There are a very wide range of PC case options available to choose from in 2022, and they come in many shapes, colors, and sizes. However, some will never be satisfied with an off-the-shelf design, and will want to do some customization, to exert their individuality or artistic prowess. Step forward the AeroCool Skribble Case with “drawable tempered glass front and side panels.” There's a liquid chalk marker in the box, and a wiper too, so you can start again if things go horribly wrong. To be clear, this is a ‘casual’ PC case customization option, and aimed at this segment, not at the thriving PC case modding community.

If you are more of a doodler than a Degas, the AeroCool Skribble Case lets you decorate your PC straight out of the box. Take the aforementioned drawable glass panels (are they slightly textured?) and marker, and you can go freehand to create or replicate designs on the front and left side panels, or you can easily trace a design. AeroCool’s information about whether there is anything special about its tempered glass surface, or the marker, is rather inadequate.

While on the topic of appearance, the AeroCool Skribble Case is a boxy ATX mid-tower design measuring a fairly typical dimensions of 210 x 453 x 441mm. Atop of the case, on the front-top edge, are power and reset switches, as well as an LED control button, 2 x USB 3.0, HD audio and mic ports, and a power button. Sadly, there's no USB-C is on the front panel, even though it's 2022.

Beneath the front glass is a perforated SECC panel that's said to provide “increased airflow.” It's set back just a short distance from the impermeable glass, but it's better than no front venting at all.

The Skribble allows users to connect and control up to six addressable RGB fans with its 6-Port ARGB Control Hub, and one 120mm ARGB PWM controlled fan is included in the box. In total, users can fit up to 120mm x 3 or 140mm x 2 fans in the front, 120mm x 2 or 140mm x 2 in the top, and 120mm x 1 in the rear (included).

For liquid cooling, buyers have options for a 120/240/280/360mm radiator in the front, up to a 120/240mm radiator in the top, and a 120mm rear radiator. Not that we'd recommend putting the radiator in the front, as the top is the preferred location. Removable dust filters are provided.

As an ATX case, of course you can fit up to full ATX sized motherboards, but the case can also accommodate Micro-ATX or Mini-ITX boards, if you wish. Max compatibility for coolers is 167mm tall, and for graphics cards please make sure your intended accelerator is no more than 362mm long (assuming no front radiator is installed). ATX PSUs up to 186mm long can fit. For storage you can shove in up to 2x 3.5-inch drives, and 5x 2.5-inch drives. No ODD bay is available. The back provides users access to a maximum of 7+2 expansion slots.

The case has a partially enclosed PSU section at the bottom, and this area also can fit some of your storage. You can also use a vertically mounted GPU, as long as it is two slots thick or less.

AeroCool hasn’t shared pricing or availability for the Skribble Case. However, if you want to scribble on your existing case with liquid chalk markers, we've found similar made-in-Japan Flash Color Liquid Chalk Markers in a wide range of colors on Amazon. They are currently out of stock but Amazon offers some alternative choices in its 'similar items' selections.

Will that work as well as the AeroCool case? We're not sure, but there are plenty of other options for case doodling if that's your cup of tea.

PC cases and cooling specialist AeroCool has unveiled a new case with mounting space to fit up to 15 storage devices simultaneously. Yes, that might be somewhat excessive for the average PC builder; however, the AeroCooler Cipher case is "specially designed for mining storage-based cryptocurrency," says the designer.

Firstly, you might be a bit confused by the 16 (headline) or 15 max drives specification. According to AeroCool, the case has twelve 3.5-inch and four 2.5-inch drive bays (16). However, due to one overlapping mounting spot in the chassis, the maximum simultaneous loadout consists of eleven 3.5-inch HDDs and four x 2.5-inch SSDs (15) or twelve x 3.5-inch HDDs and three x 2.5-inch SSDs (15) simultaneously.

Secondly, another first impression you might get of the case is that it will be a huge, overbearing tower. However, AeroCool's arrangement of four removable HDD cages for the 3.5-inch drives, plus the case floor and rear motherboard tray, is pretty efficient. In other words, the case is not unusually large for a tower case that houses a full-ATX motherboard at 205 x 485 x 485mm (W x H x D) in total. It is much the same size as other ATX cases we have reviewed in recent months, such as the Antec P10 Flux and Silverstone SETA A1, and considerably smaller than the likes of the Corsair 5000X.

With the AeroCool Cipher case not being extraordinarily large, you will therefore have to make some compromises if you want to have a graphics card that's longer than 290mm. A GPU measuring between 290 and 400mm long can be accommodated only if you eschew one of the 3.5-inch drive cages, reducing the max 3.5-inch drive loadout by two. On the topic of graphics cards, the Cipher allows for vertical graphics card installation. But longer cards will impact the amount of HDD cages you can populate.

The AeroCool Cipher case has lots of provisions for active cooling to back up the natural airflow construction. However, as with graphics cards, some choices will impact your drive cages. The worst option for people wanting lots of storage is fitting a front radiator. However, you can put a 120, 240, 280, or 360mm radiator in the top without any storage capacity penalty. Furthermore, the front can be fitted with 120mm x 3 or 140mm x 3 fans without storage penalty, so you probably wouldn't buy this case if you insist on front radiator positioning.

Storage Based Cryptomining?

We have previously covered storage-based cryptomining, particularly of Chia Coin (XCH), in our news and how-to guides. As a quick recap, cryptocurrencies like Chia offer a novel approach to value, ditching the Proof of Work hashing used by most coins (i.e., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and others) and instead opting for a new Proof of Time and Space algorithm.

As Chia burst onto the scene last year, we saw storage prices start to soar, but this effect varied quite a lot depending on storage device capacity and where you were in the world. A couple of other unfortunate side effects were noticed, though — SSDs were spotted being resold after heavy wear by miners, and SSD makers reduced warranties.

If you check the value of Chia Coin today, you will see it has declined pretty consistently and badly since its launch around May last year. From a peak value of nearly $1,600, it is currently flat-lining, with a shallow downward trend, at $76.

Other storage-based cryptocurrencies exist and are indeed much bigger than Chia Coin. The biggest coins by capitalization are Filecoin at $3.1 billion, and BitTorrent at $1.7 billion. However, checking the charts for these for the last 12 months also shows a sorry-looking trend. Filecoin is near its 12-month low and approximately down 90% of its value a year ago. The BitTorrent crypto has fared a little better, down 37% off its all-time high, however it currently sits not far off its own all time low valuation.

In summary, we wouldn't buy this or any case for storage based cryptomining, but it might be a suitable choice for other storage heavy computing work.

The AeroCool Cipher costs approximately $75 plus tax, or one Chia Coin.

Features & Specifications

Aerocool invested a lot of time and money into its Project 7 line-up, which includes cases, cooling solutions, gaming chairs, and power supplies. The OEM responsible for the Project 7 PSUs, specifically, is Andyson, and the platform used is its high-end one, armed with important modifications and upgrades that enable 80 PLUS Titanium- or ETA-A+-rated efficiency.

Besides the FDB fan with RGB lighting and a deliberately quiet cooling profile, all three models also feature over-temperature protection, which was missing from the original Andyson platform. Adding OTP to a design that didn't have it before isn't as easy as it sounds. In our opinion, though, this protection feature is a must-have in every power supply.

We're reviewing the ACP-850FP7 today, and you'll also see us include performance data for the other high-end 850W PSUs we've tested. That'll give you an idea of how Aerocool's offering fares against some pretty tough competition. Corsair, EVGA, and Seasonic regularly trade blows in this capacity range, so it's nice to see another brand enter the race.

Andyson isn't a particularly well-known OEM in the U.S. and EU markets. Most of the attention it receives is for lower-cost implementations. However, it has the know-how to develop and build high-performance platforms. Aerocool's Project 7 line is proof of this.

With up to 850W of output, you can support a capable gaming system or mid-range mining machine armed with as many as three graphics cards. The ACP-850FP7 has six PCIe connectors spread between four cables for this purpose.

Specifications

The ACP-850FP7 is certified by Cybenetics; it carries the ETA-A and LAMBDA-A+ badges, meaning it's both efficient and quiet. The same PSU is also 80 PLUS Platinum-certified.

Aerocool implements fully modular cabling, and gives this unit a temperature rating in line with the ATX spec's recommendation.

All necessary protection features are provided, and cooling is handled by a 140mm FDB fan with RGB lighting. A 16cm depth translates to relatively compact exterior dimensions. Meanwhile, Aerocool supports its entire Project 7 PSU line with seven-year warranty coverage.

Power Specifications

The minor rails can deliver up to 120W combined (on paper, at least, since they can go much higher in practice), while the +12V rail offers up to 840W capacity. The 5VSB rail is a little stronger than we'd expect, given a 3A maximum current output.

Cables And Connectors

All of the ACP-850FP7's cables are pretty long. The distance between connectors, on the cables with more than one connector, is ideal. We also appreciate the fact that there are two PCIe connectors on dedicated cables.

There is an adapter for connecting the PSU to an optional RGB, facilitating control of the PSU's lighting, plus parallel control of other Aerocool products with RGB lighting.

Power Distribution

Since this PSU features a single +12V rail, we do not have anything to say about its power distribution.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Packaging, Contents, Exterior & Cabling

Packaging

The box looks nice. In its center, we find a reference to Aerocool's Project 7 family.

On the bottom, six diagrams show some of the PSU's features, including RGB lighting, fully modular cabling, the Japanese bulk caps, an extra-quiet fan profile, and a picture of the PSU with its badges.

Around back, there's a description of the available connectors. You'll also find a power specifications table on the same side, along with a photo of the optional P7-Hub, which is required to activate the fan's RGB function. Again, this hub isn't just for the PSU. Rather, it controls the lighting of all compatible Aerocool products.

Contents

The external sleeve hides a sturdy box able to protect the contents inside. Of course, it helps that Aerocool uses packing foam, too. The PSU itself is stored in a cloth bag (a nice touch).

Besides a user's manual, the bundle also includes a number of zip ties and Velcro straps, two sets of fixing bolts, and a pouch that comes in handy for storing unused modular cables.

Exterior

A sticker covers the AC receptacle. In four languages, it tells you that the PSU's fan only spins under increased loads. This is good to know, especially for builders unfamiliar with semi-passive operation.

Holes in the front of the chassis are quite large. This might help with airflow, but it could also pose a safety risk if someone's kid shoves a small object inside one of those openings. Aerocool might want to use an enclosure with smaller holes on that side and simply increase the size of its perforated area to keep airflow unaffected.

Stickers on the sides are quite small; really, the PSU's chassis doesn't have room for anything bigger.

The power specifications label, which also depicts stuff like certification logos, covers the ACP-850FP7's modular board. Most users won't have to worry about this, but if you want to dismantle the power supply, you'll have to completely remove the label since it hides several screws. 

Compact dimensions for a 850W PSU and attractive aesthetics set this Aerocool product apart.

Cabling

All cables are flat and use dark wires. The cherry on top is that Aerocool avoided using extra filtering caps on its cables, which would have made them bulky and difficult to route inside the chassis.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Teardown & Component Analysis

Parts Description

Before proceeding with this page we strongly encourage you to a look at our PSUs 101 article, which provides valuable information about PSUs and their operation, allowing you to better understand the components we're about to discuss. Our main tools for disassembling PSUs are a Thermaltronics soldering and rework station and a Hakko FR-300 desoldering gun. Finally, for the identification of tiny parts we use an Andonstar HDMI digital microscope.

