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15 Case Power Tower Round-Up
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1. Cucumber Salad Or Band-Aid?

Price is certainly a big consideration when buying a new midi tower. But what do you really get for your money? How well built is the case? What hardware can you install and, most importantly, how do you install it? We tested 15 different cases to see how they measured up.

We also tested how safe the cases for hardware installation. We did this by using a cucumber to test the sharpness of all the edges and drive bays that you have to watch out for when installing hardware. So don't laugh - it's better to have a bowl full of cucumber salad than a pile of gauze and band-aids.

Black and silver are currently the hot colors in midi tower cases
2. Ouch! The Pain Of Razor-Sharp Edges

But don't worry - not every case is a warren of sharp edges and corners. To our surprise, many manufacturers have either properly filed down or rounded the sharp edges. Thanks to their consideration, our test cucumber survived the acid test. In yet other cases, more than one cucumber had to be sacrificed; in the worst case, almost every edge harbored a risk.

You even have to be wary of sharp edges on the case cover.

This is how painful injuries occur.

The worst areas are generally the 5.25" drive bays. Almost all of the cases sport a faceplate that has to be snapped out before the drive can be installed. These plates are attached to the case at several perforated breaking points; but snapping them out is already dangerous. Even the smallest burr left on a breaking point can tear off a piece of skin. The images below clearly illustrate this danger. You should also watch your fingers when installing the power supply.

This case still has some sharp edges left on the breaking point.

The breaking points aren't the only dangerous spots. Here are some internal edges that haven't been filed down.

The power supply mount is often overlooked.

Case interiors aren't the sole source of injuries; the front door and corners of the case can also be a potential danger. One egregious example is the Wavemaster from Coolermaster. This case starts out with several danger areas. Above and beyond the cucumber test, simply lifting up the case will tend to break the door loose from the weak magnet latch, leaving it to swing wildly back and forth.

Sharp edges
3. The Cases: Up Close And Personal

Antec P160 : Lightweight At 13 Pounds

Antec’s P160 midi tower is one of the lightest cases in our round-up, thanks to the fact that all its parts are made of ultra-thin aluminum. There are four 5.25" drive bays. Two of them sport front bevels, which is all the better to hide non-aluminum components. You can also access two more 3.5" bays from the front, one of which is set up for floppy use. One unusual feature is the control display, with front ports for USB, FireWire and audio, that can be rotated vertically by 45 degrees. The display reports the current internal temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit. A switch inside the case allows you to change between the metric and the English system.

Without any hardware, the Antec P160 weighs in at 13 lbs.

The case produces a blue light when running

4. Simple Motherboard Installation

With the P160, installing the motherboard and the other hardware is easy. Just remove the tray for your motherboard. This makes installation much less of a hassle. Expansion cards are held in place with thumb screws so you don’t need any tools. The Antec case can even handle PCI long cards, even if it is a little tight.

Interior : well designed and planned out.

The motherboard tray can be removed, making installation more flexible.

The graphics board and the other PCI cards are mounted using thumb screws.

5. Hard-Drive Trays

Antec’s installation design is a brilliant idea. The drives are installed in the carriage with trays instead of rails or screws. The beautiful thing about the design is that these trays use rubber mounting grommets as mini-shock absorbers. The carriage only accommodates 4 HDDs, but that should be enough for most people. Ribbon cables can be easily folded together and tucked down behind the drives. That makes for a practical solution to in-case clutter.

Hard-drive trays with vibration absorbers

The P160 midi-tower can handle up to four 3.5" hard drives

Goodbye mess : the cables are tucked away

6. Fresh Air With 120 mm Fans

The Antec case has enough room for two 120 mm fans. It only ships with one, though. Antec could have included a second fan ; these things are peanuts for a case manufacturer like Antec. The included fan is attached to the case by means of rubber grommets inserted into prefabricated holes, and not by means of screws. The upshot is that the hard-drive vibrations aren’t transferred to the case.

Included with case : 120 mm system fan

A second 120 mm fan can be attached to this bracket

7. Rails For 5.25" Drives

Antec has decided to go with rails for DVD or CD drive installation. The rails are screwed directly onto the drives and then inserted in one of the empty drive bays. The solution is an elegant one - unless you want to install a 2" deep fan speed controller without any additional perforations. In that case, the controller droops down, marring the appearance of your front panel.

5.25" drives like DVDs or burners are attached to the case using rails.

Small displays - like our test one here - don’t get much support from these drive rails.

8. Perfect Construction

The Antec case is extremely well constructed and finished. All its edges and corners passed the cucumber test with flying colors. The only problem is that the lightweight metal scratches easily.

Perfect construction : no sharp edges.

Too bad that the aluminum case picks up scratches so easily - once there, they’ll never come out...

Pros

  • Very light weight
  • Edges filed down
  • Vibration absorption for 120 mm system fan
  • Display for interior temperature
  • Motherboard tray
  • Vibration absorption for HDD trays
Cons

  • Only accommodates four hard drives
  • 5.25" drive rails only have one hole
  • Does not ship with a second 120 mm fan

No one had ever thought of a second front panel for the drives. That is, until Antec came along.

In sum, the case appears to be very well designed. Installation is easy and safe. Thanks to the use of ultra-thin aluminum, the empty case weighs in at only 13 pounds - perfect for LAN party goers. A second 120 mm fan would have been a welcome addition - it is conspicuous by its absence. At least Antec did think of another front bevel for another CD or DVD drive.

9. Casetek C1020: Enter The Dragon

Belying its bulky appearance, Casetec's C1020 midi tower only weighs 18.5 pounds when empty. It ships with a key to lock the long front door. A dragon symbol shimmers tastefully in various colors on the front of the case. Behind the door are the five 5.25" bays as well as the power and reset buttons. Two of the five 3.5" bays are accessible from the front. The ports for USB, IEEE1394 and sound are located on the top of the case. A closeable panel keeps out the dust.

The dragon glimmers ominously once the PC boots up.

