An Inside-Out Look At the Antec Skeleton Case

Anonymous writes "Here's a step-by-step look at building a PC with the new Antec Skeleton PC chassis. It's obviously not for everybody, but at least Antec is trying out something relatively new for hard-core users. Not sure if you'd need an air spray can to keep the dust off all the components, though ..."

Comments

Re:Gee, Lets use the EM spectum...

[mollymoo]

Been keeping my case open for 5 years and I have yet to notice any side effect or interference.

Have you actually looked for any side effects or interference? Have you, for example, tested the data rate you get from a 3G phone with the PC on and off? How about your ADSL line?

Re:Modular power supply

[compro01]

I've found nothing but problems with modular supplies. The contacts wear, oxidize, and after a year or so, it gets to the point where it is throwing the voltages to hell (in excess of 10% off), which doesn't qualify as good in my book.

Re:Hmmm

[iamhassi]

"That's the last time I spend over $100 on a case. Anymore then $100 on a case and you're pushing it, especially if it comes WITHOUT a power supply"

I purchased a Cooler Master Stacker STC-T01 a few years ago for ~$150. Giant case, room for two power supplies (one top, one bottom), 11 5.25" bays, removable enclosure for four 3.5" hard drives with a 120mm fan on the front of the enclosure for cooling and a side vent large enough for a 300mm fan directly above where the CPU and video card is. I've used it through two motherboards and have no intentions of replacing it for many more years.

Cases are the one thing that lasts through several iterations of CPUs and upgrades so, if anything, that's where you should do the most research when building your own PC and spend some real $$$$. Saying "Anymore then $100 on a case and you're pushing it" is like saying "No one needs more than 640k of ram". PC enthusiasts drop $200 on a video card or CPU that they'll only keep a year or two and don't bat an eye, so what's wrong with dropping $200 on a case that you'll keep 3 or 4 years?

Re:Gee, Lets use the EM spectum...

[Khyber]

I run a purely open case (both side panels off) right next to a 5" long-throw subwoofer, one of the satellite speakers is on top of the computer, so's the external hard drive, right in front of the speaker. There's a mixer board atop the subwoofer (comp and subwoofer are only at most 4" apart) and then it's a whole slew of N64, PS3, Wii, PS2, GameCube. My 32" 1080p LCD is right above those, and I have YET to hear or even SEE any interference. I haven't had any issues even with my guitar hooked up directly to the line-in.

Today's electronics, while not so robust against ESD, are pretty well-shielded (if built PROPERLY) as they are. If EM was REALLY a problem from a motherboard, they wouldn't put the hard drives right in front of the damned thing.