Antec NEW SOLUTION SERIES VSK-3000 Black SGCC steel MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Pros: Looks nice for a small mATX case. Perfect size for a mini tower HTPC.

Cons: I didn't have high expectations for this case, it was for an HTPC in my living room so I didn't need something for high quality parts. First issue was that it has space for (2) 3.5" HDD's, the lower bay/slot (when installed) blocked with the ATX power cable so that bay was useless - had to install my 2nd HDD in one of the upper bays. As annoying as this was, I could live with this one. Second (and biggest) issue is that since the exterior metal is so thin (cheap) that the fans (case + CPU cooler) causes such vibration on the case that the thin shell of a case resonated a hum that is so loud any annoying that the only way to cover up the sound is to turn up the sound of the TV louder than the noise it generates. It's not so bad when watching action movies/shows turned up loud but when I turn it on for the kids (lower volumes) it's really noticeably annoying. If I placed my hand on the top of the case with just a slight amount of pressure, the humming sound mostly goes away. If I press down hard, the sound is almost unnoticeable. I even tried stacking heavy objects like books on it but that only helped a little bit and wasn't worth making my entertainment TV cabinet look messy.

Other Thoughts: My HTPC build is not extreme with cooling, if I had multiple fans and a GPU with a fan then I would expect the case to make noise. But I don't even have a GPU, since it's only an HTPC, I use the built in CPU graphics in my i5 and have a cooler master basic heat-sink/fan with an 80MM fan (even turned it down as much as I could in the BIOS). The only other fan in the case is the one that came with it. I even tired unplugging that case fan but that only helped it a little, the CPU fan still caused enough vibration that made the case hum noticeably.

I had all these same components installed previously in a mid tower which made absolutely zero audible noise. That mid tower case had a 120mm case fan so one would assume that the 80mm case fan in this Antec would even be quieter... The only reason I wanted to change the case was that my mid tower's bulk was too noticeable next to my TV cabinet, I thought this $25 case (after discount) which looked decent in the pictures was a perfect opportunity to move all my components over to a smaller case without laying out more of an investment. I guess I got what I paid for...

Pros: Antec , a brand i do admit makes good cases from top to bottom , the illusion three hundred model that runs for 40 dollars on special from time to time ,is the case i used in my elite i5 2500K build i have a grand in the system

Cons: biggest con is its too short to connect the sata connector from the psu to the cd drive unless you have the drive unscrewed and moved halfway out of the case. micro board attaches to where the end of it reaches the bottom of the case making it hard to connect the external connections such as the led inputs , usb inputs etc.

Other Thoughts: I bought this case for $25 shipped in that price catagory you can get a lot of junk cases but this one is the only one ive purchased this cheap that the side panels fit snug enough that the lights from the inside don't shine through the gaps so the quality for the price is not bad at all , my first case i ever purchased for a standalone build i payed 25 dollars for and it was such a piece of junk i threw it in the trash so i must say antec makes a 25 dollar case much much better than some. if you need a small case for a micro atx board budget build i do recommend this case good for a mini gaming build as well heres what i got in mine

antec new solution case

intel core 2 duo e6600 ocd 3.0ghz (vintage build)

asus P5G41t-mlx motherboard(cost a fortune to buy these nowadays rare to find new )

dynex 520 watt psu

MSI nvidia GT 240 512mb 128bit GDDR5 graphics card (not bad for a Gt 240)

4GB (2x2) Crucial Ballistix ddr3 pc10600 ram (excellent oclocking ram)

Windows 7 Professional 32 bit

Pros: This case looked better to me in person. The exterior fit is good. Light weight, about 8lbs. The price point was great to reuse parts from a replaced server for a build to donate to a charity in my neighborhood.

