Decisions, decisions...

[xmastree]

Right, I'm planning a minor upgrade to this PC, namely new hdd (currently it has 2x80 + 1x40, going to keep one 80 and add a 500) and more RAM (currently 1G, putting in another 1G).

Since I have my new monitor (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17015) and speakers, I figured I'd get a new case too (And maybe that Saitek Eclipse I've been promising myself.)
Despite being on a modders' forum, I'm not crazy about tearing up a case etc. also I haven't the time, the space or the skill so I'm looking for a nice looker out of the box.
I'm going for a sleek black understated monolith.
Current choices are:
Antec 300 (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Antec-Three-Hundred-Black-Midi-Tower-Case-w-o-PSU)
Coolermaster Elite 335 (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Coolermaster-Elite-335-Black-Mini-Tower-Case-w-o-PSU)
Sharkoon Rebel 9 (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Sharkoon-Rebel-9-ECONOMY-Black-Edition-ATX-(No-PSU))
Sharkoon Rebel 9 with BFO fan (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Sharkoon-Rebel-9-Value-Black-Edition-ATX-Inc-250mm-Mega-Side-Panel-Fan-(No-PSU))
Xclio Propellor, with an even bigger BFO fan (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Xclio-Propeller-Midi-Tower-Case-with-36cm-Quiet-Fan-on-Side-Pane-w-o-PSU)

With the Antec being current favourite.

I like the Antec but I want to install a card reader and it has no 3.5" bay. OTOH I really do like the placement of the usb, audio and power. Along the top edge so no need to bend to reach them.

Sharkoon Rebel has the 3.5 bay, but isn't quite as nice as the Antec, and the ports are lower down.

Coolermaster has a 3.5 bay, but I'd prefer it near the top.

The Xclio has 3.5 bays, but is a little too plain. I would probably fit an external power switch to it, rather than opening the door every time. Also, the usb ports are round the wrong side: http://www.futurelooks.com/xclio-propeller-atx-case-review/2/

I suspect the solution is to get the Antec and mod it to accept the card reader. That shouldn't be too difficult, even for me.


Have I missed anything else around the £30-£40 budget?

[Vitz¥^]

i have an Antec 900, it came with a little adapter thingy that made the 5" drive space a 3" drive space. I dont use mine so can send it on over if you want, but it would be well worth checking to see if the 300 comes with the same thing. it could save you a load of hassle. Have attached pics (not the best quality as i cba to find the pc to camera cable and just used my phone) of what the one i have looks like. Lemme know if you want it and we can sort it out :D The other thing to check would be the mesh is the same, looks similar on the link you posted, but i couldnt be sure...

Pic1 is the mesh outer you would see on the case...
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/Vitz0ir/IMG00069.jpg

pic 2 is the plastic inners that hold the 3.5.... whatever you want....
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/Vitz0ir/IMG00070.jpg

[Vitz¥^]

oh and if your after RAM, this (http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/OCZ+4GB+PC2-8000+Platinum+XTC+(2x2GB)+EPP+(Nvidia+Approved)+?p roductId=30158)might suit you, dont know if it fits budget or ur current system for that matter, but found it on "superspecial" earlier... worth a look.

i'll be ordering some tomoz either way :)

[xmastree]

i have an Antec 900, it came with a little adapter thingy that made the 5" drive space a 3" drive space. I dont use mine so can send it on over if you want,
Cool, that's nice to know. So, that's the only bad point about the Antec, and it's been sorted. Looks like that's the one then. If it doesn't come with the adapter then I'll give you a shout.
Thanks.


oh and if your after RAM, this (http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/OCZ+4GB+PC2-8000+Platinum+XTC+(2x2GB)+EPP+(Nvidia+Approved)+?p roductId=30158)might suit you, dont know if it fits budget or ur current system for that matter,
Nice deal, but it wouldn't fit this board. I'm limited to 2GB, and already have 1 so I just need another 1GB, DDR PC3200 (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/1GB-Aenion-DDR-PC3200-(400)-184-Pins-Non-ECC-Unbuffered-Retail)

Looking round that site, I wonder if this (http://www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/Arianet+1GB+PC2-5300+DDR2+SDRAM+?productId=28542) would fit...

It's that memory minefield again...

The mobo is an Asus K8V-VM (http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?modelmenu=1&model=1189&l1=3&l2=14&l3=276) and needs DDR400 (PC3200). is it ok to fit faster, meaning the 5300 quoted above?
And will that one work with my current one, whatever that is. I'll see what it is later...

