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[unRaidMe]

FREE SHIPPING on all computer cases w/ promo code BFCASE at checkout.

 

I'm thinking about this case for $18. It has 4 external 5.25" bays, 2 external 3.5" bays, and 6 internal 3.5" bays. It even has a fan included What do you guys think about this case? Or any other good considerations?

[Rajahal]

I personally don't like white cases, but that's just my personal presence.

 

Here's the 4 x 5.25" bay case that I used in my 6 drive miniTower:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811233061&cm_re=gigabyte-_-11-233-061-_-Product

 

It also has kind of a cheesy look and feel, but it does function perfectly well.

[unRaidMe]

I saw the Gigabyte case, too. It has one less external 3.5, one less internal 3.5, and no fan vs the case I posted.

 

Just to make sure, these cases will fit the Supermicro C2SEE motherboard, right? Mine just came in yesterday

[Rajahal]

I never use 3.5" bays anymore, so never pay attention to those specs

 

Yes, both cases should fit the SuperMicro board, but it may be a tight fit as it is a full ATX board.  So you may not be able to fit in hot swap cages or use every 3.5" bay, depending on how the ports line up.  I think the case you linked is a better choice for that board, as it will give you more room to work with.

 

However, I would definitely recommend a larger case like the CM-590 instead, since with that you will be able to use that board to more of it's potential (15 of the 20 possible drive support).  Maybe you are looking for a 6 drive server, though, I don't know.

[unRaidMe]

I am looking for the best value

 

So far for cost (excluding hard drives), I estimate:

Mobo $20

CPU $21

RAM $38 - Hope there will be some deals come Black Friday

Case $18

PSU $20-$25 (I'm sad that I missed out on the $20 Corsair PSU deal)

 

All in all, should come out to less than $130 for the build... not bad, eh?

 

Why don't you use 3.5" bays? And why do you only use external hot swap bays in your builds?

[ohlwiler]

I'm not a big fan of hot swap cages, although I do think the Cooler Master 590 is an elegant solution whether you like hot swap cages or not. The problem with the case you posted is that drive cooling will be iffy. It will also be extremely hard to swap drives, but I can appreciate the money saving motivation.

 

Consider this, I bought my case for unRaid probably five years ago, during that time it has seen three motherboards, three power supplies and probably 50 hard disks. The case as I recall was about $150, the other parts were probably about $8000. Your case will last far longer than all of your other parts. The Cooler Master 590 is only $60 if you wait for a deal.

[unRaidMe]

Thanks for the perspective. With a case like the Centurion, there are extra costs because you have to buy hard drive cages or at least 5.25" to 3.5" adapters. It does come with one 4-in-3 cage, though.

 

What other features make the Centurion so preferred?

[Rajahal]

Here's the cheapest case I can find with 9 x 5.25" bays:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811196039

 

I've never used it, but it looks decent enough.  A budget CM-590 if you will.  $50 shipped (with today's promo code).

 

I appreciate value-hunting, but I agree with ohlwiler that a good case is worth the extra money.  The CM-590 is great because it can accommodate hot swap or internal drives, whichever you prefer.  The above case should be able to do the same.

 

And if you really want a cheap case that will just work, I suggest picking up a $5 junker at a thrift store.  It will get you through your first 3-5 drives, and by then you'll understand why we recommend better cases

 

I prefer hot swap for many reasons:

1) Ease of swapping drives (obviously).  I've yet to have an unRAID drive fail on me (knock on wood), but I often switch things around, upgrade drives, etc (mainly because I like to tinker).

2) Increased drive density - you can fit up to 15 external drives into a CM 590, or up to 12 internal.  Most cases with internal 3.5" mounts will take only 6 drives.

3) Easier/cleaner cabling (which also means better airflow)

4) Dedicated fans for your drives

 

Some of these things can be found with internal drives too.  For example, the internal drive bay that comes with the CM-590 has a very nice 120 mm fan attached to it.  However, if you need to replace a drive, you have to unhook the whole thing (7 total cables, and a bunch of screws) as opposed to just swapping out a single drive from a hot swap cage, which involves at most 4 screws and no messing with cables.

 

I use hot swap bays in all my recommended and prototype builds because I figure that most of the people who will be following my builds are new to computer/server building, and want something appliance-like.  Hot swap bays help address both of these things.

[ohlwiler]

Nice find on that AeroCool case Raj. I own 4 Icy Dock 4 in 3's that I used to use. I already had 4 Cooler Master 4 in 3's from the IDE days and so decided to switch back to the CMs so I could compare the advantages and disadvantages. The drive cooling on the CMs is much better and they are much quieter (I put in new 3 pin fans so my motherboard could control them). If you are careful in planning, you should only have to remove the cages to add or replace drives. I only have 2 T. drives, so upgrading won't be required for some time.

 

With the model of CM drive cage that I have, removal of the cage requires no tools. There are nine cables per cage, but my cables are tie wrapped in place, so removal and replacement of connectors is very easy. Once the cage is out, the rest is about the same as placing a drive in a tray, which I do at my desk. The down side of not having hot swap cages is organization. I used to keep my drive slots and drive number the same, inserting an new drive5 and sliding the rest down was easy. Now it is far too difficult to do that. For me I was willing to give up that feature for the increased cooling and the cost savings (I may decide to sell of my Icy Docks or build a second server with them).

 

The Cooler Master drive cage at $20 is a deal. It not only provides excellent cooling, but it also makes hard drive installation so much easier than working on a fixed drive in a budget case. Not as easy as a hot swap cage, but half way there. One advantage of hot swap cages that is a little more subtle is that most of them require two molex connectors for 4 or 5 drives, instead of a separate SATA power connector for each drive. I modified power supply leads to eliminate power splitters. Modifying my old power supply to power four drive cages with molex connectors was much easier than modifying my new power supply to power all my SATA drives. Even if you aren't so paranoid of power splitters, cabling for hot swap cages can be much more elegant. The Norco is the epitome of that simplicity.

[unRaidMe]

Thanks for the tips and advice. I know that I usually think the hassle is worth saving the money and then get frustrated and don't want to deal with it because it becomes such a hassle... LOL

 

So I will listen to your suggestions and wait for a deal on the 590...

 

I found this internal 5-in-3 drive cage but I'm not sure if there are any advantages to it besides the space savings, right? I've never seen a HD cage but I assume there are connectors to simplify cabling and the one I linked to seems to literally just be a cage. Probably better to get the Cooler Master cage?

[ohlwiler]

I have seen that one mentioned before. It is a little pricey for just a bit of metal. You will also have to worry about cooling. Some cases provide fans in the door, so a solution like that would work okay. The problem is removing the cage when you need to perform maintenance, I believe that the CM 4 in 3's can be installed without tools in the 590, but I'm not positive.

[Spectrum]

I have seen that one mentioned before. It is a little pricey for just a bit of metal. You will also have to worry about cooling. Some cases provide fans in the door, so a solution like that would work okay. The problem is removing the cage when you need to perform maintenance, I believe that the CM 4 in 3's can be installed without tools in the 590, but I'm not positive.

 

They can but feel flimsy if you do.  I put 4 screws in per cage just to firm it up a bit.