I dont think you can fairly compare the mountain mod case to any other though, if you can dig it, its leagues above others. As much as I love function, for me form plays an important role. The Define XL is a monster but it is workable in a smaller space or somewhere you don't want to be looking at LED lights and fan grills lol.
On the case fan noise thing. Im obsessed with silence. I have silent rackmounted caseS (Just built out my hackintosh ) and I use Antec Kuhler h20 closed loop as I've preached many a time before, and for general ariflow around the motherboard and PCI componentry, I use ONLY these http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0341409 These fans are the business, guys! Cheap, effective, 72cfm, and only 11db a-weighted. I use these fans exclusively. I preach them so hard to guys who want quiet that you'd think I work for enermax.
Im waiting for full USB 3.0 motherboards to come out before I upgrade my cpu/motherboard/case. I think that will be when the Intel Ivy bridge cpu's are released. I dont want to have a case with a mix of old and new technology since I reuse the case when I upgrade my motherboard.
Remember that Ivy Bridge is the midrange CPU system, not Intel's performance end of things. But yes it is supposed to have native USB3 in them when released.
Ivy Bridge will carry an Ivy Bridge E line as well. (way later in the year) but i doubt thats the one hes waiting for. Maybe it will be out in time for GK110's ><
I'm curious as well. I got 4 Scythe Gentle Typhoon's AP-15's locked away (got them on sale 6 months ago) for when I plan my new build. But, if silence is what they are going for (and it can push that much air) then this would be a great alternative (not sure how well it would do on radiators though).
I dont have a flow meter. But, I can tell you they are very very nice. It has everything to do with the engineering. They claim the cutouts on the sides vastly improve flow efficiency, which makes sense to me. Also, the batwing blade design is supposed to scoop much harder at slower RPM and it whistles less- therefore vastly lower amounts of noise. I have no idea if their claims are true, but I can tell you its the quietest and hardest pushing fan I've ever used. I use mine on radiators. It seems effective, but I do have minor concern that those holes on the side would short circuit airflow if the radiators were to collect dust. I'll know more in another few months, or so. I dunno. Not an engineer.
Interesting fan - I think ill order one for my HTPC's rear fan, always got to keep that beast as quiet as possible.
So I grabbed the Fractal R3, and my mouse is whirring more prominently than the actual housing unit. The R3 is definitely my recommendation within the ~$100 range, because it delivers both quietude and an optional reverse-assembly into massive open air conditioning, if need be.
Equally good, yes. Maybe moreso, given that the PSU is sequestered off from the mainboard, and there's some more metal between components because of that as well. Quiet components all around and it'd be virtual silence to whisper quiet. The only thing I could see better would be something like the massive case in the OP, because it's practically vacuum sealed and stuffed with sound absorbing padding.
Wow it really looks like it is in the beginning of the film lol. I like the new asian reviewer that Newegg has shes more pleasing to the eye then the Irish guy they had before (he must have gotten promoted). The asian lady looks like she knows her stuff too. I have a Coolermaster Stacker 830 Evolution that I have been using for a couple of years now. I have tried Coolermaster and Thermaltake cases in my custom builds and I like the Coolermaster cases alot better. I wont upgrade my computer case agian until they have FULL USB 3.0 motherboards and cases on the market because I dont want a mix of old technology and new technology on my next motherboard & case upgrade.
I havent found Thermaltake cases overly offensive. The one I've got sitting off to the side now is a Thermaltake Dokker. Its basically mad out of mesh. Not for being quiet, but a very effective gaming box. and its 40 bucks for a mid/full tower with all the internal bells and whistles. Does the job.