to be honest, I take practicality and number of features, expansibility over appearance any day.
true some of these recent cases look good, but you can't beat a big, fulsome case.
example:
I buy a full server tower, 7 5 1/4" bays, etc, for my machine.
People laugh at you.
"Look at the size of that thing!"
They are laughing on the other size of their faces when you have 5 HDDs, (4 in RAID 0 config), 3 CD-ROM type devices (i.e DVD-ROM, CD-ROM and CD-RW) and a 500W PSU.
So it looks ugly? Big deal. Stick it under a desk or something.
If I was going to buy a case now, which I don't think I would because the current ones I have (both same model) are perfect for my needs, I would buy this:
http://www.happyware.de/Products/Mini_Cube/mini_cube.html
It also comes in black.... Would have to rid myself of any crap no name PSU, though....
Or...
...maybe this chappie....
Specifications: Dimension: 18.75"(D) x 8.13"(W) x 25.63"(H) or 470 x 205 x 670mm (DxWxH). Drive Bays: 6 x 5.25" external, 2 x 3.5" FDD external, 6 x 3.5" HDD internal. Fits different size M/B, including 12"Wx 13"L XEON motherboard. Expansion slots: 7. Case fans: 3 x 8cm front fan (optional), 2 x 8cm rear fan (optional), 1 x 9cm rear fan (optional).
Certainly something that could cope with around 6 HDDs, 5 CD-ROM type devices, additional reduncant PSU or even hot-swappable removeable PSU would be good.
You pay for that sort of thing, of course.
DELL have some lovely cases that they, of course, only provide with their servers, but some have space for full size RAID controller card, hot swappable RAID bays, etc....
Give me something like that over some pretty case any day!