TechREACTION » Cases

[Review] Antec Three Hundred Two

The Duke — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:27:53 +0000

Three Hundred, the previous well-liked case by Antec, is back with a chassis designed to handle today and tomorrow’s high-performance systems. The Three Hundred Two, is touted to be the next standard in affordable gaming cases. This new chassis from Antec is supposed to be built for gamers from the inside-out. With tool-less 5.25″ & 3.5″ drive bays, a large cable management compartment and two front panel USB 3.0 ports with an internal connector, the Three Hundred Two will hopefully be the rightful heir to the Gaming Series legacy. However, it still needs to pass our testing before we approve any of the praise this case has already received. Read on …

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Next: A look at the Antec Three Hundred Two

[Review] Corsair Carbide 500R

The Duke — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:41:19 +0000

The 500R from Corsair promises even more flexibility over the 400R. It adds a 200mm fan mounted on the side panel’s mesh screen for extra GPU cooling, a multi-channel fan controller, and removable and relocatable hard drive cages. The ability for the user to move and remove hard drive cages not only improves airflow, it also allows you to install graphics cards of up to 452mm in length. The Carbide Series are modeled from the Obsidian and Graphite Series which are acclaimed for their ease of use and performance-oriented engineering, and this philosophy is still used in the Carbide Series.

The 500R has support for USB 3.0 and 2.5” SSDs is built-in, while thumb screws on the side panels and tool-free drive installation should mean quick and easy installation of your hardware. Corsair has also integrated dust filters, which can be quickly removed for easy maintenance, keeping your system as clean as possible. Now that the love fest is over, let’s see if the Corsair 500R actually lives up to the same high standard we hold for all of Corsairs products.

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Next: A look at the Corsair Carbide 500R

[Review] Bitfenix Raider

The Duke — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:46:16 +0000

Bitfenix comes to us today with their new creation which could possibly be a serious contender, the Raider. The first chassis to offer four USB 3.0 ports, the Raider is ready for any future peripherals you might want to throw at it, offering all the high-speed connectivity you need. The integrated fan controller manages up to five fans, allowing you to customize your system’s cooling profile to suit the task at hand. The Raider also sports filtered intakes, tool-free drive locking mechanisms, rubber grommets and plenty of space behind the motherboard tray. A removable hard drive cage wall means that Raider even accommodates expansion cards up to 38cm in length. The Raider is also coated in the signature BitFenix SofTouch™ Surface Treatment for a quality matte finish and one-of-a-kind feel. How well does all this add up?

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Next: A look at the Bitfenix Raider

[Review] Rosewill Thor V2 White Edition

The Duke — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:01:53 +0000

Today we have the new Thor V2 White Edition in hand, which has plenty of features jammed into it. The Thor supports up to XL-ATX Motherboard (13.5” x 10.3”) / SSI-CEB (E-ATX) (12″ x 10.3″) along with a mostly tool-free installation. The Thor V2 has also updated the USB 3.0 connections, adding one more than the original, and reorganizing the top I/O section. The massive inside supports up to a 330mm (12.99″) video card, along with having a 230mm front intake fan to help keep your hardware nice and cool. There are a lot more features the Thor V2 sports, but we will save those for the actual review. So, sit back, relax, and read on.

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Next: A look at the Thor V2

[Review] Cooler Master Storm Trooper

The Duke — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:25:54 +0000

The Cooler Master Storm Trooper includes features that are often coveted by gaming enthusiasts in that it has full dust filter coverage, a fan controller, an external SSD drive hot-swap dock and two modular hard drive cages. These features give CM Storm Trooper the ability to adapt easily to configurations ranging from workstation to water-cooled gaming configurations. The CM Storm Trooper is the first in its class to include an ultra-strong carrying handle, allowing a gamer to travel with relative ease. The CM Storm Trooper is also the first full tower chassis with two 90 degrees rotatable 4-in-3 HDD modules. The bottom SSD drive cage can be removed to allow space for a 240mm water cooling radiator or 2 x 120mm fans.

