Maximum PC

I'm confused a bit. We have an Antec 900, there's no 1" screws, no movable HDD cage, and it fits long cards fine. I see an optional cage for $25, but none came with the one we have. Are we positive this is the case we're tossing in the dog house?

Even if yours has a cage, the screw bag for the Sonata III looks to have those long HDD screws.

That looks like the Nine Hundred that I have, but what I purchased two years ago came with two 3x3.5" drive cages.

To remove the cage there are four thumb screws. Two install a drive in the cage it takes 4 long screws.

Chumly, I'm okay with the Nine Hundred. It was a good case for the price; before the CM 690 II that is.

I just want to know if a case has non-standard screws before I buy it in the future, so to me cases that use said screws are in the dog pound.

As I said though, I can walk into most hardware stores and get a replacement bag for cheap:

n0b0dykn0ws wrote:

In case anyone is curious, the screws for mounting drives in the cage are #6-32 x 1 inch.

n0b0dykn0ws

i have always had trouble with the MOBO standoffs on Coolermaster cases (most recently the Elite 430, and the Scout). i screw them in hand tight with my fingers, and when i screw the motherboard on with their supplied "MOBO screws", the motherboard screws thread the standoffs into the case, and i cant get them or the motherboard out.

the 'thunk' or 'click' sound of threading standoffs haunts me too often.

The friend's computer that I just worked on was built into a Nine Hundred and I ran into many of the same problems, but one thing I can say is:

WOW AIRFLOW!

It didn't have the side-panel fan, but all the others were installed and even at idle, a piece of paper could easily get caught on the side of the case where the side-mount fan should be. As far as mounting mobos go, I tighten the standoffs good, then tighten the mobo screws just enough to keep them in place unless it's a customer computer which will go into a home where I know or am relatively certain is void of computer literate people. Then I feel it's best to make it a little more difficult for them to do their own "work" on it and end up calling with a "I don't know, it just won't turn on...".

I have been eying the 690 II for a while now, but am still unsure of what I want other than the ability to upgrade to whatever behemoth graphics cards they brew up next.



EDIT: As a side note, there are two versions of the Nine Hundred that are of note, both of which have been described on this thread. I think one has the 1" screws and the newer one has the different mounting scheme. Since I don't own one, I cannot say for sure - I have a cheap(er) case with burrs and about 1/3 the airflow of an Antec Nine Hundred case.

I own 2 of the rev 1's. They use those screws, and the hdd cages also include the front fans.





Ted

Yeah, I had to pull one of the HDD caddies out and I was a bit surprised to find I had a fan in my hand along with it. I guess I can understand the use of something like that, but dust filters would have been very welcome in my friend's case. If there was anything I should have charged him for, it was the incredible amount of dust I cleaned out of heatsinks, PSU (Which was DOA), graphics card fans, and every other imaginable place where the stuff will congregate.

At work we charge $7 for dust cleaning. I would have charged him $14.

That's why my tri 280's are in one.





Ted

I would have used one for my next build, but the lack of dust filters persuaded me to choose a different case. I anticipate the need for dedicated folders at some point and if I can find a case with these three things in common, it will be the 'one':

☼ Outstanding airflow.
☼ Dust filters.
☼ Plenty of room for up to 4 GPUs and all the goodies to cool them (possibly a liquid-cooling system).

I have thought about the Cooler Master 690 II advanced, but it may not have what I need.

And so the hunt continues....

http://www.dimastech.it/EN/c/bench-test ... llic-grey/

I just ordered myself one of Dimastech's test benches - they support watercooling as well as exotic stuff like Dry Ice and "Phase Units" (not sure what that entails)
its however, open air, and all the sensitive parts are up on top.

I am hoping that the hardware enclosed is easy to use, and i hope i don't thread the standoffs or other screws.

Very nice. I bet you could build an enclosure for the top made of acrylic with some fan openings for cheap and keep the cooling abilities of the design largely intact.

Pretty. I want one.