You have to open the front door before you can turn on the computer.
10. Easy Installation Of Motherboards, Graphic Boards And Hard Drives

The side panels simply slide out once you remove the thumb screws. Now you can start installing the computer hardware. The interior contains many features lifted from Thermaltake and Chieftec cases. For example, the hard-drive carriage has been rotated 90 degrees to make installing drives much easier. The same thing applies to the fan brackets on the side of the case. However, it is a mystery to us what the dust filter is doing here. We don't know why it has been placed in the middle of the case. Sure, the few holes in the side panel could pull in air and dust, but then there should also be a dust filter over the holes, which the case doesn't offer.

The Casetek C1020 has a simple, but elegant, solution for screwless brackets for AGP and PCI cards.

The bracket for the additional system fans can be opened up during hardware installation.

Look, no screws! Expansion-card latches

The rotated hard-drive carriage wouldn't get in the way of a PCI long card if it weren't for the cable clips. With a bit of brute force, we did manage to wedge the PCI card past the cable clip. If the carriage were removable, this wouldn't even be an issue. The hard drives slide in and audibly engage in the carriage via screwless drive rails. However, there isn't much space left for thick round cables. Simple ribbon cables are a better idea.

The drive rails are simply placed on the drives, and not screwed on.

The drive rails engage with a solid, audible click.

Makes installing the drives easier: the carriage has been rotated 90 degrees
11. The Hazards Of Installing 5.25" Drives

To install a DVD drive in the Casetec 1020, you first have to remove the front plate from the drive bay. When you bend the metal plate back and forth, it will snap off at the breaking points, leaving sharp edges. The 5.25" drive bays can also be hazardous to your hands: the edges are razor-sharp, enough to cause injury. Casetek should address these problems immediately.

Parts have to be snapped out of the case before you can install a DVD drive or burner.

The breaking points leave behind sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury considerably

Scrape against this, and you'll lose a piece of skin
12. Pros
  • Plenty of room for 80 mm system fans
  • Sturdy case
  • Sturdy front doors, 180 degree hinge, lockable
  • HDD carriage rotated by 90 degrees
  • Room for PCI long cards
  • All drives have rails with vibration absorption
Cons
  • Weight
  • Sharp edges
  • Breaking points create high risk of injury

The second front door hides an 80 mm fan with a dust filter that draws fresh air into the case interior.

Castek's C1020 case failed our cucumber test miserably. None of the other cases has as many sharp edges and corners as this one. In other words, exercise caution when installing the hardware and even opening the case.

13. Chieftec BX-01: Plenty Of Room For Hard Drives

Chieftec's new BX-01 case is another study in perfect design and execution. Its highlight: exchangeable trim plates. You can choose from 64 different color and design combinations. The front panel and side panels can be locked down with a special key. The side panels are also available with a see-through window, which doesn't exactly shield against unwanted electromagnetic emissions. The front panel can be opened as far as 180 degrees, or even entirely removed. The entire case uses thumb screws that can be manipulated without tools.

Style your own case: exchangeable trim plates

The front door can be opened up wide or removed.
14. A Glimpse Inside The Case

Open the side door, and you'll find a well-designed interior. The screws for installing the 5.25" drives aren't packed in a bag, as is usual, but have been neatly arrayed in the case. Chieftec even includes two replacement thumb screws - now that was good thinking.

One look inside reveals that there is enough room for a large number hard drives

A place for the screws, and the screws in their place.
15. 90-Degree Carriage Rotation Simplifies Hard-Drive Installation

The Chieftec case has enough room for six hard drives. Every one of them is mounted on rails before it is slid into the carriage, which is rotated 90 degrees. This is a pretty tight maneuver since there isn't much space for cabling. Chieftec realized this and included a special connection cable for Serial-ATA devices. Admittedly, only one, for a potential total of six hard drives.

There is room behind the hard drives for two 80 mm system fans to cool the drives.

Ribbon cables are easy to bend and take up very little space.

The power cabling is particularly tight. Who hasn't had that contact problem with older IBM HDDs?

The case ships with a special Serial-ATA cable.
16. Safe Installation Of 5.25" Drives

Chieftec has developed a unique system for removing the front plates on the drive bays. On other cases, you need a knife or screwdriver; the Chieftec case is child's play by comparison. The snap-out process results in no sharp edges or corners that you could cut yourself on.

After a little bending, the breaking points on the plates snap through.

The burr from the breaking point is safely out of reach and poses no risk of injury.
17. Pros
  • Sturdy case
  • Removable trim plates
  • HDD carriage rotated by 90 degrees
  • Plenty of room for hard drives and 5.25" drives
  • All drives have rails with vibration absorption
  • Screws neatly stored in case interior
  • No sharp edges
Cons
  • Weight
  • Little space left when cabling hard drives
  • No room for PCI long cards

In the Chieftec case, the expansion cards are held in place with a card clipper.

In sum, Chieftec's BX series is setting standards in construction and design. Our one small gripe: a little more room in the hard-drive area would not hurt the case at all.

18. Coolermaster Wavemaster: All Metal With Sharp Edges

Coolermaster uses lightweight aluminum for its Wavemaster case, putting its total weight at a mere 17.6 pounds. The side panels and the motherboard tray are as light as a feather. The front panels, by contrast, are sturdy and heavy. The front door that protects the 5.25" drives is only kept in place by a small magnet. There are some edges on the front that could quickly cause bruises if you bump up against them with your knee or leg. The front ports are placed on the top of the black case, where you can also see small blemishes (dents) caused by the brackets.

Metal front door: opens 110 degrees

Edges on the front: possible cause of leg bruises?
19. Coolermaster Wavemaster, Continued

The interior only appears to be sufficient at first glance. When we tried to install the hardware, we discovered that the motherboard and the 3.5" drives were at cross-purposes.

There isn't much room in the 21" deep case.

All the removable parts are attached with thumb screws.
20. Installing The Motherboard Outside

The Coolermaster case comes with a removable tray for installing your computer hardware. This way, you can install your motherboard and all the other hardware on your mobo externally. That also includes your graphic board and any other PCI cards.

