Dr Arboreal's Case Hoarding Therapy Group

[rfarmer]

I used to just sell off old cases and builds. Even the massive EATX towers with wheels (I remember that one cost me $75 to ship years ago).

I somewhat stopped doing that, for no real reason.

Still have (inactive)
1 Silverstone SG06 <-- Wonderful case back in its heyday. Didn't have the best airflow (partly due to its flawed 120mm front fan mount), as was endemic of early cases of that time,
1 Silverstone FT03 <-- A great idea, but with some minor space efficiency and accessibility quibbles.
1 Silverstone FT03 mini <-- They didn't learn a single thing from the SG05 and FT03. Last Silverstone product I purchased.

Recently pressed these back into service:
1 Ncase M1 V5 <-- It's a bit large, but very flexible and extensible. it's slightly large size is completely offset by it's incredible component density and space efficiency, IMO.
1 M350 (that was inactive for years) <-- It's not a great case, but with M.2 finally in full swing, I have finally found a use for it, along with my PicoPSU.

Current computer is in the:
1 DAN A4 SFX v4



Many, many, many sold. These include Silverstone SG05/06/02 cases, along with a beautiful, red, aluminum Lian Li mATX cube, countless mATX/ATX/EATX Antec and CM cases (including the P180 mini, my first case).

In the end, I am still thankful to Silverstone's SG02 (first "SFF" case in my possession) for bringing me to the SG05 (and to mITX).

While I do not find DAN's A4 SFX perfect, I do very much appreciate its extreme, unwavering focus to its core principles.

I think I will find a use for the SG06 eventually, but the FT03 and FT03 mini will eventually have to go. Shame, since I really love the vertical case concept.

What you said about the Ncase is so true. I remember when I bought it I was amazed at it's size but I was comparing it to the Ghost S1 I just picked up and it seems incredibly large. I am currently using my Ncase as a HTPC/Plex server with 4 x 3.5 HDDs installed and it is a wonderful case for this setup, like you say it is hard to find another case you can pack so much into the available space.

I have also been able to sell most of my previous cases, I usually do a hardware upgrade at the same time I do case upgrade and sell the complete setup. Cases I still have are:

Coolermaster Elite 110, my first itx case and still being used as a home pc for web browsing and video watching.
Ncase M1, which I am using for my HTPC/Plex server.
MI-6 which I just pulled my gaming build out of and will probably put up for sale.
Louqe Ghost S1 which I just transferred my build into but I have also ordered a Nouvolo Steck because I wanted to compare the 2. I have a feeling I will keep main build in the Ghost but I would like to hold onto the Steck because I am thinking about an AMD only build depending on how their upcoming components look.

Some of the itx cases I have gotten rid of, several out of shame.
Rosewill U2 Legacy (Jonsbo clone) sold as a complete build, still one of the most difficult itx cases I have built in and really taught me the importance of a "planned build"
Rosewill Neutron, a horrendously big itx case that was nearly as large as most mid towers. I think I bought this because the U2 was such a PITA to build in.
Phanteks Evolv itx, nearly as horrendously big as the Neutron. After the Evolv I bought my Ncase because I decided if I was going to have an itx case it needed to be SFF and was looking for something with better build quality.

 

[Windfall]

See, because @confusis has brought these issues to light, they can be more easily solved!

 

[Curiosity]

I have (had?) A problem where I want to keep going smaller and quieter, which don't really pair up too well.
I also keep all my old coolers because I love heatsinks, and bought a d15 because volumetrically it's the same size as my customod 3.24l.

I usual sell my old cases to afford my new ones, but at one point I had an ncase V2, s4 mini, and dancase at the same time.

Once I move from the customod I'll keep ahold of it for sure.

I've got an alpenfohn Peter is, cryorig m9i and c7, nhd15, Alienware sofaa quakecone wrapped lid, some noiseblocker 92mm fans, and I think a couple other things in forgetting.

I'd love to upgrade my CPU/ mobo/ ram but I'm not really sure how to sell adelidded 3570k and ballistic tactical tracer ram without heatspreaders.

@Thehack you said you needed to sell your k39? I was thinking if buying one..

