It really depends.

If I'm going for a period-correct build, I try to stick with something reminiscent of the era. For 90s stuff, I stick with beige boxes.

If I'm going for a less period-correct build where the focus is on pure functionality, I'll use a more modern case. I have several Fractal Design cases I've used in builds like my 'Ultimate' XP build and a Windows 98SE build. Modern conveniences like modular power supplies and ample airflow is nice for those particular builds.

I've tended to swing towards Cooler Master ATCS cases for custom builds.

I've got an ATCS-111C-SX1, ATCS-201-SXK, ATCS-210-AX1, and ATC-620-BX1. These are "nice" cases, so hold my retro systems that see more use and look prettier on the desk.

I've then got some generic beige ATX tower cases, a desktop M-ATX/Baby-AT case, and some OEM beige towers (one Time and one Fujitsu).

Then there's also the three Shuttle XPC mini-PCs that I've got, a Sun Ultra 40 and some other stuff like two Olivetti PCS machines (11 and 33).

Some images of some of them here.

I used to like those old beige blocks of plastic, but for some reason I find myself disliking them more and more with each year that passes. Yet if they have a touch of another color, I instantly like them. Go figure. But simpler designs infinitely appeal to me much more than slide covers, 90 degree corners, or anything else that tries to make it look "weirder" than usual.

I wish I had something as nice as those , I spent all my money cramming in really nice and expensive hardware so I ended up neglecting getting a nice case ,
and just got a bottom of the barrel SuperPower case from like 2001 for my 97 Socket 7 rig as a temporary solution that I never got around to solving.

For my Socket 1 Rig that's like circa 99ish the case is a generic flimsy thin metal black case that's probably from like 2005 but it provides enough cooling since it has a big side fan mount.
I do feel bad about having some really janky non aesthetic cases but that's how it kinda turned out.

Since the builds are more or less complete I should probably look out for a nice more period correct set of cases that have a similar configuration to what I'm already using , maybe ill keep an eye out on my local classifieds so I can do my setups some actual justice.

You touched a point that actually slipped my mind: other than a place holder for an 8mm/10mm fan on the back of the cases directed to the CPU and the fan inside the PSU, the cases I selected don't have a side fan. I guess I could drill a hole on the side panel and add a fan with a 3D printed plastic holder right over the AGP port, it would certainly help those old components run a little cooler.

EDIT: the beige ones don't have a side fan, the black one has a "cone" with no fan so the CPU tries to draw fresh air from the outside. I think I can just replace the "cone" with a standard fan if the holes align correctly.

I usually try to go period correct. But it also depends what I get here for a reasonable price. If I have something special in mind though, then it has to be the case that I have in mind. In general I try to go for as simple as possible.

I've gone all over the map. I built a P233 with a case I was very enamored with.

And when I got NuXT for whatever reason an inverse sleeper felt right? Like, it's a sleek modern board, even if it's an XT, so lets go with a sleek modern case?

I have a K6-2+ build that just uses a suitably old case I found locally. It's pretty OK. Wouldn't have been my first choice, but it has a certain charm. And I do sort of enjoy the era appropriate case badges it accumulated in it's previous life.

The rest of my computers aren't really in anything special. I have an Athlon XP in a fairly generic black case, same for an Athlon 64. At one point I got 5 super cheapo cases off a guy for $20 total. I threw a P-III in one, and a Phenom II in another.

I actually have a nicer case I could move the P-III into, but I haven't bothered yet. Besides, the drives it uses currently are black to match the case it's currently in. Oddly enough the beige CD-ROM in that P-III case is SATA. Never knew they bothered to make beige SATA drives.

I prefer my cases beige with weird 90s quirks.

paradigital wrote on 2023-09-27, 12:54:

k6-3-fujitsu4.jpg

I've got that Fujitsu Myrica for instance it's very 1998 with the over engineered lid that has no real purpose. (Mine is slot 1.)

I also like desktop computers. Like my Prolinea 5120.

