Chieftec makes very simple cases. Chieftec CQ-1B-U3-OP, Chieftec XT-01B-OP, Chieftec HT-01B are some examples. They are available in almost every store in my country, computer labs use them often, but I don't know if they are available outside of Europe.

/edit: i also found this one https://www.amazon.com/Antec-Affordable-Build … /dp/B00IVZW2TS/ Antec VSK3000E-U3

Check out the Antek VSK 4000E U3. Not sure how much it is, but I remember their value series from a few years ago looked like great retro box cases. Plenty of 5.25 bays and even an external 3.5 floppy bay. Here is a link:https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CY9TMFO/ref … 8_t2_B00IVZW2TS at $43 it looks like the nicest no frills solid budget case available.

I like the Corsair Carbide 200R, but those are usually closer to $70-80. Theres also the Fractal Design Focus G, those are around $50.

But anyways if want a metal case with expansion bays, instead of a glass box with blinky fans, I recommend you buy one now while any are still available.

Ugh.....sad but true, I suppose the PC case situation will only get worse. We were interviewing candidates for a starter helpdesk position about a year ago, and......god, some of the candidates.

This one guy, barely knew what was on his resume, couldn't answer any of our tech questions....only thing he could tell us was "yeah, I built my sister a nice computer".

Oh nice. What specs? What parts did you buy? What did you choose, and why? Hoping....maybe this will get at least some tech talk out of him. You know....sometimes when an interview is going so bad, you feel bad for the guy and want to help them. All he could talk about was the lights and how nice it looked.

I don't get it. I mean, ok, accessories can be nice. Nothing wrong with the option to make things look cool. But.....to buy parts, put together a working computer, and not be able to say anything more about it than it looks nice and has lights? Come on!

Sad.....absolutely sad that the $25 and under basic metal cases has dried up. Guess I'll need to suck it up and pick of a few $40 Antec cases to have on hand going forward...

Cheap cases.. hmmm computers given to me, Craigslist, eBay, curb shopping though it has been quite a few years since I found any computers being thrown out.

A couple years ago I scored a full tower Rocketfish branded Lian Li case for I think $40 on Craigslist. With the original box and everything.

Sometimes there are good case sales on Newegg. I have a few from there.

I'm kind of over the super cheap crappy cases that are sold now. The metal is so thin that it will bend just by me looking at it the wrong way.

Got a nice used rackmount ATX case from a local computer store a few months ago for $5
.
Picked up the case I use for my main computer at the same store for $25 a few years ago. It is a Lian Li PC-767. Had to do some cooling mods to it to make it useable... couple 180mm intake on the bottom and a couple 120mm intake to give cool air to the GPU. Works great!

My personal favorite for ATX retro builds is the Cooler Master Elite 361. Looks like it too has gone out of production, but that can't have been long ago, perhaps there are still vendors having them in stock?

It's very compact to be a full ATX case, mostly due to the somewhat odd PSU placement. The PSU is located behind what looks like two 5.25" bay front covers at a first glance. Only the third one covers an actual 5.25" bay. Unless you're gonna remove the PSU this is on the plus account, it leaves the rest of the case very open and easy to work with, despite the small size. Perfect for retro builds, that tends to see some tinkering. It also has a 3.5" floppy bay.

The build quality is of course nothing special, but still solid to be a budget case. No sharp edges, feels robust, well thought out, etc.

Wouldn't want a modern system with a beefy GPU in it, but for retro purposes, the ventilation possibilities are good enough. Running an Athlon XP 2400+ build virtually inaudible in one of my 361:s.

The cable management possibilities aren't the best, space is of course scarce given the compact size, but if you're willing to put in some work, it's still enough.

I also like that it easily can be used as a desktop case. They've even made the CM badge on the front rotatable 😁

The last time i bought one, it was ~$40, and that's with Swedish VAT and generally inflated prices. Should be even cheaper just about anywhere else if still available.

When Maplin (UK's version of Radio Shack) went out of business few years ago I went and looked what they were liquidating. Was first time in years I looked at new cases and what I saw horrified me.
NO MORE 5.25 bays?!
These were midi cases as well, not small little things. I knew 3.5 bay was dying out but not front drive bays altogether. OK, optical drives have pretty much gone but what about things like fan or RGB or whatever controllers. That's when I realised new cases useful for retro builds are a dying breed.

Last time I was in the market for a new case was Dec 2018 with a roughly £30 budget. New or 2nd hand. It needed 2 drive bays, decent cooling but also room for a full size M/B which excluded alot of midi cases.
My shortlist was

New
Aerocool Aero 500, 800, 1000 (same case design just different sizes)

Aerocool V3X Which is as about as "gamer" case as I can handle

I really like Antec cases, but due to my M/B size non gamer case requirements was limited to either a 2nd hand Antec 900 or 300 which was the one I ended up getting

however some of their new cases aren't ugly and can be had for a good price, I really like the "new solution" range
https://antec.com/product/case.php#performace.

Also like the older Coarsair Obsidian's before they went all RDB and tempered glass and own two 750D's but even 2nd hand that's a different price range

You know why I am angry, nobody makes cheap Desktop (u)ATX cases. Only tower you can find cheap.