 

[Nanook]

Hi my name is Nanook, and I hoard cases...
I started with a Lian Li full tower back in the early 2000s, with a QX9650, and 2x 8800GTS in SLI. Eventually I upgraded to a GTX285, and later the GTX580. All of these things I still have in storage. In 2016, I decided to upgrade my whole system, and that’s when my problem started. My first SFF case was the NCase M1 v5. The M1 was so versatile in how it can be configured, that I kept trying (buying) different components to fit in the M1. Later I started looking at different cases that does something slightly different (better) than the M1, and somehow it snowballed:

1. NCase M1 v5, silver with ODD slot
2. Cougar QBX Kaze - thinking that this case has better airflow than the M1 because it houses a 80mm fan in the front. It didn’t. It was toastier.
3. Fractal Design Nano S - wanted to go massive air cooling with the Cryorig H5 140mm fan tower. Somehow this spacious case led me to go down the rabbit hole of custom loop watercooling.
4. Moved the custom loop into the M1, end up cutting out the M1 chassis floor... which led me to purchase a second M1. This time black without ODD slot.
5. Dancase A4-SFX v1 - HTPC build
6. HTPC later switched to a Streacom F1C, powered by a G-uniq 300w PSU.
7. After this, things got really out of control... I got a Phanteks Evolv Shift to do a custom loop in. I had grand plans of modding the case to improve airflow and to house more radiators... instead I ruined a few WC components with bad opaque white coolant, shorted a SX600 PSU with my amateur mistakes, etc. dark times.
8. Thermaltake Core G3 - full custom loop. Actually one of my favorite builds. Love how slim this case is
9. Fractal Design Meshify - sold. Planned to do an even more ambitious water cooling build, but came back to the SFF world.
10. Skyreach 4 Mini - which led to me getting into all kinds of low profile coolers and HDPlex, G-uniq 500w, FlexATX, etc.
11. Lone L4 - bought used for a portable workstation. Later switched to a...
12. Dancase A4-SFX v2 - for a portable 6-core / Quadro P4000 workstation
13. Cerberus X - never built in
14. Cerberus - great case
15. CirclePro - shoehorned a FE graphics card in this, tried G-uniq and FlexATX to accommodate the FE gpu.
16. Louqe Ghost S1 - 2 full sets of top hats
17. Sliger SM550 - the case fan only configuration really interested me
18. Silverstone FT03 - excellent cooling, but too massive
19. Metallic Gear - current build focused around the excellent NH-U12A cooler.
20. Sentry 2 - indiegogo peak. Hopefully by Dec2019

I think that’s it for now. I probably have about 20+ coolers, and 10+ SFX / nanoATX power supplies.

 

[rfarmer]

Hi my name is Nanook, and I hoard cases...
I started with a Lian Li full tower back in the early 2000s, with a QX9650, and 2x 8800GTS in SLI. Eventually I upgraded to a GTX285, and later the GTX580. All of these things I still have in storage. In 2016, I decided to upgrade my whole system, and that’s when my problem started. My first SFF case was the NCase M1 v5. The M1 was so versatile in how it can be configured, that I kept trying (buying) different components to fit in the M1. Later I started looking at different cases that does something slightly different (better) than the M1, and somehow it snowballed:

1. NCase M1 v5, silver with ODD slot
2. Cougar QBX Kaze - thinking that this case has better airflow than the M1 because it houses a 80mm fan in the front. It didn’t. It was toastier.
3. Fractal Design Nano S - wanted to go massive air cooling with the Cryorig H5 140mm fan tower. Somehow this spacious case led me to go down the rabbit hole of custom loop watercooling.
4. Moved the custom loop into the M1, end up cutting out the M1 chassis floor... which led me to purchase a second M1. This time black without ODD slot.
5. Dancase A4-SFX v1 - HTPC build
6. HTPC later switched to a Streacom F1C, powered by a G-uniq 300w PSU.
7. After this, things got really out of control... I got a Phanteks Evolv Shift to do a custom loop in. I had grand plans of modding the case to improve airflow and to house more radiators... instead I ruined a few WC components with bad opaque white coolant, shorted a SX600 PSU with my amateur mistakes, etc. dark times.
8. Thermaltake Core G3 - full custom loop. Actually one of my favorite builds. Love how slim this case is
9. Fractal Design Meshify - sold. Planned to do an even more ambitious water cooling build, but came back to the SFF world.
10. Skyreach 4 Mini - which led to me getting into all kinds of low profile coolers and HDPlex, G-uniq 500w, FlexATX, etc.
11. Lone L4 - bought used for a portable workstation. Later switched to a...
12. Dancase A4-SFX v2 - for a portable 6-core / Quadro P4000 workstation
13. Cerberus X - never built in
14. Cerberus - great case
15. CirclePro - shoehorned a FE graphics card in this, tried G-uniq and FlexATX to accommodate the FE gpu.
16. Louqe Ghost S1 - 2 full sets of top hats
17. Sliger SM550 - the case fan only configuration really interested me
18. Silverstone FT03 - excellent cooling, but too massive
19. Metallic Gear - current build focused around the excellent NH-U12A cooler.
20. Sentry 2 - indiegogo peak. Hopefully by Dec2019

I think that’s it for now. I probably have about 20+ coolers, and 10+ SFX / nanoATX power supplies.

