TR Forums

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811112238

I am finally fed up with carrying around my Thermaltake Armor case and am looking for a lighter/smaller case. I can not spend over $150 on the case but the less the better because I might be able to pick up another HD or graphics card.

I have mostly settled on this case because of the bottom mounted power supply, copious fan mounts and cable management. (all things my current case lacks) My current system weighs in a bit over 50lbs. The case alone is about 36lbs. The lancool is much lighter at 20 lbs dry.

I have considered the Storm Scout and the Antec 300. The scout is competitive because of it's handle and similar weight. I built a system for my brother with the Antec 300 so I am more familiar with that case. I would be purchasing at least one additional 140mm fan to put in the top of the Lan cool case, or cannibalizing 120mms for the scout. The P183 is also tempting, I have not been able to convince myself that it is worth the cost.

So the question is: between the scout and the lancool which has better performance and are either of them for the additional cost over the 300. Portability is a big issue.

my (aging) system is:
E6600 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo with Zalman 9700 120mm
4x1GB DDR2 667 with 2x40mm fans
ASUS P5NSLI
Nvidia Geforce 9700 GS with Zalman vf1000
X-Fi Titanium
2x250GB WD HD
550W Coolermaster PSU

I am a college student and I bought this case before I knew the horror of trying to carry it up multi-level dorms, taking up an entire hallway when walking and not having enough space to put it anywhere when I finally got it to my room. I figure i'll keep the case and make a server out of it some day.

As you may remember, the Three Hundred is slick on the sides and doesn't have good grooves for your hands to hold. I mounted the DVD drive a notch back, so the front isn't flush with the bezel. That provides a 1/4" recess to grip with my finger. It's still not easy to carry.

When someone previously posted a scenario similar to yours, someone else recommended looking at a Shuttle case that had a handle on top. Have you considered those types of cases?

I could be remembering that incorrectly. I don't see something like that on Newegg. Maybe it was another brand or maybe it was modified.

There are some very portable micro-ATX cases with handles on the top. A luggable ATX case is bound to be heavier and more cumbersome.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811164122
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811164061
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811133090
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811128029
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811119196

JAE I don't think a mATX case is going to help someone on a limited budget and with a ATX motherboard.
Uh... micro != mid tower. Confusing terms to say the least with your post. There's only two acceptable cases in that list, IMO. The Storm Scout and the Thermaltake and I don't think the Thermaltake is even close to the quality of the Storm Scout.

My vote is the Storm Scout. Every other ATX case is going to be the same issue. Carrying it around is a pain, nearly all (except the Lian Li all aluminum's) are in the same weight. The Storm Scout has the handle though and every where I've read says it is very sturdy. I have purchased the Scout myself and will be building a rig inside it in a few days.

Yeah, I couldn't find any good shuttle cases either. Do they really suck as much as the ratings on Newegg indicate? How can they stay in business!
I did think about either cutting or welding some handles onto the armor, but that hardly seems worth the effort. It still weighs 55lbs.

Thanks for the links JustAnEngineer! I do agree with Skrying that the Scout looks to be the best option on that list.

Skrying, since you have the scout, do you know if the dimensions listed on Newegg include the handle? They seem to be a bit small, unless the case its self is even smaller. By the dimensions on Newegg the Scout and the k58w are pretty much the same size. Would you let me know how you feel about the case when you get around to building the rig?

The PC-7FN is an all aluminum case, but it is twice the cost of the PC-K58W it is also half the weight.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

I'm still leaning toward the k58w for two reasons, it has space for top cooling fans and doesn't look like it is anything special. I have two friends who have lost computers. I felt fairly safe with the armor because no petty thief is going to run away with it, and everyone knew the case was mine. Maybe the notoriety factor would also apply to the Scout.

I just bought a PC-K60 which is the same as the 58 except it comes with the top fans. If you buy the 58, make sure you buy the special mounts for the top fans. They don't use the regular fan screws. My last case was a CM 590 and I don't care for it. The side panel takes a few tries before I can get it on and the expansion clips doesn't hold well. I don't know how the other CM cases are made and if they use the same side panels and clips but I decided that I would go with another brand. I won't do most of my build until next year but have been slowing adding things (mounted 3.5 and 2.5 hd racks and H50 fan) to the K60 and have been loving it. I don't know how well the expansion clips work but the reviews that I have been reading says its the best tool less clips available. The side panel slides on and off easily. That alone made the case worth it even thought I had to pay $66 for shipping.to Hawaii. I like the quality of the Lancool 10x better than that of the CM. Then again, it might just have been that I selected the wrong CM case.

How much does the k60 weigh? I'm fairly sure that any case I end up buying is going to feel much lighter, but i'd still like to get the weight down. I just found the k62 and it looks nice. I do still enjoy case windows, even if I tell myself it is just to make sure the fans are running!

rogthewookiee wrote:

Skrying, since you have the scout, do you know if the dimensions listed on Newegg include the handle? They seem to be a bit small, unless the case its self is even smaller. By the dimensions on Newegg the Scout and the k58w are pretty much the same size. Would you let me know how you feel about the case when you get around to building the rig?

The dimensions do include the handle. The case is on the smaller side for a mid tower when speaking purely of internal room. I don't care about the amount of room, just the internal design. Larger cases tend to be pointlessly big anyway.

Skrying wrote:

Larger cases tend to be pointlessly big anyway.

So true, every computer I have built has had a smaller case than the last. Unfortunately my first build was my own, so hopefully one of these cases will remedy the issue! The only time a huge case is nice is the 45 minutes it takes to put it together. Or I guess if you water cool.

Does the scout have a top fan in the rear?

rogthewookiee wrote:

How much does the k60 weigh? I'm fairly sure that any case I end up buying is going to feel much lighter, but i'd still like to get the weight down. I just found the k62 and it looks nice. I do still enjoy case windows, even if I tell myself it is just to make sure the fans are running!

I would think about the same as the 58. They have the same dimensions.