The tray can be removed after you remove the thumb screws.

Once the tray is removed, it is easier to install the motherboard, graphics card, CPU and RAM.

The expansion cards are attached to the tray with thumb screws.
21. Hard Drives Screwed Directly On The Case

The hard drives are best installed while the motherboard tray is still outside the case. The drives are screwed directly onto the case, increasing the vibration. The Coolermaster case does not offer any vibration absorption for the hard drives. Up to six 3.5" drives can be stuffed into the Wavemaster.

The drive bracket is attached directly to the case.

Here, simple ribbon IDE cables are more suitable than round IDE cables.
22. Pros
  • Removable mainboard tray
  • Easy hardware installation
  • Ships with one 120 mm system fan
  • Thumb screws
  • Edges filed down
Cons
  • Heavy
  • Drive bracket is attached directly to case
  • No dust filters
  • No room for PCI long cards
  • Edges on front side could be a problem
  • Ugly dents near the front ports

On the Wavemaster, the front ports are located on top of the case.

In sum, despite being made of metal, Coolermaster's Wavemaster weighs in at a mere 17.6 pounds. You will have to be careful around some of the edges on the front; they are perfectly placed to bruise up your shins. Installing the hardware is an easy affair since the motherboard, graphics card and other components can be mounted outside the case.

23. Inter-Tech Sportcar Design: Typical Engine Sound With 6 Fans

With the Formula 1 season in full swing, everyone wants his or her own Ferrari. But if you don't have enough room in your garage, or if your account gives up the ghost, you can make do with a case designed to look like a sports car. It even comes with your standard engine noise - its interior has enough room for six 80 mm fans. To hear and feel the vroom-vroom, you just need to have all six roaring at full force. So what if you can't understand what anyone's saying anymore?

Candy-apple red case with headlights: the Sportcar Design

Lights aren't only useful for driving in the dark...
24. Roomy Interior

Pop the hood, and you'll see that this isn't a Ferrari. The continuous drive mount, affixed directly to the case, offers enough room for seven hard drives and four 5.25" drives. Long expansion cards won't fit in the flashy case.

A glimpse under the hood: plenty of room for hard drives

Before installing the cards, you have to remove a face plate that has not been deburred.
25. Up To 11 Drives Fit In The Case

The continuous drive carriage can accommodate four 5.25" and seven 3.5" drives. No screws are needed to attach the HDDs or other drives. You simply insert the special holding clips in the drive holes and lock them onto the drive carriage.

The HDD carriage has enough room for four 80 mm fans.

These screwless holding clips are used to attach the hard drives and 5.25" drives.
26. Razor-Sharp Edges And Corners

In its virginal state, the case initially didn't show any danger zones. That changed once we started to install the hardware. We uninstalled the power supply to make it easier to install the motherboard. And lo and behold! - our first sharp edges. To make a long story short, it's better to keep the power supply in the case. It may cause a spot of bother when installing the motherboard, but your fingers will thank you for it. Once snapped out of the 5.25" bays, the front plates will leave behind some sharp burrs that could cause serious gashes if you're not careful.

Snapping out the protective plates creates some very sharp edges

We didn't find the danger zones until we removed the power supply.
27. Pros
  • Catchy design with headlights
  • Plenty of room for drives
  • Plenty of room for HDD cooling
  • Cabling for front ports
  • Ships with installed power supply
Cons
  • Plastic front is not sturdy
  • Unusual drive clips
  • Front plates leave behind sharp edges

The case is also available in yellow or black.

The Sportcar-Design is also available in other colors. In yellow or black, for example, to match your favorite team's colors.

28. InWin IW-J568G: With Fan Speed Controller And Card Reader

The big display in the InWin midi tower is perfect for monitoring the interior temperature and controlling several system fans. With two recesses for a 5.25" drive and the card reader (memory cards for digital cameras), this case makes installing both devices much easier. InWin's IW-J568G ships with a 350 watt power supply and a 92 mm fan.

The case seems bulkier than other midi towers

Rear view: the power supply and system fan are already installed
29. Motherboard Installation A Hassle

The two side panels on the InWin case are held in place with two clips instead of screws. Once we removed the clips, we discovered a vertical bar that seriously interfered with any hardware installation. Sure, you can remove the bar. But it is entirely superfluous: the metal case is sturdy enough without it.

The interior of the InWin case is already cramped without hardware.

A vertical bar which is supposed to provide added stability interferes with installation.
30. Old-Fashioned Card Holders

Like in the good old days, expansion cards are attached firmly to the case using humble metal screws. Thanks to an ATX Y-cable, the display draws its power directly from the power supply and doesn't have to be wired separately. This means that the display can be used immediately as a monitor and an alarm clock. You have only to properly position the two heat sensors after you install the hardware.

Regular Philips screws keep the expansion cards in place in the case.

This cable supplies both the motherboard and the front display with power.
31. Waste Of Space

Where the 3.5" drives would normally be installed, the IW-J568G boasts plenty of room for oversized graphics boards or PCI cards. This flexibility comes at a cost: only three hard drives fit in the midi tower. Two of the three hard drives are installed in a carriage that can be removed for the installation.

No problem for this case: installing long graphics cards

Uncomplicated: installing and wiring the hard drives
32. Pros
  • Multifeatured display
  • Ships with installed power supply
  • Edges filed down
Cons
  • Difficult hardware installation
  • No dust filter
  • Minimal room for hard drives
  • PCI long cards can be installed with limitations only

The display shows the time and temperature. It also acts as an alarm clock and fan-speed controller

The built-in card reader can manage seven different formats

In sum, the clock display can be used not only to control fan speed and monitor the internal temperature, but also to wake you up in the mornings. The open 3.5" bay contains a card reader with front ports for USB, FireWire and audio.

33. Lian Li PC-V1000: Innovative Interior

We noticed one of the special features of the Lian Li PC-V1000 case as soon as we unpacked it. This lightweight aluminum model has casters instead of feet - the rear casters even have brakes. But the aluminum casters still slide on smooth surfaces or carpets, even after you put on the brake. We knew its interior had to be different just by looking at the rear: the typical opening for the power supply was not in its normal place.

