0-20k Does it make sense to buy Airflow cases in India?

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Shadowmoonwalk

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So, I am a total beginner at this and I am looking to build my first PC. Primary use of the PC would be gaming and general productivity. Since the last few months, I have been researching individual parts and components to put together what would my build be like. The things that I have (sort of) finalized on are:

1. GPU: RTX 3070 card (already bought iGame Advanced OC-V version)
2. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (or 5600 if it launches soon)
3. Motherboard: MSI B550M Mortar or Gigabyte B550 Aourus Pro (depending on whether the case is mid tower or micro-ATX)
4. RAM: 8GBx2 G.skill Ripjaws V 3600 Mhz
5. PSU: CM MWE Gold 650W
6. CPU Cooler: CM Hyper 212

Now the question is which case to put all of this into, ideally in a budget of under 8-9k. From all the videos I have seen PC builders recommend a lot of Airflow cases, like the Lian Li Lancool 215, Deepcool CL500, Cooler Master MB311L, etc. My question is does buying airflow cases in India lead to too much dust accumulation inside the cabinet? Please share your experience with these or any other airflow cases with respect to long term maintenance of the case. Would you have any other recommendations of airflow / non-airflow cases in this budget?

Another related question that I have is with respect to Mid Tower vs mATX cases. Buying a mATX case and motherboard would definitely be a cheaper option, but the only good case option that I have been able to find in my budget is the MB311L. Do you have any other recommendations for the same?
 
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First of all regarding the dust issue, I don't think that's a pan-India crisis. It's more location specific. Get a chassis with a dust filter.
Secondly, regarding the motherboard you can also go for an ordinary non-gaming branded model if you want to cut costs. I personally am not a fan of those unless it's a really popular one like the MSI Tomahawk but even then if budget doesn't allow I won't get it. I'm more of a DS3H guy.
Thirdly, about the chassis see if this article helps
www.gamersnexus.net

Best PC Airflow Cases for 2020 So Far: $60 Budget to $200 High-End

Today is a round-up of the best airflow-focused cases currently out, which can also be tuned to be good acoustic performers by nature of unrestricted intakes. -
www.gamersnexus.net www.gamersnexus.net
The good thing is we now have a decent number of brands available here in India including Phanteks and NZXT.
 
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If airflow is your concern go for mid tower, matx will have less options for airway management
Also for components like yours and Indian weather airflow does matter ,
Airflow also helps in overclocking if u wish to do it ,
For dust , use dust mats/filters also the most significant way to reduce dust build up is by using a 'pull' airway management in your case so that the air coming inside your case gets filtered
Mortar is the best choice for motherboard acc to me
Dust buildup will however must be taken care every 6 month by cleaning regardless
Just curious how much u got 3070 for?
 
I have a Phanteks P300 and even though it doesn't have a front mesh panel boy does it get super dusty every couple of months, it's something you have to deal with in all tier 1 and 2 cities in India.
It's still worth going for a case with good airflow especially for our climate, also important is case placement which most people overlook.
I'd recommend the P400A by Phanteks, a bit older but it has been a solid go to case for the price. If you have the budget then the Meshify C is another alternative (it also has a matx variant which is pricey).
Please stick to ATX cases, it offers plenty of room for better cooling and upgradeability and installation + cable management is always a breeze in comparison, a lot of the decent matx cases also come with just a single fan and are still priced 4-5k, it's better to spend a few k more for something that comes with all the fans installed.

Edit: If you have budget constraints then the FARA R1 from Silverstone is a decent option too, built this PC for a relative a couple of months ago, costs 4k locally and comes with 4RGB fans. I have not connected the bottom fan on the front panel.

https://imgur.com/a/FuZsCDJ
 
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Shadowmoonwalk said:
So, I am a total beginner at this and I am looking to build my first PC. Primary use of the PC would be gaming and general productivity. Since the last few months, I have been researching individual parts and components to put together what would my build be like. The things that I have (sort of) finalized on are:

