PC Case Review Roundup - Antec, Cooler Master, Lian Li & More

• Benchmark Reviews: Antec MicroFusion Remote 350 Mini HTPC Enclosure:
  

  "Antec is well known for their high quality cases and the MicroFusion 350 lives up to that reputation. There were no sharp edges and all components felt very durable and solid to work with. The manufacturing tolerances were also incredibly precise, as evidenced by the aluminum bezel and LCD. The only issues I ran into were a few tight-fitting components during installation, but once complete, they didn't inferfere with day-to-day use.
  
  In terms of functionality, the MicroFusion 350 includes a number of extra features, including a built in LCD, 350W 80 Plus power supply, 3 case fans, IR receiver, and remote. The only thing that appears to be missing is a card reader. I'd also like to point out that this case only supports low profile expansion cards. While this is inherent to the "Mini HTPC Enclosure" classification, it could be an issue if you intend to run high end TV tuners or video cards."

  
  Click here to read the full review.
  
  
  
• BigBruin: Lian Li PC-A77B Full Tower Chassis Review:
  
  

  "I am definitely impressed with this Lian Li PC-A77B full tower chassis. Being a fan of simplistic yet useful design, this case has it all. The front of the case looks great with the meshed device bay covers, yet it has a basic look to it that I have come to enjoy. The top mounted I/O ports are in a great location to access while using the computer. Lian Li has designed this case to allow you to install your components in many different configurations, which makes customizing your setup very convenient."

  
  Click here to read the full review.
  
  
  
• bit-tech: Antec's Skeleton chassis:
  
  

  "The sad fact is though that the Skeleton has failed utterly in delivering any of these things and is in great danger of becoming a real white elephant for Antec. The build quality we've come to expect is still there, but the important design decisions seem to have missed out hugely important concerns like aftermarket coolers or tall graphics cards. The inability to support these products, which in the case of aftermarket coolers have been enthusiast bread and butter for years, borders on the unbelievable and is frankly an unforgivable omission."

  
  Click here to read the full review.
  
  
  
• Bjorn3D: Cooler Master HAF-932 Case:
  
  

  "One of the largest strengths with the Cooler Master HAF-932 is the airflow, and the silence. This case is dead silent except in the quietest environments, yet there is still plenty of airflow to keep even a high-end enthusiast computer well cooled. This case will not muffle loud hardware, so if the hardware sounds loud in an open-air testbed then it is going to be just as loud inside this case. Even so with a little prior planning this should not be an issue."

  
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• Bjorn3D: Lian Li PC-V2010 Full Tower Chassis:
  
  

  "To say that I was impressed with the Lian Li PC-V2010 would be an understatement. As a fellow reviewer told me recently, "Every enthusiast should own at least one Lian Li." I can attest that his statement was not misguided. The Lian Li PC-V2010 chassis is an impressive work of craftsmanship. There may be others like it, but there may be none better. Still, having said that, it is not perfect. But with a few minor tweaks it could be. I can only hope that the Lian Li design team is up to the challenge. Lian Li has set the bar extremely high with the PC-V2010."

  
  Click here to read the full review.
  
  
  
• Bjorn3D: NZXT Whisper Case:
  
  

  "The NZXT Whipser chassis is a well thought out chassis. Having separated the upper and lower "chambers" (upper for the motherboard, lower for the HDD's and PSU) is a good concept to help control heat and airflow. It also helps making cable management a lot easier. The Whisper case has a solid build to it. It did not bend or flex or, for that matter, twist too easily. Once all of the internal computer components were installed I did not have to worry about this chassis flexing when I moved it around the room. The sound dampening foam that was used on this chassis served its purpose well. As I kept my 4870X2 and 4870 fans ramped up to a 100% RPM's (these fans can be rather loud), once I buttoned up all the sides up on this chassis, my video cards fans went from screaming loudly to a low hum, almost to a whisper."

  
  Click here to read the full review.
  
  
  
• CPU3D: Cooler Master ATCS 840 Aluminum Chassis‏:
  
  

  "The smooth and clean lines of the Coolermaster ATCS 840 is what makes this chassis so appealing. Constructed of high quality brushed Aluminum ... it's light-weight, strong and looks great. What's more, the cooling performance is just as impressive. This is all thanks to the 3 massive 230mm fans included with the chassis ... two at the top with one at the of the chassis. There's also another 120mm fan at the rear, giving to a good air-flow system throughout the chassis. On average, we were getting between 2-3 degrees above ambient temperature during full load."

  
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• Hardware Logic: Antec Mini P180 Case Review:
  
  

  "What's not to like about the Mini P180? Our biggest, gripe is the complete lack of an active intake cooling solution for this chassis. There's a place to install two 120mm fans. Why not populate them both and design the chassis so they cool your hard drives? The other issue is aimed directly at enthusiasts who enjoy their bling factor - you might want to turn elsewhere. There is no side panel window. There are no LED fans. The exterior might even be considered drab or boring to some folks that are used to over-the-top special effects. Whatever your tastes, you have been warned. And finally, at $160 street, you pay for every bit of this high end case, and no matter how well put together, that's a lot to ask for an mATX enclosure."

  
  Click here to read the full review.
  
  
  
• Overclocked Inside: Silverstone La Scala SST LC02B HTPC Case:
  
  

  "All in all the Silverstone SST-LC02 B especially impresses with its simple design and nice exterior finish. Additionally the low price is very interesting for a HTPC case with integrated power supply. This is a nice buying reason even if it's only used to build a media player for the living room with discarded computer components."

  
  Click here to read the full review.
  
  
  
• Viper Lair: RaidMax Iceberg Elite Series Case:
  
  

  "Raidmax delivers a hard blow to the competition with the Iceberg case. The exterior is very appealing in design as well as function. One of my favorite attributes is the use of the top of the case for the Power / Reset buttons along with USB / FireWire and audio. The Blue LED's are neither here nor there for me, some will like them, some will replace them. Tool-less entry is also a nice feature and one I will use frequently in my line of work. The inclusion of 2 rubber cover pass through holes is a bonus for anyone going down the water cooling path."

  
  Click here to read the full review.