The ACP-850FP7 is based on Andyson's high-end platform, also utilized in the manufacturer's Titanium-class N700 model. But besides higher capacities and better ripple suppression, Aerocool also wanted fully modular cables, so keeping efficiency at such high levels wouldn't be easy. Moreover, it'd have a big impact on manufacturing costs.

What we end up with is a modern design that sports a half-bridge topology and LLC resonant converter on the primary side. On the secondary side, we find a synchronous rectification scheme for the +12V rail, along with DC-DC converters for generating the minor rails. All filtering caps are provided by Japanese manufacturers and are of good quality. The same applies to the primary- and secondary-side FETs (besides the filtering caps, FETs play a huge role in a PSU's reliability).

The first part of the transient filter is on a small PCB that also hosts the AC receptacle. It includes two Y caps and one X cap. The filter continues on the main PCB with two more Y caps and two X ones, two CM chokes, and an MOV.

There are two NTC thermistors, one close to the transient filter, supported by a bypass relay, and a second one in the APFC section.

A pair of bridge rectifiers (2x GBU1506L) can handle up to 30A of current, which is quite a lot for an 850W PSU.

The APFC converter uses two Infineon IPP50R140CP FETs along with a single CREE C3D10060A boost diode. Two bulk caps are provided by Hitachi and belongs to its HU series. Their combined capacity, 940uF, is enough for the needs of this PSU. The APFC controller is a Champion CM6502S IC, and it's installed on a small vertical daughterboard located close to the APFC's heat sink.

Both primary FETs, two Infineon IPP50R140CPs, are bolted onto a small piece of metal that acts as a heat sink. Those FETs are configured into a half-bridge topology. An LLC resonant converter is also used to boost efficiency. The LLC resonant controller is Champion's famous CM6901, which is installed on the solder side of the PCB. Next to the CM6901 we also spot a Silicon Labs Si8230BD driver IC, used for controlling the primary FETs.

The main transformer is nearly surrounded by a metallic shield/heat sink. It's fairly compact given this unit's capacity, so we can assume it employs a special design.

Eight Infineon BSC010N04LS FETs regulate the +12V rail. These FETs are cooled by the chassis through a thermal pad that facilitates heat transfer.

Both DC-DC converters use two CSD86350Q5D power blocks and a pair of Anpec APW7073 PWM controllers.

A number of Chemi-Con KY and KZE electrolytic caps, along with a Nichicon, are used for ripple filtering purposes. They're accompanied by almost a dozen Chemi-Con and FPCAP polymer caps.

A SITI PS223 is installed on the board's solder side. It supports all necessary protection features, including OTP. In our opinion, it's one of the best (and most complete) supervisor ICs.

The 5VSB circuit uses an APEC AP92U03GM FET and PFR10V45CT SBR combo. A MIC4426 driver IC is most likely used to control the FET. Finally, the standby PWM controller is a Sanken STR-A6069H.

A KODENSHI AUK SN7912PI rectifies the -12V circuit.

Two Chemi-Con electrolytic caps and three polymer ones (by FPCAP) on the modular board's primary side provide an extra ripple-filtering layer. On the back of the modular board, we find many small polymer caps.

The soldering quality is pretty good; we don't have anything to complain about.

The 140mm cooling fan (CD1425M12F, 12V, 0.24A, 1623 RPM) uses a fluid dynamic bearing. This is a low-speed fan controlled by a conservative profile. It employs a Unisonic LM324G IC.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Load Regulation, Hold-Up Time & Inrush Current

To learn more about our PSU tests and methodology, please check out How We Test Power Supply Units. 

Primary Rails And 5VSB Load Regulation

Load Regulation testing is detailed here.

Hold-Up Time

Our hold-up time tests are described in detail here.

The hold-up time we measure comes close to 20ms, while the power-good signal is accurate (it drops 1.9ms before the rails go out of spec).

Inrush Current

For details on our inrush current testing, please click here.

The inrush result is normal for a 850W PSU.

Load Regulation And Efficiency Measurements

The first set of tests reveals the stability of the voltage rails and the ACP-850FP7's efficiency. The applied load equals (approximately) 10 to 110 percent of the PSU's maximum load in increments of 10 percentage points.

We conducted two additional tests. During the first, we stressed the two minor rails (5V and 3.3V) with a high load, while the load at +12V was only 0.1A. This test reveals whether a PSU is compatible with Intel's C6/C7 sleep states or not. In the second test, we determined the maximum load the +12V rail could handle with minimal load on the minor rails. 

Load regulation is pretty tight on all rails, especially +12V, where Aerocool's PSU loses only to the less efficient EVGA 850 G3.

We also like that the noise output is kept amazingly low, even under high operating temperatures. The fan starts to spin during our fifth test and doesn't speed up through the seventh test. Fan noise increases quite a bit during test #8, but it remains under 30 dB(A). This continues through our full-load measurements. It takes overloading the PSU to make its fan spin fast enough to exceed 35 dB(A).

This is probably the quietest 850W power supply we've ever tested. Aerocool and Andyson deserve praise for their efforts here. We only hope that the conservative fan profile doesn't negatively affect reliability over time. Then again, we suspect Aerocool wouldn't include a seven-year warranty if it was concerned.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Efficiency, Temperature & Noise

Efficiency

Our efficiency testing procedure is detailed here.

Using results from the previous page, we plotted a chart showing the ACP-850FP7's efficiency at low loads, and loads from 10 to 110 percent of its maximum-rated capacity.

Compared to the high-end Corsair competition, which sports the same efficiency certifications, Aerocool's ACP-850FP7 fares well. It comes close under normal loads and takes a significant lead in light-load situations.

Efficiency At Low Loads

In the following tests, we measure the ACP-850FP7's efficiency at loads significantly lower than 10 percent of its maximum capacity (the lowest load the 80 PLUS standard measures). The loads we dialed were 20, 40, 60, and 80W. This is important for representing when a PC is idle, with power-saving features turned on.

Under light loads, the ACP-850FP7's efficiency levels are jaw-dropping. With only 20W of load, our efficiency measurements exceed 75% while other "efficient" PSUs struggle to get above 70%.

Of course, the fan isn't active under such light loads, so noise is negligible. Our test sample didn't exhibit any coil whine, either.

5VSB Efficiency

The ATX specification, along with CEC, ErP Lot 3 2014 and ErP Lot 6 2010/2013, states that 5VSB standby supply efficiency should be as high as possible, recommending 75 percent or higher with 550mA, 1A, and 1.5A of load. The PSU should also achieve higher than 75% efficiency at 5VSB under full load, or with 3A if its max current output on this rail is higher than 3A.

We take six measurements: one each at 100, 250, 550, 1000, and 1500mA, and one with the full load the 5VSB rail can handle.

The 5VSB circuit's efficiency is acceptable, though it can't compete with CWT's implementation.

Power Consumption In Idle And Standby

In the table below, you'll find the power consumption and voltage values of all rails (except -12V) when the PSU is idle (powered on, but without any load on its rails), and the power consumption when the PSU is in standby mode (without any load, at 5VSB).

Vampire power is very low with 115V, and it slightly exceeds 0.11W with 230V input.

Fan RPM, Delta Temperature, And Output Noise

Our mixed noise testing is described in detail here.

The first chart below illustrates the cooling fan's speed (in RPM), and the delta between input and output temperature. The results were obtained at 37°C (98.6°F) to 47°C (116.6°F) ambient temperature.   

The next chart shows the cooling fan's speed (again, in RPM) and output noise. We measured acoustics from one meter away, inside a hemi-anechoic chamber. Background noise inside the chamber was below 16.6 dB(A) during testing (it's actually much lower, but our sound meter’s microphone hits its floor), and the results were obtained with the PSU operating at 37°C (98.6°F) to 47°C (116.6°F) ambient temperature. 

The following graph illustrates the fan's output noise over the PSU's operating range. The same conditions of the above graph apply to our measurements, though the ambient temperature was between at 30°C (86°F) to 32°C (89.6°F).  

Most of the time, the ACP-850FP7 remains in passive mode. That seems weird for an 850W PSU, but apparently high efficiency makes this possible without compromising reliability.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Protection Features

Check out our PSUs 101 article to learn more about PSU protection features.  Our protection features evaluation methodology is described in detail here.

OCP on the minor rails is set at normal levels. However, it's higher than it should be on the 5VSB rail; ripple gets out of control with 5.8A.

Over-temperature protection is set a little high as well, given the PSU's long-lasting passive mode.

Fortunately, there is SCP on all rails, the power-good signal is accurate, and surge/inrush protection is provided as well.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Cross-Load Tests & Infrared Images

Our cross-load tests are described in detail here.

To generate the following charts, we set our loaders to auto mode through our custom-made software before trying more than 25,000 possible load combinations with the +12V, 5V and 3.3V rails. The load regulation deviations in each of the charts below were calculated by taking the nominal values of the rails (12V, 5V and 3.3V) as point zero. The ambient temperature was between at 30°C (86°F) to 32°C (89.6°F).

Load Regulation Charts

Efficiency Chart

The ACP-850FP7 achieves high efficiency, as you can see in our graph. From around 130W to 430W (and with up to 70W on the minor rails), we see efficiency levels between 92 and 94%.

Ripple Charts

Infrared Images

We applied half-load for 10 minutes with the PSU's top cover and cooling fan removed before taking photos with our modified FLIR E4 camera that delivers 320x240 IR resolution (76,800 pixels).

The temperatures inside of Aerocool's ACP-850FP7 are generally low. Only the -12V regulator exceeds 100°C.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Transient Response Tests

Advanced Transient Response Tests

For details on our transient response testing, please click here.

Ιn these tests, we monitor the ACP-850FP7's response in several scenarios. First, a transient load (10A at +12V, 5A at 5V, 5A at 3.3V, and 0.5A at 5VSB) is applied for 200ms as the PSU works at 20 percent load. In the second scenario, it's hit by the same transient load while operating at 50 percent load.

In the next sets of tests, we increase the transient load on the major rails with a new configuration: 15A at +12V, 6A at 5V, 6A at 3.3V, and 0.5A at 5VSB. We also increase the load-changing repetition rate from 5 Hz (200ms) to 50 Hz (20ms). Again, this runs with the PSU operating at 20 and 50 percent load.

The last tests are even tougher. Although we keep the same loads, the load-changing repetition rate rises to 1 KHz (1ms).

In all of the tests, we use an oscilloscope to measure the voltage drops caused by the transient load. The voltages should remain within the ATX specification's regulation limits.

These tests are crucial because they simulate the transient loads a PSU is likely to handle (such as booting a RAID array or an instant 100 percent load of CPU/GPUs). We call these "Advanced Transient Response Tests," and they are designed to be very tough to master, especially for a PSU with a capacity of less than 500W.  

Advanced Transient Response at 20 Percent – 200ms

Advanced Transient Response at 20 Percent – 20ms

Advanced Transient Response at 20 Percent – 1ms

Advanced Transient Response at 50 Percent – 200ms

Advanced Transient Response at 50 Percent – 20ms

Advanced Transient Response at 50 Percent – 1ms

Transient response on the +12V rail isn't among the best we have seen, though it's decent.

Our measurements at 5V and 5VSB are pretty good, and there's definitely room for improvement at 3.3V.

Here are the oscilloscope screenshots we took during Advanced Transient Response Testing:

Transient Response At 20 Percent Load – 200ms

Transient Response At 20 Percent Load – 20ms

Transient Response At 20 Percent Load – 1ms

Transient Response At 50 Percent Load – 200ms

Transient Response At 50 Percent Load – 20ms

Transient Response At 50 Percent Load – 1ms

Turn-On Transient Tests

In the next set of tests, we measured the ACP-850FP7's response in simpler transient load scenarios—during its power-on phase.

