What’s still missing is a suitable case for all the components. Here, too, the sheer number of parts and their respective dimensions greatly limit the selection. The motherboard is in E-ATX format and therefore quite large, several data storage devices need to be accommodated, and there should be as few restrictions as possible for the processor cooling solution. Four dual-slot graphics cards require 8 slot spaces.
Everything planned should fit in, at least one 5.25″ slot must be available for an optical drive, and the appearance should not be neglected either. There are very few candidates. But I had a favorite from the start:
The BeQuiet Dark Base Pro 900 in Revision 1.
What are the advantages of this specific case?
First of all, I should mention that I used a very similar case as the main case for my partner’s and my PCs, namely the successor—the BeQuiet Dark Base Pro 900 Revision 2 in black.
The “recovery PC,” which we also still have, was built into a Silent Base 802*, also from BeQuiet. Apart from that, I have already built several computers with BeQuiet cases, coolers, fans, and power supplies and have always been satisfied so far. So you could say that I have a certain amount of experience with components from this manufacturer and that I like their functionality, sophistication, and material quality.
But as always, there is a catch: Revision 1 has not been manufactured or offered new for quite some time, so the only option is the second-hand market. This raises the question: why the first version at all?
It’s quite simple. Among other minor changes, the first version does not have a cover for the power supply in the lower section, for which there would be no space at all. But what is much more important to me is that the first version has 2 x USB 3.0 ports on the front panel and 2 x USB 2.0 ports, which have been replaced in the newer version by a single USB-C port, for which there is no connection on the Rampage IV. Of course, this could be adapted, but it would still be a single port instead of two.
Another important point is that in the first version, the color of the included RGB strips can be easily changed with a button under the front door, requiring neither an RGB header nor software (which would probably not run under XP and generally works poorly).
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⧉ BeQuietOn the hunt
The search didn’t take long; I found a cheap one (< 100€) near me. The downside is the color—silver. I would have preferred black, but it’s better than the orange that was also available. If it really bothers me, I can just remove the decorative strips and repaint them, and replace the rubber parts with black ones.
Noteworthy
The build quality of this case series is exceptionally good. All screw connections and fan placement options have been well thought out. One feature that is rarely found is the ability to install the interior components in a mirrored configuration – essentially “upside down.” This is not used in this project due to the four graphics cards, but one of the two cases in Revision 2, which we also used, was built mirrored so that a PC could be placed on the left and right sides of the same large desk for visual appeal. The aforementioned Silent Base 802 of the “Recovery PC” was also built mirrored for the same reasons.
The Qi charging option is a nice feature, but has never been used so far. The insulation, on the other hand, is a real plus point. This is a high-end case, and BeQuiet has lived up to expectations.