The V1000 looks almost like any other midi tower from the outside.

The case is placed on four machined aluminum casters with a built-in hand brake
34. Ingenious Innards

The side panels are attached by only one screw with a central lock. You have to remove the thumb screw before you can pull out the latch by about half an inch. Then you can remove the lid. The layout of the motherboard, power supply and hard drives is entirely unlike that of conventional cases. Nothing in it so much as resembles what we've seen in other midi towers. In the PC-V1000, the power supply and drives are installed at the bottom, the motherboard on top. It takes a little getting used to, but it's still brilliant: one glance at the 120 mm fans showed us that both are isolated from the case with rubber pegs.

One look inside reveals the innovative hardware layout.

The central locking system lets you remove the side panels with one thumb screw on either side.
35. The PSU Down Under

Normally, the power-supply unit is located above the motherboard. Not so in the Lian-Li case. In the PC-V1000, the PSU is placed at the bottom, next to the hard drives. The PSU can draw in enough air from the holes at the bottom of the case to stay cool. The advantage of this arrangement is that the PSU does not pull in extra heat from the other hardware. That keeps it from heating up faster. Cabling the motherboard and the drives is only awkward with rigid connecting cables.

The power-supply unit, like this one from Targan, has to be installed headfirst in the V1000.

The cables are run from the PSU to the inside through a plastic-rimmed hole.
36. Room Enough For Six Hard Drives

All told, you can install six 3.5" hard drives in the Lian-Li midi tower. The drives are inserted into the bays on rails, where they latch onto the plastic carriage. Right next to the installation carriages is a 120 mm fan just for cooling the hard drives. Holes in the bottom carry heat outside before it has a chance to dissipate inside.

There's room for six hard drives in the hard-drive carriages, located right next to a 120 mm fan.

This is the only gateway for the cables to connect the hard drives to the motherboard and the PSU.

This would be an ideal location for another access opening for hard drive cables.
37. Screws Into Threads Not Into The Case

The screws on and in the case are screwed directly into their mating threads and not into the aluminum case. That way, the screws won't wear out over time, but will provide a firm hold after several uses.

A thumb screw does not eat into the aluminum case...

... but has a perfect mate.
38. Front Bevel Included

A beige or black DVD drive might mar the appearance of the Lian-Li case. So the manufacturer ships it with a front bevel for a 5.25" drive made from aluminum and not plastic. Great thinking. The same goes for the connecting cables for the USB, FireWire and audio ports in front. They can be used universally and are well labeled.

A 5.25" front bevel comes with the case.

The front ports blend in well with the overall look.

The cables are well labeled and can be used universally.
39. Gotcha: Two Minor Weaknesses

Despite our initial euphoria, we found two weaknesses, albeit very minor ones. When installing the hardware, we spent some time hunting for the power-button connector. The blue-and-white cable for the power-on button is labeled "reset," which has got to be a small error: there isn't a reset button to be found anywhere on the case. But who needs a power-on button, anyway? Most people leave their computers running all the time.

The second snag is the retaining screw of the speaker, the sole danger spot in the entire case. In its defense, however, we should add that this area is inaccessible and does not pose an immediate threat.

Where in the world is the power-on plug? It's missing!

This is the only screw that could cut you, but it's very hard to reach.
40. Pros
  • Low weight
  • Interior layout
  • Plenty of room for hard drives and 5.25" drives
  • Edges filed down
  • Thumb screws and matching threads
  • Case on casters
  • PCI long cards can be installed
Cons
  • Requires long IDE cables
  • No dust filters
  • No power-on contact plug

Exemplary till the end. The Lian-Li PC-V1000 comes with well-illustrated instructions

In sum, this new interior arrangement should set a precedent for all other case makers - it's better than the usual ATX specification. Furthermore, it draws out the heat better and offers more space for drives and additional hardware. Its construction is exemplary - there is hardly a flaw to be found in the entire PC-V1000.

41. NZXT Guardian: Zylon From Battlestar Galactica

The NZXT Guardian's target user group is definitely for the under 30 crowd: the futuristic design would be out of place in any office setting. But at a LAN party - that's another story. The light effects in the front panel blink like the zylons on the Battlestar Galactica - a nice feature but totally useless. Thanks to its unusual design, the side window lets you see a bit of the NZXT Guardian's interior.

Space-age design and eye-catcher at the same time.

The light effects are a mix of Knight Rider and Battlestar Galactica.
42. No Sharp Edges Inside

The side panel is attached with two thumb screws and can be removed without tools. Once the panel is off, you will finally see the entire interior. A PSU is squirreled away in the back. All the edges and corners of the Guardian have either been filed down or folded over to prevent the risk of injury when installing hardware. The only problem might be caused by the decorative side window, with its round parts that can be easily bent out.

The ornaments of the side panel can be easily bent out, which may tear a hole or two in your pants.

Open the case, and you'll see a 420 watt PSU from Orion.

Exemplary: all the inner edges are filed down or folded back.
43. Complicated Rail System For Drives

The 5.25" and 3.5" drives are installed using drive rails that unfortunately cannot be detached from the carriage. It takes considerable skill and patience to get the hang of it, but then the installation is a snap. The AGP and PCI cards are easier to install. Plastic clips prevent the expansion cards from becoming unseated.

Slot handling is complicated.

Screwless plastic clips keep the expansion cards in place.
44. No Dust Filters Inside The Case

To improve air circulation, there is a bracket for two 80 mm fans on the rear of the case. One fan already ships with the case. The second spot is empty and waiting to be filled with a fan. Although holes for different-sized fans have been drilled into the front, they are hard to access. All fans work without special dust filters.

The case can accommodate two 80 mm fans. Only one is included in the package.