Oh I would love to own a black Aptiva some day. They had it on TV when I was a kid. Maybe that's the exception from my otherwise beige preference. 😀

Unless there's people paying hundreds for complete systems just to gut for the case, I think there's not much "choosing" involved at present. In that unless a build is a multi year endeavor, the selection is limited to what's available, and what is available is limited to seeing one thing your parts might fit into every 3 months or so.

Namrok wrote on 2023-09-27, 15:43:

I actually have a nicer case I could move the P-III into, but I haven't bothered yet. Besides, the drives it uses currently are black to match the case it's currently in. Oddly enough the beige CD-ROM in that P-III case is SATA. Never knew they bothered to make beige SATA drives.

20230927_113610.jpg

Lite-On retail boxed drives were coming with 2 faceplates into the late noughties at least I think. Maybe a couple of other bigger brands too.

Well, there is SOME choosing, specially when people are selling empty cases for less than 5 bucks each like this. I'm gonna buy the 2 on the bottom right of the 2nd photo. The side panel doesn't use screws, the 4x 5.25" bays and 2x 3.5" bays use a spring mechanism, and the extra 2x 3.5" bays use screws but they're removable so it's easy to replace HDDs. Hurray for laziness!

Normally, I dont build anything if the case dont have front panel display, MHZ or al least HI/LO, exept XT style cases, IBM, etc that dont have, or exeptional cases. For my, display is a must

Maybe this is complete heresy, but what is people's view of using an as-old-fashioned-as-possible new case for any new retro builds? Just seems like it would be hard to find older cases in good condition, with the drive bay covers, etc.

But while cases generally today have turned into ridiculous gamer things with no drive bays, there are still a few cases on the market that will give you a few 5.25/3.5 drive bays. Though they also have, obviously, useless things like USB 3 front ports and front panel audio...

johnyept wrote on 2023-09-27, 14:42:

You touched a point that actually slipped my mind: other than a place holder for an 8mm/10mm fan on the back of the cases directed to the CPU and the fan inside the PSU, the cases I selected don't have a side fan. I guess I could drill a hole on the side panel and add a fan with a 3D printed plastic holder right over the AGP port, it would certainly help those old components run a little cooler.

EDIT: the beige ones don't have a side fan, the black one has a "cone" with no fan so the CPU tries to draw fresh air from the outside. I think I can just replace the "cone" with a standard fan if the holes align correctly.

Yeah I think mine had a fan shroud , but I had to remove it to have enough clearance with the mounted fan.

The idea was to have the side fan blow air over the sli voodoo 2s i have installed since i wanted to help improve the lifespan of the cards.

VivienM wrote on 2023-09-27, 21:28:

Maybe this is complete heresy, but what is people's view of using an as-old-fashioned-as-possible new case for any new retro builds? Just seems like it would be hard to find older cases in good condition, with the drive bay covers, etc.

But while cases generally today have turned into ridiculous gamer things with no drive bays, there are still a few cases on the market that will give you a few 5.25/3.5 drive bays. Though they also have, obviously, useless things like USB 3 front ports and front panel audio...

Couple years back I picked up a Enthoo Pro M TG for about $90 for one of my retro systems that I wanted to showcase the hardware.

BitWrangler wrote on 2023-09-27, 16:46:

Unless there's people paying hundreds for complete systems just to gut for the case, I think there's not much "choosing" involved at present. In that unless a build is a multi year endeavor, the selection is limited to what's available, and what is available is limited to seeing one thing your parts might fit into every 3 months or so.

A year or so back I picked up this system just for the case as I didnt have any real interest in the hardware inside. Figured if I sold off the hardware inside I would probably get my $$ back.

Behind the front grill it has 2 120mm fans, rarely see that in a 90's case

VivienM wrote on 2023-09-27, 21:28:

Maybe this is complete heresy, but what is people's view of using an as-old-fashioned-as-possible new case for any new retro builds? Just seems like it would be hard to find older cases in good condition, with the drive bay covers, etc.