For our first measurement, we turned the ACP-850FP7 off, dialed in the maximum current the 5VSB rail could output, and switched the PSU back on. In the second test, we dialed the maximum load the +12V rail could handle and started the 850W supply while it was in standby mode. In the last test, while the PSU was completely switched off (we cut off the power or switched the PSU off), we dialed the maximum load the +12V rail could handle before switching it back on from the loader and restoring power. The ATX specification states that recorded spikes on all rails should not exceed 10 percent of their nominal values (+10 percent for 12V is 13.2V, and 5.5 V for 5V).   

There was a small voltage overshoot at 5VSB, and we didn't see any spikes during the other two tests.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Ripple Measurements

To learn how we measure ripple, please click here.

The following table includes the ripple levels we measured on the ACP-850FP7's rails. The limits, according to the ATX specification, are 120mV (+12V) and 50mV (5V, 3.3V and 5VSB).

Our ripple suppression readings are very good. We might not be seeing Super Flower's flawless readings at +12V, but keep in mind that the ACP-850FP7 also doesn't use the extra ripple filtering caps that SF's units are equipped with (on their modular cables).

In other words, Aerocool didn't have to rely on special modular cables, which are typically bulky enough to cause headaches when it comes to cable management.

Ripple Oscilloscope Screenshots

The following oscilloscope screenshots illustrate the AC ripple and noise registered on the main rails (+12V, 5V, 3.3V and 5VSB). The bigger the fluctuations on the screen, the bigger the ripple/noise. We set 0.01 V/Div (each vertical division/box equals 0.01V) as the standard for all measurements.

Ripple At Full Load

Ripple At 110-Percent Load

Ripple At Cross-Load 1

Ripple At Cross-Load 2

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Performance, Value, Noise & Efficiency

Performance Rating

The following graph shows the ACP-850FP7's total performance rating, comparing it to other units we have tested. To be more specific, the tested unit is shown as 100 percent, and every other unit's performance is shown relative to it.

A few years ago, we couldn't have imagined an Aerocool PSU taking the lead from Corsair's high-end offerings. Only the fresh HX850 manages to beat the ACP-850FP7 (as does EVGA's not-so-quiet 850 G3 and Seasonic's Prime Gold 850).

Performance Per Dollar

The following chart may be the most interesting to many of you because it depicts the unit's performance-per-dollar score. We looked up the current price of each PSU on popular online shops and used those prices and all relative performance numbers to calculate the index. If the specific unit wasn't available in the United States, we searched for it in popular European Union shops, converting the listed price to USD (without VAT). Note that all of the numbers in the following graph are normalized by the rated power of each PSU.  

With an MSRP of close to $170, the ACP-850FP7's value rating doesn't look so good. Aerocool probably needs to drop its price in order to do battle with other high-end offerings in this category.

Noise Rating

The graph below depicts the cooling fan's average noise over the PSU's operating range, with an ambient temperature between 30°C and 32°C (86°F to 89.6°F).

Only two Corsair PSUs achieve similar noise results as Aerocool's ACP-850FP7 under normal operating conditions. If you need an impressively quiet power supply, look to the Corsair or Aerocool offerings.

Efficiency Rating

The following graph shows the average efficiency of the PSU throughout its operating range, with an ambient temperature close to 30°C.

The ACP-850FP7's overall efficiency is tops among its 850W competition with similar 80 PLUS and ETA certifications.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

Final Analysis

Aerocool decided to enter the high-end PSU market with its Project 7 models, of which there are currently three. Capacities range from 650W to 850W, hitting some of the most popular output levels for enthusiast-oriented builds. Unfortunately for our U.S. audience, none of these power supplies are available for purchase yet, and we don't yet know when they'll arrive.

Hopefully distributors at least consider carrying them, though. Their performance is excellent and Aerocool covers them with seven-year warranty coverage. The company does need to adjust its pricing in order to compete with well-established incumbents. But if it can do this, we think it'll successfully infiltrate one of the most challenging markets in the world. We are always excited to see more companies driving innovation and keeping the big names on their toes, after all.

Again, the ACP-850FP7 features solid performance that includes tight load regulation, good ripple suppression, and high efficiency. Its transient response could use some improvement, but it's decent overall. In order to improve a PSU's transient response, you usually have to sacrifice a bit of ripple performance. And since the ACP-850FP7 achieves close to 1% deviations at +12V (the most important rail of all), we suspect that Andyson didn't want to lose any time by tuning it lower while trying to keep ripple suppression at the same levels.

Speaking of ripple, we like that this unit demonstrates impressive results without leaning on special cables with extra capacitors in them. As a result, system builders can enjoy less rigidity from the easy-to-route flat cables. Modders should be happy as well; Aerocool's cables are also easier to customize.

Besides its high efficiency, another of the ACP-850FP7's advantages is quiet operation. This is achieved with a low-speed fan, the implementation of a semi-passive mode, and a conservative fan profile. Even at challenging ambient temperatures, the fan isn't pushed too hard. Aerocool and Andyson tried to make this PSU as quiet as possible, and their efforts are clearly depicted in our results. Currently, only Corsair sells similarly efficient power supplies that offer the same low noise output. All of the other brands trail behind. So, if you need one of the quietest 850W PSUs that money can buy, keep an eye out for the arrival of Aerocool's ACP-850FP7 or grab one of the Corsair models already available.

In the next revision of the Project 7 PSUs, we would like to see Aerocool add a switch to turn its semi-passive mode on or off. As the ACP-850FP7 stands now its fan profile is so loose and its fan is so quiet at low speeds that we'd like to keep it running all of the time to push operating temperatures down even more. Surely, this would help extend the power supply's lifetime.

MORE: Best Power Supplies

MORE: How We Test Power Supplies

MORE: All Power Supply Content

In addition to new cases and an RGB gaming chair, Aerocool showed off  a new 240mm all-in-one cooler, fan, and fan hub at Computex 2017. That may not sound very exciting, but the company has added a few noteworthy features to help set this product line apart from other cooling products.

Although the P7-L240 all-in-one cooler may look like just another 240mm closed-loop water cooler, this cooler features a patent-pending automatic pressure valve that releases system pressure through an opening on the radiator. Aerocool claims its AVP technology boosts overall efficiency and improved safety. The P7-L240 is equipped with two P7-F12 120mm fans (more on those in a minute) and features a clear RGB-lit water block / pump assembly that can be controlled through RGB compatible motherboards. Pricing was not available, but a company representative did say the P7-L240 should debut alongside its case offering in August.

The P7-F12 fans measure 120 x 120 x 25mm and are capable of moving 45.8CFM at 1,200RPM while generating only 14.5dBA. These fans feature hydraulic bearings rated at 60,000 hours mean time between failure and vibrational dampening pads in each corner. The fan’s RGB functionality is compatible with motherboards made by Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, and more. Unlike many RGB fans, illumination emanates from six RGB LEDs installed in the middle of the fan instead of the more traditional frame mount style. The fan blades on the P7-F12 can be easily be removed by pushing down on the center of the fan. As you can imagine, this makes cleaning and maintenance much easier. These fans are sold individually or with the P7-H1 fan hub as part of a kit. Pricing for individual fans will be $18 in August.

That brings us to the P7-H1 fan hub. The P7-H1 can control up to five fans (4-pin or 3-pin) simultaneously using Aerocool's software or motherboards that employ the use of industry standard RGB compatible headers. This fan hub allows you to connect up to eight individual hubs to a single motherboard. The P7-H1 is equipped with five 4-pin PWM fan connectors, two RGB headers and a single USB 2.0 port, one 4-pin PWM header, and a single 2-pin Molex. No price was given for the P7-H1 by itself, but the company did say the P7-F12 Pro kit (hub + 3 fans) will retail for $60 when it hits the market in August.

Aerocool showed off a handful of new cases at Computex 2017. Although the company seemed to be focused mainly on its flagship P7-C1 chassis and gaming chairs, the other cases the company had on display are certainly worthy of your attention as well.  Given the fact that the P7-C1 was the only chassis mentioned in the company’s pre-Computex press release, we were pleasantly surprised to discover a variety of new cases on hand at the company’s booth.

Make no mistake, the P7-C1 is definitely an interesting beast. It has all the key features we’ve come to expect from a premium chassis, such as tempered glass, RGB lighting, and apps that control your entire system. This large mid-tower chassis is equipped with a darkly tinted tempered glass side panel, supports full size ATX motherboards, seven expansion slots, CPU coolers up to 165mm, GPUs up to 400mm, and all-in-one coolers and radiators up to 360mm. The top panel is home to USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port, two USB 3.0 ports, HD audio jacks and SD card reader. LED lighting, fan speed, and color are all controlled via a proprietary app. 

There wasn’t a lot of information about the Quartz and Quartz Pro chassis other that what we could see with our own eyes during the show. The Quartz Pro is slightly larger than the Quartz chassis and sports a clear acrylic front door that covers three LED fans and a 5.25” optical drive bay. The Quartz features a fixed clear acrylic front panel covering triple 120mm LED fans.  It appears the Quartz Pro supports up to E-ATX motherboards, while the Quartz can accommodate full-size ATX motherboards.

Finally, we have the budget-friendly PGS-V. This chassis is equipped with a tinted tempered glass side panel, seven expansion slots, and offers support for full-size ATX motherboards. The front panel is fitted with a door that covers an optical drive bay and an integrated SD card reader. The PGS-V supports CPU coolers up to 165mm, graphics cards up to 360mm, and all-in-one coolers and radiators up to 240mm when the 5.25" drive is empty. The top panel is home to one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, and HD audio jacks.

We reached out to the company for information on pricing and availability.

Photo Credits: Craig Ferguson    

Aerocool’s Project 7 lineup won’t be restricted to PSUs and cases: At Computex, the company announced its first Project 7 gaming chair, which uses blue edge roll lighting to offer a distinctive look. Lighting is par for the course with cases, PSUs, and basically every other component or peripheral on the market, but it’s still not all that common with chairs.

Aerocool said that the light cable that runs across the chair in edge roll LED-lit stitching can be managed with an independent controller placed on the side of the chair. We’re pretty sure batteries supply the lighting with the necessary energy, because it would be non-ergonomic (and dangerous) to use the mains network instead.

The chair itself is black with blue highlights. It’s made with leatherette--artificial leather--so you’re bound to be disappointed if you were willing to shell out (much) more money for real leather. We notice moulded foam pads in the seat and backrest for added comfort, and 4D adjustable armrests allow for high customization to suit your needs. A class-4 gas-lift allows for adjustable seat height while supporting up to 330lbs (150kg) weight.

Aerocool’s Project 7 PSU project has three members with capacities ranging from 650W to 850W. The P7-650W Platinum, however looks to be special, because it was designed in collaboration with TechPowerUp! in order to offer high performance, silent operation, and increased reliability.

All Project 7 units are based on a high-end Andyson platform, the same used in the Titanium Andyson N700 model, but with a number of modifications that includes Over Temperature Protection (OTP), a higher quality fan and an optimal fan profile, different APFC caps, "power ok," and so on.

Aerocool is among the first brands to certify an entire line using Cybenetics’ standards, which are much tougher compared to 80 PLUS levels. The P7-650W Platinum has a LAMBDA-A++ noise rating, which is the best in the Cybenetics’ program, and an efficiency rating of ETA-B. It also carries an 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency certification. Moreover, it uses an RGB fan that can be controlled through compatible mainboards or the optional P7-Hub (P7-H1). (It seems the PSU market has been unable to escape the RGB lighting wave.)

