Building With The In Win Mana 136
With a structural drive cage that runs from the floor to the optical bays, In Win’s Mana 136 limits maximum card length to 11.5”. There’s still enough room to hold our slightly-oversized motherboard, however.
A USB 2.0 double-row connector feeds only a single port, while the two USB 3.0 ports get the now-standard 19-pin connector. In Win supports both AC'97 and HD Audio from separate connectors on a single lead, similarly providing separate power LED connections on two-pin (standard) and three-pin (Asus) connectors.
Standoffs are pressed-into the Mana 136 motherboard tray, reducing the size of the hardware installation kit. A slot cover is included however, which might appear a little strange until we look at the back panel.
A single piece of sheet metal is intended to hold all cards in place, though each slot also supports a traditional mounting screw. Only one mounting screw is included, though, since all but one of the installed slot covers is a knock-out (the hallmark of less-expensive cases). The chassis doesn’t even include mounting screws, since drive screws of the same size have specially-shaped heads for use with keyhole-style installation slots.
Tabs at the end of those slots grab one screw of each drive. Since the casing of a 3.5” hard drive provides half the structure of the Mana 136’s hard drive mounting system, 2.5” drives are excluded from those bays. Up to two SSDs are instead screwed into eight holes of the bottom panel.
With no top hole to run our eight-pin ATX/EPS 12 V power cable and no space above the motherboard to even place a hole, we ran the CPU power cable around the motherboard’s perimeter. We were also forced to track down a straight SATA data cable for the SSD, since our motherboard only includes right-angle cables.
The quality of In Win’s Mana 136 is found in its sturdy plastic face panel and textured white paint. Blue LED backlighting adds even more flair to this stylish case.
The Phantom with the Gunmetal looks smooth.
my vote goes to phantom!
BTW,i recently saw Antec 1100 and it's a very good case.for 100 bucks,it's best in it's class-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] tec%201100
I love the hell out of my 300R! i didn't want a show piece, Stylish and plain is fine with me!
I almost got the Phantom case but I got the Raidmax Storm case instead....about the price range for this review but has some unique features like the motherboard is attached to a panel that hinges out so you can work on it very easily.
I'm contemplating getting the 300r. It would be a big cooling boost over my Silverstone Sugo SG-03. I'm an idiot for trying to stuff a rig into that thing.
I'm contemplating getting the 300r. It would be a big cooling boost over my Silverstone Sugo SG-03. I'm an idiot for trying to stuff a rig into that thing.
CHeck out the Raidmax Blackstorm....you may find it a very pleasant choice, with good reviews and easy on the price.....and there is plenty of space lol
MSI Stealth now has a $20 MIR bringing it down to same price as the other cases
I almost got the Phantom case but I got the Raidmax Storm case instead....about the price range for this review but has some unique features like the motherboard is attached to a panel that hinges out so you can work on it very easily.
Hey guys, just remember this is the first Five of Fifteen. Your favorite brand could appear in a later part of this series!
300R=OVERPRICED
Better cases:
NZXT Tempest 410
Antec 300
CM 690 II advanced
Cooler Master Storm Enforcer
I wish you guys could review the HAF 912 Advanced ...but that's Asia only...
Maybe it's time to buy a new case. I am still using my Antec Sonata II, after all...
Can't wait to see what other cases Tom's has in store.
No top exhaust fan, no buy. Makes NZXT the best. I have to be honest I always use more expensive cases from Antec or Cooler Master.
Crashman,
Since this is just the first 5 of 15, could the last article do a recap of all 15? That would make for an awesome article, and allow us to easily compare all the cases.
300R=OVERPRICEDBetter cases:NZXT Tempest 410Antec 300CM 690 II advancedCooler Master Storm Enforcer
What??? It's overpriced at $70? Really? Did you read the article or do you just hate Corsair?
case A fits two 120mm fans up front & up top and one 120mm rear (like every other recently released case out there)
case B fits two 120mm fans up front & up top and one 120mm rear
case A comes with three fans yet case B comes with two so lets rate case A as good for internal temps and case B as poor.
rating temps for a case is pointless. focus more on build quality and the cases ability to prevent dust-balls. a case with two fans has poor internal temps...oh wait i have two fans lying around the house...now the case has four fans and temps are so much better...
case A fits two 120mm fans up front & up top and one 120mm rear (like every other recently released case out there)case B fits two 120mm fans up front & up top and one 120mm rearcase A comes with three fans yet case B comes with two so lets rate case A as good for internal temps and case B as poor.rating temps for a case is pointless. focus more on build quality and the cases ability to prevent dust-balls. a case with two fans has poor internal temps...oh wait i have two fans lying around the house...now the case has four fans and temps are so much better...
1. More fans means more noise
2. Noise is compared to heat
3. The noise-to-heat comparison is given more consideration than either the noise or the heat
4. Adding your own fans alters the price, so this is the only fair way to do a value analysis.
5. It appears you don't care about performance-to-price. That's fine, the last two paragraphs are specifically what you asked for.
So, what's the complaint?
I'd still choose the Xigmatek. That drive dock is a great feature; for convenience, space, and cable clutter it beats heck out of using a separate external enclosure. To expand on what ct1615 said, cooling and noise are both adjustable. With a single graphics card and a modest CPU overclock, the Xigmatek will remain cool and quiet even if another [low speed] top fan is added.
I solve the oversized motherboard issue with half the cases in this round-up by only even considering the 12"x9.6" standard. If they can't fit those dimensions, they're cutting corners, IMO.
1. More fans means more noise2. Noise is compared to heat3. The noise-to-heat comparison is given more consideration than either the noise or the heat4. Adding your own fans alters the price, so this is the only fair way to do a value analysis.5. It appears you don't care about performance-to-price. That's fine, the last two paragraphs are specifically what you asked for.So, what's the complaint?
1. i can stick 10 fans at 10db (scythe 800rpm) in a case or 1 one fan at 35db (scythe 3000 rpm), which makes more noise?
2. noise is not compared to heat, see above example. one fan even at high speeds will not show better airflow then ten at slower speed.
3. your test, your considerations.
4. adding air filters to a case to stop dust bunnies also adds to the price.
5. performance to price in a case is more theory then fact. some people prefer a case with sturdy sides, fewer fan ports for noise to escape, and filters. some want to stick a fan in every whole imaginable so they can attempt to create an internal tornado. some despise a metallic interior, LED fans, molex fan connectors, etc.,.
My complaint is, each case has it's pros and cons. what am I giving up going from once case to another?