How about the PS in this case?

[Clob]

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=11-144-089&depa=0

Doesnt look to bad. Nice ampers on the rails too. Love the looks and design
of the case. What do you guys think?

 

[kony]

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=11-144-089&depa=0

Doesnt look to bad. Nice ampers on the rails too. Love the looks and design
of the case. What do you guys think?

Case is median-quality Chieftec, same as Antec
full/mid-tower old version. Both the Al and Steel versions
are 1.0mm thick, which is fine for steel but a bit on the
flimsy side for that large of an Al case... especially at
that price. 1.0 Al is roughly equivalent to 0.8mm steel
except it dents and bends a little easier.

Power supply is pretty but poor for a 500W-er, worth closer
to 350W. Price is WAY too high for the pair, I question
whether it's worth 60% of the price, the only really unique
part is the integral LCD and that it has the lowest drive
bay installed which some similar Cheiftec/Antec cases lack.

It's not that it's a bad a case, but I despise overrated
power supplies and the price is steep... A couple years ago
I was buying Chieftec Al cases similar enough (except
different front bezel) for $45 w/o power supply. Power
supply itself is marked up $20 just for the frills, the
clear shell and colored components as it used to be avilable
on the 'net for $35 and even then it wasn't a very good deal
over a 350W Sparkle for slightly lower price.

Also, IMHO, buying a new case that large it'd be nice to get
one with a 120mm fan in the rear. Even some of Antec's
lower priced alternatives have that, for example;
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-129-122&depa=0
That case doesn't have as much front intake as the one you
linked though, the bezel might be a little more constrictive
than I like for a lot of modern gear.

 

[Clob]

Case is median-quality Chieftec, same as Antec
full/mid-tower old version. Both the Al and Steel versions
are 1.0mm thick, which is fine for steel but a bit on the
flimsy side for that large of an Al case... especially at
that price. 1.0 Al is roughly equivalent to 0.8mm steel
except it dents and bends a little easier.

Power supply is pretty but poor for a 500W-er, worth closer
to 350W. Price is WAY too high for the pair, I question
whether it's worth 60% of the price, the only really unique
part is the integral LCD and that it has the lowest drive
bay installed which some similar Cheiftec/Antec cases lack.

It's not that it's a bad a case, but I despise overrated
power supplies and the price is steep... A couple years ago
I was buying Chieftec Al cases similar enough (except
different front bezel) for $45 w/o power supply. Power
supply itself is marked up $20 just for the frills, the
clear shell and colored components as it used to be avilable
on the 'net for $35 and even then it wasn't a very good deal
over a 350W Sparkle for slightly lower price.

Also, IMHO, buying a new case that large it'd be nice to get
one with a 120mm fan in the rear. Even some of Antec's
lower priced alternatives have that, for example;
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-129-122&depa=0
That case doesn't have as much front intake as the one you
linked though, the bezel might be a little more constrictive
than I like for a lot of modern gear.

I have a Chieftec case and I do not remeber how much I paid, It was the same
for factor. 1mm AL is good enough for me though. I did a brand search for
cases and Chieftec didnt show.

Thanks

 

[Clob]

I have a Chieftec case and I do not remeber how much I paid, It was the
same for factor. 1mm AL is good enough for me though. I did a brand search
for cases and Chieftec didnt show.

Thanks

I did a search on newegg to be clear.

What realy is the best case for useability, airflow, design (im not to picky
on looks, but I want a large window on the side)?

Thanks

 

[kony]

I did a search on newegg to be clear.

It seems that Newegg no longer carries them under that name,
but they are the same manufacturer as Chenming, though
newer/different models for a few.

What realy is the best case for useability, airflow, design (im not to picky
on looks, but I want a large window on the side)?

Useability depends a lot on the user. Some people really
want audio or USB on the case but I'd rather have one of
those bay-things with many features, but those are hard to
match up with many of the newer colored cases except black
or silver.

Mainly, chose any case with at least 2 x 80mm or 1 x 120mm
rear fan and a front bezel that allows a lot of intake.
Many other features are "nice" but nonessential after
getting system built. For example a removable motherboard
tray is nice, but really doesn't matter as much as (???)
once done building the system. Having the large rear fan is
always of benefit since it'll allow quiter operation, even
if it means cutting out a grill or using a speed controller
to slow down the fan, you have real potential for lowest
possible noise with higher-heat parts.

