# Why are computer cases so expensive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 7, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-computer-cases-so-expensive/495628 "2009-05-07T03:19:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Casserole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Casserole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casserole)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-computer-cases-so-expensive/495628/21 "2009-05-11T12:47:04Z")
Oooh boy. That, and the [Cosmos S](http://infonec.com/site/main.php?module=detail&id=352304) are perhaps the largest and heaviest cases I’ve seen. Lots of room to work in, and I hear the cooling’s great, but I don’t think I could justify spending $250 CDN on it 🙂 Merneith, I love the New Solution cases! I find Antec makes really nice cases, and chooses 120mm fans over the more traditional 80 or 90mm, and it makes a definite difference in the sound! With the thickness of the steel, there’s actually NO sound until you stick your head about a foot from the back of the PC 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-computer-cases-so-expensive/495628/22 "2009-05-11T14:19:27Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > That’s why I bought this fricken monster of a case. Sure it’s heavier than my desk, but there is lots of room for what ever I want without skinning my knuckles. > [Are you a human?](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133021) Why don’t they make cases of that quality for people who just want a computer case and not the Pink Floyd laser show, though? ---
**Author:** ![Erasmus\_Darwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@Erasmus\_Darwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erasmus_Darwin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-computer-cases-so-expensive/495628/23 "2009-05-11T14:24:19Z")
> [@lizardling](#): > > This. I bought the P182 for my core i7 rig, and it was very nice - plenty of room for everything including the full size nVidia GTX 260 (it’s a MONSTER). I will say however that the cable setup ended up being a little bit of a bother since the main cable from the PSU is too big to run behind it, plus the smaller cables had forking cable ends that also were a tad on the big side. It was a bit tricky, but I was able to get all my power cords running underneath. I did have to push them down when I slid the back panel back into place, though. I also have a GTX 260, and if it weren’t for being able to route cables behind the motherboard, I’m not sure how I would have ever gotten everything in place. I agree completely about it being a monster. Still, I can’t complain too much now that I’ve got everything up and running – my last video card was a GF4 Ti4600, so this was a huge quality leap for me. ---
**Author:** ![redshift](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bbce88/32.png) [@redshift](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redshift)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-computer-cases-so-expensive/495628/24 "2009-05-11T14:26:50Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Why don’t they make cases of that quality for people who just want a computer case and not the Pink Floyd laser show, though? You have silverstone and lian li. Very simple, inconspicuous cases, built like tanks, cost like one too. ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-computer-cases-so-expensive/495628/25 "2009-05-12T01:07:10Z")
I have one of the Coolermaster Cosmos series. Not the one linked, but same body, bought Sept 07 for around $100 with some rebate/bonus deal at Newegg. The thing is **huge**. The handles make it look portable, but really they’re included to cover them for possible back injuries. That’s really my only complaint with it though. I just need to shut it down long enough to clean the fans. They’ve been getting louder. My intent when I bought it was to never buy another case again, and it should hold up to that. The last one I owned was a decent Antec case, but the fatal flaw was metal-on-metal construction. Eventually vibration made it unbearable. I had bits of paper all arranged in it to keep the sound down, but it had to go. The Cosmos has rubber seals throughout. I’ve been tempted to switch to water cooling just for the silence. Decided it’d be too much hassle though. At least I know I have extra space for it in this monster. I spent 2002 working on PCs, and have scars to prove it from those puzzle-box cases with sharp edges. Ugh. Especially the cheap older HPs, Dells, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Casserole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Casserole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casserole)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-computer-cases-so-expensive/495628/26 "2009-05-13T03:04:15Z")
> [@Peanut\_Gallery](#): > > I have one of the Coolermaster Cosmos series. Not the one linked, but same body, bought Sept 07 for around $100 with some rebate/bonus deal at Newegg. The thing is **huge**. The handles make it look portable, but really they’re included to cover them for possible back injuries. Indeed. They’re not that bad to shuffle around in a computer store, unless you have to stack them 3 or 4 high. It’s when the tech installs everything inside (with the 4 disk RAID system the customer ordered, and double DVD-RW drives, of course…) that it gets unbearably heavy. But then again, last time I had to lift one of those up to a counter, I was a puny weakling… ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-computer-cases-so-expensive/495628/27 "2009-05-13T14:15:47Z")
Hah, I LOVE my Cosmos because of its weight–no one fucks with it at LAN parties, for one. And the handles will happily support the weight for lugging it around. =P [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-computer-cases-so-expensive/495628.md?page=1)