Thanks for the list @Nanook, your problem appears to be more extensive than I feared.
Actually your list of cases is larger than I expected, I would love to see pics of the Thermaltake Core G3.

 

[Arboreal]

@confusis. John, I'm honoured that you've featured my clinic on the front page, I didn't anticipate that there would be so many patients with such serious problems.

mmm, dont get me started on my cpu coolers, including watercooling blocks .. and gpu watercooling blocks

I cannot assist you in that area, it is outside my brief I'm afraid. My therapeutic training is not that extensive yet.

 

[Duality92]

Oh wow I'm not alone, having been doing case reviews for a good part of 2016, 2017, 2018, I've had to let go a lot. They simply take up too much space in my workshop, but I had a 16' wide shelf that couldn't hold all the cases I had.

Now, currently, I own the following

Coolermaster Q300L (currently my server)
Antec DA-601 (currently my TR 2950X rig)
MonsterLabo The First (will be 9900K/1070)
Case Labs SM5 matte white https://imageshack.com/a/rdul/1
Dimastech EasyXL in yellow https://imageshack.com/a/NW7o/1
Custom 1515 aluminium extrusion case done by Spotwoods https://imageshack.com/a/fxMJ/1
NZXT H700 matte black
Thermaltake View 37 https://imageshack.com/a/hn1o/1
Silverstone RM21-308
Totally redone for a dual ITX system FrozenQ Apex mATX
InWin 805 (modded to fit the 301 inside)
InWin 301 (modded to house physically inside the 805)
HighspeedPC Test bench
Point of sales ITX case, sub 5L with integrated 15.6" monitor and huge stand.

Here's the list of those I've owned that I can remember of find references too.

Anidees AI Crystal White
Anidees AI Crystal Lite
Anidees AI Crystal Cube White Prism
Antec 900
Antec 1200
Antec 302
Antec ISK110
Antec ISK600
Antec DF500 RGB
Antec LanBoy (second generation full aluminium, pre-"air" model)
Azza Photios 250
Azza Taurus 5000
bequiet! 600
bequiet! 900 Pro
Bitfenix Ghost
Bitfenix Prodigy M
Bitfenix Enso Mesh
Bitfenix Shogun
Case Labs BH8
Corsair 750D Air Flow^
Corsair Air 240
Enermax Ostrog ADV
Fractal Design Arc Mini R2
Fractal Design Define R4
Fractal Design Node 202
Fractal Design 804
Fractal Design Define C Mini
InWin 303
InWin 509
InWin Chopin
Jonsbo VR2
NZXT S340 Elite
Silverstone RL06
Silverstone KL07
Silverstone PM01
Silverstone LD01
Silverstone RVZ01-E
Thermaltake Core P3
Custom 3D printed "Verticality"
Custom Wood Test Bench
Custom Wood dowel case
Custom 14L ITX plastic mesh case

This doesn't take into account the 5-6 pre-built PC cases I've had, like Compaq, HP, etc. I've also probably forgot quite a few.

 

[Arboreal]

I used to just sell off old cases and builds. Even the massive EATX towers with wheels (I remember that one cost me $75 to ship years ago).

/snip

Current computer is in the:
1 DAN A4 SFX v4

I think I will find a use for the SG06 eventually, but the FT03 and FT03 mini will eventually have to go. Shame, since I really love the vertical case concept.

I'm seeing a lot of unloved and discarded SG05/SG06/SG13 cases on peoples lists. The SG05 was my first entry into SFF with an odd industrial ITX board in it.
How the mighty vanguards of cramming have fallen with the advance of our art.

I would like to so a front PSU conversion with a top down cooler in an SG06 some time, when I claim mine back from my daughter.

