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[Yaska]

If you have more than one drive, did you make sure your BIOS says that the SSD is the first drive?

It is, the problem however is the AHCI driver. Windows says it cannot be installed on a drive that is not bootable and I should enable the device in BIOS. I'm now trying to meddle around with AHCI drivers to see ifI can get it working. Otherwise I will just go with IDE mode. It would install on IDE mode, I checked.

Edit: got the AHCI drivers working, installing happily windows atm. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Chinner]

For anyone with the Fractal R3: Do you bother to install the Fan controller?

 

[LordCanti]

Problem is my receiver doesn't have HDMI. I've been using optical since ps2 on a Denon I bought ten years ago. So its either a sound card or a new receiver I guess?

I wonder if I run the sound hdmi to my tv then to the receiver via optical would get me DTS?

That wouldn't work. Your receiver is pretty old, are you sure it doesn't have analog 5.1 support (five cables instead of just one)? Does it have Dolby Digital support? If not, you'd need to look for a card with DTS Connect support.

 

[Jtrizzy]

Yes it supports DTS and DD 5.1. I was watching a movie in DTS, that is crazy it wouldn't support it for games.

 

[Benedict]

I have bought a new graphics card, Gigabyte GTX 460 and Win 7 Home Premium.

I am upgrading from Vista 32-bit to Win 7 64-bit so it has to be a clean installation.

Should I installl W7 first and then the graphics card or graphics card first?
Which way is the smartest?

Also wondering how my computer will fare with Skyrim and Deus Ex?
I will have Win 7 64-bit, 4 Gb RAM, Gigabyte GTX 460 and an Intel Core2Duo e7500 2.93 Ghz.
I guess the processor is the weakest point?

 

[LordCanti]

Yes it supports DTS and DD 5.1. I was watching a movie in DTS, that is crazy it wouldn't support it for games.

My understanding of it is that movies come with pre-compressed audio. Games don't, which is why the soundcard needs to encode the uncompressed 5.1 audio to Dolby Digital (or DTS), which your receiver can then decode. Since the movie comes pre-compressed, it can skip this step, and just output the pre-compressed stream.

Your onboard sound is incapable of doing the uncompressed 5.1 to DTS/Dolby Digital conversion.

If your receiver has analog inputs, those can be used without issue. You'll notice the analog audio outputs on the back of your motherboard (the corresponding inputs on the receiver should look similar, if it has them. Definitely check the manual if you still have it).

I have bought a new graphics card, Gigabyte GTX 460 and Win 7 Home Premium.

I am upgrading from Vista 32-bit to Win 7 64-bit so it has to be a clean installation.

Should I installl W7 first and then the graphics card or graphics card first?
Which way is the smartest?

Also wondering how my computer will fare with Skyrim and Deus Ex?
I will have Win 7 64-bit, 4 Gb RAM, Gigabyte GTX 460 and an Intel Core2Duo e7500 2.93 Ghz.
I guess the processor is the weakest point?

Install the video card into the case first, then install Windows 7 (you'll need video to do so). After that, install the newest drivers from Nvidia's site (don't use the included CD).

Edit: I'm getting more tired than I thought. I've realized that you were asking if you should install Windows 7 using the old video card, or the new one. Either way works fine. I'd install the new video card first, just so Windows Update doesn't install the wrong drivers (for the old card) that you'd then have to uninstall. Don't bother updating the drivers in vista for the newly installed card, because they'll get wiped out in the upgrade anyway most likely.

As for how your computer will fare, it's anyone's guess since those games aren't out yet. The processor is definitely the weak link, but as long as the game you are trying to play wasn't designed for four cores, you should be alright.

 

[Eusis]

Well, Skyrim's not out for awhile, but unless things changed drastically in the final game you can always hunt down impressions of the Deus Ex leak and see how people fared. A 5850's listed as recommended though, and that's a tier above the 460 on Tom's Hardware, but the 560 is the same tier and you'd probably still get a lot of mileage anyway for it.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

no doubt, hard for me to play console games even with my rig. have you overclocked your gpu at all in CCC?

