If you look at the XPG Defender Pro review, you will notice that we critiqued the fact that a case of its price tag should come with a bit more I/O and more elaborate 2.5" hard-drive assembly engineering. On top of that, other offerings in that price range opt for a four-fan setup out of the box by at least providing three ARGB in the front and a basic non-ARGB fan in the rear. Lastly, the lack of a dedicated PCB for ARGB was also a topic.

As the Defender uses the same body as the Pro version, it has the exact same 2.5" mounting method and I/O. Even the general fan setup is the same. The only tangible difference is the missing ARGB and different front-panel design. Those two aspects reduce the cost of acquisition by over 37%, which is significant and drops pricing to $80. In that price bracket, the I/O is perfectly fine, and the 2.5" HDD mounting, while still a shortcoming, doesn't hurt nearly as much. In fact, at this price point, the XPG Defender becomes a very affordable truly E-ATX capable option for those who use such a motherboard form factor.

XPG has done a great job with the front mesh panel, which still feels sturdy enough even with the material used, while retaining literally everything else from the more expensive Defender Pro. That fourth fan is still missed, but just like the SSD-mounting method, $30 saved makes those shortcomings easier to accept.

So if you are looking for a useful, straightforward, and clean option with a very good material mix, the XPG Defender should make your short list. Those with E-ATX boards should take an even closer look as you get all you need without any real-world drawbacks or having to pay a premium for it; for those users, the XPG Defender presents a budget choice. However, I can also wholeheartedly recommend it to classic ATX builders.