The price is quite stiff, but this is a high-end PSU equipped with quality Japanese caps and a LED fan. At seven years, the warranty is rather long as well, although in this category we’re now seeing warranty periods of up to ten years.

Despite its midrange capacity, the P7-650W Platinum is equipped with a couple of EPS connectors and four PCIe. You can find all of its specs along with its detailed performance report in the corresponding Cybenetics evaluation sheet.

The power specs of all members of the Project 7 line are below:

Disclaimer: Aris Mpitziopoulos is Tom's Hardware's PSU reviewer. He developed the certification methodologies described below apart from his role on Tom's Hardware. He is the Chief Testing Engineer of Cybenetics. Neither Tom's Hardware nor its parent company, Purch Media, are financially involved with Cybenetics. Aris does not perform the actual certifications for Cybenetics.

Update, 6/6/17, 8:20am PT: Changed the name of the product from "ACP-650P7" to "P7-650W Platinum." The former is technically correct, but it's the model number, not the product name.

When it comes to lighting on computer gear, all the craze these days is surrounding 16.7 million color RGB lighting, but do you really need 16.7 million colors to choose from? Aerocool doesn’t seem to think so, and as such, its new DS230 has just seven color choices with which you can customize the lighting.

The DS230 that Aerocool announced today is a mid-size gaming case that falls in the “Dead Silence” series. It has room for an ATX motherboard, three dual-slot GPUs up to 388 mm long (or 413 mm without any front fans installed), CPU coolers up to 170 mm tall, two 3.5” drives, and three 2.5” drives. There is no room for optical drives.

The case measures 475 x 230 x 478mm (HxWxD), and when empty it weighs 8.2 kg. That heft is thanks to the 0.7 mm-thick steel chassis together with the sound damping material on the top, front and side panels.

Despite being a silence-optimized case, it doesn’t lack for space in the cooling department. If you’re feeling lavish, you can populate the front with three 120 mm or two 140 mm fans, two 120 or 140 mm fans at the top, and one rear 120 mm fan. As standard kit, Aerocool includes a single 120 mm PWM fan.

The chassis has lighting at the top and bottom of the front panel, and the base of the case also has a top-down glow. Under normal operation, you can choose from red, green, blue, orange, magenta, light blue or white lighting, but there is also a special PWM mode. To enable it, you have to connect a PWM fan to a specific port on the fan controller hub, and after that the color will change depending on the duty cycle of the fan. It will start at green when the fan is running slowly, then move to blue, white, orange, and finally red when the fans are running at full speed. It draws the PWM signal from your motherboard, and the lighting can be disabled or set to breathing mode.

Front I/O consists of two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, the usual pair of headphone jacks, and buttons to control power and lighting.

Aerocool did not specify pricing, but it did note that the case will be available towards the end of the month or the beginning of September.

In addition to its P7 families of cases and cooling solutions, Aerocool also revealed a new P7 PSU line at Computex, with capacities ranging from 550W to 850W. The OEM is Andyson and although these units are based on its Titanium platform, their efficiency is one level lower at 80 PLUS Platinum.

We suspect that the fully modular cables didn't allow for Titanium efficiency, since Andyson's N platform uses a semi-modular cabling design which has lower energy losses. In addition, the lack of a bridgeless design in the N platform doesn't leave much room for even slightly increased energy losses when the goal is Titanium efficiency. Nonetheless, Platinum efficiency will be easily achieved.

All P7 units will feature LED lighting to match the lighting effects of the rest P7 products. Obviously Aerocool hopes that you won't buy just one of its P7 products, but one from each family.

The external design of the P7 PSUs is pretty nice, and it's unique, making them easily distinguishable. Inside, only high quality components will be used, including Japanese caps, which increase reliability and also ensure high performance throughout most of a PSU's operational life. Caps age, especially electrolytic ones, and this significantly affects ripple filtering performance, among other aspects.

The following tables lists the most important technical specifications of the upcoming P7 PSU models.

Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube.

Take It Easy With My Nightstand

Sometimes you need to think inside the box.

How Fast Are We Going?

Gauges replace the conventional chassis on this automotive-oriented build. Sounds about right.

Blub Blub

It's time to break out the fishing gear.

Post-Apocalyptic

This box could be featured in Fallout 3.

Thermaltake Level 11?

This is what happens when you cross BMW’s design with a coffee-maker.

Acrylic Everything

It might not be pretty, but it sure is transparent.

Dressing Down

Just because your girlfriend works at a True Religion factory doesn’t mean you have to drape your PC in denim.

Desktop Accessories

There are cups for pens and pencils on the sides, and paper clips fit too.

Combination

The perfect marriage of acrylic and steel. Only the power cable looks out of place.

Pure Foam

The green slime monster is alive! This PC fits in with the post-apocalyptic theme from earlier.

Insight

Another win for the nothing-but-acrylic look.

On The Table

Now we know what Lian Li’s prototype looked like.

Cool Cooler

Some turbulence is nice to see (even though we typically spend our time trying to get rid of bubbles).

Did Someone Lose A Wheel?

This rim might not be to everyone’s taste.

Soda Dispenser

If you're going for effective cooling, might as well chill your soda at the same time, right?

Counterintuitive

Turning it inside-out. We see what you did there.

Firing On Both Cylinders

We always like to see a V2.

Fanboy

This probably isn’t the right enclosure for an AMD graphics card.

Mini PC

This is how you build a Mini PC.

Wooden

Another Thermaltake knockoff, though this one could have been made by Ikea.

Wooden Squared

Since we’re keeping it natural, here’s another biodegradable case.

Plastic Explosion

This thing looks like a mixture of Raidmax, Aerocool and a hotel in Dubai.

Wizard’s Tower

And because we’re on the topic of architecture, here’s another skyscraper.

Icebox

Sometimes bigger isn’t better. Things went a bit too far here. This setup would probably be great for a cryogenic storage facility.

Medical Equipment

This thing looks like it could keep your heart beating during surgery, despite those swords at each corner. Consult with your doctor before use.

Lots Of Cables

At least the lighting’s nice. Cables can actually be hidden, you know.

Military

We don’t think this is standard Army issue.

Genie In A Bottle

There are always ways to recycle a nice empty bottle.

New Perspectives

This is the PC from page 17, taken from a different angle. I realize mods are largely subjective, but it still doesn’t look any better to me.

Undead Vacuum Cleaner

This is a great Gothic appliance for hardcore rockers who like to keep their rooms clean.

Steampunk

Nice!

Rodent

There isn’t a rat in the case, but…

Computing To The Beat Of Your Own Drum

This giant drum has perfect airflow – as long as your leg doesn’t get tired.

R2D2

Presented without comment!

Initiative For A Clean Internet

We call this stainless steel drum the “Tide” model. Either way, temperatures top out at around 90 degrees Celsius.

Schrödinger’s PC

We opened it, and now we know that it’s dead.

Skeleton

This PC literally has a backbone.

Confucius

If you’re confused by all of this, then you’re not alone.

Trash Can

No need to throw it out – it’s already there.

Setting The Table

The rolling PC table for the couch. Just add a burger, a soda and the remote control.

Aerocool has been working hard on making cases that stand out, and its latest number follows that trend. No, the XPredator Cube doesn't go out hunting for your enemies, but it does have room to pack some serious gaming hardware and one of the color options is even styled after Iron Man.

The XPredator Cube is based off of the older XPredator cases, but with a little twist. While it might look like yet another oversized Mini-ITX chassis, this case actually houses a Micro-ATX motherboard. It will also house an ATX power supply, two dual-slot graphics cards up to 345 mm long, CPU coolers up to 187 mm tall, a 5.25" drive and up to three 2.5" or 3.5" drives.

The case is split into two compartments – a top part where you'll find space for the motherboard on a removable tray, and the bottom compartment, which houses the storage devices and the power supply. There's ample room left in the bottom compartment for cable clutter, or if you're enthusiastic about liquid cooling, a water pump for custom water loops.

Airflow in the case is provided by a front-mounted 200 mm fan, two 120 mm or 140 mm fans in the top of the case (with support for 240 or 280 mm radiators) and two 120 mm or 140 mm fans as rear exhaust.

Two USB 3.0 ports, the usual HD audio jacks, a power button and two fan control knobs handle front I/O.

Overall, this looks like a decent case for a gaming rig, with plenty of room and good airflow. If the unique appearance suits your fancy, you could consider picking one up for $125.90 starting next week.

Follow Niels Broekhuijsen @NBroekhuijsen. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

The DS200 was originally displayed at Computex, but Aerocool has finally launched the enclosure for real. The enclosure stems from the design of the original DS gaming case, which was a Micro-ATX enclosure. This case is an ATX mid-tower, and thus will fit a bit more hardware and feature a more standard layout.

Graphics cards inside the case can be up to 290 mm long; however, if you remove the middle hard drive cage you can fit graphics cards up to 410 mm in length. For hard drives there is room for up to five 3.5-inch drives along with another two 2.5-inch drives. PSUs can measure up to 22 cm long, so that won't be a problem either. The case also has two 5.25-inch optical drive bays.

Silence is one of the case's biggest selling points. Its name even stems from it, as DS stands for Dead Silence. The case comes with a built-in fan controller capable of powering up to 25 W of fans split over three channels. It's not a lot compared to aftermarket fan controllers, but for most folks this is far more than adequate. Each channel has four speed settings, one of which is simply powering a channel down. For added silence the case comes with two tops: one with a closed design and the other with a mesh design. You can pick the top that suits your needs best, be that silence or cooling performance. Furthermore, the case comes packed with sound insulation material and a number of rubber grommets spread throughout the enclosure.

Front I/O is handled by a pair of USB 2.0 ports, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, along with the standard pair of HD audio jacks.

The case will come in a number of different versions. Color options include black, red, orange, black and white, blue, and green. All cases cost $163.90, except the black version, which costs $158.90. Aerocool has also revealed a so-called Lite edition of the case, which is a black version of the case that is missing a number of non-essential parts like the sound-isolation material and the middle hard drive cage. This one sells for $120.90.

Follow Niels Broekhuijsen @NBroekhuijsen. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

The Aerocool Dead Silence series case fans were announced quite a while back, but it has taken up until now to reach shelves.

Aerocool has aimed to build one of the most silent case fans with this series. Based on conclusions from early reviews, it has succeeded in doing so.

In order to achieve these extremely quiet noise levels, Aerocool has gone to great lengths to silence the fans. These fans are the first in the world to feature a dual-material design in the way they do, as they combine both plastic and rubber throughout the entire construction. The colored bits are rubber, while all the black parts and the frame are made of plastic. Regarding special shapes to reduce noise, the corners of the frames feature noise reduction blocks built into the rubber, the rear of the blades have a gold-ball pattern to reduce turbulent noise, and the exit fins have some sort of teeth.

The fans have no PWM support yet, though due to the low start-up voltage of just 3 V, it won't be missed too much (at least not for case fans).

The units will come out in two sizes, both of which will come in four different colors, all of which come with or without LEDs. Color options are grey, red, white and blue. The frames are black for all the units.

Pricing for the units remains unclear, though we've spotted the 120 mm units on the streets for just under $20. They'll be rolling out to more retailers over the next few weeks.

Follow Niels Broekhuijsen @NBroekhuijsen. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Aerocool has announced two new compact cases, the QS-101 and QS-102. Both feature identical interiors, with only the front panel differing on the two units. Inside, both units can house up to Micro-ATX size motherboards. Expansion is limited to the usual four slots, but they are all low-profile, so standard width graphics cards won't fit. Power has to be supplied through a front-mounted SFX power supply. As far as storage is concerned, users can fit a standard 3.5-inch drive in a dedicated location, and they can mount either an optical drive in the 5.25" bay or a combination of a single 3.5" drive along with two more 2.5" drives.

