I would like to ask for some recommendations for a home server PC case.
Currently the system resides in some ancient case that’s missing bits and bobs.
It works quite well since it’s from the era where HDDs and ODDs still dominated the front of cases, so I my 4 HDDs have dedicated slots, but there’s no dust filtering (lots of holes, the aforementioned missing bits and bobs).
Currently I have my eyes on a used be quiet! Silent Base 801 for about $80. I’d like sound dampening and dust filtering as a priority, that’s why I was looking at BQ.
Anything else I should be looking at?
The config itself:
Cpu - Threadripper 1920x with Dark Rock Pro 4
Mobo - Asrock X399M Taichi
2x Seagate Exos 4TB
2x WD Red 4TB
3x Seagate Nytro 480GB SSD
2x Kingston DC1000B 480GB nvme SSD
Edit: Seasonic Focus GX 750W
Pending intel X540-T2 10Gb nic (passive)
Well your Dark Rock HS would play the biggest filter, in chasing down an appropriate case
That is a hard price to refuse [granted all the bits and bobs, are in the package]
Other cases, if that 801 deal falls out:
BeQuiets 802, is effectively the 801s successor
FDs Define / Define XL, are dampened out the nines and very accommodating
Phanteks Enthoo Pro series, hearkens back to them yesteryear ODD/3.5in caverns
Phanteks Mini-XL, is a borderline [hysterical] mATX case, with a lot of drive support
… Apparently, Phanteks is also hosting a sizeable rebate, against that case https://www.newegg.com/black-phanteks-enthoo-mini-xl-micro-atx-mini-itx/p/N82E16811854014?quicklink=true
By your recommendation I looked it up and saw a used one for $100 (~$170 new). It does look nice indeed, tempered glass though, and the procurement/pickup is more of a hassle than the BQ Silent Base 801.
Fractal Define 7 all the way. Yes it’s not cheap but so worth it.
I bought it for a home server / nas.
It’s awesome.
I initially wanted to buy the R5, but with the lack of availability, I went for the define 7 and men, so worth it.
The way drives are mounted is great for airflow. And you have dust filter everywhere.
Plus mine is the solid version so I have the sound insolation as well.
Compare to the R5 I spent a third of the price more but I’m glad I did.
With your build, I can’t recommend it enough.
Edit: I forgot the best part, no screw on the panel super easy to open. There is a fan hub, and more than enought stuff to cable manage
You can find them with a solid sound dampening side panel but you might have to do some digging. You might also be able to pick one up one Ebay or another reseller.
If you want to downsize a bit, SFFTime has a couple of interesting options with their P-ATX and N-ATX cases, but you might need to spend some extra on cooling.
Haha, yeah, old cases are absolutely fantastic for adding lots of stuff in them. All modern cases are built with watercooling in mind, which is sad. My old Antec case that I use as a server has 4x 3.5" drawer trays for HDDs, 2x 3.5" external drawer trays for floppies and 3x 5.25" drawer trays for CD / DVD players. And an empty spot under the HDD trays that can fit another HDD. Bought a 3x 5.25" to 4x 3.5" hot-swap cage and added 11 HDDs in this case + 1 SSD for boot, it’s hilarious how filled and heavy it is. A dust filter would definitely be nice, but I won’t be using this system for much longer.
So you need (at least) a micro-ATX case with 4x 3.5" bays and 3x 2.5" bays. While I’m also a fan of rack cases, you mentioned you want a tower. In that case, if you don’t mid going bigger, check out the Antec P101 Silent (support for E-ATX, 8x 3.5" bays, 2x 2.5" bays, 1x 5.25" bay, up-to 180mm radiator height, the Dark Rock Pro 4 has 163mm).
https://www.antec.com/product/case/p101-silent
This case should last you for many years, just like mine did. My Antec Sonata II is probably 10 years old or more and this model was first released in 2005! Not really an Antec fanboy, but I strongly believe they make the best no-nonsense cases with the easiest front-panel opening (so easy to clear the dust filter). They aren’t flashy or feature transparent (glass or plexi) side-panels, which is why I really like them. My old model has tool-less side panel opening, a feature not available on the new P101 Silent. I extensively made use of it when debugging a faulty SATA port on my motherboard, but if you don’t use janky hardware like I do, you should be fine.
Don’t recall a proper TR4 ITX board, ever being a plausible arrangement
1 D-ITX board from ASRock Rack [think it was Epyc Rome native], which was mental
Basically, approaching mATX width, but maintaining ITX height… Would you just look at it!?
Yeah that’s a little bonkers. I guess if you had a super dense cluster for compute only you could make use of something like that, but otherwise I don’t get it.
Yep, and the Fractal Node 304 is ITX or DTX only and Threadripper is usually eATX
That’s why I brought up the ITX form factor, the 304 is great for a less demanding servers but for a Threadripper system? Yeah, not feasible unfortunately.
By some luck I managed to find a used Define 7 for about $90 converted. So I went with your recommendation and got it today, gonna transfer my stuff soon and hopefully enjoy no noise.
Make sure you keep an eye on temps and do some testing. Gamers nexus did some in-depth thermals on the define 7 and found it lacking with the door closed and the filter in.
I went with the meshify 2 in the end as in many ways it’s the same case with a mesh front instead of the door.