1. GPU: RTX 3070 card (already bought iGame Advanced OC-V version)
2. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (or 5600 if it launches soon)
3. Motherboard: MSI B550M Mortar or Gigabyte B550 Aourus Pro (depending on whether the case is mid tower or micro-ATX)
4. RAM: 8GBx2 G.skill Ripjaws V 3600 Mhz
5. PSU: CM MWE Gold 650W
6. CPU Cooler: CM Hyper 212

Now the question is which case to put all of this into, ideally in a budget of under 8-9k. From all the videos I have seen PC builders recommend a lot of Airflow cases, like the Lian Li Lancool 215, Deepcool CL500, Cooler Master MB311L, etc. My question is does buying airflow cases in India lead to too much dust accumulation inside the cabinet? Please share your experience with these or any other airflow cases with respect to long term maintenance of the case. Would you have any other recommendations of airflow / non-airflow cases in this budget?

Another related question that I have is with respect to Mid Tower vs mATX cases. Buying a mATX case and motherboard would definitely be a cheaper option, but the only good case option that I have been able to find in my budget is the MB311L. Do you have any other recommendations for the same?
Click to expand...
If you add few more hundreds you can get NR 600 ,it supports ATX ,its front panel is bit flexi ,flimsy but you wont be removing it everyday

Regarding the airflow cases its always better to have mesh meshed cases ,its actually the placement of cases that matters ,dont keep them in those ready made computer table where its airflow is only from front and back

Second is how you mount your fans the air flow direction, most of the people like push pull from front to rear.

Personally my pc case exhausts hot air from the top and intake from front and rear , and the cpu cooler is mounted to do bottom up airflow.
 
iPwnz said:
First of all regarding the dust issue, I don't think that's a pan-India crisis. It's more location specific. Get a chassis with a dust filter.
Secondly, regarding the motherboard you can also go for an ordinary non-gaming branded model if you want to cut costs. I personally am not a fan of those unless it's a really popular one like the MSI Tomahawk but even then if budget doesn't allow I won't get it. I'm more of a DS3H guy.
Thirdly, about the chassis see if this article helps
www.gamersnexus.net

Best PC Airflow Cases for 2020 So Far: $60 Budget to $200 High-End

Today is a round-up of the best airflow-focused cases currently out, which can also be tuned to be good acoustic performers by nature of unrestricted intakes. -
www.gamersnexus.net www.gamersnexus.net
The good thing is we now have a decent number of brands available here in India including Phanteks and NZXT.
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot for your inputs.

Point taken about the Airflow cases, I think I'll go ahead with them.

I have seen a lot Gamer Nexus videos for my research, and had seen this one also. But in their year-end review, they had put Lancool 215 to be the best overall case, which had not released at the time of this video. That case I am getting at 6k under some offer, which is cheaper than any of the equivalent cases by Phanteks or NZXT, which is making me lean towards that option. Do let me know if you have any views on the same.

Also, regarding the motherboard, I agree to some extent, but I also want to keep the option open for me to upgrade to a beefier CPU later down the line without changing the motherboard. Also I personally prefer something with inbuilt Wifi and bluetooth, so that it is one less thing for me to install. The options that I had chosen were from another Gamers Nexus video reviewing B550 boards. Let me know if you have any suggestions keeping the above in mind.

The basic thought running in my head is that if I am able to shave some money off the cabinet while still maintaining decent quality, I can compensate that for buying a slightly premium motherboard.

psyph3r said:
I have a Phanteks P300 and even though it doesn't have a front mesh panel boy does it get super dusty every couple of months, it's something you have to deal with in all tier 1 and 2 cities in India.
It's still worth going for a case with good airflow especially for our climate, also important is case placement which most people overlook.
I'd recommend the P400A by Phanteks, a bit older but it has been a solid go to case for the price. If you have the budget then the Meshify C is another alternative (it also has a matx variant which is pricey).
Please stick to ATX cases, it offers plenty of room for better cooling and upgradeability and installation + cable management is always a breeze in comparison, a lot of the decent matx cases also come with just a single fan and are still priced 4-5k, it's better to spend a few k more for something that comes with all the fans installed.

Edit: If you have budget constraints then the FARA R1 from Silverstone is a decent option too, built this PC for a relative a couple of months ago, costs 4k locally and comes with 4RGB fans. I have not connected the bottom fan on the front panel.

https://imgur.com/a/FuZsCDJ
Click to expand...