The front panels feature access to the optical drive, the standard set of HD audio jacks, and power and reset switches. The QS-101 will give you access to two USB 3.0 ports while the QS-102 will only have a single USB port. Included with both units is a single 80 mm fan that can spin at speeds of up to 1600 RPM making about 21.6 dBA of noise.

The unit is available immediately with both available in black, red and white.

Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Aerocool has announced a new series of case fans -- the Air Force fans. The units will come out in two versions: 120 mm and 140 mm.

The goal behind the fans is to create very silent, yet still effective fans. The 120 mm units will spin at speeds of up to 1200 RPM, when they'll push 52.65 CFM, generate 0.91 mm of water in air pressure, and make about 25.4 dBA of noise in the process. The 140 mm models will spin a little slower, at just 1000 RPM. At this speed they will push 62.26 CFM, lift just 0.71 mm of water, and make 25.5 dBA of noise.

Both fans are rated to have a lifetime of 100,000 hours, and both come with an "air circulator." What this should do is focus the outward airflow to a point, rather than to spread it in all directions behind the fans. These add 3 mm to the thickness of the fans and are detachable.

The units will also come in multiple colors; there will be a plain black version as well as LED lit versions with blue, white, orange and red as color options.

Aerocool has priced the 120 mm units at €8 (ex. VAT), while the 140 mm units will set you back €10.50 (ex. VAT).

Looking for a new single-bay fan controller? Aerocool has introduced the CoolTouch-E and the CoolTouch-R, both of which sport a touch panel for direct interaction so that customers can make adjustments and changes more naturally. Both are on sale now for $33 and $43, respectively, and come in black and white colors.

According to the company, up to four case fans can be connected to the back of the new controller. In the front, the information is sorted and displayed on the screen. All interactions with the new fan controller are made by simply pressing on the designated area on the touch-screen.

For instance, users can change the background color of the LCD touch-panel anytime by pressing the "color" button. Both models offer the choice between background colors of red, green, yellow, blue, light blue, purple and white.

The CoolTouch-E has the largest screen of the two, measuring 100 x 25 mm. Users can control each of the four case fan channels individually by choosing the preferred channel and then adjusting the fan speed in steps between 0, 50, 75 and 100 percent.

"Each channel supports fans with a consumption of up to 20 watts," explains the company's announcement. "The CoolTouch-E indicates whether a fan is spinning or not and allows users to stop fans by pressing the power button. All common types of fan connectors are supported by the CoolTouch series, including the standard 3-pin and 4-pin PWM as well as 4-pin Molex connectors."

The CoolTouch-R has a smaller screen of only 85 x 25 mm, but offers additional functions such as an integrated temperature sensor that allows users to monitor the temperature of the CPU cooler, HDD, chipset, VGA card or the temperature inside the chassis. This sensor can be placed anywhere inside the case and mounted using supplied adhesive stickers.

The CoolTouch-R also includes a built-in card-reader and a USB 3.0 port located on the right side of the touch-based panel.

So there you go. One controller has a display stretched from side to side, and a controller with a screen, USB 3.0 port and card reader. Both are relatively cheap in price, so the only real decision to make here is whether you need another USB port in place of a larger screen.

Of course, if you want something larger than a single-bay form factor, Aerocool has plenty to choose from right here.

After recently launching its Dead Silence case (read our review here), Aerocool has also announced its Dead Silence series of fans. While normally new fan releases bring little new stuff to the table, this time around Aerocool surprises us yet again. The fans are made with two materials -- plastic and rubber -- but not in the typical way that rubber is used.

The rubber is actually implemented in the blade structure of the fan itself. The rubber is meant to reduce vibration and make the fans a little more flexible, supposedly making them quieter.

"The Dead Silence series stands for great products, providing outstanding performance at ultra-low noise level. Our new DS fan series brings innovation to the market and displays the potential of the Dead Silence series very well," stated Tony Lin, CEO of Aerocool Advanced Technologies.

The fans can spin up with a starting voltage of just 3 V, and they come with a special 7 V low-noise adapter.

There was no word on what the units would cost, though they will be available through select channels starting January 2014.

Aerocool has announced two new cases: the GT and the GT-Advance. The cases are aimed at system builders on a budget, and each will come in two colors.

The cases fit up to ATX motherboards, as well as graphics cards up to 293 mm and CPU coolers that tower up to 158 mm. The cases also support up to two optical drives, as well as a handful of 2.5" and 3.5" drives.

Included with the cases is one 120 mm exhaust fan for the GT case, while the GT-Advance tops that off with another 120 mm LED intake fan. The fan included with both the cases is one that spins at up to 1200 RPM, while the extra intake fan in the GT-Advance spins up to 700 RPM.

Front I/O connectivity on the cases is handled by two USB 2.0 ports on the GT, one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 on the GT-Advance, as well as HD audio connectors.

Pricing sits at €25.00, €24.30, €29.00, and €25.00 for the GT White, GT Black, GT White Advance, and the GT Black Advance, respectively.

Aerocool's Dead Silence Case Gets Reviewed

The DS abbreviation in the name of Aerocool’s newest case stands for Dead Silence, and the enclosure's cooling solution is supposed to be consistent with that nomenclature. Its 200 mm front fan runs at a conservative 500 RPM, and its 120 mm rear fan spins at 900 RPM. And yet, Aerocool maintains that the DS' thermal capabilities are sufficient for gaming platforms based on microATX or mini-ITX form factors. In case the stock setup proves unable to cope with all of your high-end hardware, you also have the option to install additional fans, a 240 mm radiator, or a mesh cover for the case’s top. A two-chamber system that separates the hot components, such as the motherboard, processor, and graphics card, from the rest of the system provides unobstructed airflow.

Aerocool's DS is supposed to hit the market in a few days at a price point of $120 under $75, and you can already find it listed on the company's own site. From that, we know the case will be available in six different colors: black, black/red, black/orange, black/gold, black/white, and white. From there, you can opt for or against a side window, too.

Packaging and The Bundle

The Dead Silence chassis itself is not the only thing less gaudy than the company's usual fare. Its packaging is environmentally-friendly cardboard.

Aerocool's DS comes with everything from spacers to screws to nuts. There are enough small parts to fill every slot, bay, and fan space in the case, all sorted in their own plastic bags, which are clearly labeled. A piezo speaker, a bunch of ties, and a cable that adapts USB 3.0 to a motherboard's USB 2.0 header round out the enclosure's accessory bundle.

Finally, there’s an optional top cover that promises better cooling performance, so long as you're willing to break the case's nice clean sweeping aesthetic. We'll go into more detail on that shortly. Aerocool's illustrated installation manual is simple, but completely sufficient. It covers all of the chassis' most unique aspects.

Technical Specifications and Front Panel

The Dead Silence's front panel features everything that you would generally expect from a case like this. There’s a pair of USB 3.0 connectors (also usable as 2.0 with the included adapter) and a separate pair of USB 2.0 connectors, a power and a reset button, and two audio connectors that must be connected to the HD Audio headers on your motherboard. The front panel is split into two parts that are located on the left and right side of the case’s top. Each has its own highly polished plastic surface.

Exterior And Picture Gallery

Aerocool's Dead Silence is a very robust chassis, thanks to its 0.8 mm-thick steel frame. The plastic covers also seem to be well-made; from our short time with them, it doesn't appear that they'll wear out after repeated assemblies. Other than the side and back panels, all of the other surfaces have a soft-touch finish. It's nice-feeling, and doesn't attract fingerprints (the loud orange color might have helped with that).

Visually, this is a good-looking chassis. Its exterior consists of simple, smooth surfaces. Some round transitions, and the break between the body of the case and its sides keep it from looking monotone. As we mentioned, Aerocool offers a number of different color combinations for those who feel that this specific representation is a bit too flashy. At a width of 26.5 cm, the Dead Silence is on the wide side, and, consequently, fits into the cube category when its other, relatively compact dimensions are taken into account. You'll find the DS fairly easy to transport, making it a viable option for LAN party gaming.

The only immediately apparent problem surfaces when it comes time to pop off those side panels. They’re held in place by beefy thumb screws that are easy to work with. However, the panels themselves don’t sport grips that'd help slide them off. This is especially problematic the first time you go to remove them; they're stuck on pretty securely.

Cooling And Dust Protection

The Dead Silence's basic design centers on a two-chamber approach. The top level houses the motherboard, with all of its heat-generating components plugged into it, while the bottom is reserved for the power supply and storage.

Armed with a 200 mm intake fan and 120 mm exhaust, the Dead Silence includes the accessories needed to keep enthusiast-class hardware cool in a purposely cramped space. The larger front fan promises a nice, wide airflow that should push air across most of the installed components. As mentioned, both fans spin slowly, and the benchmarks will show if they're powerful enough to keep up with a high-end gaming system. Both fans are compatible with three- and four-pin power connectors.

Since the case features smooth, unbroken surfaces, air enters via slits cut into the front cover's sides. You can see them in the shot below. These go almost all the way around the front, from one side of the top cover all the way to the bottom, over to the other side, and all the way up again to the top.

Unfortunately, the case doesn’t have a dust filter covering the front fan, even though there would have been enough space for it. We can only hope that fewer dust particles will enter, compared to cases with lots of mesh up front, due to the placement of those small slits.

The power supply's air intake does feature a dust filter, which can easily be accessed by pulling it out of the back of the case.

The Dead Silence can be optionally equipped for airflow through the case's top panel. Removing that cover reveals space to install two 120 or 140 mm fans.

In order for the optional fans to do their work, the Dead Silence's top cover is replaced with one that features openings and a dust filter. This option comes in handy as you start stepping up to hotter hardware that dissipates power inelegantly (AMD's Radeon HD 7990 and Nvidia's GeForce GTX 690 are good examples).

Water Cooling

You can also use the space below that optional mesh top to house a 240 mm radiator for water cooling. First, the 5.25” and 3.5” external drive cages, which are held in place by screws, need to be taken out. From there, you even have enough space for a radiator sandwiched by fans. And the motherboard is installed horizontally, not vertically, so you won't have to worry about potential clearance issues.

Component Installation

PSU Installation and Cable Routing

Four tall rubber feet decouple the PSU from the bottom of the case. There’s no such protection between the power supply and back of the case, but this really shouldn't be an issue.

There are 19 cm of space available for the PSU and its cables. The Cooler Master V700 we used is 17 cm-long. Factor in its modular cables, and we were looking at a tight fit. Removing the 3.5” drive cage wasn't an option, since the side closest to the power supply doubles as part of the motherboard tray.

Even in a small case like Aerocool's Dead Silence, cable management is possible. There are openings cut into the motherboard tray, as well as spaces between the edges of the tray and the side panels. You can use those cut-outs to route leads from the bottom level to the top.

Optical Drives and Hard Drives

There’s one bay each for externally-facing 5.25” and 3.5” drives. Remove the covers by pushing them out the front and secure your drives with screws.

The 3.5” drive cage has a nice touch in that the sledge slightly decouples storage devices from the sides. To install a hard drive, remove the sledge, push its sides apart, place your disk onto it, and push the sides back together. Smaller 2.5” drives work too; screw them onto the sledge from the bottom. They won't enjoy the same decoupling, but if they're SSDs, they don't need that anyway.

It’s worth noting that the hard drive sledges sit very tightly in place once you slide them back into the case with a drive installed.