No overclocking on my end. Everything in factory settings. Will overclock when times are desperate lol.

 

[Dina]

For anyone with the Fractal R3: Do you bother to install the Fan controller?

I did. It is a pretty good fancontroller and controls all me three casefans. There was a benchmark of the case somewhere where they also tested the max voltage of the fancontroller and it was pretty okay for something they just pack in with the case.

 

[Benedict]

Install the video card into the case first, then install Windows 7 (you'll video to do so). After that, install the newest drivers from Nvidia's site (don't use the included CD).

Should I install the video card with drivers and try it out on Vista first or do it all in one go?

 

[LordCanti]

Should I install the video card with drivers and try it out on Vista first or do it all in one go?

I wouldn't bother. You'd just have to reinstall them once windows 7 was installed.

 

[n0n44m]

It is, the problem however is the AHCI driver. Windows says it cannot be installed on a drive that is not bootable and I should enable the device in BIOS. I'm now trying to meddle around with AHCI drivers to see ifI can get it working. Otherwise I will just go with IDE mode. It would install on IDE mode, I checked.

Edit: got the AHCI drivers working, installing happily windows atm. Thanks for all the help!

are you sure you plugged in the SSD in the Intel SATA or Intel SATA6 ports, and not the extra Marvell (?) controller ports ?

 

[Benedict]

Well, Skyrim's not out for awhile, but unless things changed drastically in the final game you can always hunt down impressions of the Deus Ex leak and see how people fared. A 5850's listed as recommended though, and that's a tier above the 460 on Tom's Hardware, but the 560 is the same tier and you'd probably still get a lot of mileage anyway for it.

According to systemrequirementslab.com I pass the minimum requirements for Deus Ex with my machine today (9600GT, Win Vista 32). It's recommended a quad-core for the game, but I will probably pass on the rest on their test after their upgrade, bar gfx as you stated.
I could always get the PS3 version...

 

[Chinner]

I did. It is a pretty good fancontroller and controls all me three casefans. There was a benchmark of the case somewhere where they also tested the max voltage of the fancontroller and it was pretty okay for something they just pack in with the case.

how much louder is your R3 because of the extra fans, and how much of a difference in cooling is there?

 

[jaaz]

Not seeing too many builds with a GTX590, but rather most with a GTX580. What are the reasons for this?

 

[Durante]

Not seeing too many builds with a GTX590, but rather most with a GTX580. What are the reasons for this?

Dual/multi GPU has a lot of disadvantages:

- Inefficient in terms of heat/power for the performance
- Bad support in non-mainstream / very new games
- Increased input lag with each additional GPU
- Micro-stuttering

Considering what you can do with a single 580, it's really only worth it for people with 30" high-res monitors. Or maybe if you want to go full-HD 3D (that also reduces some of the drawbacks, since you can use each GPU for one perspective of each frame).

 

[Eusis]

Not seeing too many builds with a GTX590, but rather most with a GTX580. What are the reasons for this?

The price tag?

EDIT: That, and the typical diminishing returns. Why spend $700 today when I can buy a $350 and get amazing performance on most games, then another $350 in a few years (or even just one) for a leap that makes today's $750 look underwhelming?

 

[Enco]

Not seeing too many builds with a GTX590, but rather most with a GTX580. What are the reasons for this?

Seen the price?

Pretty darn ridiculous.

 

[jaaz]

Yep, the cheapest I've seen is an Asus on Amazon for $699. Yikes.

But there are other reasons I see why it's not a good choice...

 

[Dina]

how much louder is your R3 because of the extra fans, and how much of a difference in cooling is there?

Dunno to be honest. I haven't tinkered much. I've put three scythe 800rpm fans in it and removed the two fractal ones. 1 front, 1 rear, 1 top. I might put a second fractal fan back top. It's near silent, but I have a very quiet cpu cooler (be quiet! Dark Rock Advance). Together with the case it's even quieter then my htpc.

 

[TurbulentTurtle]

So I'm looking to build my very first gaming PC, since I can't run most of my games on Steam without putting it at the lowest settings. I've done an okay amount of research and I kinda know what I want, so I'll just run a few of the components by you guys and get some feedback.