But while cases generally today have turned into ridiculous gamer things with no drive bays, there are still a few cases on the market that will give you a few 5.25/3.5 drive bays. Though they also have, obviously, useless things like USB 3 front ports and front panel audio...

Perfectly fine. It depends on the person's tastes and goals for their builds.

I like Fractal Design cases for the reason of having 5.25 bays, along with modern features like ample cooling options, bottom mounted PSUs and giant windows on the side. 😁

For example, pictured below is my Athlon XP / Windows 98 build. It's virtually silent, runs cool, and works great.

Shponglefan wrote on 2023-09-28, 00:51:

Perfectly fine. It depends on the person's tastes and goals for their builds.

I like Fractal Design cases for the reason of having 5.25 bays, along with modern features like ample cooling options, bottom mounted PSUs and giant windows on the side. 😁

For example, pictured below is my Athlon XP / Windows 98 build. It's virtually silent, runs cool, and works great.

I have a retro setup in a Focus G as well, those actually fit a bit better for a retro setup as back in the early 2000s there was acrylic side panels as well.

Shponglefan wrote on 2023-09-28, 00:51:

I like Fractal Design cases for the reason of having 5.25 bays, along with modern features like ample cooling options, bottom mounted PSUs and giant windows on the side. 😁

For example, pictured below is my Athlon XP / Windows 98 build. It's virtually silent, runs cool, and works great.

I like Fractal Design too; my most recent build (an i7-7700 that Microsoft has deemed unworthy of Windows 11) uses a Define... 5?... I think. Great case. So much better than the Zalman Z7 that I had used for my now-retro C2Q system.

But I thought most of their lineup now was very, very, very light on drive bays? And I admit that this new trend... I just don't understand. If I build a new modern system tomorrow, I'd want to move over my bluray burner... even though I don't use it very much. (I have Macs for systems without expansion, thank you very much...)

johnyept wrote on 2023-09-27, 20:53:

Well, there is SOME choosing, specially when people are selling empty cases for less than 5 bucks each like this. I'm gonna buy […]
Show full quote

Well, there is SOME choosing, specially when people are selling empty cases for less than 5 bucks each like this. I'm gonna buy the 2 on the bottom right of the 2nd photo. The side panel doesn't use screws, the 4x 5.25" bays and 2x 3.5" bays use a spring mechanism, and the extra 2x 3.5" bays use screws but they're removable so it's easy to replace HDDs. Hurray for laziness!

Wow yeah, that's some choice. I'd be asking my wife if she minded the bed being 2ft higher, so I can put the 10 I narrowed it down to under there until I need them 🤣

VivienM wrote on 2023-09-28, 01:16:

But I thought most of their lineup now was very, very, very light on drive bays? And I admit that this new trend... I just don't understand. If I build a new modern system tomorrow, I'd want to move over my bluray burner... even though I don't use it very much. (I have Macs for systems without expansion, thank you very much...)

If they offer a case with drive bays it gets mocked by the reviewers/influencers. That they complicate cable management, or block airflow, or whatever, and that they are just in the way internally because no one uses any removable media other than USB sticks.

Places like Staples still offer business PCs with a DVD drive but they are few and far between and dying out. I suspect that was because places like law offices like the write-once-read-many nature of CD-R/DVD-R. However, I suspect any physical media workflow holdouts were pretty disrupted during 2020.

By the way, I have some systems built in Thermaltake V3 and Cooler Master Elite 350 cases. They work pretty well, although the 350 has this ledge that blocks wide VLB motherboards from being put in. But those both seem to be gone now, and prices are up up up (the Thermaltake one was like $30 at MicroCenter in the 2010s, and the USB/audio ports were conveniently over an internal drive bay and you could literally saw them off to open it up)

Someone I know who goes to a lot of auctions bought a pallet and snagged me some nice unyellowed beige AT mid-towers recently, that I bought off of him.