Cases: Aluminum vs. Steel?

[Guest]

I am helping a friend build a new computer and was pondering on whether to
build with aluminum or steel case.

I have read a lot of stuff, but stuck debating on which one to go with.

Anyone have a preference and why?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

An aluminum case is much lighter in weight and dissipates heat
very quickly. Go with a good quality aluminum case.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

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:

| I am helping a friend build a new computer and was pondering on whether to
| build with aluminum or steel case.
|
| I have read a lot of stuff, but stuck debating on which one to go with.
|
| Anyone have a preference and why?

 

[Guest]

As with most products that one can purchase, usually price indicates quality.

Aluminium cases can be better engineered, being as aluminium alloys are
lighter than steel, the cases will generally have thicker panels than those
of steel. It therefore offers better heat dissipation, better sound proofing
and overally will be more rigid and the interanl 'boxes' will be truer to
square.

Everything will fit better!

 

[Timothy Daniels]

I am helping a friend build a new computer and was
pondering on whether to build with aluminum or steel case.

I have read a lot of stuff, but stuck debating on which one to go with.

Anyone have a preference and why?

Go with steel. They hold their shape better and are quieter.
Ask anyone who owns an airplane or an aluminum boat or
an aluminum car. Aluminum is light weight and almost
transparent to noise, and the sound inside will be the sound
outside. Most of the heat removal is done by forced draft by
the fan, so heat loss through the case is negligible. Feel your
PC's case now. Is it hot? Is it warm? Thought not. The air
carries the heat it away. You have to rely on the conduction
through the case only if the draft from the fan is inadequate.
And how many hard drives do you plan for the case? Do you
like to feel the case flex and creak when you pick it up?
Aluminum does that. Go with steel. Do you plan to paint the
case? Do you know how to do a good primer job on aluminum?
Do you want to see your paint crack and peel when the case
flexes? Go with steel. Do you like stripping threads? Aluminum
threads strip in a wink. Go with steel. Aluminum cases are good
only for their makers and distributors who have to pay for their
storage and shipment.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

Go with steel. They hold their shape better and are quieter.
Ask anyone who owns an airplane or an aluminum boat or
an aluminum car. Aluminum is light weight and almost
transparent to noise, and the sound inside will be the sound
outside. Most of the heat removal is done by forced draft by
the fan, so heat loss through the case is negligible. Feel your
PC's case now. Is it hot? Is it warm? Thought not.

Unless your steel case isn't designed for your motherboard. My previous
steel case was fine with the previous motherboard. Replacing the
motherboard caused a lot of overheating problems because the CPU and fan
ended up right under the power supply effectively killing air flow in
the area. You could feel the heat in the area and in the power supply.
Replacing the case with a "better" aluminum case gave me a couple of
inches clearance and eliminated the dead air space.
The design of the case is more important than the material it is made
out of. Especially with today's hotter components.


The air

carries the heat it away. You have to rely on the conduction
through the case only if the draft from the fan is inadequate.
And how many hard drives do you plan for the case? Do you
like to feel the case flex and creak when you pick it up?
Aluminum does that. Go with steel. Do you plan to paint the
case? Do you know how to do a good primer job on aluminum?
Do you want to see your paint crack and peel when the case
flexes? Go with steel. Do you like stripping threads? Aluminum
threads strip in a wink. Go with steel. Aluminum cases are good
only for their makers and distributors who have to pay for their
storage and shipment.

Again, the design makes a big difference. The aluminum case I bought
uses rails for all the drives making adding and removing the drives very
simple. No stripped or dropped screws, or having to hunt for a way to
attach the screws to the drives through the "access" holes.
When I bought the drive from Newegg I didn't realize that it was made
from aluminum. I was looking for certain features that it had
advertised and the others were nice but not deal makers.

 

[peterk]

About 6 months ago I was in that same position.......steel or aluminum??
I finally decided on an aluminum case....a Chenming 601AE,I also own and use
a CoolerMaster Centurian Steel case.
I found the strenght of the Alum case to be equal if not better than the
steel,It is lighter in weight but it is reinforced at the seams.It took a
lot less time to build into the Chenming than it did to build into the
centurian.The Chenming with 5 Panaflo fans is cooler and quieter than the
Centurian with only 3 fans.The Chenming case has Removable drive bays and a
unique system for the installation of the front drives..CD/DVD.The Alum case
comes completely apart with ease the steel case is harder to take apart.In
the future I am looking to buy another alum to rebuild the system out of the
steel case.
just my opinion
peterk

 

[RonK]

I prefer the steel for extra strength.
Have a look at the one I use. Its the Antec SLK3700AMB and it's beautiful.
It has the large fan for cooling the case and removable cages for hard
drives and floppy drives.

