A Closer Look - Outside

Out of the box, the Meteor XR offers up a simple design with a square plastic front and a brushed aluminum look. It is slightly asymmetrical in design as there is a little red element sandwiched into the right side of the enclosure's front panel.


Taking a look at the front, you can see that the fake brushing is vertical, which makes the case appear a bit slimmer than it is. In the rear, things look very traditional with the usual case layout and PSU bay on the bottom of the chassis.


With everyone utilizing glass instead of acrylic, Rosewill has also gone for the higher quality material for its main side panel. It is held in place by four large thumb screws. The opposing side is completely flat and solid and made out of traditional steel.


There is a single 5.25" drive bay in the very top of the case, which is something of a rarity these days. I am sure there are still plenty of people who are fans of Blu-ray movies, for example, so it is good that Rosewill is giving them an option. In the bottom-left corner, you will find an LED that is actually the hard-drive activity light. While this is cool, it is quite big and maybe a bit much during everyday use. You may pull the entire front off, which reveals two spots for 120 mm or 140 mm fans or even a radiator of up to 240 mm in size. If you are not planning on using the drive bay, you may even go for a triple 120 mm fan setup and appropriate radiator. Out of the box, Rosewill has chosen to include a completely black intake fan here.


In the rear, at the very bottom, is a pretty standard PSU bay with a single set of mounting holes to make sure you always install the power supply the right way. Above that are the seven expansion slots, each protected by simple breakout covers with the exception of the very top one. It would have been nice to have nothing but reusable covers here to give users the utmost flexibility in changing components around over time. These covers are held in place by a bent piece of metal that is in turn secured with two normal screws. In the very top is a clear LED-equipped 120 mm fan that is set to push hot air out through the back of the chassis.


Besides the usual pair of USB 3.0 and audio connectors, you will also find a full-size HDMI port. This means that you can easily attach a VR headset to the chassis. Oddly enough, that is not something Rosewill puts a lot of focus on in their marketing as it is simply called "VGA Card Port". The reset and power buttons are at the top of the case.


The top features a large metal mesh dust filter that is held in place by magnetic strips. Underneath it, you will find an elaborate setup of holes for up to two 140 mm or three 120 mm fans or a 240 mm radiator in the ceiling of the Meteor XR.


On the underside of the chassis is another opening covered by a similar metal-mesh filter for the PSU fan. While there are openings for the HDD cage to be able to slide back and forth, which would give you the utmost in flexibility when it comes to accommodating both longer PSUs and radiators, Rosewill has chosen to go with a simpler, unmovable solution for the cage.