A colorful fan shines through the transparent side panel.
Pros
  • Multifeatured display
  • Ships with installed power supply
  • Edges filed down
  • Plenty of room for drives
  • 420 watt PSU
  • Screwfree expansion-card clips
Cons
  • Edges on the side panel
  • No dust filters
  • PCI long cards cannot be installed
Amiga 1000, Slight Return

If you remember the Amiga 1000, you'll probably remember the signatures in the case cover. It's the same thing with the NZXT midi tower case: the developer has carved his name on the back of the front door.

Vanity or design?
45. Revoltec Midi Tower: Chieftec With A New Design

Revoltec is not really a PC case manufacturer, since its case was just a Chieftec midi tower with a new coat of paint. We still think it's worth a test: there is a lot of space inside, and plenty of room for drives. Weighing in at almost 27 pounds, the Revoltec is designed more for stationary use and less for LAN parties.

Obvious: Chieftec case with a Revoltec design

From the rear, the Revoltec midi tower seems bland
46. Traditional Hardware Installation

The motherboard and expansion cards are installed using decade-old methods. The board is attached with spacers, the graphics and PCI cards with plain-vanilla metal screws. Ample space on the bottom PCI slot allows you to use PCI long cards.

The classic way of securing the graphics card with a metal screw.
47. Rails For 5.25" Drives

DVD or CD drives are not attached to the case with screws; instead, the 5.25" drives are inserted in place on two guide rails each. The drives engage with a solid, audible click. But watch out during installation, because the edges in the Revoltec case still sport some burrs.

5.25" drives need special rails for installation.

The mounting rails can be used for all drives and fan-speed controllers

It takes only two fingers to remove the engaged drive.
48. Special Carriages For Hard Drives

The installation of the 3.5" hard drives is simple but ingenious. Two individually removable installation cages can be disconnected from the case interior with an individual latch. Each cube easily accommodates three drives. To cool these drives, there is a plastic bracket for an 80 mm fan on the back of the metal frame. That fan's only job is to cool the hard drives.

The Revoltec/Chieftec case houses two HDD carriages

Each of the carriages can be removed to install the drives.

Metal cube accommodates drives and fans
49. Pros
  • Two separately removable HDD carriages
  • Plenty of room for drives
  • Plenty of room for HDD cooling
  • Front door has an opening angle of 180°
  • Rails for 5.25" drives
  • PCI long cards can be installed
Cons
  • Sharp edges
  • Weight
  • Short case

These edges are razor-sharp and will easily cause injuries.

The usually bland Chieftec midi tower is pepped up a bit by Revoltec Tattoo Art Design. The two HDD carriages can be easily removed and upgraded with an 80 mm fan. The edges could be filed down somewhat better - the Chieftec/Revoltec midi tower failed our cucumber test miserably.

50. Silverstone Temjin SST-TJ02: Struggle With Drive Rails

The Temjin SST-TJ02 midi tower has absolutely no plastic parts. Everything is made from lightweight aluminum, from the covers of the four 5.25" bays to the protective lid of the front ports. Without hardware, the SST-TJ02 weighs in at just below 22 pounds. The dimensions of 18.6 x 17.6 x 8.5 inches are a sign that its interior is quite cramped. The side panels are closed with regular screws in the traditional manner.

The Silverstone Temjin SST-TJ02 looks very classy from the outside.

Holes have been drilled for 80, 92 and 100 mm fans.
A Tight Fit Inside

Take off the case cover, and you see that your first hunch was right. It's a tight fit, making installation anything but convenient. Almost all of the inner edges are deburred or folded over, so there is no danger of cuts. Just be careful installing the PSU, where the edges were overlooked.

It takes but one look to see that things are going to be tight.
51. Rails Secure Drives Firmly

It doesn't get any fussier. The drive bracket is affixed directly to the case, turning installation into a tightrope routine. A small hook has to engage in the drive holes before the drive can be positioned properly. That may sound easy, but it isn't. Unless you hold down the locking mechanism the entire time while inserting the drive, the hook will inevitably scratch up the drive.

The drives are installed with a rather complicated mounting system.

Removable hard drive carrier: this makes hardware installation easier

Motherboard and drives get in each others' way after installation
52. Pros
  • Low weight
  • Removable HDD carriage
  • Ships with one 120 mm system fan
  • Holes have been drilled for 80, 92 and 100 mm fans
  • Side door can be locked
Cons
  • Cumbersome drive rails
  • No dust filters
  • PCI long cards cannot be installed
  • Very little room for internal cabling
  • Awkward cabling for front ports

Front ports for USB, sound and FireWire are hidden behind an aluminum panel

In sum, the interior of the Silverstone Temjin SST-TJ02 doesn't live up to its posh exterior. The rails for the drives are more ridiculous than useful. Of course, you can forcibly remove the rails, giving you at least the option of switching to conventional screws.

53. Silverstone Temjin SST-TJ03S: Pricy XXL Format

Despite being oversized, the SST-TJ03S is one of the lightest test candidates - and the price reflects that fact. The construction shows no flaws. Even the front door is made from solid but lightweight aluminum. The front door has an opening angle of almost 120 degrees, but opens to the right. Behind it is enough room for six 5.25" drives, although there is no bay for 3.5" units. The second front door hides the dust filter for the fan, which it easy to replace.

The Silverstone midi tower: plain and simple

Nothing unusual on the rear, either.
54. Spacious Interior

One look inside reveals that this tower is a bit deeper than other midi cases. The drive bracket for 5.25" and 3.5" drives is affixed to the case and houses up to 12 devices.

The SST-TJ03S is a few inches longer than other midi towers.

You can install the computer hardware outside the case, since the tray for the motherboard and the other components can be detached. This simplifies hard-drive installation, too, even though the carriage is not rotated 90 degrees.

Motherboard and other computer components can be mounted outside the case.

Up To 12 Drives Fit In The Silverstone SST-TJ03S
55. Screws And Expansion Cards

The Silverstone case makes it child's play to install graphics cards and additional PCI cards. Simple metal screws connect the expansion cards to the tray. Holes are punched into the tray to give you more stability when using the screwdriver.

