There any other "semi custom" case options out there besides Caselabs...

There any other "semi custom" case options out there besides Caselabs? I was going to buy a used Merlin case that was a bit of drive from me used but when I saw close ups I decided otherwise. I'm not satisfied with the quality for the money and forget the price new for what you get. Seems to be extremely over hyped by the inept and I just assumed Caselabs wasn't just Lain li quality with a bigger price tag.

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Lian Li has the same Chinese slave labor as anyone else. Misaligned panels and front panels, cheap rivets everywhere, rats nest cabling.

There are no "semi-custom" cabinet makers. Not even caselabs. They just spray their cases in cheap paint. Instead of proper powder coats or metals.

Search for "custom pc case painting". You'll get a ton of hits, and then see why you should do it yourself.

I was more surprised about the fasteners used and how it goes together. The way Caselabs is jerked off on forums and youtube I figured they used some like captive pins or something to make the modular panels they advertise easy to go on and off. Nope just screws threaded into aluminium with no thread inserts and some hex nuts of questionable origin.

The thing is Lian Li quality or just under. And for the Merlin case the way I want it set up they'll charge me $600 for it.

Caselabs make their cases in Southern California
Lian Li's main factory is in Taiwan
Both use low volume production methods (laser cutting, NCT, press brakes), which often aren't as consistent as mass-manufactured stamped cases.

Look into the thermaltake core x series

Pretty sure Zalman made less sheet aluminum (GT1000, GT900, fatality and the cnps series) cases combined than any single Lian Li case, and yet Zalman parts fit together fucking perfectly and feel incredibly solid even despite having hinged side panels.

I'm not surprised - those cases look to be using extruded aluminum for most of the case, with a few stamped parts. Extrusions give you much more consistent dimensions compared to press brake bending. I bet they were heavy and expensive though.

My GT1000 cost about as much as Lian Li towers, though it was nos long after production was over, and yes it is extremely heavy - 12.5kg without PSU.
As for material used, pretty sure extruded or stamped should not matter for accuracy of screw holes etc, or not?

I am very fond of the full towers from Dell and HP. Will I don goofed if I buy a used case for a new PC build?

silverstone is probably the best choice as far as cases go. they are a bit on the pricey side, but they have fairly frequent sales and rebates so it's rare that you have to pay the full price.

they are also a "premium" case maker, but they do make sacrifices to keep prices down (mix of aluminum and steel vs all aluminum) but they also have among the best air cooled thermal performance cases.

for example, the ft05 is the only mid tower case i would consider owning.

also, they do have all aluminum cases too, but they are obviously more expensive.

>extruded or stamped should not matter for accuracy of screw holes etc, or not?
It does actually, because in a laser/NCT/press brake process the holes are cut before the bends are made. If those bends are slightly off, it will affect how the parts fit together.

With extrusions, the bends are part of the extrusion itself, and there's essentially no variation that can happen.

I don't think Silverstone makes a single all aluminum case. The ones that use aluminum typically only do so for the outer panels, and use stamped steel for the internal chassis. I don't think I'd really classify them as premium these days, either.

I just looked at their line up and they look like shit.

silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=292&area=en

>Dual Aluminum unibody frame, 2.0mm aluminum body

silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=146&area=en

i believe that most of the temjin series is aluminum.

i don't like all of their cases, but i do like the TJ10, FTZ01, FT03, and FTZ05. i'd never pay the money for a TJ10, though. i have the FTZ01 and i'm considering buying the FTZ05 since it's on sale/has a rebate currently.

This was all I needed to see.

FT05*

also the sugo series is pretty decent, too. for a gaymer case the RL06 looks decent, too.

Hm, guess you're right. The TJ11, TJ10, and TJ07 look to be the only ones they still sell that are fully aluminum though, and those are all pretty old cases at this point. The TJ07 has been around for over 10 years!

Oh, I see. On GT1000 there are no bends, front and back panels are uniform sheets with holes and what I guess is milled recessed line; top and bottom panels are ∏-shaped (not Π but "double T") so it's certainly not bent; side panels have non-uniform thickness, near the edges it's 5mm while middle part is 4mm.
Lian Li cases I've seen all had frame made from relatively thin sheets bent into square profiles, Zalman has no frame, sheets are screwed onto solid fucking aluminum blocks that are about 30x10x10mm each.

Any suggestions on a black/brushed aluminium full tower? Workstation like, no RGB or transparent panel
Something like the HP Z820, pic related

they probably just didn't sell. not surprising, since i wouldn't pay what they were asking either.

i got the FTZ01S for $100 flat. i got that rather than paying $80 for the fractal node 202, which is the closest thing to it offered. in general, i see silverstone as a step above fractal, which works well for me because that's about all i am willing to spend on cases.

i'm generally fond of their designs, and since i don't fuck around with loops the fact that their cases have good air cooled thermal performance is a plus. like i said before, the FT05 is also about the only mid tower case i'd consider buying.

Just refurbish a fucking fridge if you're going to get something that big

Fuck, the internals on that thing are pure fucking sex.