What you said about the Ncase is so true. I remember when I bought it I was amazed at it's size but I was comparing it to the Ghost S1 I just picked up and it seems incredibly large. I am currently using my Ncase as a HTPC/Plex server with 4 x 3.5 HDDs installed and it is a wonderful case for this setup, like you say it is hard to find another case you can pack so much into the available space.
/snip
Phanteks Evolv itx, nearly as horrendously big as the Neutron. After the Evolv I bought my Ncase because I decided if I was going to have an itx case it needed to be SFF and was looking for something with better build quality.

The Neutron sounds terrible, as the Evolv ITX gives me anxiety... I have said that mine's "in the attic" well, it's actually in a specially created containment field to stop the Anti-SFF effects leaking into the house!

Welcome all, a flood of patents, I hope to bring you comfort and healing for your pains.

It looks like @Duality92 and @Nanook are the most strongly affected so far, I have much work to do...

Dr A.

 

[Aux]

"Starting with Arboreal’s list of mostly Silverstone products, other forum members have started listing what they have sitting about, mostly SFF, but with a few larger enclosures hiding in the crowd. The broad spectrum of cases in the possession of the community is mindblowing – with some really collectible cases in the collections of some"

Cases are collectible now?????

 

[Duality92]

"Starting with Arboreal’s list of mostly Silverstone products, other forum members have started listing what they have sitting about, mostly SFF, but with a few larger enclosures hiding in the crowd. The broad spectrum of cases in the possession of the community is mindblowing – with some really collectible cases in the collections of some"

Cases are collectible now?????

Anything is collectible.

For example, I know a few guys collection Case Labs cases. One guy in perticular has over 50 of them. (500-1500 per case, imagine the storage room needed lol

 

[Nanook]

Thanks for the list @Nanook, your problem appears to be more extensive than I feared.
Actually your list of cases is larger than I expected, I would love to see pics of the Thermaltake Core G3.

Heres my G3 build, dry-fitting a 360mm radiator:

Here’s one of the completed albums... Yup, guilty of unicorn vomit RGB phase...

 

[rokabeka]

S4 Mini #083
S4 Mini #315
Silverstone SG05
Lian Li PC-Q07B
Realan E-i3
Realan E-i7
TT Core P3
2x DeepCool Matrexx 55 (servers)
Cougar Solution2

huhhh, feels much better now

 

[mrp0p1nfr3sh]

im about to spend another 200 on metalfish MATX and Mini-itx cases and i have a few squirreld away.

 

[enricko7]

Hi, my name's Enricko7 and I am a case hoarder.

When I first built my PC, I had little to no idea what I was doing. SSD's were expensive, Game of Thrones was popular, and I thought I would eventually turn my first computer into a server. Rosewill had/has a case called the Throne, and it is a bit of a travesty as far as space efficiency is concerned.

I got a bit of an upgrade/update bug a couple of years ago and moved my build into a Corsair 750D and upgraded a couple of things. It wasn't much of an improvement in the space efficiency arena, but it got me looking and searching for different things.

The Dan-A4 and NCase attracted me to the SFF scene. I thought the designs were cool, but still not quite what I wanted. I bought an ATX Case-Labs SM8 motherboard tray hoping to design a more space efficient case around it, but I never made any progress with it (we'll see if that ever comes back...).

Eventually, I 'slacker-backer'ed a Louqe Ghost and built a true SFF Computer. I still wasn't happy with it, especially considering some hardware compatibility issues. I was able to sell this case, and I ended up getting a Sliger mATX Cerberus. It's a little large for the hardware, but it stays nice and cool no matter what I'm doing. I am convinced that this will be my desktop case until the mATX form factor disappears.

Here and there I've bought a couple of other cases. I bought an Apple Mac Pro from one of my local University's public auctions. I've loved that design for a long time, and knew that people have modded them to use standard parts. I got a Laserhive mATX kit so I could use it as an HTPC and music server. I still hope to use it for something, but I need to do a little bit more modding to get a standard PSU secured in it. Instead of using the Mac Pro for an HTPC, I got a Silverstone GD08. It's a very efficient design, but challenging for cable management, especially when using two optical drives.

I don't yet know what will happen to the giant cases that I don't use. I would be more than happy to sell them, but shipping is expensive and most people buy new for their builds because of that. And that brings me here. For support in my too-many-case-owning problem.


