Okay in the past week I've been coming to my final conclusions.
I realised that my finalist list was based on my original blanket list, which is now almost 9-months old!
So I decided to formulate a new blanket & finalist list in one hit.
But rather than go through every case OEM site like last time in order to formulate my blanket list.
I've decided to look only at case OEM's that made it to my previous finalist list.
Plus a few extra: Antec, Luxa2, Chieftec, nMedia, GMC, yuhanhitec, HFX, Karmadigital
I also realised that many cases in my old finalist list could've been whittled, if I'd applied all my criteria.
Plus I suspect one new/extra criteria has made a "critical difference" in whittling things down further:
*The case must take at least 1x 120mm or at least 2x 92mm fans.
Without further adieu, based on a smaller subset of OEM's I perused this time, here's my final blanket list:
Alutek 7520
Alutek 7620
Alutek 7510
Alutek 7610
Antec Fusion Remote Max
Chieftec HM-01
HFX Classic
Karma TF11
Lian-Li PC-C32
Lian-Li PC-C33
Lian-Li PC-C34F
Moneual 832
Moneual 932L
nMedia HTPC 2000
nMedia HTPC 6000
OrigenAE S16V There's a S16T which is same but with 7" LCD, prefer small screen
OrigenAE S21T
OrigenAE X11
Origen AE X15e
Silverstone CW02
Silverstone CW03-MT
Silverstone LC16M
SilverStone LC18
Thermaltake DH103
Thermaltake DH104
Zalman HD135
Zalman HD160
Zalman HD160 Plus
Zalman HD160XT
Zalman HD160XT Plus
Zalman HD503
By using my criteria (inc. the new one), this list can be "chopped down to size" dramatically!
For many of the cases below, I've omitted at least one other criteria it doesn't satisfy...
But the idea is to demonstrate at least one reason why a case must be struck from the list.
Can you see which case from the list above, isn't singled-out for not meeting my criteria below?
Alutek 7520: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated
Alutek 7620: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated
Alutek 7510: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated
Alutek 7610: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated
Antec Fusion Remote Max: no built-in reader & nowhere to put one, aesthetics/bq quite ordinary
Chieftec HM-01: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
HFX Classic: 4x 3.5" bays needed to fit my SSD's/HDD's therefore nowhere for my reader, only 6 expansion slots
Karma TF11: reader not in 3.5" bay so not easily replaced, nowhere else to put mine
Lian-Li PC-C32: no display, otherwise pretty much meets requirements, excellent BQ
Lian-Li PC-C33: no display, otherwise pretty much meets requirements, excellent BQ
Lian-Li PC-C34F: simple IR receiver+remote but no display, otherwise meets requirements, excellent BQ
Moneual 832: not as stylish as 932L, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Moneual 932L: 1 slot used by LCD, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
[972L scratched because no ext. 3.5" & reader not easily movable, + same flaws as 932L]
nMedia HTPC 2000: pretty much meets all criteria, but design/BQ/aesthetics looks hideous
nMedia HTPC 6000: reader not in 3.5" bay so not easily replaced, nowhere else to put mine
OrigenAE S16V: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
OrigenAE S21T: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated, too pricey, screen's a joke
OrigenAE X11: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Origen AE X15e: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Silverstone CW03-MT: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Silverstone LC16M: no reader or I/O built-in, reader+I/O AIO needed in 3.5" ext, don't want AIO
SilverStone LC18: needs FP32 for I/O & 2nd 5.25" for reader, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Thermaltake DH103: specs on product page wrong, 5x int 3.5", but no reader & nowhere to put one
Thermaltake DH104: no reader & nowhere to put one, & $620USD+ inc post
Zalman HD135: same features as 160, 160 looks better, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Zalman HD160: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Zalman HD160 Plus: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Zalman HD160XT: reader not in standard 3.5" bay (hence not easy to remove), nowhere else to put mine
Zalman HD160XT Plus: reader not in standard 3.5" bay (hence not easy to remove), nowhere else to put mine
Zalman HD503: not enough 3.5/5.25" bays for HDD's, SSD's, & reader
So I'm essentially down to one, yay, have a guess what it is!*
Do you feel there's another case that should be with the one pulled from this list? If so, why?
Perhaps you don't agree with or understand some of my reasons for scratching cases?
Do you want me to re-list my criteria more clearly, instead of linking to another post/thread?
Please let me know, and thank-you very much!
*update: it's the Silverstone CW02
I realised that my finalist list was based on my original blanket list, which is now almost 9-months old!