There's another cage specifically for 2.5" drives next to the PSU. Installation requires four screws that are attached with decoupling rubber rings and slid into the cage. It's not as secure as the 3.5" drive cage, but still plenty sufficient for SSDs.

Motherboard, Graphics Card, and CPU Cooler

As with any other case, you need to screw some spacers into the tray before installing a motherboard. Aerocool gives you a small tool for this (though you might not need it, thanks to the Dead Silence's clean threads). Since the case's top cover is removable, all of the motherboard screws are easily accessible with a long screwdriver.

Aerocool's Dead Silence is compatible with CPU heat sinks up to 19 cm-tall thanks to the motherboard's horizontal position. In other words, we'd expect any modern cooler to fit in the small cube-shaped case.

Expansion card installation is tool-less. On the back of the case, a rail holds the four mesh slot covers in place. The rail, in turn, is held secured by a thumb screw.

Graphics cards up to 25 cm-long fit without any modifications. Wider cards might necessitate removing the 3.5” external drive cage, though.

Benchmark Setup And Conditions

Aerocool's Dead Silence is designed to offer ample cooling performance in its small package, so we chose the components to test its mettle accordingly. Given a handful of fairly modern parts, this setup should tell us whether the chassis with two slow-spinning fans works, or if it needs some supplementary help.

We're generating a couple of measurements: first with the closed top cover and then with the open mesh panel. Installing two optional fans would facilitate even better cooling performance, but we were more curious about what the case can do stock. Consequently, we stuck with the two stock fans.

The HIS graphics card we're using is actually a best-case for Aerocool, since it exhausts waste heat out of its rear slot instead of circulating it through the case like so many other boards. Intel's SSD doesn't have a temperature sensor, leaving us with just the disk drive's sensor.

We load the system using a combination of Prime95 (Small FTTs) and MSI Kombustor (Fractal Flame), recording temperatures after 60 minutes.

Results: Temperatures And Noise

Temperatures

The parts we picked for this build should get warm enough to push the DS' two slow-spinning fans, but not overwhelm them. Of course, if you're using a graphics card that dumps all of its heat back into your case, or a more enthusiast-oriented CPU, more cooling performance can be achieved by installing two optional fans in their places at the top of the case, or opting for a 240 mm closed-loop liquid cooler. Again, we're sticking with Aerocool's stock setup, though.

As we were expecting, temperatures remain in an acceptable range, despite the slow case fans. HIS' Radeon HD 7950 maxes out at 69 degrees Celsius at a fan speed of 2300 RPM due to its self-contained cooling solution, which doesn't offload its job onto the chassis' airflow. Intel's Core i5-2500K at an average temperature of 61.6 degrees Celsius across its four cores. Using the mesh top panel instead of the closed one yields a small improvement to 59.6 degrees Celsius.

If you're considering using this sort of system in an ambient environment of more than 30 degrees Celsius, consider installing those fans under the case's top cover. Really, it's too bad that Aerocool doesn't include a fan controller, giving the option of a second, higher fan speed. There's also the option to optimize a bit under the hood for better breathing. The first idea that comes to mind is pulling the external drive cage if it's not needed.

Noise

Aerocool's Dead Silence tries to live up to its name by maintaining low fan speeds. This isn’t completely successful, though. The rear fan rumbles along quite noticeably. A higher-quality fan would have been a better value-add. The front fan manages to provide airflow inaudibly with a bit of help from the front cover that absorbs some of the noise; it can only be heard once the cover is removed.

This case isn't completely silent, but still manages to perform modestly in our acoustic measurements. Switching out the rear fan would result in a noticeable improvement, though 37.7 and 38.0 dB(A) are solid numbers.

In order to get a better idea of how our installed components affect noise, we took two more measurements. The first only included the stock case fans, while the second included the entire system under full load. The graphics card fan dominates the latter measurement.

A Good-Looking Case With A Little Room For Improvement

Aerocool's DS is a compact cube-shaped case that’s able to accommodate powerful gaming hardware, whether you use it in its stock form or add a couple of cooling fans. Its strengths include a nice-looking, lively design and good use of minimal space. Separating the interior into chambers, putting core components up top and everything else down below, helps keep the heat from certain parts from affecting others. In this way, very tall CPU coolers, long graphics cards, and even 240 mm radiators can fit.

The stock cooling solution consists of a 200 mm front fan and a 120 mm rear fan, both of which spin fairly slowly, but still manage to maintain reasonable temperatures. A stock closed top cover can be replaced with an optional mesh one to improve the Dead Silence's thermal performance (particularly if you then choose to utilize the two spaces for additional fans right underneath it).

Aerocool's DS is sturdily-built, relatively quiet, and covered in a nice soft-touch surface. Everything inside is easy to reach during installation, and cable routing (and hiding) works well too, in spite of the enclosure's small size.

There’s some room for improvement as well, though. We'd like to see the rear case fan replaced by something quieter. Aerocool could also have added a fan controller with two settings, the second of which would spin the fans faster, improving the stock configuration's cooling capabilities.

At the end of the day, Aerocool's Dead Silence is an attractive, well-designed, and versatile chassis with plenty of room for enthusiast-oriented hardware in a compact form factor. We liked its estimated price tag, but are less certain about the new MSRP of $120. The fact that it'll be available in so many color combinations is definitely nice, though. If you don't mind making some minor improvements (like replacing the rear case fan), you'll be happy with a small gaming machine based on this case.

Aerocool has released a new chassis, the VS-92 gaming case. This case will make up part of the PGS-V series of products, which caters to gamers. The chassis has a standard, yet expansive, feature set for a budget price.

The case will come in four flavors: two different colors with two versions, a mesh version and a window version. The color options are black and white.

The interior of the chassis features plenty of expansion space. It houses up to ATX-size motherboards, has seven expansion slots, can hold graphics cards up to 400 mm in length and CPU tower coolers up to 158 mm high. Storage is taken care of by eight optical drives, nine 3.5" drives, or seven 2.5" drives.

The case also has plenty of cooling capabilities. It has room for up to 12 fans in the mesh edition or 10 fans in the window edition. It also has support for one 240 mm or 280 mm water cooling radiator. Standard, it ships with one 120 mm axial-fan mounted to the rear exhaust. To mount fans in the front of the enclosure you have to use the multi-purpose adapters, which can mount either additional fans or 2.5"/3.5" drives. The case ships with six of these.

Front I/O connectivity is handled by two USB 3.0 ports as well as a headphone jack and microphone jack.

The cases should already be available through European retailers for MSRP prices of €38 ($50) for the mesh edition and €40 ($53) for the window version. These prices exclude taxes. There is no word on when they will hit U.S. retail channels.

The Strike-X series has already seen a number of enclosures, but now Aerocool is adding three enclosures to the lineup, all called Strike-X Xtreme. The three cases will be nearly identical, except for the colors that have been used. There will be three versions: white, black and Devil Red.

The enclosures are full-towers, and thus fit up to ATX size motherboards. They measure 530 x 210 x 520 mm and are made of 0.7 mm SECC steel. The front of the case, as well as part of the top and part of the side, are made of meshed aluminum. The enclosure itself has room for six 3.5" or 2.5" drives, as well as accommodations for up to four 5.25" optical drives. CPU coolers can be up to 172 mm in height, and graphics cards up to 293 mm long.

Aerocool's Strike-X Xtreme enclosures will have three premounted fans: one front intake 180 mm fan with LED lighting, another LED lit 140 mm top exhaust fan, and a standard 120 mm exhaust fan in the back. External connectivity is handled by two USB 3.0 ports, HD analog audio ports, as well as a power button and reset switch.

The enclosures should already be available in retail channels, and carry MSRP pricing of €59 for the Black Edition and the Devil Red Edition, while the White Edition will cost €63.

Aerocool, a Taiwanese manufacturer, has announced two new PC enclosures. Both of the enclosures make part of the Templarius series, the Ferrum and Telum. The Templarius family is specifically aimed at gamers and enthusiasts, and it will consist of not only PC cases, but also peripherals such as mice keyboards and headsets.

The Ferrum enclosure only comes in one color scheme, black and white. The material used to build the enclosure is 0.5 mm thick SGCC steel. The enclosure will be large enough to house all high-end graphics cards up to 400 mm in length, including the GeForce GTX 690 and the Radeon HD 7990.

The Telum chassis comes in two color schemes, a full black version or a white version with black accents. The material used for this enclosure is also 0.5 mm thick, but is SPCC steel instead of SGCC steel. It also features an acrylic side window. The Telum ships with two pre-mounted 120 mm fans. Moreover, the Telum has a built in fan controller with three settings; Full speed (12 V), Slow (5 V), or completely off for absolute silence.

Both cases' motherboard trays have a CPU backplate cutout and cable management holes. They also have support for up to 10 fans, tool-free mounting for 5.25", 3.5", and 2.5" drives, pre-drilled water cooling holes and a dust filter for the PSU.

Both the enclosures are already available on the European market, US availability remains unknown. Pricing ranges from 45 to 55 Euro, which by todays exchange rates is roughly $60 to $74.

The Perfect PC For Any Mood

We’re typically resolute in our choices when it comes to the guts of our favorite PCs. But we can get downright fickle when you start talking about aesthetics. I'm pretty sure everyone here at Tom's Hardware has a different opinion on what looks good. Choosing an enclosure is difficult enough. Forget committing to any one color of lighting (that's if you can tolerate lighting at all). In ideal world, we'd like the freedom to change colors to suit our moods. And this has to be done right. The tenets of artistic design demand that all pieces fit together. We can’t have green lights in the chassis, a yellow mouse, and a keyboard that blasts out red.

A few years ago, it would have been unrealistic to expect components from different vendors to come together in an amalgamation of coordination. You would have had to spend hours modding your chassis and peripherals with custom LED lighting. This is no longer the case, though. Thanks to a number of enthusiast-friendly companies and good old fashioned capitalism, you can find a wide variety of cases, accessories, and peripherals armed with LEDs able to assume any color in the RGB spectrum.

So, we decided to construct a customizable illuminated dream build. Although it boasts some fantastic hardware, this system's real focus is  bright colors and exciting effects. We'll showcase each component, of course, explain why we picked each of them, and how we put everything together. In the end, you'll see just how well-coordinated (and luminous) a build can be using off-the-shelf parts.

Lighting Controller And Enclosure

Lighting: NZXT Hue RGB LED Controller

This is the piece of hardware that sparked my idea for this story. NZXT's Hue consists of a simple six-foot-long LED sleeve that adheres to a case's interior. The controls are housed in a 5.25” drive bay, providing easily access for adjusting brightness, color, and even effects (referred to as modes).

Modes make the lights flash, pulse, fade, and change colors. Considering a reasonable $33 price tag at Newegg, this component definitely has the biggest impact on our build's aesthetic for the lowest buy-in.

Enclosure: Thermalktake Level 10 GT

Acknowledging that chassis choice is highly subjective, Thermaltake's Level 10 GT is one of the most unique and attractive PC enclosures I've ever worked with. It's designed to be a less pricey version of the $1,000 BMW-designed, ultra high-end Thermaltake Level 10, reviewed by Thomas Soderstrom in 2010.

Despite an $800-cheaper price tag, the GT's build quality is still excellent. Its unique semi-modular design makes component installation an absolute pleasure. Five externally-accessible 3.5” hot-swappable SATA drive bays are a luxury that add to this case’s style and function.

Perhaps more relevant to this particular build, the Level 10 GT comes factory-equipped with customizable LED lighting. Fan lights can be set to blue, green, red, two patterns that alternate between the three colors, or off. In addition, the case features a small window to the CPU area, which is ideal for showing off lit-up components.

