Antec: Sonata or SLK2700BQE?

[Peyo]

Bonjour,

I plan to build a machine based on Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe and XP2500+.
I am in research mode for the case and hesitate between these two
models.
Sonata is lightly more expensive, has a 380W psu instead of a 350W,
one usb, one firewire and audio on front panel. 2700BQE is a bit
cheaper, one more bay (5 1/4), 2 usb ports up front...
I am interested (like many) by a quiet operation... I think fans are
the same. Is it right?
Any useful consideration? or suggestion in the same price range for a
quiet unit (I am not sticked with antec but when searching I often am
pointed to these models...)
Tahnks

P

 

[S.Heenan]

Bonjour,

I plan to build a machine based on Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe and XP2500+.
I am in research mode for the case and hesitate between these two
models.
Sonata is lightly more expensive, has a 380W psu instead of a 350W,
one usb, one firewire and audio on front panel. 2700BQE is a bit
cheaper, one more bay (5 1/4), 2 usb ports up front...
I am interested (like many) by a quiet operation... I think fans are
the same. Is it right?
Any useful consideration? or suggestion in the same price range for a
quiet unit (I am not sticked with antec but when searching I often am
pointed to these models...)

The Sonata has the better power supply. The 3700BQE has a few extra drive
bays. Either case is "very" quiet, even with two 120mm fans. The Sonata
mounts the hard drives transversely, the 3700 in the regular manner.

 

[BP]

Bonjour,

I plan to build a machine based on Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe and XP2500+.
I am in research mode for the case and hesitate between these two
models.
Sonata is lightly more expensive, has a 380W psu instead of a 350W,
one usb, one firewire and audio on front panel. 2700BQE is a bit
cheaper, one more bay (5 1/4), 2 usb ports up front...
I am interested (like many) by a quiet operation... I think fans are
the same. Is it right?
Any useful consideration? or suggestion in the same price range for a
quiet unit (I am not sticked with antec but when searching I often am
pointed to these models...)
Tahnks

I was considering both those units also. The other case I like a lot was the
P160. The Sonata has 2 front USB, BTW. The fans are the same. My final
decision rested on the smaller case (after I thought about the max devices I
would put in this box ) with the added features. I have no freakin idea what
I'm going to use them for, but I also had no clue about what I'd use USB for
when I got it on my last box in 1997. If I was honest, I'd say it was
because the Sonata is better looking and the BQE design is just old looking
and screams DELL!

 

[Ed_]

Bonjour,

I plan to build a machine based on Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe and XP2500+.
I am in research mode for the case and hesitate between these two
models.
Sonata is lightly more expensive, has a 380W psu instead of a 350W,
one usb, one firewire and audio on front panel. 2700BQE is a bit
cheaper, one more bay (5 1/4), 2 usb ports up front...
I am interested (like many) by a quiet operation... I think fans are
the same. Is it right?
Any useful consideration? or suggestion in the same price range for a
quiet unit (I am not sticked with antec but when searching I often am
pointed to these models...)
Tahnks

P

I have built in both in the last 2 months and I much prefer the Sonata.

The only advantage to the 2700BQE is the front fan mounts between the bezel and
the frame, blowing air over the hard drive cages instead of pulling it in as the
Sonata does. Otherwise, with the exception of the extra drive bay, they are the
same.

The Sonata gets the nod because the rails for the optical drives actually make
sense. Why use rails if you have to remove the bezel to install the drive, as
in the BQE? Plus, in the Sonata the filter can be changed without removing the
front bezel.

They are both fine looking cases that run very quiet and very cool and I think
that you would be happy with either. I just find the Sonata to be nicer to
build in and use.

Here are some pics of them side by side.

http://members5.clubphoto.com/ed363686/2161698/owner-4e67.phtml

Don't ask how it got a Thermaltake power supply.....it's a long story but there
wasn't anything wrong with the Antec 350...

Ed

 

[Ed_]

I have built in both in the last 2 months and I much prefer the Sonata.

The only advantage to the 2700BQE is the front fan mounts between the bezel and
the frame, blowing air over the hard drive cages instead of pulling it in as the
Sonata does. Otherwise, with the exception of the extra drive bay, they are the
same.

The Sonata gets the nod because the rails for the optical drives actually make
sense. Why use rails if you have to remove the bezel to install the drive, as
in the BQE? Plus, in the Sonata the filter can be changed without removing the
front bezel.

They are both fine looking cases that run very quiet and very cool and I think
that you would be happy with either. I just find the Sonata to be nicer to
build in and use.

Here are some pics of them side by side.

http://members5.clubphoto.com/ed363686/2161698/owner-4e67.phtml

Don't ask how it got a Thermaltake power supply.....it's a long story but there
wasn't anything wrong with the Antec 350...

Ed

Sorry about that, it's a 3700BQE but I assume that you know that and that is the
case that you were referring to.

Ed

 

[Toshi1873]

I was considering both those units also. The other case I like a lot was the
P160. The Sonata has 2 front USB, BTW. The fans are the same. My final
decision rested on the smaller case (after I thought about the max devices I
would put in this box ) with the added features. I have no freakin idea what
I'm going to use them for, but I also had no clue about what I'd use USB for
when I got it on my last box in 1997. If I was honest, I'd say it was
because the Sonata is better looking and the BQE design is just old looking
and screams DELL!

I went with the p160. Same case layout as the Sonata,
but one additional 5.25" bay. (Important, since I plan
on adding a 3ware 4-drive 3-bay hot-swap SATA cage in
the future.) Dunno if it's quieter then the Sonata or
not, but that's mostly a function of the power-supply
and cooling fans anyway.

 

[BP]

I went with the p160. Same case layout as the Sonata,
but one additional 5.25" bay. (Important, since I plan
on adding a 3ware 4-drive 3-bay hot-swap SATA cage in
the future.) Dunno if it's quieter then the Sonata or
not, but that's mostly a function of the power-supply
and cooling fans anyway.

What is very effective in both cases is the rubber grommets on the HDD
cages. They completely eliminate the HD "stutter".
It is still louder than I'd like, but a huge improvement over my old
machine. Not a big surprise considering there are 5 fans running vs. 2
though. (1-PS, 1-case, 1-CPU, 2-video).