Hmm... I wonder how much of an improvement this (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/256-512-MB-XFX-8400GS-PCI-E-(x16)-Mem-800MHz-GDDR2-GPU-450MHz-16-Cores-D-Sub-Dual-Link-DVI-I) would be over my 512MB 7500 LE

[Vitz¥^]

its ok to fit faster afaik. the only thing will be that the faster memory will run at the 400 that the board can handle (you may have to manually set the voltages/timings in BIOS tho). as for whether or not it will be stable with the other memory you have in, i couldnt tell you. You could maybe just get 2 of the new sticks in and do it that way, though i notice that you can only get one at the super special price. Though I've just noticed that the ram you linked to is DDR2, but your board is DDR, so no, prolly wouldnt work :P this (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Memory/DDR/)is where you wanna look on that site, but the cheapest is like, £17 so might be cheaper going with the Scan option you posted.

One of the things that irritates me a bit with that site is the delivery charges, but i notice with that stick there was (at least for me) the option to get royal mail instead of the usual courier delivery service which means its "only" £4 instead of £7.

with the gfx, i dont know if you would notice a massive improvement (if any). Cant find any benches for the card you currently have, but looking at the 7300 and 7600 they both seem to out bench the 8400 (Toms Hardware) (http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/gaming-graphics-charts-q1-2008/compare,538.html?prod%5B1565%5D=on&prod%5B1564%5D=on&prod%5B1584%5D=on). Whether that means your 7500 does or not, i dont know.

let me know on the drive bay tho :)

[xmastree]

Hmm, yeah. I need DDR not DDR2.
I was thinking about something like this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130272516114) but remembered I've been stung before. It's HD and despite what the listing says, it will not work on this motherboard. I still have it somewhere, as I bought it from the UK but the seller tried to insist that I return it to the USA. Postage would have been more than I paid for it.

I really need to see what's in here though. I know it's 1GB but it might be 2x512, in which case I need a pair of 1GB's.

[xmastree]

Went to the local computer shop, and picked up a Coolermaster Elite 330.

First impressions, it's quieter. Probably due to the 120mm fan.

Took a few photos as I was doing the job, so watch this space.

[xmastree]

So, opening the box...

Nicely packed.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4213.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4214.jpg
First look inside
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4216.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4217.jpg
I like the duct to supply the cpu fan with fresh air.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4218.jpg

It's telescopic.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4219.jpg

here's the old one.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4221.jpg
Nothing actually wrong with it, but I just fancy a nicer case.

And here's what I've taken out to be reused.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4223.jpg
But not before I clean them up a little:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4225.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4226.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4228.jpg
Close-up photography FTW!
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4229.jpg
The PSU fits, although that bracket interfering with the fan isn't ideal.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4230.jpg
I couldn't figure out how to remove the front grills, so I popped the front panel off to discover that they're clipped in and come out from behind the panel. Never seen that before.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4231.jpg
So, it's all back in place and connected up apart from one thing...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4234.jpg

The front panel audio.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4233.jpg
Either of these would fit the motherboard header...
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/DSC_4232.jpg



The motherboard manual says:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/audio1.png

The case manual says:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/audio2.png

[nevermind1534]

I got the same case with silver trim for my parents. I had to take that telescoping duct off for the cooler master eclipse to fit. With a mail in rebate and a combo deal with my $30 motherboard, I got the case (and its cheap power supply) for free.

[aintnothang]

Xmastree, it will look pretty good when its done. That is a nice case and pretty similar to mine(centurion 5).

[xmastree]

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/switch.jpg

:(

[mtekk]

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/switch.jpg

:(

Looks broken, however, I haven't a clue as to what that is.

[xmastree]

It's the power switch. Or rather, the button which operates the switch.

Fixed now with some epoxy, but I wonder for how long.

[xmastree]

I complained about this broken component via their website. four weeks later they replied asking my address.

A further four weeks passed by, then today:

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/box1.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/box2.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/chrispollard/compcase/box3.jpg

Hmm. I suppose I should have mentioned that mine is the black version (or they should have asked).

Anyway, the epoxy's holding up well so I'll keep these inside somewhere, just in case.

Haha, 'in case'. see what I did there? :whistler:

[Luke122]

I think you'll find that those drive retainer clips are not very solid. I tend to just remove them complete, and attach the drives with proper screws.

:)

[xmastree]

Yep, that's what I did too.