Have a look and the price is right. $89 Canadian
http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=93700

 

[Matt Gibson]

An aluminum case is ONLY lighter.

It does not dissipate heat better.

This is a common misconception, but it has no grounding in reality.

Matt Gibson - GSEC

 

[Don Burnette]

I am helping a friend build a new computer and was pondering on
whether to build with aluminum or steel case.

I have read a lot of stuff, but stuck debating on which one to go
with.

Anyone have a preference and why?

I just built a 64 bit system using the Lian Li full tower aluminum case,
very pleased with it.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-112-508&depa=0

 

[Guest]

As you can see from those who have built systems using aluminium cases: they
are generally lighter and stronger. And of course they are twice the cost.
If you spend the extra money, you'll find that:-

1. They do absorb more noise and assit the harddrives and other internally
mounted devices t dissipate the heat better.
2. When did you last see a heat sink made of steel?

Why do most motor vehicles use alumium alloy [better ones go for magnesium]
for their wheels? Basically, it's lighter and stronger than steel. Given
that one finds aluminium products are thicker than their steel equivalents:
further assisting the strength. When you actually get around to bulding the
PC you'll find that aluminium cases do not have those nasty sharp edges that
can cut your knuckles as in steel cases.

Should one go on.

 

[Matt Gibson]

Actually, Aluminum cases don't dissipate heat any better.

Check the web for real reviews and you'll see I'm right.

Aluminum cases are just (usually) built better with more fans and better
airflow.

Matt Gibson - GSEC

As you can see from those who have built systems using aluminium cases:
they
are generally lighter and stronger. And of course they are twice the
cost.
If you spend the extra money, you'll find that:-

1. They do absorb more noise and assit the harddrives and other internally
mounted devices t dissipate the heat better.
2. When did you last see a heat sink made of steel?

Why do most motor vehicles use alumium alloy [better ones go for
magnesium]
for their wheels? Basically, it's lighter and stronger than steel.
Given
that one finds aluminium products are thicker than their steel
equivalents:
further assisting the strength. When you actually get around to bulding
the
PC you'll find that aluminium cases do not have those nasty sharp edges
that
can cut your knuckles as in steel cases.

Should one go on.

I just built a 64 bit system using the Lian Li full tower aluminum case,
very pleased with it.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-112-508&depa=0

--
Don Burnette

"When you decide something is impossible to do, try to stay out of the
way of the man that's doing it."

 

[NobodyMan]

Again, the design makes a big difference. The aluminum case I bought
uses rails for all the drives making adding and removing the drives very
simple. No stripped or dropped screws, or having to hunt for a way to
attach the screws to the drives through the "access" holes.

This ease makes the case seem nice until it ages a year or so and then
becomes old and obsolete. I have a system that uses the same type of
drive mounting hardware - rails that snap on the side of the drives in
the screw holes then snap into their mounting brackets - and I had to
look for hours last month when I needed to order new rails to install
a new drive into the case. Be careful when selecting this sort of
proprietary system. I can't even use regular screws to mount the
drives in this case; I HAVE to use the rails.

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

This ease makes the case seem nice until it ages a year or so and then
becomes old and obsolete. I have a system that uses the same type of
drive mounting hardware - rails that snap on the side of the drives in
the screw holes then snap into their mounting brackets - and I had to
look for hours last month when I needed to order new rails to install
a new drive into the case. Be careful when selecting this sort of
proprietary system. I can't even use regular screws to mount the
drives in this case; I HAVE to use the rails.

My case (Raidmax) came with a lot of rails for the 5 1/4" drive bays and
the 3 1/2" hard drive bays each come with the carrier and rails already
in place for each bay. I know what you are saying about the rails, but
in this case I seem to have gotten lucky (or some manufacturers are
listening) and gotten all the rails I could ever use with the box.

 

[NobodyMan]

My case (Raidmax) came with a lot of rails for the 5 1/4" drive bays and
the 3 1/2" hard drive bays each come with the carrier and rails already
in place for each bay. I know what you are saying about the rails, but
in this case I seem to have gotten lucky (or some manufacturers are
listening) and gotten all the rails I could ever use with the box.

I thought that too. Fast forward 18 months, and those extra fails all
dissapeared when I needed them. They were nowhere to be found.

Small pieces like them quickly disappear.

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

I thought that too. Fast forward 18 months, and those extra fails all
dissapeared when I needed them. They were nowhere to be found.

Small pieces like them quickly disappear.

That may happen with the plastic rails for the 5 1/4" drives but the 3
1/2" holders for the harddrives stay in the case so unless I take them
out they won't get lost.

 

[peterk]

Thats where my ChenMing is nice....at the bottom of the case it has clips to
hold those rails.
That way you will always know where they are....providing you leave the ones
you dont need there.
peter