Expansion cards such as graphics cards are firmly screwed onto the motherboard tray.

Plain holes make it easy to tighten the retaining screws.

Installing a PCI long card is simple.
56. Complicated Front-Port Cabling

One of the few drawbacks is the cabling for the USB and FireWire ports and the two audio jacks. Since the cables are separate, you have to consult the manual for your motherboard. The labels on the contacts are helpful but unnecessary. The panel connectors have been standardized for some time now and could be connected using one central plug.

Hooking up the cables takes a lot of patience and a good manual.
Pros
  • Motherboard and components can be installed outside the case
  • Low weight
  • Plenty of room for hard drives and 5.25" drives
  • Edges filed down
  • Dust filter
Cons
  • No vibration absorption on drives
  • Little space left when cabling hard drives
  • 120 degree opening angle of front doors
  • Cabling for front ports

Two 80 mm fans blow the dissipated heat out of the case.

In sum, hardware installation is a cinch. The motherboard is screwed onto a removable tray. This makes installing the cards, memory and CPU easier than in other cases, and the non-removable drive carriage, holding up to six 5.25" and six 3.5" drives, is easier to access during installation. The going price for the Silverstone Temjin SST-TJ03S is $330 (400 euros).

57. Superflower X-Mask SF-462: Spider Design

There are several spiders crawling on the X-Mask SF-462 case from Superflower, which probably rules out women as a target group. We'll leave the design aspect to our readers - beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all. Behind the front door are the bays for four 5.25" and three 3.5" drives. The front door opens up to a 160 degree angle, but its front panel and hinge are plastic and break off easily.

Spider legs adorn the plastic front

The eyes of the spider only light up when the machine is on.
58. Roomy Interior For Many Hard Drives

An additional, removable HDD carriage can accept up to four 3.5" hard drives. Due to one extra inch on this bracket, it is impossible to install a PCI long card in the X-Mask SF-462. Fresh air is provided by two fans located in front of the hard drives.

Interior: plenty of room for hard drives and 5.25" drives.

The HDD carriage can be taken out to simply install the drives.

Two 80 mm fans keep the hard drives cool.
59. Card Installation With Brute Force

The slot covers for the graphics and expansion cards are firmly attached to the case and take some doing to snap out. Once the covers are removed, you can screw on the cards. The slot covers are not reattachable.

In its virginal state, all the case's slot covers are firmly attached to the case...

... and require brute force to be broken off.
60. Are These Designers Crazy?

These cases sport an eight-legged insect crawling on the side panel, and additionally highlighted by a lighted fan behind it.

There's a spider crawling on the side panel, too.

An 80 mm fan moves the dissipated heat out of the case.
Pros
  • Plenty of room for drives
  • Removable HDD carriage
  • Comes with three system fans
Cons
  • Edges on the side panel
  • No dust filters
  • PCI long cards cannot be installed
  • Slot covers must be broken off by force
  • Sharp edges
  • Very little room for internal cabling

A regular plug lets you divert a FireWire port to the front.
61. Thermaltake XaserV V5000A: Full Metal Jacket

The Thermaltake Xaser V is probably one of today's heaviest PC cases on the market. The empty case weighs in at a whopping 37.4 pounds. Even the front door, made of plastic on most of its competitors, is made of heavy metal on the Xaser V and reinforced on the inside with an aluminum plate. A preinstalled fan-speed controller, located in one of the five drive bays, lets you freely adjust all the 80 mm fans. Cabling, however, is an exercise in patience. When purchasing this midi tower, you should definitely grab several power-Y cables as well, as each fan requires a peripheral plug.

The Thermaltake Xaser V weighs in at a whopping 37.4 pounds.

The Xaser V can accommodate up to nine drives.
62. Problems With Graphics-Card Installation

The installation of the graphics card turned out to be tricky, as the screwless clip won't lock down larger graphics cards. You'll have to fiddle with it quite a bit to get the card properly in place so it won't slide out of the AGP slot. The remaining hardware installed easily. All the edges are filed down to protect you from injury. The installation of the 5.25" drives and hard drives is done with drive rails that also absorb any vibration generated by the drives. The hard-drive carriage is rotated 90 degrees, so there is nothing to stop you from installing a PCI long card. The usual front ports for USB, FireWire and audio can be accessed through a plastic lid on top of the case. Connecting the cables turns out to be rocket science: the tiny contact plugs are not bundled in groups. The only way to connect them is by consulting a good motherboard manual.

The screwless expansion-card clips run afoul of tall graphics cards.

The cable mess quickly dissolves once the system fans are installed.

The case interior sports five 80 mm fans that can all be connected to the fan-speed controller.

The front ports are located on top of the case.
63. Pros
  • Integrated fan-speed controller
  • Edges filed down
  • Sturdy case
  • Sturdy front door, 180 degree hinge, lockable
  • Ships with five 80 mm system fans
  • HDD carriage rotated by 90 degrees
  • Room for a PCI long card
  • All drives have rails with vibration absorption
Cons
  • Weight
  • Graphics card installation
  • Separate device connectors for many system fans

The front door opens by up to 180 degrees.

In sum, the Xaser V5000A is definitely not the case to lug to a LAN party every day; its sturdy construction is designed more for stationary use. Thermaltake will have to remedy the graphics-card blunder fairly quickly; other than that, the case is well-designed.

64. Yeong Yang YY-5603: No Major Flaws

At first glance, only the front of Yeong Yang's midi tower really sticks out. Five bays can be accessed from the front, while the 3.5" drive is placed on top, just as in the old days. The front ports are located on top, but lack a lid to protect them from dust. The side panel is held in place by a heavy lock that makes a real racket when you open it. The case cover itself houses a plastic pipe-like air guide to draw out CPU heat.

One of a handful of cases with a 3.5" drive on top

Without the protective cover, these ports will quickly get covered in dust and stop working.
65. Tidy Accessories

The side air guide isn't the only eye catcher: the case also comes with a blue box placed in the rotated hard-drive carriage. The plastic box is home to extras like screws, drive rails and spacers for motherboard installation.