The older Corsair Carbide 200R use to be pretty good for a budget-ish plane ATX case. Had a window-less sidepanel variant too which means you could spray paint it beige if you wanted.

(Also i'm spoiled, after years of tempered glass side panels, cheep acrylic won't do it anymore 😜)

I doubt they sell them anymore, but if you can find some left overstock, I wouldnt pass on it for the right price.

At this point buying unwanted P4 era computers, dumping the innards and cleaning the cases is both less expensive and more aesthetically pleasing for me.

appiah4 wrote on 2020-11-06, 12:24:

At this point buying unwanted P4 era computers, dumping the innards and cleaning the cases is both less expensive and more aesthetically pleasing for me.

Yes, local auctions and dumpster divings. If you are lucky, free power suply, free SATA DVDRW, free USB universal card reader, and if you are very lucky PATA IDE DVDRW.

Everything else is more or less garbage in my eyes.

PS. Every motherboard has a lithium battery and the holding harness, that i scavenge for DALLAS moifications and other projects, and ATX power connector for self made AT2ATX converters.

kaputnik wrote on 2020-11-06, 10:16:

My personal favorite for ATX retro builds is the Cooler Master Elite 361. Looks like it too has gone out of production, but that […]
Show full quote

My personal favorite for ATX retro builds is the Cooler Master Elite 361. Looks like it too has gone out of production, but that can't have been long ago, perhaps there are still vendors having them in stock?

It's very compact to be a full ATX case, mostly due to the somewhat odd PSU placement. The PSU is located behind what looks like two 5.25" bay front covers at a first glance. Only the third one covers an actual 5.25" bay. Unless you're gonna remove the PSU this is on the plus account, it leaves the rest of the case very open and easy to work with, despite the small size. Perfect for retro builds, that tends to see some tinkering. It also has a 3.5" floppy bay.

The build quality is of course nothing special, but still solid to be a budget case. No sharp edges, feels robust, well thought out, etc.

Wouldn't want a modern system with a beefy GPU in it, but for retro purposes, the ventilation possibilities are good enough. Running an Athlon XP 2400+ build virtually inaudible in one of my 361:s.

The cable management possibilities aren't the best, space is of course scarce given the compact size, but if you're willing to put in some work, it's still enough.

I also like that it easily can be used as a desktop case. They've even made the CM badge on the front rotatable 😁

The last time i bought one, it was ~$40, and that's with Swedish VAT and generally inflated prices. Should be even cheaper just about anywhere else if still available.

Heh.. looking at the prices for those that are still available in the US and cheapest I am finding is $98.

Newegg does have a couple decent cases on sale right now:
Fractal Design for $39.99 - https://www.newegg.com/gunmetal-gray-fractal- … N82E16811352075
DIYPC for $37.99 - https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16811353106?Item … N82E16811353106
SAMA for $32.99 - https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16811197004?Item … N82E16811197004

They have some others for around the same price as well on their "Black Friday Protection Sale":
https://www.newegg.com/Black-Friday-Deals/Eve … 475?N=100006644

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-11-06, 15:23:

Heh.. looking at the prices for those that are still available in the US and cheapest I am finding is $98. […]
Show full quote

Heh.. looking at the prices for those that are still available in the US and cheapest I am finding is $98.

Newegg does have a couple decent cases on sale right now:
Fractal Design for $39.99 - https://www.newegg.com/gunmetal-gray-fractal- … N82E16811352075
DIYPC for $37.99 - https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16811353106?Item … N82E16811353106
SAMA for $32.99 - https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16811197004?Item … N82E16811197004

They have some others for around the same price as well on their "Black Friday Protection Sale":
https://www.newegg.com/Black-Friday-Deals/Eve … 475?N=100006644

Thanks ! EDIT: The DIYPC J180-BL looks decent for a early 2000's ATX type like older Dell and IBM style. Just paint the window on inside with flat black....just my opinion....

SodaSuccubus wrote on 2020-11-06, 11:54:

The older Corsair Carbide 200R use to be pretty good for a budget-ish plane ATX case. Had a window-less sidepanel variant too which means you could spray paint it beige if you wanted.

(Also i'm spoiled, after years of tempered glass side panels, cheep acrylic won't do it anymore 😜)

I doubt they sell them anymore, but if you can find some left overstock, I wouldnt pass on it for the right price.

Actually Newegg still have the 200R (and Amazon has the 100R series too), got mine thru Newegg last year. $65 with free shipping.
The Antec VSK4000E-U3 is very old school AT/ATX and a bit cheaper, has 3 - 5.25" front bays plus a 3.5" floppy bay. Newegg and Amazon carry it. Too bad is only in black !

I don't really buy cases anymore since I got so many, but I've almost always gotten cases from pawn shops (cheaper and I can pick the case that I want, or even buy a crappy system, gut it and use the case for something different) or lots from private sellers that had what I wanted.
Dumpster diving and being gifted cases (or complete systems that one can disassemble) is another way to get cheap cases, though can't be picky then.

I've also bought some extra cases some years ago with the idea in my mind that cases with decent front bezel external slots were going out of meta (some Cooler Master Elite tower case) and I even got a never used HAF case like a year or 2 ago?

But really, if you want cheap then second hand or dumpsterdiving or asking around is where it's at.