There are two extremely sturdy handles, lying beneath the top facade, that are directly attached to the steel frame. Adding to this rugged build, the exterior is covered in a damage-resistant rubberized coating which will protect the case from damage or scratches during transport. The CM Storm Trooper supports high-end hardware including XL-ATX board, multiple GPUs in SLI or Crossfire, and up to 14 hard-drives for future upgrades. We will be taking a look at all these options and seeing just how well they work with the Trooper. Read on …

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Next: A look at the Cooler Master Storm Trooper

[Review] Bitfenix Outlaw

The Duke — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:43:33 +0000

A new release from Bitfenix, the Outlaw, packs a slightly different punch than anything else from Bitfenix. With its inverted motherboard tray, the Outlaw accepts even the longest graphics cards with ease, while enhancing graphics card cooling. Plenty of optional fan locations will help keep the rest of your system cool, while a native SSD mount on the bottom of the case will help you keep up with new technology. With plenty of connectivity and their signature BitFenix SofTouch™ Surface treatment, the Outlaw is looking to be a top performer in the mid-price range segment. We will be seeing just how well the Bitfenix performs during our testing, so sit back and read on.

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Next: A look at the Bitfenix Outlaw

[Review] Nexus Prominent 5

The Duke — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:02:05 +0000

The Nexus Prominent 5 silent case features tool-less installation making it a quick and easy installation of your components. A black mesh front, aluminum edges, and black interior with orange accents give the Prominent 5 a different look. Nexus outfitted the Prominent 5 with a 140mm on the top and a 120mm is placed in the front for the air-intake. Some isolating padding, where the PSU is placed, prevents resonance and there are ventilation holes, and room for a fan, in the bottom of the case for air-intake. The thick rubber feet have been fitted with a premium dense foam, rubber-like material which keeps the ventilation holes elevated from the floor to make a smooth airflow possible and eliminates excessive noise. The Prominent 5 is fitted with a flat layer on the panel behind the motherboard and a nice wave foam layer on the other panel. These materials should help keep your system as quiet as possible, or does it? Read on to find out how well it does.

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Next: A look at the Nexus Prominent 5

[Review] Bitfenix Merc Alpha

The Duke — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:48:02 +0000

Getting a quality gaming chassis doesn’t necessarily mean spending a small fortune. BitFenix took that to heart when making Merc, which comes in two versions, the Merc Alpha and Merc Beta. The Merc Alpha will give you the option of going with additional fan locations, while choosing the Merc Beta gives a more streamlined look. The Merc has plenty expansion possibilities, which means your Merc can grow with the rest of your system, while friendly DIY features make system installation headache-free. Now let’s find out if saving money on this case is actually worth it, or will Bitfenix fail in their implementation of a lower priced case.

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Next: A look at the Bitfenix Merc Alpha

[Review] Raidmax Blackstorm

The Duke — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:22:02 +0000

The Raidmax BLACKSTORM case attempts to make assembling a system easier than ever before. It has a modular, tool-free design that makes the initial build and future upgrades simple. Both side panels latch into place for ease of access, so it could be for you as it is the latest version of one-click side panel case. A 120mm fan is mounted on the front of the case to draw cool air in and blow it across the hard drives, along with a 180mm optional fan on the side, and a pair of rear-mounted 120mm exhaust fans, all of which work in concert to keep the air moving Keep it cool and keep it functional is what the Blackstorm strives for, but will it? Read on and find out…

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Next: A look at the Raidmax Blackstorm

[Review] Rosewill Blackhawk

The Duke — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:49:07 +0000

Rosewill’s BLACKHAWK is one of their newest introductions into the chassis market. They have pre-installed four 120mm and one 140mm fans for almost maximum cooling. Right out of the box, it will save users from spending extra money on missing fans. They have also incorporated the traditional I/O ports most users look for in today’s market, as well as a top-mounted HDD dock. With long VGA card and water cooling support, integrated cable management, CPU back plate cutout, and easy-clean PSU filter, the BLACKHAWK seems to be a feature-rich mid-tower gaming chassis, but let’s toss it on our review bench before we get too carried away.