appropriate?
not trying to talk you out of building a massive cube, but...

as for our wives, they know nothing of this except that we're a crafty and nerdy bunch,

and not out late at some bar messing up.

[zartor]

Well the ssd's are high performance server class (thank you work "garbage") except for my OS one. Then I have 4 WD Black in raid 10 for the apps/VMs I use less often. The two others are my Media center sources... those are the only two that could fit for a NAS except that I have bad expériences with NAS. I've seen a comment about 120mm fan mount bracket for drives but I've find them yet.

Crafty and nerdy does well describe the situation. She usually just answer: Do what you want. That's your money.

Speaking of "work garbage" I may be able to reduce the numberof disks/ssd in my setup in a few months... There is a few SX350-3200 (3TB PCIE) cards that will need a generous person to recycle them. They where suppose to sell those machines but knowing them, it'll not happen.

[Bartacus]

There is a few SX350-3200 (3TB PCIE) cards that will need a generous person to recycle them. They where suppose to sell those machines but knowing them, it'll not happen.

I want your job!!

[snef]

hi

again this year I'm working on a Asus project for CES 2017 and it will be a in a very great case

for around same price as the Caselabs at your door, look at www.Hex-gear.com for the R80

the shipping can be high but look only at the final price and you can look at Performance-pcs , they are retailer in US, maybe little bit cheaper for shipping

can install a 360 and a 480


look at this beauty, built by p0Pe

[Bartacus]

Pope does such amazing work.

[nass]

I have both a mountain mod cube and an xspc cube that would handle anything you need to add for rads, even triple 360's wall from mountain mods that I added to the xspc if ya want, not doing anything with them nowadays as am running all caselabs here for now.
Would make u a good deal on whichever one you want, for drive bays could give you a bunch from a 900d that I have also.

[nass]

The hex-gear snef posted about would be a better bet, as is all new, Cubes are cute but allot of thumbs screws to remove to get in versus a door.

Mine are horizontal builds though also.