Your Current Specs: Garbage 4+ year-old laptop. Core 2 Duo 1.66GHz / 2GB RAM DDR2 / i945pm chipset / Nvidia GeForce Go 7600
Budget: ~$800 / Canada
Main Use: Gaming and everyday usage (internet, watching movies)
Monitor Resolution: I have a 920 x 1080 monitor right now that I'll probably be using
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Maybe not the latest and craziest games, but I definitely would like to run things comfortably without having to use the lowest settings possible and hoping there's no lag
Are reusing any parts?: No
When will you build?: Within the end of the month hopefully
Will you be overclocking?: Doubtful

Here are the components I've selected:

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Biostar TZ68A+RCH ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($58.49 @ Newegg Canada)
Hard Drive: Hitachi Deskstar 7K3000 1.5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 1GB Video Card ($188.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Basic ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: Cooler Master 750W ATX12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Canada Computers)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS424-98 DVD/CD Writer ($25.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $823.42

Some of this stuff I can get pricematched + beat by 25% at a local place close to my home, so it can get a little cheaper than the current price.
My question is, do I need the Z68 board with the 2500k if I'm not planning to OC, or will it be nice to have down the road if I choose to do so? I was set on an msi p67 board before talking to someone who said that it would be better to go z68 for both the h67 and p67 functions.
Does anyone have any experience with the Biostar TZ68+ motherboards? I'm just going by the reviews on newegg and it seems fine, but will it be enough for what I plan on doing?
Also I kinda randomly selected the PSU, I just realize that I might need one with higher power so I went with a 750W, other than that I have no real idea of what makes a "good" PSU.
The case was somewhat selected on a whim, but I do like the look of it, and I just need something with decent cable management. So if there's something else I should be looking for that's maybe $100 and under that would be a good buy, I'm all ears.
I think one of my bigger questions that I got when reading through the past few pages of this thread is the choice in GPU. I was initially set on getting a 550Ti, but was then told that it is well worth the extra little bit for a 560. But then I saw some posts saying that the 560 isn't THAT great and going for a 570 would be better, but I don't know if I'm ready to sink $300+ in a video card. I'm not looking to SLI or anything, and from what you guys say, a single decent card is a better choice anyways.

So, any pieces of advice or things that you would change to my build?

 

[jaaz]

One more question guys. If this time around I don't have the time/don't want to build my own PC before BF3 drops, what pre-made PC manufacturers do you guys recommend these days? Goal is to get a PC for around $2k (i7, 8 GB Ram, GTX580, no monitor) that should be able to run BF3 at its highest settings, 1920X1080 60 FPS.

Thanks.

 

[Totobeni]

I am upgrading again..

Got ASRock P67 Extreme 4 and Hyper 212, Now thing is I don't believe Corsair Vengeance will fit in the first ram slot, any other well known and recommended ram with shorter heatsink that can fit perfectly here?


Also I guess I am Cole McGrath, static electricity all over my hands, tried to touch stuff but it did not discharge the electricity from my body, Will this thing really help me ?

 

[Kyaw]

Touch bare metal (non painted) like the inside of a pc case to discharge yourself.

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

Here are the components I've selected:

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Biostar TZ68A+RCH ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($58.49 @ Newegg Canada)
Hard Drive: Hitachi Deskstar 7K3000 1.5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 1GB Video Card ($188.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Basic ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: Cooler Master 750W ATX12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Canada Computers)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS424-98 DVD/CD Writer ($25.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $823.42


So, any pieces of advice or things that you would change to my build?

Spend a bit more and get a 560 TI, I have one myself in my new rig, and I think it generally gets better reviews than the 560 in the bang-for-buck catagory.

 

[Laurentius]

So I'm looking to build my very first gaming PC, since I can't run most of my games on Steam without putting it at the lowest settings. I've done an okay amount of research and I kinda know what I want, so I'll just run a few of the components by you guys and get some feedback.