For $200 on Newegg, Thermaltake's Level 10 GT is one of my favorite enclosures, and an excellent home for our illuminated dream build.

Fan Controller, Memory, And Power Supply

Fan Controller with LED Touchscreen : Aerocool Touch-2100

While you might be surprised to see a fan controller listed as one of the most visually striking components on a build's parts list, one look at Aerocool's Touch-2100 LCD display should make it pretty clear why we picked it. Equipped with an illuminated LCD touchscreen the size of two 5.25" drive bays, the Touch-2100 looks like something out of Star Trek. The controller's color can be set to red, green, yellow, blue, purple, teal, white, or turned off entirely.

But the Touch-2100 isn’t just for show. This unit can handle five fans, each with an accompanying temperature sensor. Fan speed can be set manually. However, if a user-configurable temperature threshold is exceeded, the Touch-2100 automatically increases cooling to help bring it back under control. Underneath the screen itself, you'll find two USB 3.0 ports and headphone/mic jacks that can be used instead of your case's front-panel connections.

For $64 on Newegg, Aerocool's Touch-2100 is the crown jewel in our illuminated dream PC.

Memory: Crucial Ballistix Tracer

Crucial's Ballistix Tracer kit is a great example of how a common and visually bland PC component can be spruced up with simple lighting effects. These modules are available an orange/blue or red/green lighting combo. Each stick has LED running lights near its contacts, which illuminate your chosen motherboard's memory area. The top of the modules also have activity lights that change based on memory utilization.

Activity lights can be set to one of four patterns: stereo, inside out, lava, and streamer. Their visual impact on whole machine's overall look is actually more dramatic than you might otherwise guess. The intricate light patterns generated by Crucial's kit are pretty spectacular, and easy to see through the case's side window.

Lighting color and effects are controlled by the Ballistix MOD utility. Each module can be modified with an independent color and pattern, or all of them can be linked to use the same settings. We used four sticks of orange/blue memory. But, in retrospect, a combination of two orange/blue and two red/green would have allowed us to apply four distinct colors instead of two, yielding an even wider range of customization. Regardless, we're still able to use these modules with a variety of color schemes, since orange and blue can complement a wide range of hues.

Although we were originally skeptical about the impact light-up memory would make, now that the whole machine is put together, we don't think this build would have ended up nearly as appealing without it. You’ll see it for yourselves in the video at the end of this piece.

Crucial offers a wide range of Ballistix Tracer memory on Newegg, starting as low as $10.

Power Supply: Rosewill Lightning

Rosewill sells the only power supplies with adjustable lighting that we could find. The LED on the large intake fan can be set to red, blue, or turned off entirely. The modular power receptacles also light up when cables are connected. The four-pin Molex and SATA plugs light up blue, two of the four six- and eight-pin auxiliary connectors for graphics cards light up green, and the other two light up orange.  

Since the intake fan is pointed downward, the light-up effect is much more dramatic in cases with top-mounted power supplies. Unfortunately, our build has its PSU on the bottom of the enclosure. There's a lot less impact from its illuminated fan, though the cable connectors remain quite visible.

The Rosewill Lightning series is available from Newegg in 800, 1,000, and 1,300 W flavors for $150, $170, and $220, respectively. All three SKUs are equipped with active PFC and share the same 80 PLUS Gold certification.

Keyboard: Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 7

There are a number of great keyboards out there with robust illumination controls, but we wanted something really special for our dream build. We found it in Mad Catz's S.T.R.I.K.E. 7.

The S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 is a modular gaming keyboard with several removable sections. On the left side of the keyboard is a function strip of four programmable macro buttons. The lower-left portion of the keyboard hosts a palm rest with its own thumb wheel and action button, which essentially turns the keyboard into a functional gamepad. To the right of the palm rest, you can see a pair of adjustable wrist rests, one of which corresponds to the keyboard and the other attached to the number pad (of course, that detaches from the keyboard as well). Finally, there is the programmable V.E.N.O.M. control module (enough acronyms, Mad Catz) with its own LCD touchscreen.

That's a lot to take in, so let's begin with the modular nature of this product. The main keyboard, number pad, LCD touchscreen, function strip, palm rest, and both wrist rests can all be removed and rearranged into a number of different configurations. The only obvious limitation we can see is that the palm rest is left-hand-only, leaving the left-handed mouse user out of luck.

In addition to being modular, the wrist rests are adjustable to fit different users, and the palm rest has height adjustment. Further customization is possible with a set of alternate WASD and arrow keys; one set is outlined with red rubber, while the other simply has arrow-shaped notches embedded into the keys.

If its modularity isn't enough to differentiate this keyboard from others on the market, the V.E.N.O.M. touchscreen control module certainly is. With it, you can adjust backlighting, launch apps, control media playback, adjust audio levels, set timers, take notes, and several other functions.

But the control module's real power is its ability to program macros for specific games, using up to 12 touchscreen icons. This means you have the power to customize both the functionality and look of the touchscreen controls. Our only criticism is the lack of background options. It would be awesome to change the generic blue image to a specific game-themed one. Mad Catz claims to be working on additional functionality for the V.E.N.O.M. control module, so we hope that adding background options makes its to-do list.

The V.E.N.O.M's TFT LCD screen is about 3.25" (measured diagonally). And although Mad Catz doesn’t publish the screen's specifications, we believe its resolution to be 480x320 based on the image in the control panel software.

Build quality is also top notch, as we'd expect and demand from a $300 peripheral. The main pieces are anchored by a metal frame, and even the keyboard risers are made of this material. The product is covered in a rubbery, yet solid matte finish. The color and brightness of the laquered, laser-etched keys' backlighting is adjustable via a V.E.N.O.M. app.

Given its price tag, this keyboard is not for the everyone, but it’s most certainly the right fit for our dream build.

Gameboard And Mouse

Gameboard: Logitech G13

Considering the impressive capabilities of Mad Catz's S.T.R.I.K.E. 7, you might consider a gameboard redundant. We're including one in this build because we're more comfortable using a gameboard and mouse on a different elevation than the keyboard. Besides, the illuminated keyboard, gameboard, and mouse combo looks seriously impressive. After all, that's the point of this project.

Logitech's Gaming Software is able to assign color and brightness settings to each profile, which can then be selected on-the-fly via three dedicated buttons. Color is not only applied to key backlighting, but also to the integrated LCD display. The LCD can be set to display system resources, a clock, stopwatch, news, and applets created by developers to show in-game information. Logitech also provides an SDK so you can create your own custom applet if you want. The G13 even has 256 MB of on-board RAM for storing profiles, letting you take your preferences with you and not worry about the software.

The G13 features 25 keys and a programmable mini-joystick. Three mode buttons mean that the keys can perform up to 75 functions. And if all of that isn’t enough, macros can be programmed as well. The Logitech G13 Gameboard sells at Newegg for $74.

Mouse: Roccat Kone XTD

Even though keyboards with customizable lighting are relatively common these days, mice with this functionality are more rare. While Thermaltake offers a few models with selectable colors, Roccat's Kone XTD is the only mouse we're aware of that allows full RGB-spectrum color control. [Edit: Since publication we've learned about Mionix's NAOS 5000, with 24 selectable colors]

But the company doesn't stop with a single LED. The Kone contains four separate lights, each able to display a unique color. It also supports light effects like blinking, breathing, heartbeat, and a constantly-adjusting color flow that moves across the mouse’s lights. The speed of each effect is adjustable as well.

The Kone supports up to 22 functions and five game profiles via the most detailed control panel we've ever seen. This mouse is equipped with a 8,200 DPI laser sensor, for which the company claims a 10.8 megapixel resolution. With a polling rate of 1,000 Hz, and the ability to handle up to 30 Gs of acceleration, this mouse has more going for it than just good looks. Roccat's Kone XTD is available on Newegg for $90.

Graphics, Motherboard, And Cooling

Some components simply aren't available with customizable lighting. Whenever this happened, we chose products that distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack visually, while at the same time providing excellent performance.

Graphics Card: MSI N680GTX Lightning

MSI's GeForce GTX 680 Lightning boasts one of the highest factory core overclocks available on a GK104-based card at 1110 MHz (GPU Boost takes it to 1176 MHz on average). It features adjustable GPU, memory, and PLL voltages via MSI’s famous Afterburner overclocking utility, and the board's Twin Frozr IV cooler does a great job of keeping the graphics processor operating at low-enough temperatures so that frequencies stay nice and high.

While the card does not include adjustable lighting options, the back of MSI's Lightning board features a snazzy blue orb emblazoned with MSI's logo. The orb covers a removable component that MSI calls the GPU Reactor, which the company claims provides higher power capacity and lower noise.

Even if it doesn't have customizable lighting, this powerful high-end graphics card suits our dream build quite nicely. The MSI N680GTX Lightning sells on Newegg for $500.

Motherboard: Gigabyte Z77X-UP7

Since we can't find a motherboard with color-adjustable LED lighting, we can at least pick an exceptional specimen worthy of our special build. Enter Gigabyte's Z77X-UP7, the company's flagship LGA 1155-based offering. This motherboard boasts a 32+3+2 power phase design, 14 USB ports, and 10 SATA connectors. There are four PCIe x16 slots wired for eight-lane operation when you want to run in CrossFire or SLI, along with a fifth slot capable of 16-lane bandwidth in single-card configurations.

Gigabyte claims that the Z77X-UP7’s voltage regulator is the best in the industry. Moreover, the company includes its OC-Touch buttons soldered right onto the motherboard for making real-time adjustments to the multiplier ratio and BCLK without the need for rebooting. The platform sports on-board voltage measurement points and an LN2 mode switch that drops the CPU multiplier to x16 for extreme overclocking duty.

Gigabyte’s high-end Z77X-UP7 sells for $400 on Newegg.

CPU Cooler : Cooler Master TPC-812

We couldn't find any coolers with adjustable LED lighting [edit: NZXT's Kraken X60 was released after this build was spec'd out, and we discovered that Cooler Master's V6 offers three color adjustable lighting after publication], so we picked one with a mirror finish to reflect the build's other light sources. Yes, we realize that sounds incredibly superficial to enthusiasts who prioritize function over form.

Nevertheless, we gave Cooler Master's TPC-812 a try. The company claims that its TPC-812 is the first heat sink to combine vertical vapor chamber cooling with heat pipe technology.

This cooler features a polished copper base, an easy-to-use mounting system for its included 120 mm fan, two vapor chambers, six heat pipes, and aluminum fins. You can find the TPC-812 for $60 on Newegg.

Assembly And Build Notes

Thermaltake's spacious Level 10 GT makes assembly and cable management relatively easy compared to some of the System Builder Marathon configurations I've put together. As a result, there's very little to complain about, aside from the extra work that went into getting NZXT's Hue lighting strip and Aerocool's Touch-2100 fan controller installed.

We'll start with the Hue. Sliding the control panel unit into the bottom external 5.25" drive bay and plugging in its SATA-style power cable is as straightforward as it gets. The only component that requires any thought is the LED lighting strip, and even that doesn't necessitate much skill. Simply plan out the strip's route through the enclosure, check it for size, and remove sections of the adhesive tape as you apply it.

In our case, we placed the LED strip along the inside edge of the motherboard door. We had to be careful with a few bends and twists, but the flexible lighting is quite easy to work with. Our only worry was that some of the sharper angles might stress the adhesive, and one section came loose after a little while. We pushed it back into position, and the strip is still in place, even to this day.

