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Looking for a unicorn: A roomy, horizontal ATX desktop case

A

Andrew T.

Experienced Member
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Oct 4, 2013
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Location
Thunder Bay, Canada
With my Compaq P3 rapidly sailing towards borderline-vintage status, I've contemplated the prospect of building a new computer.

There's a complication, though: I have a lifelong disdain for tower cases of any sort. I don't like the way they look. I don't have room for one on top of my desk, and I really don't like the idea of seating one on the floor where it'll suck up dust bunnies and get kicked. And I really, really hate working inside one: With every tower I've touched, I've had to twist my neck and my wrists into convulsions, all while barely seeing what I'm doing due to shadows. By contrast, with old-school desktops all the parts are laid out in plain sight in front of me, and working on them is a breeze.

The ideal case would also have the following attributes:

* Sturdy steel construction.
* Two columns of horizontal drive bays, side by side.
* As many vertical slots as possible.
* An external reset button.
* Big, roomy dimensions similar to an IBM XT or AT. (My "perfect" case would have AT width, but the lower-profile XT height.)
* Dimensional compatibility with modern ATX motherboards.

But does anything like this exist?

It need not be a new case. The ATX standard has been around for more than 20 years, and there may well be a 1990s beige case that satisfies my criteria...though whether it would be readily attainable and allow for adequate cooling is another matter entirely.
 
I have a really heavy-duty steel case that meets the above requirements and is about 22" x 17" x 6" but it's an AT, not an ATX.
 
You might want to investigate an HTPC case or better yet, a 4U rackmount case, particularly the ones intended for passive backplanes (13 slots aren't unsual). RM cases are nice in that access to the innards is accomplished by just popping the top off--cooling can also be pretty good as most employ extra fans and a filtered intake.
 
They exist, I have one.

The case is pretty deep, has 3x 5.25" external bays, 2x 3.5" external bays and a couple internal spots for HDs mounted on a stiffener panel that goes from the front case to the rear (so you can mount a monitor on top). I think it can do normal full size ATX motherboards and of course it is beige.


front.jpgside.jpg
 
Unknown_K said:
They exist, I have one.

The case is pretty deep, has 3x 5.25" external bays, 2x 3.5" external bays and a couple internal spots for HDs mounted on a stiffener panel that goes from the front case to the rear (so you can mount a monitor on top). I think it can do normal full size ATX motherboards and of course it is beige.
Click to expand...

That's a nice case! The footprint isn't as wide as an XT or AT of yore, but it isn't as frustratingly narrow as a mini-AT case either, and all the drive bays are horizontal. In the ATX world, this may be as good a case as I'm going to get. The ADEK industrial case linked upthread is also viable; though the vertical drive bays and case colour are slight detractions.

How would I get one, though? I doubt there's a vendor these days hawking full-size beige desktop ATX cases from the back pages of Computer Shopper, and the chance of finding one on a place like eBay would be a needle in a haystack. Plus, I have to deal with international shipping costs...
 
Compaq had some beige Pentium II-era systems that were convertible between mid-tower and full-size desktop, by switching the direction of the drive bays. I don't know how close (if any) they were to the ATX standard, though.
 
Some of the Deskpro EN series was that way, like the 4560. However, others weren't (e.g. EN-P600, which is completely proprietary).

In the horizontal configuration, the things just looked wrong to me.
 
I still use a couple of HP Vectra VL400 cases, but the inanrds are far from original. The PSU size is proprietary, but a TFX form factor PSU will fit. Fits standard ATX boards. I run a quad core AM3+ system in it.

I'm not recommending that you do this, but just pointing out that if you expand your search to used hardware, the possibilities multiply.
 
vwestlife said:
Compaq had some beige Pentium II-era systems that were convertible between mid-tower and full-size desktop, by switching the direction of the drive bays. I don't know how close (if any) they were to the ATX standard, though.
Click to expand...

This went on until at least the Pentium 4 era - the xw6000 and the Evo D510 can do this. Probably wouldn't meet the OP's requirements, though, as they only have three external 5.25" drive bays and one of them's reduced in height.
 
JohnElliott said:
This went on until at least the Pentium 4 era - the xw6000 and the Evo D510 can do this. Probably wouldn't meet the OP's requirements, though, as they only have three external 5.25" drive bays and one of them's reduced in height.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the "rotatable" Compaqs have odd proportions and compromises that make them impractical as desktop cases. For example, only the top face of the housing comes off, impairing access from the sides.

It's interesting to hear about different options (including those to be gleaned from old hardware), and I appreciate the help. But all things considered, I'd be happy with the Enlight 7203...I just need to figure out how to buy one. (The "Inquire about this item" link on the comdex.ie page is as dead as a doornail.)
 
While browsing computer components on eBay, these Gateway 2000 desktop cases caught my eye:

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Vintage-Rar...m=132742847138&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/VINTAGE-gat...=item3fb85e295f:g:8EgAAOSw9m5b9GTX:rk:47:pf:0

Dimensionally, these would be close to perfect. They're not exactly AT-roomy, but they're wide enough to hold a decent number of components, tall enough to have vertical cards, yet short enough to maintain an XT-like low profile. I've done a little research, and the Gateway chassis of this era was indeed ATX-compatible.

But...
* The side panels are fixed a la Compaq, impairing access.
* The I/O shield is fixed in place.
* I'd be concerned about airflow with a modern motherboard and components.
* No reset button (though it would be trivial to add one).
* Hideous front bezel with integrated drive faceplates (on one of the two).

And...
* For obvious reasons, I don't want to gut and fillet a perfectly-working, borderline-vintage Pentium or Pentium II system if at all possible. :sad:
 
Get a Cooler Master HAF

cooler master haf.jpg

I use one for playing media on my TV and even with the 2 front fans and the huge top fan it is wisper quiet. Take the top off and you can easily work on the motherboard and cards. It has 2 external 5.25" bays and 2 tool less removable 3.5" HD bays. Case has handles built into the sides.
 
If you don't mind ugly then some of the 5U industrial cases intended for rack mounting 'normal' PC systems are huge and you can now and then find them dirt cheap with some old Pentium II or similar board stuck in them.
 
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