So I decided to formulate a new blanket & finalist list in one hit.
But rather than go through every case OEM site like last time in order to formulate my blanket list.
I've decided to look only at case OEM's that made it to my previous finalist list.
Plus a few extra: Antec, Luxa2, Chieftec, nMedia, GMC, yuhanhitec, HFX, Karmadigital
I also realised that many cases in my old finalist list could've been whittled, if I'd applied all my criteria.
Plus I suspect one new/extra criteria has made a "critical difference" in whittling things down further:
*The case must take at least 1x 120mm or at least 2x 92mm fans.
Without further adieu, based on a smaller subset of OEM's I perused this time, here's my final blanket list:
Alutek 7520
Alutek 7620
Alutek 7510
Alutek 7610
Antec Fusion Remote Max
Chieftec HM-01
HFX Classic
Karma TF11
Lian-Li PC-C32
Lian-Li PC-C33
Lian-Li PC-C34F
Moneual 832
Moneual 932L
nMedia HTPC 2000
nMedia HTPC 6000
OrigenAE S16V There's a S16T which is same but with 7" LCD, prefer small screen
OrigenAE S21T
OrigenAE X11
Origen AE X15e
Silverstone CW02
Silverstone CW03-MT
Silverstone LC16M
SilverStone LC18
Thermaltake DH103
Thermaltake DH104
Zalman HD135
Zalman HD160
Zalman HD160 Plus
Zalman HD160XT
Zalman HD160XT Plus
Zalman HD503
By using my criteria (inc. the new one), this list can be "chopped down to size" dramatically!
For many of the cases below, I've omitted at least one other criteria it doesn't satisfy...
But the idea is to demonstrate at least one reason why a case must be struck from the list.
Can you see which case from the list above, isn't singled-out for not meeting my criteria below?
Alutek 7520: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated
Alutek 7620: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated
Alutek 7510: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated
Alutek 7610: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated
Antec Fusion Remote Max: no built-in reader & nowhere to put one, aesthetics/bq quite ordinary
Chieftec HM-01: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
HFX Classic: 4x 3.5" bays needed to fit my SSD's/HDD's therefore nowhere for my reader, only 6 expansion slots
Karma TF11: reader not in 3.5" bay so not easily replaced, nowhere else to put mine
Lian-Li PC-C32: no display, otherwise pretty much meets requirements, excellent BQ
Lian-Li PC-C33: no display, otherwise pretty much meets requirements, excellent BQ
Lian-Li PC-C34F: simple IR receiver+remote but no display, otherwise meets requirements, excellent BQ
Moneual 832: not as stylish as 932L, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Moneual 932L: 1 slot used by LCD, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
[972L scratched because no ext. 3.5" & reader not easily movable, + same flaws as 932L]
nMedia HTPC 2000: pretty much meets all criteria, but design/BQ/aesthetics looks hideous
nMedia HTPC 6000: reader not in 3.5" bay so not easily replaced, nowhere else to put mine
OrigenAE S16V: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
OrigenAE S21T: reader not in modular 3.5" bay + USB/FW integrated, too pricey, screen's a joke
OrigenAE X11: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Origen AE X15e: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Silverstone CW03-MT: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Silverstone LC16M: no reader or I/O built-in, reader+I/O AIO needed in 3.5" ext, don't want AIO
SilverStone LC18: needs FP32 for I/O & 2nd 5.25" for reader, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Thermaltake DH103: specs on product page wrong, 5x int 3.5", but no reader & nowhere to put one
Thermaltake DH104: no reader & nowhere to put one, & $620USD+ inc post
Zalman HD135: same features as 160, 160 looks better, doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Zalman HD160: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Zalman HD160 Plus: doesn't take at least 1x 120mm or 2x 92mm fans
Zalman HD160XT: reader not in standard 3.5" bay (hence not easy to remove), nowhere else to put mine
Zalman HD160XT Plus: reader not in standard 3.5" bay (hence not easy to remove), nowhere else to put mine
Zalman HD503: not enough 3.5/5.25" bays for HDD's, SSD's, & reader
So I'm essentially down to one, yay, have a guess what it is!*
Do you feel there's another case that should be with the one pulled from this list? If so, why?
Perhaps you don't agree with or understand some of my reasons for scratching cases?
Do you want me to re-list my criteria more clearly, instead of linking to another post/thread?
Please let me know, and thank-you very much!
*update: it's the Silverstone CW02
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