Your Current Specs: Garbage 4+ year-old laptop. Core 2 Duo 1.66GHz / 2GB RAM DDR2 / i945pm chipset / Nvidia GeForce Go 7600
Budget: ~$800 / Canada
Main Use: Gaming and everyday usage (internet, watching movies)
Monitor Resolution: I have a 920 x 1080 monitor right now that I'll probably be using
List SPECIFIC games that you MUST be able to play: Maybe not the latest and craziest games, but I definitely would like to run things comfortably without having to use the lowest settings possible and hoping there's no lag
Are reusing any parts?: No
When will you build?: Within the end of the month hopefully
Will you be overclocking?: Doubtful

Here are the components I've selected:

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($219.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Biostar TZ68A+RCH ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($58.49 @ Newegg Canada)
Hard Drive: Hitachi Deskstar 7K3000 1.5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 1GB Video Card ($188.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Basic ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: Cooler Master 750W ATX12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Canada Computers)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS424-98 DVD/CD Writer ($25.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $823.42

Some of this stuff I can get pricematched + beat by 25% at a local place close to my home, so it can get a little cheaper than the current price.
My question is, do I need the Z68 board with the 2500k if I'm not planning to OC, or will it be nice to have down the road if I choose to do so? I was set on an msi p67 board before talking to someone who said that it would be better to go z68 for both the h67 and p67 functions.
Does anyone have any experience with the Biostar TZ68+ motherboards? I'm just going by the reviews on newegg and it seems fine, but will it be enough for what I plan on doing?
Also I kinda randomly selected the PSU, I just realize that I might need one with higher power so I went with a 750W, other than that I have no real idea of what makes a "good" PSU.
The case was somewhat selected on a whim, but I do like the look of it, and I just need something with decent cable management. So if there's something else I should be looking for that's maybe $100 and under that would be a good buy, I'm all ears.
I think one of my bigger questions that I got when reading through the past few pages of this thread is the choice in GPU. I was initially set on getting a 550Ti, but was then told that it is well worth the extra little bit for a 560. But then I saw some posts saying that the 560 isn't THAT great and going for a 570 would be better, but I don't know if I'm ready to sink $300+ in a video card. I'm not looking to SLI or anything, and from what you guys say, a single decent card is a better choice anyways.

So, any pieces of advice or things that you would change to my build?

People always told me to either go with a 460 and overclock it to 560 levels, or to get a 560 ti. The 560 apparently isn't a great deal.

I've heard sketchy things about Biostar. I'd go with an MSI or ASRock, or Gigabyte or something like that instead.

I just got the 690 ii advanced, and I love it. Very well desined case. Has a great feel to it, excellent cable management, awesome tool free installs, tons of neat little features, and good stock cooling. There's also a ton of room in it. Highly recommend it.

 

[blackprophesy]

For anyone with the Fractal R3: Do you bother to install the Fan controller?

I didn't bother. It sits in a PCI slot which isn't very convenient, and it's not like the R3 is a noisy case.

 

[Irish]

Alright, this is the first time I've ever even attempted to build a PC. I had a pretty knowledgeable GAFfer helping me out though.

Here's what I got (with all the stuff just tossed into the Newegg cart for easier posting):

I ended up getting the motherboard ($75), RAM (different brand/$20), and CPU ($180) at Microcenter though.

With promo codes on the other stuff and the deals at Microcenter, I ended up spending only $452.03.

Now I just need to get Windows 7 and a GPU (probably a 560 Ti).

How did I do?

 

[Tiduz]

what is the current best solution to add USB3 to a pc?

i have a P6T Deluxe V2 mobo but it doesnt have USB3, i have a WD 3TB usb3 drive so i kinda want to use usb3 now.

there is an asus usb3 card but thats from like 2009 so i thought id ask if there arent better solutions out by now?

edit: ive also had my eye on this, from august 2010

http://ic.tweakimg.net/ext/i/imagelarge/1282223871.jpeg

but would that work on an asus board?

 

[MisterNoisy]

I am upgrading again..

