I have the original Level 10 case and I like it quite a great deal.
When I saw this link, I thought I would be a bit let down with my case having been replaced by something newer and ostensibly better. After looking at the gallery on Thermaltake’s site and the specifications, I think that was an inaccurate assumption.
This case has fewer weird shapes and surfaces. The review says the Level 10 GT is, “…a bit more streamlined than the original…” which is code for, “cheaper to produce in larger quantities.” The Level 10 case wasn’t about value or convenience or streamlining; it was about visual interest and this case has less visual interest. It is blockier, less bizarre, and more common. The exterior of motherboard compartment is particularly bland in the new version. The feet on this new unit look fairly common whereas the base on the original is curved and unique.
I do like the squatter HDD bays but don’t care that they’ve converted one of them to an external 2.5 drive. The addition of another 5.25” bay is a definite plus for the new model.
The cable management system looks improved with the use of the rubber ports, score another point for the new model.
The top mounted I/O panel is also an excellent change. My USB 3.0 ports are in the rear of the machine. The fan speed adjustment on that panel is also nice.
Another plus for the new model is the drive bay lock mechanism on the front of the machine instead of the back. Still, not having that on the front gives the older model a more pleasant appearance.
The addition of disco ball lighting effects is rather banal. Looks cheap. The subtler lighting on the original unit is more aesthetically pleasing. I feel the same way about windows – looks cheap. And let’s not forget the absolutely preposterous headphone rack. Just about the last thing anyone wants to do to a case that’s nice to look at is hang some headphones on it. For me, that’s just a ridiculous “feature”.
The larger additional fans are probably a plus for those who run hot systems. I don’t My PC is a fast build not in need of anything beyond the fans I have.
Had I do to it again, I would buy the Level 10 again versus this newer, ostensibly cheaper unit.
For the poster who indicated that there were backplanes on all the drive bays, that’s nothing new. The Level 10 case only came with two. I bought four more (actually two cables with each having two backplanes). Easy fix. Beyond that, I’m not sure how the HDD fans work on the new case –mine came with two and I bought and installed the recommended Thermaltake fans for the other four bays. Bottom line: I’ve got fans and backplanes for each hard drive.
In contrast to eddieroolz, I highly respect those who can buy a nice case instead of jacking up a cheap one and calling kewl.
Buy cheap, get cheap. Or, as the kidz say, "If I can't afford it, it's lame, man."
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