TL;DR - I have a:
Rosewill Throne (ATX)
Corsair 750D (ATX)
CaseLabs SM8 Motherboard tray (ATX)
Apple Mac Pro with LaserHive motherboard kit (mATX)
Silverstone GD08 (ATX)
Sliger Cerberus (mATX)

 

[Stevo_]

Case hoarder here as well, in the midst of re-arranging to smaller cases all around but in order of declining volume

Node304 - first boutique SFF case, currently unused, hideously big for SFF ~19L and looks reminiscent of a mini hotel fridge
NFC S4 classic - currently unused will be selling
Lone L2 - currently unused will be selling
Lone L1 - currently used for J5005 based fanless that will move to the Morex 557
Realan K3 - 3.3L last purchase will likely house a 2400G based build
MX500 - 2.7L currently unused but will likely house the P8Z77I 3770K that was in the S4
Morex 557 2.3L - currently has the P8Z77I 3770K installed but there's not enough room for ventilation, more of a limit experiment for the case, may try the 2400G in there and put the P8Z77I 3770K in the K3, but likely J5005 will go in.

 

[IgnoranceIsTheEnemy]

Silverstone FTZ01-E
Velka M
Inwin Chopin
Silverstone SUGO SG05 X2
HP Compaq 8200 Elite
HP EliteDesk 800 G1 SFF
HD PLEX H1.S ODD
Streacom FC5 OD
Coolermaster Elite 342
Fractal Design Arc (talk about sticking out like a sore thumb; earmarked to carry some old tape drives)

The way i see it, how else am i going to store all my components. Put them away in boxes like some kind of savage? But seriously, most of these are going to new homes. Soon. I promise. I need the room for more new cases.

As soon as Sliger puts the SV590 up for preorder, i am having a spring clean. Getting rid of the SG05 is going to hurt.

Equally bad, is my SFF PSU problem.

Multiple Flex-ATX psu's, including the latest, an Enhance ENP-7660B
Numerous Silverstone sff psu, ranging from old 450w bronze units to platinum rated monsters
Streacom Zeroflex 240W psu
HDPLEX 400W AC/DC
HDPLEX 400W DC-ATX
HDPLEX 160W AC/DC
Streacom 120w nano and various other Pico PSU

EDIT:

Oh and as we are now doing coolers as well, due to my indecisiveness and varying clearances of the cases i own, i now have one of every low profile CPU cooler Noctua make, both AMD specific versions and older Intel variants for some of them.

 

[Damascus]

@confusis I'm seeing all my fellow hoarders and relapsing. What's the best 1u chassis for an itx mobo + fury nano? Already rocking a flex psu to boot

 

[fleetfeather]

Happy to provide some inspiration

I don't have quite the collection that some of y'all have, but I can slightly expland on those cases listed in my For Sale thread... In my possession (with some about to be sold):

Define Nano S
Project mATX #003
Ncase v5
Ghost S1 w/ tophats and grills
JP-Artisan Advent
Lone L3
Inwin Choppin
Minibox m350

Once I've sold off a few of these and my 1080ti, I'm planning on buying a Lone L5 to use as my daily, moving my system over, and then finally selling the rest

 

[rokabeka]

Once I've sold off a few of these and my 1080ti, I'm planning on buying a Lone L5 to use as my daily, moving my system over, and then finally selling the rest

I am sure Dr Arboreal will tell you that this kind of planning is absolutely part of the symptom we have all been there...

 

[TheHig]

Loving this thread all.
Like many here I very much enjoy trying different enclosures and with so much great work being done by creators here on the forum its easy to go down the rabbit hole.

Currently in use:

Cerberus X (2 of these) My daily driver and oldest Son's new rig
Riotoro CR280- Family PC ( my 6yo calls it his and really at this point it is. Minecraft is his game of choice)
Xigmatek Eris- Daughters PC

On the shelf:
Custom Mod Mini OG 3.2L - really like this case and with the pico 192w brick and 160xt makes a nice pc with a 1050ti and even soon 1650. However, I also learned that I really do not like external power supples.-- Ordered a 200w kit from @Thehack and may use it in the gpu side for an APU build.

Inwin BQ656- possible APU box if I decide to use a slim Blu-ray for the HTPC and use the JHack Psu kit here instead of the Custom Mod.

EVGA Hadron Air- just so fun to cram a sfx psu in there. Works great with Founders 9 and 10 series Nvidia Gpus this way if a bit loud under load. Built like a tank. Sadly collecting dust.

S4M (sold-- bittersweet but it was too nice to sit around and had to fund that WC loop right?!)

Wishlist:
Sliger SM550 to house the family PC or Daughters build? Was going to get this for my Son's but he chose the CerbX and frankly it turned out great -- Thanks @loader963 !

CCD MI6 because I really like it.-- If anyone is selling theirs PM me.