Thanks for your inputs.

I think I will go with ATX airflow cases. But the Phanteks one are mostly out of stock, or expensive considering there's no included fans in the option that they have, on the sites that I see. Which ones do you use to see best prices?

I think the FARA R1 seems like a good option, I'm getting it on Amazon for 5.5k but nowhere else. Meshify C is also a good option, but a little bit too expensive that I would like. As I said in the previous reply, I would rather put more money into the motherboard than the case.
 
Unless your pc is sitting in a chilly room forever or got that water cooling for every component its normal to opt for airflow cases given our warm and humid climate.
The maths still makes sense even today... front and side inflow and top and rear outflow.
If not for cooling, it does ensures optimum airflow and air cycling.
 
nRiTeCh said:
Unless your pc is sitting in a chilly room forever or got that water cooling for every component its normal to opt for airflow cases given our warm and humid climate.
The maths still makes sense even today... front and side inflow and top and rear outflow.
If not for cooling, it does ensures optimum airflow and air cycling.
Click to expand...
Makes sense, thanks!
burntwingzZz said:
If you add few more hundreds you can get NR 600 ,it supports ATX ,its front panel is bit flexi ,flimsy but you wont be removing it everyday

Regarding the airflow cases its always better to have mesh meshed cases ,its actually the placement of cases that matters ,dont keep them in those ready made computer table where its airflow is only from front and back

Second is how you mount your fans the air flow direction, most of the people like push pull from front to rear.

Personally my pc case exhausts hot air from the top and intake from front and rear , and the cpu cooler is mounted to do bottom up airflow.
Click to expand...
Personally I am liking Lancool 215 more than the NR600, and it is cheaper as well. Point taken about the fan configs though.
 
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Avoid the Lancool 215 like plague. It definitely provides great airflow, but the perforations on the mesh are really wide. Therefore, dust filtration is super bad.

It's not made for the Indian environment.

However, if you clean your PC once per month, then the Lancool might be okay.

Otherwise, I'd highly suggest getting the NZXT H510. Much better build, engineered negative airflow, great dust filtration and since the front is closed off, you don't have to worry about cleaning. Once in 6 months would be enough.
 
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AINDRASIS_GUPTA said:
Avoid the Lancool 215 like plague. It definitely provides great airflow, but the perforations on the mesh are really wide. Therefore, dust filtration is super bad.

It's not made for the Indian environment.

However, if you clean your PC once per month, then the Lancool might be okay.

Otherwise, I'd highly suggest getting the NZXT H510. Much better build, engineered negative airflow, great dust filtration and since the front is closed off, you don't have to worry about cleaning. Once in 6 months would be enough.
Click to expand...
this is what i was looking for , has anyone tested those front glass cases with negative pressure ,probably good noctua static pressure fans at the top ?
 
AINDRASIS_GUPTA said:
Avoid the Lancool 215 like plague. It definitely provides great airflow, but the perforations on the mesh are really wide. Therefore, dust filtration is super bad.

It's not made for the Indian environment.

However, if you clean your PC once per month, then the Lancool might be okay.

Otherwise, I'd highly suggest getting the NZXT H510. Much better build, engineered negative airflow, great dust filtration and since the front is closed off, you don't have to worry about cleaning. Once in 6 months would be enough.
Click to expand...

So in that regards most of full mesh front cases will be a problem to deal with right? Do you personally own the NZXT H510, I saw its reviews and it does seem promising. Just wanted to know if it performs well in the Indian environment. The only downside is see with that case is the very minimal IO on front.

burntwingzZz said:
i am not completely aware about lancool 215 , but does it cheap out on rear ios for pcie ?
Click to expand...

I don't know what rear IOs you are referring to? Isn't that dependent on the motherboard that you use?
 
If you can get the lian li o11 dynamic, I would suggest getting that. Superb airflow, all intakes/exhausts are filtered and looks great too. My secondary pc is in an o11 dynamic. It's a great case for building liquid cooled or aio based coolers.

If not this, look at fractal design cases. I sold an nzxt h700 which is the bigger brother of the h500/h510. All of these are rubbish cases. Stay away! NZXT build quality has gone to dogs. Their earlier gen h440 and s340 were built way better.