Got ASRock P67 Extreme 4 and Hyper 212, Now thing is I don't believe Corsair Vengeance will fit in the first ram slot, any other well known and recommended ram with shorter heatsink that can fit perfectly here?

I just finished this exact build yesterday with low-profile Corsair Vengeance memory. Fits fine under the Hyper 212.

 

[chaosblade]

Alright, this is the first time I've ever even attempted to build a PC. I had a pretty knowledgeable GAFfer helping me out though.

Here's what I got (with all the stuff just tossed into the Newegg cart for easier posting):

http://i.imgur.com/wx6pe.png

I ended up getting the motherboard ($75), RAM (different brand/$20), and CPU ($180) at Microcenter though.

With promo codes on the other stuff and the deals at Microcenter, I ended up spending only $452.03.

Now I just need to get Windows 7 and a GPU (probably a 560 Ti).

How did I do?

Poor choice for the PSU, that stands out the most. You get what you pay for there. Not sure if there is much for $40 that you can rely on, maybe the Corsair CX series. This one is under $50 after rebate and the promo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703025

You're almost certainly not going to find a quality modular PSU for that price though.

You could do better on the case too. A HAF 912 (-$5 after rebate) or Shinobi (+$10) would be better options in that general price range. But the case is less of an issue than the PSU.

Looks okay other than that.

 

[iSurvivedTheOutage]

If you have a 5.1 setup, you may need a dedicated soundcard to take advantage of it (through a digital connection) if your motherboard doesn't have support.

Everyone else is fine with onboard audio. Onboard audio is nowhere near as bad as it used to be.

(Personally, I use a USB soundcard/DAC/AMP)

u would think with all the money spent on video cards, they would come with 5.1. Nope. Good ole 2 channel.

 

[n0n44m]

u would think with all the money spent on video cards, they would come with 5.1. Nope. Good ole 2 channel.

all Nvidia/AMD video cards come with 5.1 (and a lot more) over HDMI

 

[Irish]

Poor choice for the PSU, that stands out the most. You get what you pay for there. Not sure if there is much for $40 that you can rely on, maybe the Corsair CX series. This one is under $50 after rebate and the promo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703025

You're almost certainly not going to find a quality modular PSU for that price though.

You could do better on the case too. A HAF 912 (-$5 after rebate) or Shinobi (+$10) would be better options in that general price range. But the case is less of an issue than the PSU.

Looks okay other than that.

Yeah, wasn't really too sure on the power supply. I was mainly going for something cheap without it being overly awful. I'll probably end up replacing it after a bit.

That Rosewill ended up being the same price as the HAF after rebate ($45) and I think it may end up being a little roomier. The three included fans were also nice, even if they all end up being pretty crappy. I like it cosmetically too, which is a minor plus. That Shinobi doesn't look all that bad though.

 

[hxcmuziq]

Is the Intel 510 SSD an updated version of the 320 Series?

Saw this 510 for $238 after 40 MIR http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OR0GRC/?tag=neogaf0e-20

is it worth the $15 more and the hassle of the MIR for the same size SSD? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004T0DNQ0/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[Laurentius]

Posting from the new computer! It's working great! Thanks for all the help, everyone! I'll be posting specs and pics later.

 

[iSurvivedTheOutage]

all Nvidia/AMD video cards come with 5.1 (and a lot more) over HDMI

Then maybe my asus 560ti was faulty (I mean the box it came in was pretty scratched up and looked like it was opened before) cause my Surround sound receiver displayed on the tuner that it was on 2.0 channel.

 

[Smokey]

Do you need a sound card to play games?

i see in a games for system requirements that it says you need a sound card but people here dont really buy it, in there builds.

Sound quality from a dedicated sound card is great, however I installed one a couple of weeks ago and it's drivers almost destroyed my computer. I took it back.

 

[n0n44m]

Then maybe my asus 560ti was faulty (I mean the box it came in was pretty scratched up and looked like it was opened before) cause my Surround sound receiver displayed on the tuner that it was on 2.0 channel.

