Maximum PC

I am about to buy a new Case and from post Antec sonata sounds to be a crowd favorit it has been. But I notice that it doesnt have a Fan in the front for intake. So I have got it down to two cases. One other thing is the PS any good in the Antec Sonata, its a 380watt. But is it truest worthy. well this are the two I have it down too, tell me what you think is best.

ANTEC SONATA 9BAY BLACK 380W
Basic Information
# Description: LifeStyle Series ATX Midsize Tower
# Manufacturer: Antec

Detailed Specifications
# Power Supply: 380 W
# Chassis Color: Black
# Chassis Style: Tower (Midsize)
# Cooling Fans (Max): 2
# Device Width Supported: 3.5", 5.25"
# General Features: Front Earphone Jack, Front Firewire Ports, Front Microphone Jack, Front USB Ports
# Included Components: Power Supply
# Number of Drives Supported: 9
# System Board Style: ATX
# Number of Externally Accessible 3.5 Bays: 2
# Number of Externally Accessible 5.25 Bays: 3
# Number of Internal Bays 3.5: 4

Dimensions
# Height: 16.75 in
# Width: 8.13 in
# Depth: 18.25 in
# Weight: 20.8 lbs

the other one is
Lian-Li PC-65 Aluminum Case

* Aluminum ATX style case
* Available in black anodized finish
* Two 80mm ADDA in the front, one in the rear, one in the top
* AMD and P4 approved
* Four 5-1/4 bays
* Eight 3-1/2 bays (3 visible, 5 hidden)
* Removable motherboard tray handles boards up to 12" x 9.6"
* Includes matching thumb screws
* Completely rounded edges for safety
* Power supply not included.
* Dimensions: 8.3" x 19.3" x 17.7"

and SUPER FLOWER 550W TITANIUM PS
Super Flower TT500SL 500W ATX Power Supply with 12cm Super Silent Blue LED Ball Bearing Fan power supply.

about 120 for the Antec and 220 for the other case and PS

I have a Sonata case that I use for my server PC. I highly recommend it for it's silence. Though it only comes with one rear fan, you can add another fan to the front if you want. I can say that the rear fan is more than enough for the average PC build. That thing sucks in so much air that I'm constantly cleaning the intake screen (another nice touch). The power supply is a True Power, nice entry level PSU with SATA connectors included. If you are going to load it up with high power parts, I'd change it out for an Antec 480W NEO Power PSU which is also the quietest I've used.

The Lian Lee case is nice too, but in my experience with aluminum cases, they tend to rattle when loaded with 80mm fans. I stick with cases that use 120mm fans like the Sonata or the Coolermaster Stacker.

Don't walk away from the Antec just because of no intake fan. Fans are cheap.

Aluminum cases look good, they shed heat really well, but from what I read, they don't take much punishment. Say you're re-organizing your computer space and you put the case on the floor just a little too near the door. In comes little brother to see what's up and BANG! into the case. Instant dent.

With more power hungry cpus, vidcards etc., 380w should be considered a minimum. Good enough to get you started, but once you get a few bucks ahead, get a heavier one.

Aluminum cases look good, they shed heat really well,

That's actually a misnomer, unless the case is designed to be a heat sink, it doesn't matter about the material. Steel cases are actually better when it comes to cooling a computer quietly, because they don't transmit the sound as easily as aluminum.

Now if you are looking for a quiet case, the current favorite is the SLK3000-B, and you get to chose your own PSU.

Don't take me as an authority on the sybject because I certainly am not, but isn't it that aluminum has a greater heat capacity than steel and can absorb heat faster? Wouldn't this mean that the heat from the air in the case transfers to it more easily and in larger quantities than a steel case, and is thereby dissipated to the outside air better?

To the original poster, they are both great cases, it really depends on which one looks more aesthetically pleasing to you.

I am going to be sticking a amd 64 3.2 cpu. asus A8N SLI, 1g of Kingston ram, 200gb hard drive, BFG 6600 GT. Do you think the 380PS will be enough?

*gets a coin*

Heads, ya it will work. (thats just the coin speaking)

Nor am I an expert, but I consider the folks at SPCR to be ones:

The Aluminum Myth - Some favor aluminum cases, citing an ability to better cool components mounted within. This is a myth. No heat producing component benefit in any significant way from being inside an aluminum case. The only heat producing devices that are normally mounted in direct contact with a case are the drives, particularly the hard drives. The difference between aluminum and steel in this cooling function is insignificant.

This does not mean aluminum cases cannot be used to make a silent computer, just that there are disadvantages with them when compared to similarly constructed steel cases. Regardless, many aluminum cases certainly look nice.

The Aluminum Drawback - One consistent acoustic property seems unavoidable: Aluminum cases tend to pick up hard drive and fan vibrations more readily than steel cases, and make a higher pitched, more audible humming or buzzing sound. This quality is directly related to the density of aluminum: It has only about 30% of the density of the cheaper, more commonly used steel. Internally applied panel damping materials (especially the heavier kinds) appear to damp the resonance down fairly effectively, but it is sometimes difficult and an added expense to eliminate entirely.

http://silentpcreview.com/article75-page2.html

Both are pretty good cases, but if he is looking for something to make a cool and quiet computer at a lowered price the Antec SLK3000-B is the current preferred case from what I understand.

I am not worried about noise! Just want a low temp case that keeps my parts cold. I also want to know if the 380 is big enough because If i have to buy a new PS ill just get a different case.

What parts are you going to put in it?

imho, yeah, the 380 watts will be fine for your setup.

A 380wt would be the minimum size PSU for your setup. A 400wt PSU is what I run for my setup which is similar.

it is going to be a A8N SLI, AMD 64 3200+, 6600 GT, WD 200GB hardrive.

one cpu, one HD, one video card...

yeah, that psu will definitely be enough.

I've got the Sonata case, and it's pretty nice. The power supply should do just fine for your needs, I've got a P4 2.8 overclocked to 3.4, 3 fans, a 6800, 3 hard drives, and 2 opticals, plus a sound card, wireless card, and TV tuner running just fine off of mine.