The Yeong Yang case can accommodate four 5.25" and five 3.5" drives plus a floppy drive.

All the case accessories are stowed neatly in the blue box.
Temperature-Controlled System Fans

To enhance air circulation, the case comes with two installed 120 mm fans. Both are temperature-controlled and placed in a plastic frame on the case - without, however, any dust filter. Expansion cards are installed with an easy-to-use built-in clip.

The expansion cards are held in place with a clip.

Two 120 mm fans keep air circulating inside the case, but lack dust filters.
66. Anti-Vibration Rails For Drives

Before you can install the hard drives, you'll have to remove the blue box that contains the rails and screws for the drives. The manufacturer has put some thought into the handling aspect: the screws are threadless; you simply insert them in the rubber grommets and then in the drive holes. This elegant solution separates the hard drives from the case and prevents vibration from being transferred throughout the case.

The drive rails do not come into direct contact with the hard drive.

It's easy to mount the hard drives on the guide rails.

The HDD carriage accommodates five drives.
67. Break-Away Face Plates

Every case has its breaking points. It's just a question of doing it right, as in the case of the Yeong-Yang midi tower. The face plates, once snapped out, don't leave any sharp edges on the case. The only edges are on the loose face plate that is now headed for the scrap heap.

You do have to twist the plate back and forth a few times before it breaks off.

The face plates separate cleanly from the case.

The only sharp edges are on the broken-off piece of metal, not on the case.
Pros
  • Two temperature-controlled 120 mm fans
  • Storage box for miscellaneous parts
  • Six 3.5" drive bays
  • HDD carriage rotated 90 degrees
  • Vibration absorption on drive rails
  • Screwless clip for expansion cards
Cons
  • No protective cover for front ports

In sum, the Yeong Yang YY-5603 has a well-designed interior with no sharp edges or corners. The manufacturer even thought of including an air guide to draw off processor heat. The only thing missing is a protective cover for the front ports.

Not your average coffee cup: this is really a type of chimney to draw off the heat dissipated by the CPU.
68. Jet-Computer Last Samurai: Shades Of Darth Vader

The official Jet-Computer name for the case "Last Samurai". But squint at it a little and the case will start looking more like a creature from the Alien trilogy than Tom Cruise in a kimono. Since this test sample was still a pre-production model exhibited at CeBIT, we decided to not rate the Last Samurai. CeBIT took its toll on the case and the front door. We will run the test sometime in the near future.

Here is some information on what the Samurai case can accommodate to whet your appetite: P4 ATX/ATX mobos, five 5.25" drives, two 3.5" externally accessible drives, four 3.5" hard drives and a weight of 35 pounds. However, prices were not available by copy deadline.

Quite a looker: Vader's helmet, Alien's grin and an all-around monster in one.

Nothing special on the inside.

The trilogy is complete, at least in terms of colors.
69. Testing Procedure

The overall score is made up of the following rating criteria:

  • Construction of case, exterior, side panels and front door
  • Edges and corners, risk of injury when opening the case and installing hardware
  • Installation of the motherboard, expansion cards and various power supplies
  • Wiring for front ports, drives, motherboards
  • Expandability and installation of hard drives and 5.25" drives and fan-speed controller

Our Testing Hardware

To make our scores as realistic as possible, we installed various hardware components in each midi tower. The foundation for the PC was an IC7-MAX3 motherboard from Abit. We then mounted an AGP graphics board from MSI and - case permitting - a 4-channel controller from Advansys. While it isn't the most bleeding-edge board, we were more interested in trying to install a PCI long card. The hard drives were chosen from a number of 40 GB models from various manufacturers. Our 5.25" drive was a 16x DVD drive from MSI. We used an ultra-short Superflower Fan Master for our fan-speed controller because we knew that it couldn't be installed on every midi case.

IC7MAX3 from Abit is the foundation for the PC.

Not exactly MSI's flagship model anymore: we were more interested in installing the AGP card.

The 4-channel controller was developed in the 90s as a PCI long card.

We wanted to mount four hard drives in every case.

The Superflower fan-speed controller showed whether the cases could accommodate short 5.25" devices.

The new Targan PSU TG380-U01 has a rat's nest of long cabling.

The Levicom PSU is ½" deeper, and a good example of oversized power supplies for our midi tower round-up.

The new golden Enermax power supply uses a short 40 cm cable that is also very rigid.
70. Ratings

Conclusion

We were only really sold on the offering from Antec, Lian-Li and Yeong-Yang. These cases stand out for their premium construction and easy hardware installation. The clear winner in this round-up is Lian Li’s PC-V1000, not only thanks to its innovative interior layout, but also to its sound design, expandability and construction.