Picking a specific case isn't something i can do for
someone, having no idea of the parts or future plans, or
other factors like size (I prefer systems under the desk,
not on it), or styling/colors/etc. Previously I attempted
to cover the basics of assessing any case, to have a solid
foundation with thick metal, decent power supply, front
bezel with minimally restrictive air passages, and large or
multiple rear fans. AT worst you wouldn't need all the fans
mounted but could run them at lower RPM for lower noise per
same flow rate.

 

[Rusty]

The case looks good PSU would mostly work, good ventilation. Cost to much.
If you want a side window just cut your own with a dremel and use short fan
screws to attach it. You can use a cd for a template for the curves and a
120mm fan. You could also use a small cd if you have one for 80mm fan. I
would find a case with a 120mm front fan and two 80mm rear fans with a
removal motherboard tray and then cut out my own side window design and 80mm
blow hole. It's a lot of fun and it's allot cheaper.

Find something like this,
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-112-022&depa=0
add a side panel window, cut out the metal fan grills on the case, add LED
fans front and rear maybe even cut an additional 80mm rear fan (there
appears to be room for it), put a LED array behind the front case cover at
the air intake holes, and you have a custom designed case. I don't
necessarily mean this case but something like it, lots of fun, great
project.

 

[Clob]

Luky me. They just did a review on this Case on www.anandtech.com

 

[Tom Papinchak]

Hey, if you want to see a computer case that is truly beautiful from an
artistic standpoint, see the gold pc case on display at
www.emilystudios.com. Kinda makes a fashion statement.

 

[kony]

Hey, if you want to see a computer case that is truly beautiful from an
artistic standpoint, see the gold pc case on display at
www.emilystudios.com. Kinda makes a fashion statement.

Yeah if you like that sort of thing, but why pay $250 for a
$40 case when $10 worth of paint will do? It'd be different
if this were some kind of artistic impression, designs, but
a solid-color is easy enough for anyone to do.

 

[Skeleton Man]

Hey, if you want to see a computer case that is truly beautiful from an

artistic standpoint, see the gold pc case on display at
www.emilystudios.com. Kinda makes a fashion statement.

"Meticulously hand painted with an exotic blend of gold metallic lacquers,
its rich lustrous patina will demand attention."

$2 can of gold paint and a coat of varnish.. works wonders hey..


Regards,
Chris

 

[Mac Cool]

Skeleton Man:

"Meticulously hand painted with an exotic blend of gold metallic
lacquers, its rich lustrous patina will demand attention."

$2 can of gold paint and a coat of varnish.. works wonders hey..

$2 will get you about 1 oz. of gold paint, but that isn't really the
point, the labor would be 5-10X the cost of the paint just as it would be
if you hired a house painter or auto painter.

 

[kony]

Skeleton Man:


$2 will get you about 1 oz. of gold paint, but that isn't really the
point, the labor would be 5-10X the cost of the paint just as it would be
if you hired a house painter or auto painter.

I very seriously doubt that that hand-painted case is
remotely near anto-paint quality. House painter maybe, but
how much would it cost to paint 9 sq. ft? Too little to get
them to do it.

 

[Mac Cool]

kony:

I very seriously doubt that that hand-painted case is
remotely near anto-paint quality. House painter maybe, but
how much would it cost to paint 9 sq. ft? Too little to get
them to do it.

I'm guessing you work for an hourly wage and have never hired an
electrician, plumber, painter, landscaper, mechanic, cabinetmaker,
upholsterer; have never bought a cup of coffee, went to a restaurant, made
copies, developed photos, etc, etc, etc? Because all of those things have
one thing in common... the material cost is a fraction of the total cost
that you pay. A painted case is no different, you may not like it, I may
not like it, but the price is not out of line once you factor the cost of
the case, the cost of the paint and add the labor.

 

[kony]

kony:


I'm guessing you work for an hourly wage and have never hired an
electrician, plumber, painter, landscaper, mechanic, cabinetmaker,
upholsterer; have never bought a cup of coffee, went to a restaurant, made
copies, developed photos, etc, etc, etc? Because all of those things have
one thing in common... the material cost is a fraction of the total cost
that you pay. A painted case is no different, you may not like it, I may
not like it, but the price is not out of line once you factor the cost of
the case, the cost of the paint and add the labor.

