Question Is the Cooler Master HAF XB EVO lan box good enough for 2020?

[Cyber_Monkey]

Hi,
I'm planning to build a gaming rig. I'm not a big fan of RGB so the case in question does favor that.But its got a damn good ventilation and as the name suggests HAF. The newer versions of the HAF look stupid so does it make sense to use this legacy case in 2020? It has 2 usb 3.0 ports, 2 bays for 3.5" drives & can fit a 240 mm fan+rad in the front & a 140 in the back.The case suits to all my needs. BTW i'm using these for the other parts.
Pros:
High air flow,Motherboard is elevated and cleaning is easy,Easy maintenance & cleaning,different from traditional cases,Easy to carry
Cons: Not sure if it will fit all the below parts,Legacy case,No usb 3.1 port.
CPU: Ryzen 7 3700x
Motherboard: Aorus Elite x570
Ram:16gb Corsair Vengeance x 2
SSD/HDD:10tb Ironwolf NAS 3.5" HDD + 1tb Samsung 840 evo ssd 2.5"
GPU: Sapphire RX5700 8gb
PSU:Havent really thought about it yet
Chassis: Cooler Master HAF XB Evo lan box.

What do you think?

 

[dirtyferret]

if the case suits all your needs as you claim then it's good enough

if you need a usb 3.1 port (you list as a con) then it's not good enough

my personal opinion (which should only matter to me not you), I have a CM HAF 912 for my work PC. The cases are solid enough and recommendable but I've never been a big fan of the LAN cases. Also, the HAF is for marketing purposes as their are plenty of good cases out with good airflow especially coming out this year.

 

[Rensje]

@Cyber_Monkey

How dead-set are you on your parts list? If you are willing to swap out that motherboard for a Micro-ATX one like the MSI B450 Mortar Max, you could get away with something like the Corsair Crystal 280X. It's a small form factor case that fits all the drives you use, has a more modern I/O selection (with 2x USB 3.1) and will fit up to a 280mm radiator in the front. It's also got a very clean looking dual-chamber design and will work in multiple orientations. It's hefty 7.1kg weight is the one bad thing I have to say about it, but looks-wise it's got that classic XB Evo beat by a landslide.

If you already own the parts mentioned above and full ATX compatibility is a must, you could also take a look at a case like the Corsair Carbide 540 HAF. It's not as pretty as the Crystal and slightly heavier still, but it will fit everything and the kitchen sink while sporting a deceptively small, understated look.

 

[JR88]

I still never found a case I really wanted..so you just get a mobo or stand and or just boot jumpered out on the table, it wont hurt it.

 

[logainofhades]

What is your system budget?

 

[Cyber_Monkey]

if the case suits all your needs as you claim then it's good enough

if you need a usb 3.1 port (you list as a con) then it's not good enough

my personal opinion (which should only matter to me not you), I have a CM HAF 912 for my work PC. The cases are solid enough and recommendable but I've never been a big fan of the LAN cases. Also, the HAF is for marketing purposes as their are plenty of good cases out with good airflow especially coming out this year.

Your personal opinion does make lot of sense, All that branding about High air flow, i was skeptical if it would really enhance airflow or just collect dust. But the meshy design and the simplistic look really caught my attention and different from traditional looking cases. Just a simple big box that would house all the components.
But yeah,practically its old and there just might be better cases that might suit my needs

 

[Cyber_Monkey]

@Cyber_Monkey

How dead-set are you on your parts list? If you are willing to swap out that motherboard for a Micro-ATX one like the MSI B450 Mortar Max, you could get away with something like the Corsair Crystal 280X. It's a small form factor case that fits all the drives you use, has a more modern I/O selection (with 2x USB 3.1) and will fit up to a 280mm radiator in the front. It's also got a very clean looking dual-chamber design and will work in multiple orientations. It's hefty 7.1kg weight is the one bad thing I have to say about it, but looks-wise it's got that classic XB Evo beat by a landslide.

If you already own the parts mentioned above and full ATX compatibility is a must, you could also take a look at a case like the Corsair Carbide 540 HAF. It's not as pretty as the Crystal and slightly heavier still, but it will fit everything and the kitchen sink while sporting a deceptively small, understated look.

Yeah,I've already ordered the motherboard and now having 2nd thoughts whether the Aorus elite was a right decision or not.But i havent got the case yet so was thinking whether i should opt for the HAF XB or search for alternatives .Thanks for suggesting the Corsair 540 HAF. This is a much better looking case and its got a 3.1 usb support.I like this case,thanks.

 

[Cyber_Monkey]

What is your system budget?

Approx 1200$

 

[logainofhades]

Not sure how you are thinking you are going to get all of that hardware, for $1200. Do you have some of this hardware already, other than the motherboard, you stated earlier?

 

[Kaizer777]

I built a new HTPC in this case a few months ago. I'm pleased with the cooling and noise (though I replaced the front fans with two noctua NF-P14s). The handles make it easy to move around, and you shouldn't have any trouble fitting all of your parts in there.

The mesh on the front panel isn't the easiest thing to get to if you're wanting to remove it for cleaning, but I find that using a brush attachment on a vacuum does a pretty decent job of cleaning the filter from the outside. I keep my machine tucked away inside of an entertainment center, so I don't get a lot of dust on top of the chassis. If you have it exposed, the unfiltered vent on the top might let a lot of dust fall in, but you can buy after-market filters for that if you need it.

 

[Cyber_Monkey]

Not sure how you are thinking you are going to get all of that hardware, for $1200. Do you have some of this hardware already, other than the motherboard, you stated earlier?

Yes i do. I have an 8gb RAM stick and AIO cooler 240 mm Mercury. I also got an RX580 for a cheaper price. I got the case and everything is perfect.Except for couple things.
The PC isnt booting up and the led on my motherboard lights up and beeps twice.No display. While troubleshooting i killed the Pcie 4 slot express clip that holds the VGA card.My first build and it couldnt get any better :/.

 

[Cyber_Monkey]

I built a new HTPC in this case a few months ago. I'm pleased with the cooling and noise (though I replaced the front fans with two noctua NF-P14s). The handles make it easy to move around, and you shouldn't have any trouble fitting all of your parts in there.

The mesh on the front panel isn't the easiest thing to get to if you're wanting to remove it for cleaning, but I find that using a brush attachment on a vacuum does a pretty decent job of cleaning the filter from the outside. I keep my machine tucked away inside of an entertainment center, so I don't get a lot of dust on top of the chassis. If you have it exposed, the unfiltered vent on the top might let a lot of dust fall in, but you can buy after-market filters for that if you need it.

I totally agree with you. I'm glad i bought this case and it has so much room that i could fit all the parts and have enough space for air flow. But yeah the open vents on the sides catch a lot of dust and i have cats so i'm gonna have filters attached there. I tucked in the aio fans to the front and a big 200mm fan on the top.
Everything went fine until i killed the motherboard and possibly my graphics card too. I'm planning to apply forThe Verge. I have a feeling they would hire me for my pc building skill.

 

[Kaizer777]

I totally agree with you. I'm glad i bought this case and it has so much room that i could fit all the parts and have enough space for air flow. But yeah the open vents on the sides catch a lot of dust and i have cats so i'm gonna have filters attached there. I tucked in the aio fans to the front and a big 200mm fan on the top.
Everything went fine until i killed the motherboard and possibly my graphics card too. I'm planning to apply forThe Verge. I have a feeling they would hire me for my pc building skill.

I'm sorry to hear you're having hardware issues. I hope some of it covered by the warranty.