What are the Advantages/Disadvantages of using an old Case?

Long term planning, this.

My current PC is coming up to 10 years old and running Windows 10 - The MOBO is not suitable for Windows 11.

After October 2025, I plan to subscribe to OPatch, for about a year, as Windows 12 beds in, then build a new PC.

The bulk of the internals will need to be replaced. New MOBO, new PSU, bigger SSD, and a few other bits and bobs.

It seems sad to consign the Case to landfill

If the case is a standard form factor case and not an OEM (Dell, HP, etc,) case, and you like its look, then keep using it.

It's, as far as I know, a standard form factor case, but without the latest USB Sockets. I don't think that that would be an insurmountable problem

Is it a no name case or branded, we need to be able to check any available specs, cooling fan and drive bay availability are important.

If you can get two large front cooling fans in there + have a blank drive cover on the front of the chassis that you can remove and slot in a USB 3.1/4.0 or possibly Thunderbolt port, a random example of the latter here

Bottom line, if the case is not worth a quid but spending circa £40 to £50 will allow you to have the required cooling and expansion ports then keep the case, if not pay more for a shiny new case that has the desired spec.

It's, as far as I know, a standard form factor case, but without the latest USB Sockets. I don't think that that would be an insurmountable problem

That would bug me but if the case has a 5.25 bay free, you can add those ports.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=5.25+front+bay+panel

Thanks Porthos. That sorts that one, as there is a spare bay.

I can now go back to sleep for a couple of years

It has an Extractor fan at the Rear Top and an inlet grill at the Front Bottom. That should be sufficient for my needs.

FWIW, my dad (81) used the same Lian-Li ATX mini-tower case for several custom desktop computer builds with various Microsoft Windows, Vista, 8.0, 8.1, and 10 Professional editions.

However, he decided to ditch that case in favor of a Lian-Li ATX SFF midi-tower case with tempered glass on the front and left side for his newest Windows 11 Professional computer.

Nonetheless, I concur with you and all the other members that you should continue to use your old case, but I prefer to switch to a new ATX case for all my desktop-only computer builds.

So far, with my three custom desktop-only ATX midi-tower computer builds, which I have used for ten years each, it makes sense to switch to a new case because it is rather convenient.

Nevertheless, I plan to buy a new pre-built ATX midi-tower computer build with Windows 11 Professional by October 14, 2025, but in the meantime, I will only need to decide on the best brand.

Good luck!

One disadvantage of old cases (and I mean mainly very old ones) is that you had to be creative with cable management (usually I ended up trying to stuff unused cables into empty drive bays etc.) while the newer ones (last 10 years or so), at least the better ones, are much more well thought out in that respect.  Channels to route cables neatly and space to hide things behind the motherboard tray etc.  Still this is not a deal breaker, but it is best to try to keep the cabling as neat as possible for better case air flow.

I still have a (very expensive at the time) Cooler Master case from around 2000 which was all aluminium.  I'm not actively using it now, but it's so nicely made, I can't bear to throw it out.

Edited by jonuk76, 18 October 2024 - 01:42 PM.

It's stoutly built, plain black, not as deep as many, and has a spare drive bay.

It sits underneath the desk (but not on the floor) so it's appearance is an irrelevance.

The lack of space for 15 technicolour fans does not bother me.

As far as I understand, it's standard ATX sized, so will fit almost any MOBO I chose.

Thanks everyone for your input.

However unless something radical happens, in case design, during the next 30 months, the issue's sorted.

Edited by wee-eddie, 18 October 2024 - 03:41 PM.

For me a primary consideration would depend on the access to the internals.  At minimum I would want a case like my CyberPowerPC which has a removable side panel held on with thumbscrews which gives e easy access to the internal drives. 

The lack of space for 15 technicolour fans does not bother me.

 

Fifteen fans is akin to a cooling tower and fancy lights are for Christmas trees, as long as the pull - push method of cooling is available the average user needs nothing else.