You seem to be missing the point I was trying to make, that
it's ~ 9 sq. ft. of case. How much labor cost is there to
paint 9 sq ft.? Not much for someone with all the jobs
there in front of them already. Now if it were an
auto-paint quality finish it might be worth more, but with
hand-painting it certainly isn't.

The fact is that the price _IS_WAY_ out of line. It's about
$200 markup, which if I remember the commercials correctly
is near the same cost some low-end auto paint shops charge
to paint an entire car.

 

[Mac Cool]

kony:

You seem to be missing the point I was trying to make, that
it's ~ 9 sq. ft. of case. How much labor cost is there to
paint 9 sq ft.? Not much for someone with all the jobs
there in front of them already. Now if it were an
auto-paint quality finish it might be worth more, but with
hand-painting it certainly isn't.

I didn't miss your point at all. Your point is very clear but you have
no idea how much markup there is on most products.
The cost of a $25 pizza is about $3.50 including labor, $10,000 worth of
cabinets cost about $2000-3000 depending on the market, a $4 cup of
coffee costs about 15¢, a 7¢ Xerox copy costs about 0.015¢, don't even
think about a plumber who might use $5 worth of materials and charge you
$60 just for showing up and another $60/hr with a one hour minimum.

The fact is that the price _IS_WAY_ out of line. It's about
$200 markup, which if I remember the commercials correctly
is near the same cost some low-end auto paint shops charge
to paint an entire car.

On page 4 of the web site it lists the price at $100:
http://www.emilystudios.com/page4.htm
I can't imagine how anyone could sell them that cheap.

For some reason I had been thinking the cost was $250. If I'm wrong or
the web site is wrong, I'm sure you'll correct me.

I imagine the case costs $50-60, the gold paint probably costs around
$10, four layers of clear coat probably another $10, if she is selling
them for $100 then she is only charging $20-30 labor. She will go broke
at that rate.

 

[kony]

kony:


I didn't miss your point at all. Your point is very clear but you have
no idea how much markup there is on most products.
The cost of a $25 pizza is about $3.50 including labor, $10,000 worth of
cabinets cost about $2000-3000 depending on the market, a $4 cup of
coffee costs about 15¢, a 7¢ Xerox copy costs about 0.015¢, don't even
think about a plumber who might use $5 worth of materials and charge you
$60 just for showing up and another $60/hr with a one hour minimum.

No, you assume I have no idea how much markup there is
simply because we disagree on the value of a painted case.
Your comparison is meaningless, unless we backtrack and
compare to the cost of bulk metal sheeting to make a case
too, and all that machinery. We don't have to do any of
that, there is clearly LOW OVERHEAD to hand-painting a case.

On page 4 of the web site it lists the price at $100:
http://www.emilystudios.com/page4.htm
I can't imagine how anyone could sell them that cheap.

I can. Suppose several are painted at a time to maximize
productivity (why would we pay for wasteful labor
practices?). End result might be that it only takes 1 hour
per case. $50 per hour to paint is fair, even quite good
wages for a struggling "artist". Many do far worse.

For some reason I had been thinking the cost was $250. If I'm wrong or
the web site is wrong, I'm sure you'll correct me.

So had I, am sure I saw a $250 price on the linked pages. I
do consider $100 MUCH more reasonable, fair enough price.
Even $150 wouldn't be outlandish for a custom paint job, but
$250 is, IMO, clearly over the top for a solid,
minimally-artistic repainting.

I imagine the case costs $50-60, the gold paint probably costs around
$10, four layers of clear coat probably another $10, if she is selling
them for $100 then she is only charging $20-30 labor. She will go broke
at that rate.

Depends on volume though, a dozen cases might only cost
$400, an air-brush and quantity of paint may be items
already owned and, let's face it, to some people $20-30 an
hour for supplimental income (opposed to primary) isn't bad
at all.

 

[Mac Cool]

kony:

I can. Suppose several are painted at a time to maximize
productivity (why would we pay for wasteful labor
practices?). End result might be that it only takes 1 hour
per case. $50 per hour to paint is fair, even quite good
wages for a struggling "artist". Many do far worse.

A business person cannot think in terms of hourly wage or they will go
broke. Even people selling part-time out of their house will often quit
once their product starts to sell because they don't charge enough to make
it worth their time. And there is no way this person is selling enough
gold cases to have any sort of efficient production, it's definitely a
niche product.