big tower computer cases introduced in this post :
namely Cooler Master Cosmos 1000, Zalman GS1000 and In Win Maelstrom – in the order of sleekness . manufactured from 2008 or 2009 in use now mainly because case makers do NOT roll out cases every fashion Season AND popular or reliable models take months to get clean bill from users on stability AND noise .

if you have reach here seeking someone to choose a computer case for you : Don’t .
for choosing one is one of the most fun in assembling a desk-top computer, considering the vast amount of choices because it is price-competitive .
also this is one category of basic computer parts that are NOT common Globally because most are easy to make thus the bulk manufactured locally or at least imported from close shipping lanes .

in beginning to choose a computer case :

  1. make sure you want a desk-top when space-conscious, ultra-portable laptops or notebooks are affordable,
  2. choose between the size in slim, mini, middle and big tower,
  3. aside from the few Global brand-names (still Taiwanese) price don’t differ much so open up and see inside yourself,

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( Computer MainFrame Case Sizes for Dummies )

the ‘big tower’ size is NOT even pictured above for it is NOT destined to be for normal human use /
from left : Middle Tower, Semi-Slim, Mini-Tower, Mini, Extra-Slim and Bare-Bone ..

if you intend to place the case below your desk : choose the slim to spare space yet will soar high to contain vital computer parts,
or else any of the mini or middle towers can be placed below your desk but you measure the available height holding up the desk for big towers .
more-over you would only choose the big tower :

  1. if you are a movie enthusiast who’s Blu-Ray each disk copy take anywhere from 16 to 32GB or even more if you want crisp-sharp outlines – while the previous DVD copy took 4GB plus, thus require more than a single hard-disk as the most a slim or mini tower will contain is one or two at most .
  2. if you are a manic gamer needing double-spaced large VGA graphic cards AND mighty large-and-powerful fans to cool-off the over-loading CPU central processing unit !
  3. or graphic or movie producer who needs all of the power above plus need extra space to store all the gigantic files that complex graphics and movies produce .

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here among ‘big tower’ size : listing common factors compatible for :
( my own personal prerequisites )

  • ATX size mainboard AND power supply,
  • more than FOUR 5″ slots on upper bay for ODD optical disk drives or HDD hard disk drives, although the use of ODD drive is becoming extinct with one for multi-card readers – you would NOT need more than 2,
  • more than SIX 3.5″ slots on lower bay for HDD hard disk drives,
  • HDD hard disk drives on lower bay HAS to be retractable WITHOUT using a screwdriver either from front OR right side of mainframe,
  • does NOT include power of which some packages do,

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price-wise mini towers are the cheapest at around W20,000 for the least metal used which can be resold for scrap in South Korea where recycling in implemented by regional law .
slim towers would cost slightly more for design-factors are involved to research in conserving flat space to the maximum – you should open up some of these to re-generate your brains in realizing what “space-conscious” means 😉
then come the middle towers at anywhere from W30,000 to double that .

and in the realm of big towers : they cost roughly double middle towers because it is not for the general public and more-over

  • price would go well over W120,000 for brand-names (because they are more sturdy – I cannot emphasize the importance for as several hard disk drives are stacked on top of the larger graphic cards AND big CPU coolers .. vibration and noise would come to play if a computer case is not researched well and manufactured in precision – and parts can be ordered there-after,
  • aluminum cases (meaning virtually the whole case is made of aluminum while some manufacturers add this as a catch-phrase to promote sales when only a portion is made with aluminum) which reduce heat (yes I contest it does work to lower 5 degrees Celcius in hot Korean Summers) would go over W200,000 mark, (for a case ?! you gasp, but this can be re-sold after couple of years’ use)

mind-you : electronics AND computer prepherials are cheapest at on-line outlets thus the price mentioned, whereas expect to pay a bit more if you go out actual shopping, in this case W20,000 ~ 40,000
all photos are manufacturers’ Official :

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[ Cooler Master Cosmos 1000 ] introduced September 2009, aproximately W305,000 at on-line discount outlets
boards compatible : ATX / Micro-ATX / Extended-ATX
HD AUDIO / L628 x H598 x W266mm / aluminum case / sound-proof padding on sides

  • five 5″ slots on upper bay,
  • seven 3.5″ slots on lower bay (6 inner and 1 outer which can be used for 5″ also)

from the stylish Taiwan manufacture known for their computer system fans, although a tad expensive than competitors’

when you start spending more than W200,000 or USD $200.- for a computer mainframe case, you are admitting you DON’T have a life – in the Real World, instead have dug deeper into the amazing realm of geek, nerd, Otaku, Pae-in or whatever term the general population use in your country to tag those .. oops, back to the topic : an aluminum casing, although NOT as light you might wish for, can lower your system temperature by a whopping 5~10 degrees Celcius ! still, I won’t say this price justifies the cause . for the /cheaper/ option would be to try out one of Zalman power supplies which has their trademark-ish heat-pipes ! and yes you WILL feel the difference by simply let your hand feel the exhaust air .

( novice advisory ) so WHY does a computer gets hot ? the reason is three-fold, expecially if you are seeking extensive use of the machine with minimun cost :

  1. a very hot peripheral at the core of a computer is its CPU or central processing unit – much like the gleaming “heart” of iron Man – and it gets hotter as you overclock it to make it faster for extensive gaming – the cheap way instead of buying a higher grade CPU,
  2. another prerequisite for extensive gaming is your graphic card which, with all the heat-pipes and larger fans molded around it nowadays to cool off mounting heat is making this peripheral larger AND longer in size thus size-compatibility onto computer mainframe case become a necessity before purchase .
  3. with all download available at fraction of a music CD AND/OR movie theatre ticket WITH South Korea touting THE fastest internet connection in the World over the Millennium, it is NOT unusual to find a homely computer with sever HDD hard disk drives and they added-up can be might hot frying pan within a computer,
  4. more-over add up all of the above, then you better start pondering how you are going to lower your system heat next Summer

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[ Zalman GS1000 ] introduced August 2008, aproximately W180,500 at on-line discount outlets
boards compatible : ATX / Micro-ATX / Extended-ATX
HD AUDIO / L585 x H520 x W220mm

  • four 5″ slots on upper bay, of which lower 2 has additional 3.5″ trays,
  • six 3.5″ slots on lower bay, of which 3 are hot-swappable,

from the ambitious Korean manufacturer who set out to lower our computers’ inner temperature at the turn of the Millennium 😉
starting from central CPU fans, their organic-designed heat-pipes are an art in itself //
and now they have understandably extended into power supplies AND computer mainframe cases !

      

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[ In Win Maelstrom ] W121,500
boards compatible : ATX / Micro-ATX / Extended-ATX
HD AUDIO / L601 x H550 x W225mm / water cooling holes

  • five 5″ slots on upper bay, of which one uses outer 3.5″ slot,
  • six 3.5″ slots on lower bay,

from the cool Taiwan manufacturer who makes computer mainframe cases that um, iron Man would ultimately want 😉

   

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– Korea Tech BLog, October 2010 –

[ February 2012 Update ]

in a World where Korean banks – who conventionally didn’t even twitch to allow Mac users to use on-Line banking – are producing apps for  Android (had to, for SamSung) and iPhone as well as iPad, one might imagine the desktop going out in the way of dinosaurs .. but although sales may have dropped, contenders are still strong for desktops for the personal computer as entertainment center and professional production machine is ever strong .