Been wasting time looking for mATX cases that could fit my needs and wants (I think thats the time wasting contradiction right there). I wasn't totally unproductive though: with all the (basic) research behind me, I decided to draw the mATX cases I like most in 3D, using GOOG's SketchUp.
I dont know if it helps anyone but me, but I found the exercice and the results quite interesting. See, my deskspace is limited at the moment. I cannot put the case on the floor, so my problem is having a noisy PC on my desk, 1m away from my ears. But noise is not the topic here, deskspace and emcumbrance is. Hence this volumetric study of mATX cases.
I took 2 ATX cases to compare against, Antec's P180 and SOLO. I draw these two, plus 18 mATX:
Antec Mini P180 http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=Mw==
Antec NSK3480 http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=MzM=
Antec NSK1480 http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=MzE=
AOpen H450B http://global.aopen.com/products_detail.aspx?ctgr=&auno=2473&mdstl=
AOpen H425B http://www.aopen.nl/products_detail.aspx?ctgr=&auno=2565&mdstl=
AOpen H420A http://www.aopen.nl/products_detail.aspx?Auno=2123
Asus TM-210 http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/info_1255.html
Cooler Master Elite RC-342 http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=2962
Cooler Master Elite RC-341 http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=2876
Cooler Master Centurion RC-541 http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=2723
HEC-Compucase 6K60 http://www.hec-group.com.tw/pccase/6k/
Lian-Li PC-V351 http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=317&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=64&g=spec
Lian-Li PC-A03B http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=310&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=63&g=spec
Lian-li PC-A05N http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=289&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=63&g=spec
Rosewill R512 BK http://www.rosewill.com/products/s_1259/productDetail.htm
Rosewill RS-M288 http://www.rosewill.com/products/s_1500/productDetail.htm
Rosewill R363-M http://www.rosewill.com/products/s_1122/productDetail.htm
Silverstone SG04 http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_spec.php?pno=SG04&area=usa
1. Face view (may not be showing whole image)
2.Higher Face view
3. High view with angle
4. Summary of specifications (all the data may not appear in the post itself)
5. Cases by height (as in the above images), by depth and by width (all in descending order)
You can email if you want the SketchUp .skp file or the specs : pasdepardon at gmail dot com.
Did you find this exercise useful? If yes, thanks. If but, what would you change / make more pertinent? If no, you're probably right!