Cons: Slight dent at top rear of case; enough to bend the PSU mount somewhat. Thought I could make due with that. All four side panel screws were stripped; had to go in from the front with an icepick strapped to a pushrod to get the screws backed out. Expected a flimsy case and it is that, but cheaper than I thought. Rickety drive bays and only to holes for each case fan. Where the other two holes should be are just pushed-out "nubs". Outside finish about 1 micron thick. Fingerprint magnet.

Other Thoughts: Newegg shows this case as "NEW SOLUTION SERIES VSK-3000", but no such case at Antec.com. No manual included. just a note saying download it from their website, but not found there. Called there support but was told the VSK means value series and I should be "smart enough to figure it out." No manual for "our cheapo cases." RMA'd for $14. Used a Cougar Spike case from another planned build; it's a great case and I ordered another while on sale. It makes this VSK case looked even worse. First and last Antec product for me.

Pros: Good quality for the price point...Easy to work with...Everything installed well and is solid...

Cons: The screws holding the side panels on can easily be stripped if not careful...

Other Thoughts: Would be nice to see different screws used...I replaced them with thumb screws.

Pros: Well priced
Simple, not flashy
Included case fan
Good quality

Cons: Could not open MB tray side panel
No thumbscrews

Other Thoughts: This is a good case for a budget build, having 2 5.25" drive bays and 2 internal 3.5" bays. Lack of USB 3.0 is easily overcome by an adapter for the external 3.5" bay with 30 pin connector. My only complain is that I was not able to get the other side panel open, stripped the screws trying. Also, thumbscrews could be provided for the side panel, luckily I had a few lying around. Cable management leaves a little to be desired, but that is expected for a budget mATX case.

Pros: Quiet 90mm fan, a very micro feel, slim front plate with stylish vents, super bright blue front power LED, red HDD LED, and it came with plenty of screws too. Power/reset buttons have a solid click, front input bay is sleek and easy to access. It's a very light case even when fully loaded but it's totally solid; it doesn't flex at all.

Cons: It only has one 90mm fan. For a $50 value I think another fan would've been in order for a case this small. The front only has holes for an 80mm and a 90mm.

Other Thoughts: The front doesn't have holes for a 120mm fan, so I might have to drill my own. It's either that or Newegg magically spares the case ;)

Pros: This is THE case to get for a budget build (if you can get it at the discounted sale price here on newegg). Lightweight, but still seems sturdy and dependable. No silly lights, windows, or cutouts.

Cons: No power supply included. But then again, I don't really recommend the cheap power supplies that usually come with the cases that include them.

Other Thoughts: Mine did not have any sharp edges like other reviews have complained about. I've had a couple Antec brand cases and they seem to have good quality.

Pros: was cheap, $20 shipped on sale. people complain about the quality, but it's actually well built. there are no super sharp edges...if you end up in the hospital building this you are doing it wrong.
the case is just a touch wider than the DVD drive, and isn't too tall. fits under a desk very easily and is sturdy enough not to tip.

Cons: front panel USB2.0, future cases should all have USB3.0....almost all motherboards do now.

Pros: You can build a computer in it... more or less.

Cons: - small, cramped. So cramped, i had to remove my motherboard to remove or put in a drive.

- No cable management AT ALL. There is a hole in the motherboard tray, that would be for cables, but the back of the case practically touched the tray so you could only fit a 24 gauge wire into it.

- There is a fan at the front but it is small, maybe 90 or 120mm, i didn't have a fan to fit so i had no intake for a while.

Other Thoughts: I bought this for my first gaming build, i was on a budget but i regret buying this case. it is worth the 20 or 30 extra dollars for a better one. Trust me.

Pros: The case is very simple in appearance; nothing flashy about it, making it a good choice for an office computer. Also, the case is rather roomy inside; making it easy to drop in a motherboard and run the wires to all your drives without a problem.

It also includes a case fan, which is a nice extra.

Cons: It feels cheaply made with how thin the metal is compared to the previous Antec case I bought, but given the price, I can't really complain too much

Other Thoughts: For a low-end build, this is a nice case regardless of its faults