Hmm, I just made a discovery... and a disappointing one at that.

I cannot pilfer the 1200w Silverstone PSU out of the AMD machine to go in the new one, not unless I want to put the AMD rig out of action for a while... which I don't particularly want to do if I can avoid it.  The ASUS motherboard in it has two 8 pin ATX sockets and the AcBel 800w I was going to put in it only has one available 8 pin plug... meaning I can't just swap them over... which is a PITA.

Had I been able to just swap them I would have been able to close up the cases and leave them as they were, but now I will temporarily have to put the AcBel in the new build until I can afford to purchase more suitable PSU.  and if I get a Silverstone 850w, modular, I'll be able to put that in the AMD machine, leaving the cables in place, and put the 1200w in the new build.  The AcBel isn't modular so I'm not going to overly worry about cable management in the new rig until the swap over.

Yeah, I know, somebody's gonna say: "Why go to all that trouble, leave the 800w in the new machine."  Frankly, I don't think the 800w will be man enough for it indefinitely, and while it may suffice until I can purchase a replacement for the AMD machine, I would rather a higher rated PSU that allows for power intensive hardware and work.

Yes, I did investigate Lian-Li cases, and I saw the hot swap feature, but as I said above, I saw nothing that suggested the 'hot swap' function was possible without having to open the case.... and I wanted that convenience.  Point is I got what I was looking for, plus a few bonus bells and whistles, and I don't give a tinker's cuss whether anyone else likes it or not.  I build PCs for me, right!

Yeah, I have a 4 bay Vantec external hot swap, connects via USB 3 or eSATA... a bloody great investment, too.  However, while looking for storage options, I did look at the Vantec EZ Swap bays and considered them for a while.  The thing was room... being there wasn't enough of it with all the other drives ROMs and my sound card's front panel.  To install a Vantec Ez Swap I would have had to sacrifice one of my other components, and I wasn't prepared to do that... hence the Vantec HX4R with its superlative appearance and sexy black exterior.

As for the hot swap racks inside the pop-off side panel... still not convenient enough.  Up until this new build, I've always kept my PCs in the allotted pigeon hole in the desk, so hot swaps inside a pop-off side panel [inside a desk] would have been as useless as tits on a bull, to me.  That's why these revolutionary and totally unique Thermaltake 'hot swaps' are so absolutely bleedin' marvelous

I know its a moat point, but the Cosair 800D has 'hot swaps' in the front with a push open door......

Ah yes, took a look on their site, and so it does... and no having to open the case to access it.  I must admit, I missed this one, and it's not a bad looking case, either, so thanks for the heads up.  It may not be of much use to me now, being I have what I have, but I'm sure there are other folk who will appreciate the info... especially if they want/need to keep their PC in a tower recess and must have frontal access.  That didn't really matter to me because I had a setup in mind and side access actually suits me better.  Not only that, the Thermaltake Level 10 costs me less... $265.00. where as the Corsair 800D would have cost me $299.00 [best price] or upwards.

Admittedly, the 800D is a nice looking case, and it could have been a major contender had I not seen the Level 10 up close and personal in a PC store one day.  After being given the royal tour, I was hooked, absolutely.

No...no...no... EZ Swap 4 ....it's built-into a 5.25 bay.  My current machine has 2 along with 2 DVDs ....superior to some side-access thing which ultimately is no real advantiage to a pop-off side access to all the others...particularly when you aren't sticking the tower into a cubby hole.

Tool-less access to all of them vs tool-less access to one at a time....not worth the debate...and the Vantecs onboard are where you 'expect' them to be...in the front...whether on a bench or under it...same difference.

Some external thing attached to cables bears no comparison....totally different animal...;)

Yes, I know, as I looked at that option to begin with [or did you miss that bit ] but decided instead to go with the external bay as I would have had to remove my sound card's front panel to accommodate it... and that front panel is soooooo useful it's not worth losing over a removable drive bay.  However, there'd be room in this new build for an EZ Swap 4... but there's no need, is there!

I really like the hot swap being on the left side as it will be so convenient as to where the tower will be situated and where I'll be sitting.  Ah yes, I did ponder ahead to visualise what I wanted/needed before purchasing the Level 10... and it suits all my needs and expectations exactly.

Ah, but I'm a tidy freak and those cables are not visible... all neatly tucked away behind the desk with cable management dodads... and eSATA or USB3 means high speed transfers, losing precious little or no time at all.

Anyway, I'm going to finish building it today... gonna bite the bullet, pilfer what I need out of this rig and get stuck into it... after a cuppa tea... or was that a shandy.

Purty.

After years of building my own PCs I splurged on a really functional high end case for the first time the last go round and wow, what a difference.

Just keep it away from kryptonite.

is that rig built yet? where are the pics? come on, ya old pirate, get busy! the entire world (well, those of us who have read this thread) await.

Hehe, kryptonite doesn't stand an earthly [chance] against my Level 10GT.  Nope, nothing compares... er, damn and bugger it, got that darned Sinead O'Connor song going through my head again, though I think Prince wrote it.  Either way, they both have alot to answer for.

Dammit, real life intervened again... family needing help, stuff that couldn't wait. 

I did get a start, and there is some progress, like I'm further ahead than yesterday, but I need to take my time if it's going to be done properly/be up to my usual standard.

Well, i can understand that, the practical side of the matters. If those features are so important to you, cant really say anything against it. 

But the case is certainly ugly as fuck, sorry. There is no way around it. If the only way to get the features you want is this particular case or something equally hideous, then there is a massive hole on the market, cause clearly if you would care about the looks as well, you would be cardinally screwed.

