Tag Archives: Cases

It seems that each time I find a quality HTPC case, SilverStone has to come along and shake things up. The release of their GD06 HTPC case provided a great option for those that want a high quality HTPC case without spending a lot of money. Well, what happens when they introduce another case, again affordable, that builds on everything the GD06 was and more? You end up with the Grandia GD08.

If you frequent C.O.D. you will realize that I am a fan of Lian Li. I have had many of their cases over the years and it seems that they always seem to set the bar just a little higher every time they come out with something new. Granted, there have been some questionable designs over the years (U6), but I tend to forget those rather quickly when I look at the number of extremely well designed and meticulously manufactured chassis they have produced. Recently, Lian Li has produced an HTPC chassis that promises to impress... the PC-C60.

There is no doubt that the HTPC enthusiast has some options when looking for a chassis to fill the void in their entertainment center. It seems like so many of the options are either too small, too big, to ugly, or too expensive. With that in mind, SilverStone has stepped up their game. SilverStone is no slouch when it comes to manufacturing high quality computer components and with the introduction of the GD06, the company is trying to shake up the HTPC chassis market a bit.

Generally, many case makers like to feature top notch, expensive high end cases and seem to forget about the majority of people; those of us with a budget! The market is flooded with cheaply made, low cost cases that many just settle on purchasing because they can't afford cases by Lian Li, Silverstone, Zalman, or any of the other top end brand names. Recently, BitFenix has been making some waves by producing their Colossus with the soft touch element. Luckily for us, they want to continue their ways and offer a well designed inexpensive option for us named the Merc Alpha.

We've seen plenty of different ideas from plenty of case manufacturers to differentiate them from others. There are those manufacturers that try to wow you with graphics, those that try to innovate with crazy designs; personally, I like it when they get back to the basics. Lian Li is one of those companies that have been consistent throughout their tenure, with only a few questionable designs throughout the years. With the introduction of the PC-6, Lian Li thinks they can bring this "back to basics" reviewer to chassis nirvana.

Sometimes, being a case manufacturer means that you have to do something special to get noticed. It isn’t always the flashy designs or the obnoxious graphics that gets your product known. Sometimes, it is just good craftsmanship and a good design that gets people like me excited. With a slew of case manufacturers out there, Sentey thinks they can get your attention with their Burton Chassis.

If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times... it takes a lot to impress me. Computer cases have made a wicked transformation over the years and there seems to be a few staples for me when it comes to my top picks. My main rig runs out of my Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 and my server makes its home inside the simple yet industrial Lian Li PC-75B (one of my all time favorite cases). As computer cases come and go here in the lab I hear the same song and dance; "This will be the best one you have reviewed yet" and for some reason a lot of them just fall short. BitFenix thinks they can break the current losing streak cases have had here with a design that is tough like Ray Lewis yet soft like Cinemax late night movies. Enter the Colossus.

Having been a longstanding fan and avid user of the Lian Li line of computer chassis; I find that it is difficult to be absolutely wow'ed by another manufacturer's attempt to overthrow the chassis king. Zalman is not new to the game, having been in business since 1999; they have manufactured products in a slew of different genres starting with quiet computing and traveling into the ridiculously priced. The GT1000 is not a bargain basement chassis but is it worth the $380.00 Price tag?

Having been around the block a few times, and having been burned a few times; I have my preferences in chassis'. I have purchased and used a ton of cases and always seem to go back to my Lian Li PC-70 series chassis. There has been little innovation in this sector and it seems like manufacturers are trying to woo us with fancy designs and forgetting about the simple features that we should have to begin with. There are cases out there that look like malformed bubbles, cases that look like transformers, cases with bubbled water, and my personal favorite the cases that look like "Hello Kitty" (sarcasm). It is refreshing when some case manufacturers get back to the basics and give us usable features and practical designs. Antec claims they can give me hope once again. Enter the Antec Performance Series P180B.

I have seen computer cases of all shapes and sizes and computer cases are what I love about the enthusiast scene the most. I definitely do more research trying to find the right case than I spend picking out my motherboard. After all, the case I pick will have to withstand my brutal punishing nature; the constant upgrades; and my tendency for getting bored very quickly. I haven't been too happy with some of the cases hitting the market today, and some of them just make me angry. iStarUSA claims they have a case that will satisfy my inner geek. Enter the "Super Cooling" Full Tower Nitro AX.