71. Features Chart
Manufacturer / Model Antec P160 Casetek C1020 Chieftec BX-01 Cooler Master Wavemaster TAC-T01 Inter-Tech Sport-Car
Case
Form Factor Midi-Tower Midi-Tower Midi-Tower Midi-Tower Midi-Tower
Weight 6 kg 13.5 kg 14.5 kg 7.95 kg 6.25 kg
Dimensions 205 x 500 x 505 mm 205 x 560 x 480 mm 205 x 475 x 505 mm 193 x 540 x 450 mm 205 x 485 x 435 mm
Closeable yes yes yes no no
Material Aluminum Metal Metal Aluminum / Metal Plastic / Aluminum
Can be opened with Knurled screws Knurled screws Knurled screws Knurled screws Knurled screws
Motherboards supported ATX, µATX ATX, µATX ATX, µATX ATX, µATX ATX, µATX
Motherboard on Tray yes no no yes no
Sides of Case closed closed Window closed closed
Lighting effects Continuous light, blau/purple Front Panel no no no
Drive Bays
5.25" 4 x 5 x 4 x 4 x 4
3.5", externally accessible 2 x 2 x 2 x 1 x 2 x
3.5", internal 4 x 3 x 6 x 5 x 5 x
Carriage for HDD fixed fixed fixed fixed fixed
at 90° angle yes yes yes no no
Installation rails yes yes yes no no
AGP/PCI Expansion Slots 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7x
Front Ports
USB 2.0 2 x Type A 2 x Type A 2 x Type A 2 x Type A 2 x Type A
FireWire 1394a 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x
Audio 1x Out, 1x In 1x Out, 1x In 1x Out, 1x In 1x Out, 1x In 1x Out, 1x In
Card Reader no no no no no
LEDs
Power yes yes yes no yes
HDD yes yes yes yes no
Displays
Yes, for : 2 x Temperatur no no no no
Fan Controls
Yes, for : no no no no no
System fan
Drill Holes / Carriage for 1 x 120 mm 2 x 92 mm, 2 x 80 mm 5 x 80 mm occupied 6 x 80 mm
Built-in Fan 1 x 120 mm no no 3 x 80mm no
Manufacturer Antec no no Cooler Master no
Dust Protection Filter partial partial partial partial no
Accessories Included
Screws yes yes yes yes yes
Spacer yes yes yes yes yes
Instructions yes no no yes no
Power Supply no no yes, 360 Watt no no
Installation rails for drives yes yes yes no no
Speaker no yes no yes yes
Cable ties no yes no no no
72. Features, Continued
Manufacturer / Model In Win IW-J568G Lian Li PC-V1000 NZXT Guardian Revoltec Tattoo Silverstone Temjin SST-TJ02
Case
Form Factor Midi-Tower Midi-Tower Midi-Tower Midi-Tower Midi-Tower
Weight 11.3 kg 7.85 kg 9.6 kg 11.7 kg 9.85 kg
Dimensions 215 x 495 x 430 mm 215 x 500 x 490 mm 205 x 510 x 440 mm 522 x 473 x 205 mm 215 x 475 x 445 mm
Closeable no no no yes yes
Material Metal / Plastic Aluminum Aluminum Metal Aluminum
Can be opened with Clamps Knurled screws Knurled screws Screws Screws
Motherboards supported ATX, µATX ATX, µATX ATX, µATX ATX, µATX ATX, µATX
Motherboard on Tray no no no no no
Sides of Case closed closed Window closed closed
Lighting effects no no no no no
Drive Bays
5.25" 4 x 5 x 5 x 4 x 4 x
3.5", externally accessible 2 x (1x Card Reader) 1 x 2 x 2 x 2 x
3.5", internal 3 x 6 x 5 x 6 x 4 x
Carriage for HDD partial fixed fixed removable removable
at 90° angle no yes no no no
Installation rails no yes yes only 5.25" yes
AGP/PCI Expansion Slots 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x
Front Ports
USB 2.0 1 x Type A 2 x Type A 2 x Type A 2 x Type A 4 x Type A
FireWire 1394a no 1 x no 1 x 1 x
Audio 1x Out, 1x In 1x Out, 1x In 1x Out, 1x In no 1x Out, 1x In
Card Reader 7 Formats no no no no
LEDs
Power yes yes yes yes
HDD yes yes yes yes
Displays
Yes, for: monitoring, time, alarm clock no no no no
Fan Controls
Yes, for: 4 Fans no no no no
System fan
Drill Holes / Carriage for no no 3 x 80 mm 4 x 80 mm 1 x 80 - 120 mm
Built-in Fan 1 x 80 mm 2 x 120 mm 2 x 80 mm no 1 x 120 mm
Manufacturer unknown ADDA unknown no unknown
Dust Protection Filter no partial no no no
Accessories Included
Screws yes yes yes yes yes
Spacer yes yes yes yes yes
Instructions yes yes yes no yes
Power Supply yes, 350 Watt no yes, 420 Watt no no
Installation rails for drives no yes yes yes yes
Speaker yes yes no yes yes
Cable ties no yes yes no yes
73. Features, Continued
Manufacturer / Model Silverstone Temjin SST-TJ03S Superflower X-Mask SF-462 Thermaltake XaserV V5000A Yeong Yang YY-5603
Case
Form Factor Midi-Tower Midi-Tower Midi-Tower Midi-Tower
Weight 8.74 kg 7.3 kg 15.7 kg 9.7 kg
Dimensions 195 x 595 x 500 mm 205 x 520 x 440 mm 205 x 575 x 480 mm 205 x 510 x 440 mm
Closeable no yes yes yes
Material Aluminum Aluminum schweres Metal Metal und Plastic
Can be opened with Knurled screws Knurled screws Knurled screws Screws
Motherboards supported ATX, µATX ATX, µATX ATX, µATX ATX, µATX
Motherboard on Tray yes no no no
Sides of Case closed Window Window zu
Lighting effects no lit-up spider eyes no no
Drive Bays
5.25" 5 x 4 x 4 + 1 4x
3.5", externally accessible 0 x 2 x 2 x 1 x
3.5", internal 6 x 4 x 3 x 5 x
Carriage for HDD fixed removable fixed fixed
at 90° angle no no yes yes
Installation rails no yes yes yes
AGP/PCI Expansion Slots 7 x 7 x 7 x
Front Ports
USB 2.0 4 x Type A 2 x Type A 2 x 2 x
FireWire 1394a 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x
Audio 1x Out, 1x In 1x Out, 1x In 1x Out, 1x In 1x Out, 1x In
Card Reader no no no no
LEDs
Power yes yes yes yes
HDD yes yes yes yes
Displays
Yes, for: no no Temperature, Fans no
Fan Controls
Yes, for: no no 6 Fans no
System fan
Drill Holes / Carriage for no 1 x 120 mm
Built-in Fan 3 x 80mm, 1 x 120 mm 3 x 80 mm 5 x 80mm 2 x 120 mm
Manufacturer unknown Superflower Thermaltake Yesmicon
Dust Protection Filter partial partial partial no
Accessories Included
Screws yes yes yes yes
Spacer yes yes yes yes
Instructions yes no no yes
Power Supply no no no no
Installation rails for drives no yes yes yes
Speaker no yes yes yes
Cable ties no yes yes yes