High-end processors such as the Intel Core i9-10900 usually requires a hefty cooler, usually equipped with high-speed fans, but Akasa's new Maxwell Pro fanless Mini-ITX case can tame the beast, all whilst producing nothing but silence. The Comet Lake Core i9 comes with ten cores and twenty threads; and a max turbo frequency of 5.2 GHz, making it one of the most powerful processors on the market. Our tests have shown its impressive benchmark scores whilst being passively cooled in the Maxwell Pro, making it perfect for assisting the processor in activities such as content creation and 4K video. The case is a high-performance fanless case that can handle up to 65 W TDP, and can adequately maintain temperatures around 80°C.

In Cinebench R20, a multi-core stress test program, we achieved exceptional multithreaded scores of 4010, with an average core frequency of 3.1 GHz. Temperatures averaged at a cool 78°C, and never went over 91°C. These results show the excellent cooling power of the passive case, able to tame the mighty Core i9 10900.Test Specifications

• Processor: Intel Core i9-10900 Processor, 2.8 GHz base frequency, power limits set to 65 W
• Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX B460-I Motherboard
• Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4 DRAM 3200 MHz C16 RAM
• Storage: Samsung Evo Plus 970 NVMe M.2 SSD
• Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630
• CPU Cooler: Akasa Maxwell Pro A-ITX48-M1B
• Power Supplies: AK-PD150-02K 150 W AC-to-DC Power Adapter / AK-PE150-05 150 W DC-to-DC Power Adapter

Pricing

The Akasa Maxwell Pro fanless Mini-ITX chassis starts at £129.99 in the UK, €149.90 in Europe, and $206.50 in the USA.