DeFcOn

any ideas on whether or not i should use metal or plexi.....

w00t

Wow I can actually see you sitting at a pc 3 spots from me , but other than talk to you I will just say that a combination of both. like an aluminum case with plexi window will look sweet.

DeFcOn

thnx i saw u post that.

DeFcOn

Cum on panzy, post back

crazijoe

I take it you guys work with each other.

Metal will shield against any RFI interference.

Fr4665

plexy looks sweeter buut isnt as durable id say it it messes up ur brain apparently as thers rays coming out woot woot no wonder we computer nerds are geniouses the PSU rays are altering our DNA muhaha.

i like metal because its hard and u can beat it up pretty bad and it wont do anything. so if you abuse your computer get a metal case if you just have a computer for showcase and some work and want to look at it for hours on get a plexi

Sarge

You've basicly got five choices here, DeFcOn:
All-steel case.
All-aluminum case.
All-arcylic case.
Aluminum case with acrylic side window.
Steel case with acrylic side window.

All-steel is the least expensive, and it's what I recemend for most of my clients. It's cheap, it's durable, and it doesn't sent as easily as aluminum does. Oh, yeah and it sheaild your electronics from EMI in the case of a nuclear war.. or just if someone uses a big magnet too close to the PC.

Aluminum is lighter and has better heat-disipation properties than steel, but it's more expensive and dents easier than steel does. If you're a PC enthusiast, a hardcre gamer, a case moder or if you just have a lot of disposable income, you may want to go with an aluminum case.

Acrylic case are constructed out of clear acrylic (plastic in the common parlance). Depending on how thick the acrylic is, the case could be either heavier or lighter than steel; It depends on the manufactuer. Same goes for how easily it dents and scratches: Cheap, thin, acrylic dents and scratches easier than hight quality, thicker acrylic. You can also get colored acrylic, which in my veiw is generaly of a better quality than the completely clear stuff. However, most case makers that work with acrylic normaly only work with clear sheets becasue there's not much demand for the colered stuff. the problem with acrylic is that it offeres zero EMI sheilding. Usualy, acrylic case are built just for show, not for go.

A side windows in a metal case is more for eye-candy than anything else. It helps your system run better at a factor of 0% improvement over a metal-only case. Yeah! Windows! Wheeeeeeeee!
Seriously though: Having a windows on the side DOES let you check if your HeatSink fans are spining without having to open the case, so from a safety standpoint I suppose that's a good thing.
Also, it's easier to cut though acrylic than it is to cut though metal, so if you wanna mod the case it's always nice to have a side-window that you can dill holes in.
Not only that, but if you need to change somethingon that side of the case, you can always replace the side-window with another peice that's the same size and thickness. That way you can swap out side windows when you swap out motherboards, so as to better place the side-fan blower over the CPU (Many case-moders use a flexible shunt or a "chimney" to direct cold air from outside the case directly to the CPU. This results in a cooler CPU, but where you get the cold air from is up to you. Usualy an air-conditioned house or a cold basement does the trick.)

Now, I should mention the extreemly extreeme option: A refirgerator case*. That's a motherboard tray sitting inside a freezer part of a vertical-split fridge with the cables runing out the ice dispenser.

*For overclocked PCs only. Frost-free fridge highly recomended. Not for the feint of heart, the sane, or anyone who doesn't understand how EMI/ESD works. Keep out of reach of small children. Your results may vary. Void where prohibited. Prohibited where void.

w00t

or you could have a all steel case with an aluminum side panel muahahahahahahahahaha



My DNA is melting

Sarge

Well, that would be a neat trick.... but I suppose it's possible. I've never seen it, but why you'd want to do that, I don't know.
My condolances to your DNA.
Meanwhile, feast your eyes on what I've got for a case:
http://www.nzxt.com/NemesisElite.php
You know you want one.

w00t

I do want that case but I have no money (17 year old hacker) (grounded)

DeFcOn

You want to send me one (16 year old)(not grounded)(money)

Sarge

No I don't. I don't even know you.
Get yourself about $200 worth of paper-route money and buy one yourself.


And with that, I wish you good day and good case moding.