Shuttle SN41G2. And I'd never go back to a "fullsize" PC except maybe for a fileserver. There's just no need for me to have a case any bigger.

PS to SFF ranters - you're missing the point. And it has nothing to do with crapintosh. Although it still drives me nuts how shuttle decided on agp slot on the outside.

Who still has just 1 computer these days? I wouldn't expect many readers of TR to still be soloers, unless they're dorm rats or whatever ;)

I have a shuttle xpc and a very nice large case for my server (lian li pc76) and either one could be called my "main" system, depends what I'm doing. Then of course theres extra machines...

I junked all my non aluminum cases too, never going back to the heavy rustbucket crap from the beige box era. (if you think your standard case won't rust, send it via boat around the world, through the tropics...sealed in a crate and wrapped in plastic, doesn't matter)

El Cheapo Antec 1600 mid, for my el cheapo xp. Seriously, components are suck good quality now, even the $50 cases are excellent. The shuttles are close, but not quite there yet. Maybe Abit will get it right. Until then gimme the boring beige box, without the dayglo puke colors, thanks.

delicious, creamy full tower

Geoff was surprised that so few TR enthusiasts use multi-monitor configs. For most of us, price is the major problem. I'm sure if the option were for what you would realistically like to use, I'm sure more would punch in with multi-monitor configs.

The necessary height of a case is the length of the side of the motherboard that connects to the ATX backplate + shortest dimension of the PSU + an inch or two of slack. It shouldn't be much wider than what the 5.25" drives make necessary.

Were it not for the lack of options in the form factor, mATX would be the ideal motherboard size for me. With chipsets like nForce2, almost no one wants or needs discrete cards for anything but graphics. I don't really need five or six expansion slots, but a couple wouldn't be so bad.

I don't see the need for more than 3 external 5.25" bays. If you care to go that crazy, it gives you room for DVD+/-RW, DVD-ROM, and CD-RW, or you can settle on a combo for at least one of those things , and get one of those funky, mostly cosmetic drive bay thingies. Current cases make more than enough accomodations for front ports and everything else, so a 4th bay just doesn't seem all that necessary.

So to recap, working my way from the bottom, not necessarily inside or outside:
Front:
* 1x 120mm intake fan, with HDD cage behind it
* 1x 3.5" external bay, no funky bezel effects to mask it
* 3x 5.25" external bay

Rear:
* 4x expansion slots (whatever's standard in mATX)
* 1x 80mm fan (ducted to heatsink)
* 1x 80mm exhaust fan
* 1x PSU

The overall dimensions should not be much taller or wider than what is the front/rear specs make necessary. Stick with a common depth, I think it's around 17 or 18 inches.

Finally, some rants about cases in general:

Make cases so that components in common colors won't detract. I am not averse to brushed aluminum or some "radioactive purple", as long as I don't have to paint things to match -- make beige or black part of the bezel around the drive bays. If not, put a DOOR on the thing, it's not so hard.

Alienware's cases haven't been, and still aren't cool.

You haven't done a "case mod" if you got a Chenming/Chieftec/Antec case and put a window in it. It's played out -- these days, they are probably cheaper pre-fab in Alu than if you bought one in steel, before rounding up all the parts and tools.

SFF is lame. You're missing the point of being a hardware geek if you buy one of these things. PCs don't need all the expansion they've traditionally had, but the small form factor is an over-correction. The specs I've laid out compromise nothing in terms of expansion or cooling, while keeping a system relatively compact and quiet.

Geezus I abhor anything larger than 16" high. Why cant I get a nice looking 13" minitower that can accomodate a properly aligned PSU (none of this sideways bullshit that forces you to use a heatsink less than 4 cms high) and has enough room for a couple (2) of 3.5 devices and a couple (2) of 5.25 devices. Thats all I want. Shuttle hasnt quite figured out the 'power user' sff yet (getting close but I cant wait forever) so looks like my pending system will be in an Antec Sonata case.

My first built PC was a full tower, and now sits hisshappen in my basement. I can't imagine ever using one again. Everything I build now is SFF, 1U, or occationally mid-tower. Remember when bigger was better?

Second vote for rack mount... even the home built HTPC is going in one.

Well, I do have one system that is currently running "naked" -- the mobo is literally sitting on top of the cardboard box it came in! :D But my primary system is installed in a boring ol' generic mid-tower case.

I'll post some pics when I get around to building the milk-crate folding farm. :D

Oh, and by the way... check this out:

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/akiba/hotline/20030426/ccpcbox.html

(the text is all Japanese, but the pictures are fairly self-explanatory)

Ok who actually voted that they have a cardboard box.

I too, echo the earlier sentiments against the SFF. I thought we hated Apple around here. Pc's are no meant to be cute!

I have to somewhat disagree with LocalYocal. I don't want the most optimized size, & I personally like to have way more slots than I think I'll ever use. Something about the 'look&feel' of a large case just makes me feel all gooey inside.

note to self. Never edit another of my posts here again, because the 'editing process' sucks

Antec 660AMG, although a full tower and a bigger PS are in the near future. Prolly stick with Antec and a 1080AMG; since I never move the box I don't care about the weight.

Currently using an Antec Sonata, with added silencing coming soon. The newer SFF cases sure are catching my attention, though -- particularly the MSI and the soon to be released new Shuttles..

I'm a wild man. I've got a stock Dell mid-tower, with nothing overclocked. I haven't even opened the case.

p433r my ski11z

I just built my new Shuttle SN45G SFF Box:

AthlonXP 2500+ oc'd to 2.1GHz
nVidia nForce2 Ultra 400
512MB OCZ RAM at 400 (haven't OC'd yet)
2 drive 120GB RAID1 array
Radeon 9800 Pro
NEC 1300A DVD+/-RW drive

The damn thing is a thrid of my previous case size and is nearly 3 times as fast.

It's a beautiful thing.

The only thing left to do is to stealth the DVD drive.

I've got an AOpen HX08 with cables trailing out the side since it doesn't have enough drivebays....

yay for my 7NNXP's 10 ATA devices limit :)

Superpower Zephyr KS201 midtower case for my primary box.

I'm using a mini server cube case... so I voted for double wide server case.

Ironic timing for the poll (at least from my perspective) since I just upgraded my case.

I finally moved my main PC from my beloved Coolermaster ATC201 (probably one of the best mid-tower cases *EVER*) to an absolutely gorgeous Lian Li PC70 full tower.

Anyone whos ever seen my farm knows I have everything including the kitchen sink holding a computer at my place but my primary box was and is a SFF box. Although with my case building skills expanding, who knows what the future holds. And you better put up a milk crate option for Just Brew It! :D

The case on my main computer is a Lian-Li PC-60. I can't see myself ever getting rid of that. My other two older computers have standard generic mid-tower cases.

no rackmount choice?

What format is an ilamp ? ;)

Just kidding.. but um seriously, i wanna get some clarifications here.. how are defined a full tower, mid tower and a mini tower ? I personally thought that :

Full tower = 6 * 5 and 1/2 expansion bays

Mid Tower = 4 * 5 and 1/2 expansion bays

Mini Tower = 2 * 5 and 1/2 expansion bays

Am i any close to it ?

Adi

My case sizes haven't changed much since the late 80's. I've tried full tower and mini tower (along with the old school horizontal box) and keep coming back to the mid tower.

The first of the first baby.

BTW, i run 2 towers and a laptop.