Today, more and more consumers are adding PCs to their home theater systems. With the goal of using it to watch DVDs, listen to music and surf the Internet, these consumers want something that functions well and looks great. The Thermaltake Mozart IP helps bring all those features to the home theater, with the added bonus of an iPod dock that works with or without the PC powered on. Using the included Media Lab display and iMedian software, many functions are at the user's fingertips with an infrared remote control.
The Origen AE S21T with a retail price of about $1000 is the company's flagship HTPC case. Its features like unique layout, incredibly solid construction, modern design, 12.1 inch full HD capable motorized dropdown touch screen and insane price are something you will not find in any other HTPC enclosure. It created a lot of waves as soon as first images surfaced on the Internet and was a big attraction at CeBIT this year.
One of the biggest names around in the consumer computer world has a new case out called the Triton 180. GIGABYTE, well known for their motherboards and graphics cards has a reach on just about every product type out there in the computer market. So today we will see if their cases are as good as their other products.
The Sugo SG02 is a small form factor case for MicroATX motherboards which is based on the SG01 Evolution but brings it to the mainstream segment at a much lower price point. The interior of the SFF case is kept very simple but efficient, which makes installation a breeze, while the very unusual white color variant will certainly stand out on any desk, living room or LAN party and goes great with a silver optical drive or two.
The Tuniq 3 is a mid-tower ATX case boasting an aluminum front panel and a CCFL base, along with Sunbeam's 3D Core Fan and a windowed side panel. There are ten total bays to install drives and devices, all of which are tool-less. The PCI slots are tool-less as well, making it easier to swap out hardware. In fact, the Tuniq 3 offers a lot of features for less than $70 USD.
NZXT has updated the Lexa series with a more affordable Blackline versions. The steel cases can be had with either blue or red lighting effects and feature all the bells and whistles of the original Lexa, but with an all black color. Aside from the awesome outside looks the Lexa features a clean interiour which has lots of space, even for the biggest video cards. An LCD display with three sensors completes the package.
Over the years, fans inside computer cases have more than doubled in size. Original case fans were 80mm, but more recent cases are including 140mm or even 250mm fans. The XClio 3060 Plus takes it one giant step further by including a huge 360mm side panel fan. Is bigger really better?
The newest addition to Thermaltake's Soprano line of cases is the Soprano RS 101, an entry-level mid-tower boasting a glossy piano-black finish to the front bezel. With tool-less PCI slots and drive bays, a full sized window with a myriad of fan options and plenty of style, Thermaltake scores a big win for the budget-minded consumer.
Danger Den has been making water cooling blocks for ages. Now the company has decided to expand its portfolio and has started offering cases. Danger Den offers acrylic cases, with optional UV panels. Today, we take a look at the Torture rack - a case that is supposed to let you stress components to the max, provide adequate cooling for them, and make it easy for you to change over stuff quickly and efficiently.
The Antec Sonata III is continuing the line-up with new looks, interior layout and a very solid and highly efficient EarthWatts 500W power supply. All this for a mere $149 USD, so we take a real close look and fill it with some high end hardware to let you know how it holds up.
The Spire Pininfarina is a very unique case, designed by the Italian design studio. The 6 mm thick aluminum and steel body make this case really heavy. It is a real back breaker if you plan to carry this one to a LAN party. The unique looks also continue with the butterfly doors, which make for some very simple installation.
The NZXT Hush is the newest case in their line-up. The name is also the main feature of this enclosure, as the interior is covered by noise reducing dampening foam. This includes the bottom, sides, front and top of the case. While the interior layout is not very unique, but the screwless design is a great addition and works well. As we are used to from NZXT the exterior design looks great, especially with the blue LED fan and lighting in the door.
One of the things I like about the Sunbeam 3D Storm case is the mesh front with washable open-cell foam to help keep dust from entering the system. The black mesh and the silver aluminum add a subtle touch of class to the case and give it a lot of style. The 3D Core Fan system adds greater flexibility to the positioning of the fans, as well as supporting up to four 120 mm fans. The Core Fan system works very well to help reduce component temperatures, especially with passively cooled components.
