Top 3 Budget PC Cases

The Cooler Master Centurion is something of an unsung PC case hero. Although it is rarely reviewed in great detail and, in comparison to more expensive cases such as the Cooler Master Cosmos, almost never receives any press, it consistently sells well.

And for good reason. The Centurion isn't a fancy case, nor is it an incredibly well built one. The metals used feel tinny and the grills  covering the front of case are easily dented by a wayward shoe. But that said, the case uses a great deal of metal in comparison to most other budget cases - while you may dent your Centurion, most other cases in this price range, which feature more plastic, would likely shatter. The Centurion also makes up for its so-so bodywork with a plethora of options. The case can also fit eight fans. That is likely more than anyone would every reasonably use in this price range, but if you want to go overboard, it is nice to have the option. The Centurion also can hold up to 9 5.25" external drives or 4 3.5" internal drives, although not all of this will fit at the same time. Finally, the Centurion has a PSU located at the bottom of the case, which provides an optimal center of gravity.

And then there is the price. The Centurion comes in a variety of colors and models, with most of them sharing the same basic features. The basic black Centurion 590 can be found for $59.99 (as of 12/20/08) and can sometimes be found for as low as $39.99 on sale at retailers such as Newegg and Fry's.

 In case you were wondering, "Smilodon" is simply another name for a saber-tooth cat. The strange name aside, the Raidmax Smilodon is an excellent case which contains numerous features you'd expect from a higher-end product, but won't maul your wallet.

As looks go, the Smilodon isn't bad. Obviously targeted towards gamers and nerds who prefer putting fancy lightening effects on their PC cases instead of their car, the Smilodon has all the expected gamer-case features, such as numerous LEDs and a large window that allows a clear view of the computer's internals. Get in close with the Smilodon, and you may find that the use of relatively thin metal to be unimpressive, but the quality of the materials used on the front door is far superior to other cases in this price range. The light effects arn't bad either; rather than simply lighting up a fan bay, the Smilodon's blue (or green - there are two different color schemes available) light pulsates through the case's front door.

Looks aside, the key to the Smilidon is how easy it is to work with. This case features a fully removable motherboard tray, and even better, the left side of the case folds out completely with the motherboard still attach, making the addition of PCI cards, RAM, and heatsinks incredibly easy. Drives use a simple "tool-less" system which isn't entirely tool-less, but remains simple and, more importantly, secure. There are many $300 dollar cases that are more difficult to work on than the Smilodon. The Raidmax Smilodon also features numerous fan mounts, a requirement for any gamer's case, although the location of them is merely adequate.

With a price of $89.99 (as of 12/20/08), the Raidmax Smilodon is only slightly below the price limit for a budget case. But the features available justify the extra cash for any user who opens up their PC more than once every couple months. The Raidmax is also often offered with mail-in rebates or combo deals.