Other people commenting positively about the "Sexy" look of the case proves nothing, it just shows how many people lack aesthetical taste . No offense to anyone. 

And i am certainly jealous - not about the case though, rather what is inside. I have quite a nice machine myself, i would say pretty much on par in certain ways - but it was built during 2010/2011 period - so i envy you that thrill of getting something new you want, carefully choosing the components you want, comparing parameters and prices, weighning pros and cons....oh well. Good for you.

case looks real nice you better bring it around to my place when you finish building it so i can test drive it cos if you test it out it may break hehe then you would kick yourself

Up yours, Gordon.....;)  [quote from a movie I bet no-one remembers].

It's not my personal preference...I like 'simple and chic' [preferably leave out the blue fans, etc] but the only issue I see with its 'style' is the lumps and bumps make it a dust-catcher....like my wife's trinkets on the mantel piece.

There are a hell of a lot of cases far fuglier than Starker's ....;)

Or claims not to remember. Flesh Gordon. LMAO!

That is entirely possible. Have seen some terrible things before. I guess its commendable he did not choose the fugliest one out there  

We are going to have to agree to disagree regarding appearances, cases and aesthetics.  I like the appearance of this case, you don't.  You like Antec and Fractal Design, I don't.  So you see, it's just going to be a tit for tat if this line of thinking continues, and I believe there are many more constructive ways to communicate, don't you?

Furthermore, while a picture can say a 1000 words, the posted picture doesn't do it justice.  One has to meet this case up close and personal to appreciate its design and unique features.  Similarly, I wasn't overly impressed when I first saw a pic on the Thermaltake site, but when I was given a close up inspection at a local PC store I fell in love with it.  Had I not chosen this case, however, the alternative would have been a Coolermaster Cosmos II, which is a decent enough case but would have put a bigger dent in the budget @ $400+.

Not only do I remember the movie and still have it on DVD somewhere, I had a piece of Flesh Gordon merchandise... a penisaurus doll thingumy  that used to cause great hysteria when I pulled it out of my fly/zipper at parties, etc.  Hehe, I was a wikkid SOB in my younger days... but would probably still have it today for laughs had somebody not stolen it way back when.

As for the lumps and bumps, dust catching, that's all cool, I'll dust every day to ensure I maintain its remarkable looks...

.... and the word you were looking for was mantle.

Oi, look at that everybody, look at that.  I corrected Jafo, I corrected Jafo... I corre....had better pipe down before I get myself in the sh!T

Um, NO!  You wanna plat wiv my stuff ya gotta come 'round here.  Besides, it's too fechin' heavy to take 'round your joint... and you know my muscicles have shriveled wiv old age.  And don't you dare say 'lack of use'.  I'd happily use it but shaggers back has me all tied up in knots and the anti-inflammatories the doc gives me for that defeats the purpose.

Yep...yer in it orright.

'Mantel piece' [or mantelpiece if you must]  is an Architectural term ....that should have warned ya....;p

'mantle' is that thing that 'glows' when it's gas-lit in the light when yer off camping....

  there are other sorts of mantles...like in the Earth, etc.

'Some' may get it WRONG... but they're probably only Americans...so they're forgiven....;)

You know, I've burned up my share of mantles, and none of them ever looked quite as... "masculine" ... as the ones in that drawing...

That's what I grew up with in England... at school, in the dictionaries, etc, etc, and if we're speaking/writing English...

... then mantle [piece] it is.

Bloody colonials, wanting to change things to suit themselves.

... and don't get me started on the bloody Yanks, wot wiv there endeavors and fechin' letter z's being where s's should be.  It's a fechin' travesty and an afront to Her Majesty... who should have reclaimed the colony instead of worrying about the feching Falklands: piddling little islands in the Atlantic that are best known for their seagull shit.  Nah, fech that, she should have just marched up to the White House, kicked George Bush in the nuts and took his seat in the Oval Office.  Too feching late now, though!  Ousting Obama would bring up all sorts of issues and would make it an unpopular move... best she waits 'til a Repulican's in there and nobody gives a shit.

Actually that would probably be best at this point. Opinion of course.

Of course, I was being entirely facetious on a completely moot point... though I believe it's better the devil you know.  At least with Sarah Palin you knew what sort of idiot you were getting... the next type of idiot is entirely an unknown quantity.

Anyhow, enough of that now. The last thing we want is a bit of tongue-in-cheek turning into something else.

even though i've never built a rig using that case, i have looked at it a few times while in fry's. it really isn't a bad looking case at all. it's just a thermaltake porduct. the original concept of the case was designed with help from BMW. i don't go for the flash and bling style cases. i guess i'm a bit like paul (jafo) when it comes to cases. my lian-li has a blue ring on the front panel but it's pretty subtle. actually, i think i suggested lian-li cases and the coolermaster v8 to paul when he was building his current rig years ago. the coolermaster v8 is pretty "bling-y" when it comes to heatsinks. i have been using corsair h50 and h60 coolers the last 3 years tho. they're quiet and not as obtrusive as giant heatsinks. anywho, hurry up and build that damn rig. i want to see pics. when it somes to new rigs, there are no acceptable excuses for not building immediately once all components are delivered.

Yes...currently still using it...though the V8 needed a new fan...the old one literally seized.

It's the second Lian Li for me though... the first dates back quite a while longer.... Terry has it now with the $6.40 system in it...;)

You're on "the list" and oh, the Ps engine seems to be revving.