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The guys at A-Tech Fabrication build to order fanless, fully passively cooled computers and cases. I just ordered one for myself and am super-excited. There’s a long thread at AVSForum about them too. I dunno what the people talking about how it is “impossible” to get a passively cooled computer are talking about—I’ve had one for years.

Here are image links:

Fan Screws
Wood Screws

Sorry. Here you go... http://www.atechfabrication.com/products/heatsync_ 6000.htm

care to link to _ANY_ case which really acts as the heatsink apart from the zalman offering (which has heatpipes to transfer the heat from the parts to the sides of the case)?

My thoughts exactly, but ... I've seen a couple linked over at avsforum.com. The only one I could find with a quick forum search there (aluminum AND case) were these monstrosities. Their entry-level case seems to be around $400 though.

I'd guess there are some others, but only a moron would blow $400+ for a beautifully finished custom-machined aluminum case and then stick it under a bench in a workshop.

http://www.atechfabrication.com/

http://www.ahanix.com/

http://www.silverstonetek.com/

Kanam has some nice cases, but I can't seem to be able to find their website any longer. However, you can buy Kanam cases from a number of places, like:

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Cases/ht 400.asp

The Hush case can't be bought by itself. Same goes for a similar case from another German manufacturer - Mappit. I had a Hoojum Cubit 3. Very pretty, but limited, due to poor ventilation and of course, small size.

"That said: if the manufacturer put openings with fans at suitable places in the case to exhaust all the produced heat quickly, and uses a beefy power supply, nothing prevents it from running a Presshot with a GF6800. It might be a tad loud though since the fans certainly will be on the very fast spinning side. Most SFF PCs out there are very loud if performance parts are used: manufacturers mostly use small 40 and 60mm fans which spin at ridiculous 5000rpm and more. Often using low quality fans to boot, making the PCs sound like sirens."

http://www.atechfabrication.com/products/heatsync_ 6000.htm/

Using the above should eliminate that problem. Using the 2.5 drives with fluid bearings should also help.

I opt for quality whenever possible. http://www.atechfabrication.com/. You do pay for the quality, but I figure this case will be with me for a long time. The company is basically a one man outfit, but the nice part is you can always send the case back for new modifications. Of course, I'm already salivating over the touch screen option which I didn't get...!

Since people seem interested in near-silent PCs for their home theater: The Heatsink Case. This sucker is so well designed that the internal temp goes up when you take off the lid. :) Unfortunately the guy has had trouble getting production ramped up enough to satisfy his many customers...

In my case, I don't care if it looks like typical home theater equipment. Afterall, it's not typical home theater equipment. A regular case is fine

So far this is the best looking case I've seen. It fits full AGP cards and ATX motherboards, has a nifty slot loading DVD, but alas is $350.