After installing the drivers you should have 2.0 sound. Then go to Sound -> Playback Devices, select your TV/Receiver (whichever is displayed, mine shows my Samsung TV and not the Yamaha receiver it's connected to/through) and rightclick it to select configure speakers. From there it should be obvious how you get 5.1 or 7.1

 

[Darkatomz]

Sound quality from a dedicated sound card is great, however I installed one a couple of weeks ago and it's drivers almost destroyed my computer. I took it back.

Must've brought a Creative card.

 

[Draft]

Assuming money is no object, what's the best monitor available? Is IPS still king of the hill? I've been looking at the Dell Ultrasharps, but was wondering if there were any decent alternatives...

 

[Automatisch]

Ordered my 2nd Sandy Bridge (sold the first one) with some different picks. Really interested to be on the nVidia side of things after years of shitty Catalyst drivers, although they've gotten better over the years. Now I just need to research monitors for something better than my BenQ, which has terrible viewing angles and really annoying contrast.

 

[chaosblade]

Ordered my 2nd Sandy Bridge (sold the first one) with some different picks. Really interested to be on the nVidia side of things after years of shitty Catalyst drivers, although they've gotten better over the years. Now I just need to research monitors for something better than my BenQ, which has terrible viewing angles and really annoying contrast.

That's pretty much going to apply to any TN panel.

I have a Dell Ultrasharp U2211H, and I love it. Not sure I'll ever be able to go back to a TN monitor. Not sure if Ultrasharps are the BEST monitors, but as far as I can tell they are up there.

 

[Smokey]

Must've brought a Creative card.

ASUS Xonar DG

 

[Marsipolami]

So torn if I should just get a Fractal Design Define R3 in October or wait for R4. :/

 

[Jtrizzy]

I'm having some trouble with steam...sometimes it seems to load with large text/zoomed in. When I try playing BC2, I can't select anything from the main menu, and there are widescreen bars on the top and bottom of the screen, but since I can't select options I don't know where to go from here to try and fix it.

 

[Marco1]

Must've brought a Creative card.

I have a creative titanium HD and couldn't be happier.

 

[papercut]

So torn if I should just get a Fractal Design Define R3 in October or wait for R4. :/

I'm looking to buy an R3 as well, but I've been holding out for a USB 3 option. I spoke with a Fractal Design rep on the phone recently and they're looking to have an R3 with USB 3 out very soon, but he couldn't give me a date. He made no mention of an R4.

Quite honestly I'm not sure what else they're going to improve with an R4. The major changes from R2 were better fans and insulating material (the R2 apparently was having issues with the foam).

 

[Darkatomz]

ASUS Xonar DG

You remove any previous sound card drivers and disable on board sound? Asus drivers are generally very good.

 

[darkblade77]

Heya, PC-GAF. Just following up on this post.


This is what my build looks like right now:

I plan to replace the listed CPU cooler in there with the Scythe Big Shuriken, but they were out of stock, so the one listed is a placeholder. They're around the same price.

The VGA cooler is for this card; if there are better/cheaper alternatives, please let me know what they are.

So my big dilemma is "what SFF case to choose?" How portable is it, and how sturdy will it be when I'm dragging it back and forth from work?

I think I've pared my options down to four cases:

Thermaltake Armor A30 - Has the most room for future expansion. Appears made for carrying about, as it's billed as a LAN case. Looks really flashy but I don't want a case that sticks out too much(I ruled out the NZXT Vulcan for this reason). I thought it had a handle, but I can't seem to find any indication that it does...

Silverstone TJ08B-E - Simple, unassuming in appearance, and appears to be well-built.

Silverstone GD05B - Outside of the lack of USB 3.0, I'm still leaning towards this one for the price and overall size. I think if I got an oversized laptop carrying bag I could possibly put this in it...

Silverstone SG04B-FH - The carrying handle really pulled me towards this one, but the price is somewhat prohibitive and it doesn't have USB 3.0 face ports. I also understand that some of the base joints are made of plastic, which doesn't sound good for continuous hauling about.


Any advice regarding the above- cases, graphics card and CPU cooling, power supply, case size&airflow, etc... would be welcome.