I also have a FD define r6 too in another pc. It's build quality is hands down the best.
 
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Ive been using FD Meshify C for a month now. On Sunday, I opened up to look inside of case for the 1st time since installing, literally no dust. The filters did a fantastic job and it took me some time to clean the dust off of them.
I stay in a dusty area by the main road
 
Chaos said:
If you can get the lian li o11 dynamic, I would suggest getting that. Superb airflow, all intakes/exhausts are filtered and looks great too. My secondary pc is in an o11 dynamic. It's a great case for building liquid cooled or aio based coolers.

If not this, look at fractal design cases. I sold an nzxt h700 which is the bigger brother of the h500/h510. All of these are rubbish cases. Stay away! NZXT build quality has gone to dogs. Their earlier gen h440 and s340 were built way better.

I also have a FD define r6 too in another pc. It's build quality is hands down the best.
Click to expand...
taking this further i would like to generalize further ,all the cases who fall into 5 -7 k range their ,build is flexi , i dont appreciate their build its not like the olden days the old school hdd/odd cage is missing where they save lot of money , now there are some stupid cases which support itx & m-atx which cost a bomb & even more ridiculous is itx board less components for more money :|

i personally don't appreciate lian li as those were the ones who initiated those aluminum cases priced may few hundred or thousand less than steel cases like CM 690 ,the quality of current crop of cases is more or less comparable to zebronics /iball cases ... makes me sad
 
burntwingzZz said:
this is what i was looking for , has anyone tested those front glass cases with negative pressure ,probably good noctua static pressure fans at the top ?
Click to expand...
Quite shocking that no objective tests have been carried out yet. Searched on Youtube but got no results. No wonder that the O11 Dynamic is the all-time most hyped case I've seen.
Shadowmoonwalk said:
So in that regards most of full mesh front cases will be a problem to deal with right? Do you personally own the NZXT H510, I saw its reviews and it does seem promising. Just wanted to know if it performs well in the Indian environment. The only downside is see with that case is the very minimal IO on front.
Click to expand...
I'm currently using the H400, which is the mATX version of the H500 (H510's predecessor).

Have a balanced airflow with 2x intake and 2x exhaust. Front is closed off. Been using it for over two years. No complaints because the airflow is great, but most importantly, dust penetration is almost negligible. Only have to deep clean my PC once per year. Basic cleaning per 2-3 months.
 
Chaos said:
If you can get the lian li o11 dynamic, I would suggest getting that. Superb airflow, all intakes/exhausts are filtered and looks great too. My secondary pc is in an o11 dynamic. It's a great case for building liquid cooled or aio based coolers.

If not this, look at fractal design cases. I sold an nzxt h700 which is the bigger brother of the h500/h510. All of these are rubbish cases. Stay away! NZXT build quality has gone to dogs. Their earlier gen h440 and s340 were built way better.

I also have a FD define r6 too in another pc. It's build quality is hands down the best.
Click to expand...
Do you mean o11 dynamic or o11 dynamic mini? In my current budget i can only stretch upto o11 dynamic mini, but even that seems to be quite expensive considering there are no fans included. Also i don't intend to liquid cool, air cooling is good enough for my current cpu choice i think.

puns said:
Ive been using FD Meshify C for a month now. On Sunday, I opened up to look inside of case for the 1st time since installing, literally no dust. The filters did a fantastic job and it took me some time to clean the dust off of them.
I stay in a dusty area by the main road
Click to expand...
That's a good review, will definitely check that case out.
 
Shadowmoonwalk said:
Do you mean o11 dynamic or o11 dynamic mini? In my current budget i can only stretch upto o11 dynamic mini, but even that seems to be quite expensive considering there are no fans included. Also i don't intend to liquid cool, air cooling is good enough for my current cpu choice i think.
Click to expand...
Either is ok. The only difference between the two is size. Yes it is quite expensive but you get what you pay for.
 
Absolutely makes sense. So what if it gets dusty sooner. Spend 2-3k more on an air blower and use it once every month.
Also if you are smoker or live around smokers, that smoke will also settle on the components mind you.
 
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