The Cooler Master Stacker 832 is the company's biggest, baddest and by far most unique case. It is the third generation Stacker and has not only grown in overall dimensions but also has some very unique features. Screwless drive installation, mainboard tray and very quiet fans make this case perfect for high-end SLI or Crossfire systems.
If you are constantly changing components and playing with new hardware you sure have noticed that using a case is not the right way to do it. For years HighSpeedPC has been offering their easy to use Tech Stations that give you an open bench to work with. The new 'Top Deck' Tech Station removes one of the biggest problems of the original offering by placing the motherboard - just as the name suggests - on the top.
Lian Li continues the expansion of their Classical Series cases, and today we take a look at one of the newest editions - The PC-A12. We'll take a look at the layout and features of this case to see if it's worth its 140 USD price.
NZXT is well known for producing some very high quality components. The Adamas is constructed of 3 mm thick sheets of aluminum and only utilizes the best in materials and some very innovative engineering. A price tag of just under $200 US Dollars demands this quality as well as high expectations on compatibility and the installation process. We take a close look at every aspect of this case to let you know if it is worth it.
The Sunbeam Quarterback is a midtower ATX case with tool-less drive bays and PCI slots, Core Fan system, VGA vent and a side window. The front bezel adds a door that makes the case look as muscular as a quarterback, which definitely adds to its style.
The Moneual LAB MonCaso 932 series carries a price tag of just under $900, but features all the specifications to justify it. A 7" touchscreen LCD placed inside an incredibly solid all aluminum case, a great software and easy installation as well as the included keyboards are what you get for your money. We take a real close look at the case which costs more than most complete systems and let you know if it is worth it.
The Lanbox Lite is geared toward the budget minded user, while still giving you all the benefits of its more expensive Lanbox brethren. With a large price difference of around 30-40 USD and no major differences, besides the front of the case, this is an easy choice for anyone wanting an affordable small form factor case. We try it out and let you know if it is just as good as the bigger, more expensive variant.
The Antec Fusion is a fully featured HTPC case that includes a 430W power supply. The case looks more like a A/V receiver than a case. This fact makes it by far the best fitting HTPC we had the pleasure of testing so far. It completely blends in with the big volume knob, VFD and beautiful white LED. But not only the outsides of the case are unique, the inside is divided in compartments for the mainboard, power supply and hard drives. We fill the case with hardware and take a close look at all the features, hoping it delivers more than just beautiful looks at a great price point.
3R System offers a full range of cases and quite a few HTPC variants. The newest such case is the HT-4000, which is a mid tower. This may be quite unusual for high quality HTPC cases, but everything found in such cases can also be found here - including the LCD, card reader and remote control. 3R System has managed to create a great, fully featured, beautiful and rock solid home theater case.
When it comes to cases Lian Li is one of the biggest names around. Today we take a look at the new PC-A16b case from Lian Li. Features like an adjustable HDD rack, thumb screw design, lots of room to work in a mid-tower, it's very well designed. If you're looking for a well made mid-tower with simple looks, or just a case in general; the Lian Li PC-A16 is good place to start.
The Thermaltake Bach VX case is nothing ordinary, even though the slogan "The Charm of the Ordinary" may imply some form of simpleness. The case sports some gorgeous looks and comes feature packed from start to finish. A brushed aluminum front, black drive bay covers, multiple locks and a partially screws-less design are just some of the highlights. We fill the case with hardware and let you know if we are still smiling in the end.
The Thermaltake LanBox is a portable case, which - as the name implies - is perfect for LAN parties. It features a large, comfortable and very sturdy handle, while keeping the weight down. It may cost more than other SFF cases out there, but certainly shines in every aspect. We let you know if the money is well spent for this case that is made to be the ultimate LAN party case.