The Aerocool Touch-2100 was no more difficult to install than the Hue, though it presents its own challenges. The touchscreen control panel is easily placed in the space of two adjacent 5.25" optical bays. A single four-pin power connector is all that you need to drive up to five 25 W fans. Because we had Thermaltake's Level 10 GT controlling all of the illuminated fans, there was only a 130 mm rear exhaust fan left for the Touch-2100 to control. Hooking it up was simple, leaving us with the temperature probes to arrange. Even without more fans attached, the probes can still report temperatures from five different zones in the case.

We placed probes on the motherboard voltage regulator, the CPU heat sink, the graphics card, the hard drive, and the memory. Unfortunately, the included adhesive tape wasn't sticky enough to hold the probes in place for long. That issue aside, installation was a breeze. We're finally ready to show off the fruits of our labor.

Our Dream Build In Action

It’s one thing to read about the system we've put together, but something else altogether to see it in action. So, we'll let the pictures speak for themselves. With full control over the lighting, we can create an almost endless number of color combinations. To keep things simple, though, we only took snapshots of a few.

According to my taste, this turned out to be a perfect PC. Obviously, that's a subjective claim, and you're going to have your own idea of what a customized, lit-up machine should look like (or not, if lighting doesn't do it for you). We hope the easy assembly we demonstrated gets you thinking outside of the box when it comes to your next setup. And while most of the components we used were pretty pricey, one of the most significant, NZXT's Hue, added a lot of visual appeal and only ran us $35.

While my dream build looks good in pictures, it’s so much more attractive when you see the system, memory, and even the mouse pulse with light. I tried to capture this in the following video. And although the camera on my HTC 8x phone isn't ideal in low-light environments, I hope it gives you a better idea of what the system really looks like.

Some of the LEDs aren’t configurable, including running lights on the motherboard, the graphics card, some in the chassis, and some in the power supply. If you're a purist who demands uniformity, you can always cover up those other light sources with electrical tape. But I didn't find them distracting enough to be a problem. Whether you liked my ideas or not, I encourage you to create your own illuminated dream machine. The result is pretty satisfying, and putting it all together is easier than you might think.

PSU Manufacturers, Designers, And Labels

Update: 1/23/13: Due to overwhelmingly positive feedback and a number of reader questions about the actual origin of certain power supply brands, we thoroughly revised our Who’s Who of PSUs, originally published in November of 2010 and last refreshed in May of 2011. Since the article is frequently quoted and linked to, we’re updating it rather than publishing the newest entries. As such, much of the content remains unchanged from the previous version.

Today’s revision adds many new manufacturers and brands, though. It also expands the number of models in several product families. Indeed, much has changed since our original article appeared more than two years ago, and we’re happy that readers in our forums and around the Web appear to be better informed and more discriminating when it comes to picking out a new power supply.

At the same time, manufacturers also appear to have re-evaluated some of their practices, and we’ve seen newer models use better components, resulting in higher quality overall.

We want to extend a special thanks to our community, as many of our readers and forum members have contributed much helpful information and valuable data to this analysis.

Several companies also joined in for the first time, volunteering information on their product lines. Sadly, for now it still appears that this is the exception rather than the rule. Many of our emails asking for information were met with silence. On that note, we acknowledge that we’re not infallible. Should you come across any omissions or errors, big or small, we invite you to send us your feedback so we can keep expanding and refining this list, ensuring it remains current and as inclusive as possible.

This article first appeared on November 12, 2010, and has since been added to and updated.

Who’s Who?

Let’s start by dividing the manufacturers into three large groups so we can better understand the database and how these companies are connected:

1. The OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers)

OEMs manage all of their production internally. They either exclusively design and manufacture their own PSUs (like Enermax) or design and manufacture their own brands, as well as manufacture PSUs designed by other companies (such as FSP, HEC, and SeaSonic). Some of them focus heavily on worldwide exports and provide a range of models, which are then sold under different labels. It's common to find otherwise-identical models marketed under many different names and labels. The industrial areas around Shenzhen, China, are the cradle of the lowest-priced PSUs sold all over the globe.

2. Designers: Without Their Own Production

The second group of companies also develops and designs their own products. However, they have to outsource either some or all of the manufacturing to other companies. One example of this is Be Quiet. Those familiar with the brand noted how Be Quiet P7 models were suddenly much better than the disappointing P6. The answer was simply a manufacturer change, from Topower to FSP. Other examples of designers include SilverStone, Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, and Tagan.

3. The Labels: With or Without Any Technical Involvement

Arguably, this group could be subdivided. Some importers of foreign PSUs that resell models under their own labels have a certain influence over the quality and choice of components, while others simply bring in some very cheap products, change the label, and resell them.

This third group is the most interesting one for price-oriented customers, though also the most uncertain for quality. You're as likely to score a bargain by getting a relabeled high-quality product at a lower price as you are to be disappointed by being too tight-fisted. Some good examples of products to watch are new models from Aerocool, which are essentially the Cougar units from Compucase/HEC with a discounted price and completely restyled exterior.

After many tests and inspections of budget models (by us, our readers, and friendly computer stores), we would advise you to steer your piggy banks clear of the labels Rasurbo, Inter-Tech (Sinan Power, Coba), Tech Solo, LC Power, RaptoxX, Tronje, Xilence, Ultron, World Link, Q-Tec, etc. We were able to identify some of these models without looking at the UL number simply by checking out the installed components. These were almost exclusively the simplest work of such manufacturers as Enhance, World Link, Andyson, Topower, Casing Macron, and Channel Well.

Lack of protection circuits, low efficiency, and bad build quality were major points of criticism. The lowest of the low was a European label called Hardwaremania24, targeted at OEM PCs. While still in standby mode, the PSU heated to about 176 degrees Fahrenheit, spent the next six hours billowing smoke, and finally made what might be described as a trumpeting sound before dying. The host computer was never even turned on. After analyzing the PSU, we found no protection at all save for a single slow fuse.

Firecracker Or Power Plant?

How do you identify a bad power supply before buying it?

• Extremely high wattage claims at comparatively low prices are suspicious. There are simply no decent 750 W power supplies for $50. For every product class based on performance and features, there must be a minimum price. When a product is significantly below that price, be cautious. You can get a "400 W PSU" for $20, and such fire hazards are installed in budget PCs every day by unscrupulous companies that know exactly the risk they're handing off to buyers.

• Check the specifications. For example, if a PSU claims high performance on the 3.3 and 5 V rails while the 12 V rail numbers are low, then you know something is wrong.

• The manufacturer does not specify any combined maximum performance, but instead only shows the maximum load for each rail separately. This is done without specifying how much real power would be available if all rails are used at the same time. Avoid PSUs without this information.

• Be careful with juicy marketing expressions and commercial lingo: Super, Extreme, Gaming, Combat, etc. Using superlatives to describe something quite normal should arouse suspicion and have you double-check specification details.

• Passive rather than active Power Factor Correction (PFC) leads to lower power efficiency.

• Very few or short power connectors and cables might be an issue. A 750 W PSU usually has four PCIe connectors for graphics cards (2 x 6-pin and 2 x 6+2-pin), so think twice if a model only offers two (or at least consider your upgrade options).

• With cheap PSUs, the quality of the cable insulation may be poor, or the cables may not be insulated at all. The power cable grommet may also be insufficiently padded.

• Be careful if there are few or no indications of protection circuitry. If the PSU specification only says OPP (overload protection) or perhaps SCP (short circuit protection), this points towards a normal fuse. If the specification also says OVP (overvoltage protection), this probably means that it is equipped with a simple metal oxide variable resistor. These security measures by themselves are absolutely insufficient and cannot replace any kind of digital safety chip. 

Unfortunately, you can't always tell at first glance whether you're dealing with a high-quality PSU or whether there's nothing but disappointment waiting behind the pleasant facade. Therefore, we decided to open up two budget PSUs representative of what you can find in many of today’s OEM PCs and illustrate the points and features you should be examining.

A First Look At the Inside: Primary Capacitor and PFC

First, look at the storage capacitors in the primary circuit. These act as buffers and help protect the PSU and computer from voltage fluctuations. The electrolyte used in them is key, because it evaporates or dries out through a combination of heat and time. As a general rule, capacitor lifetime is halved for each 10 degrees Centigrade increase in temperature over the specified normal load. Using higher-quality capacitors that can handle 105 degrees instead of 85 degrees (C) should almost double their lifetime, greatly contributing to the PSU's durability.

A PSU equipped with a big choke like in the photo above is a clear indicator of passive Power Factor Correction (PFC). Only more sophisticated active circuitry allows for factors close to the optimum value of 1, while passive components can reach 0.7 to 0.8 at best. The type of power factor correction indirectly suggests the expected efficiency of the power supply. Although PFC and efficiency are casually unrelated, devices with active PFC are also usually more complex and modern, meaning you're more likely to get better efficiency from them.

Protection Circuits

Even without opening the PSU, a data sheet can reveal some of the safety measures taken (or not) by manufacturers. A decent PSU should contain the following safety measures:

• OCP (Over Current Protection): protection against power spikes
• OVP (Over Voltage Protection)
• OPP (Over Power Protection): overload protection, sometimes called OLP 
• OTP (Over Temperature Protection): protection from overheating 
• UVP (Under Voltage Protection) 
• SCP (Short Circuit Protection) 
• NLO (No Load Operation): this isn’t exactly protection in the same sense as the other features, but it allows the PSU to power up and function normally, even with no load.

Without this information, you have to look inside the PSU to find out what you need to know.

We found no protection at all on this unit, except for a simple fuse. Sadly, this PSU is still available on the market under a couple of different labels.

Passive components do not guarantee sufficient protection. Without a digital security chip, the computer hardware is severely exposed to risks.

The security chip PS223 from Silicon Touch is popular, and you should avoid PSUs not using it or similar products, such as the PS332S.

Cables and Short Circuits

You can tell a lot about your PSU by looking at its internal wiring. A lack of heat shrink tubing, carelessly exposed solder joints, and components fastened with a glue gun are symptomatic of cheap and hazardous manufacturing. If unprotected cables are placed next to hot components, a PSU failure is nearly assured.

Boards

A final quality indicator is the circuit board material. Impregnated laminated paper (like the yellow boards in the pictures) is a sure sign of cost cutting. Fibre materials are much more durable and, perhaps more importantly, non-flammable.

How Do You Recognize The Manufacturer?

UL Numbers From Underwriters Laboratories

"Underwriters Laboratories, an independent firm working with product safety certification, has been active in the field of product testing and preparation of safety standards for more than a century. UL evaluates more than 19 000 types of products, components, materials and systems annually. Every year more than 20 billion UL marks are placed on products from 66 000 different manufacturers. The UL Group and its network of service providers include 68 testing and certification labs worldwide, serving customers in 102 countries."--From the About UL page at ul.com

Essentially, this means that all PSUs sold on the North American market must be marked with a UL number. This number should identify the actual manufacturer of a product. However, not every PSU has such a number. UL number omission on a North American product might indicate poor quality.

Step 1: Reading the UL Number

To find the UL number, there's no need to open your PSU or de-solder anything. Simply open your PC and look at the power supply's label. The UL number usually begins with an "E" followed by a string of numbers. See the three examples below.

If your PSU has such a number, you can move onto the next step, finding out what it means.

Online UL Number Query

Now let's find out more about your PSU. Go to the UL Online Certifications Directory and enter the UL number in the UL File Number field. If the number exists in the database, you should immediately see the result. If not, the number is invalid, fake, or the manufacturer no longer exists.

Link: Online Certifications Directory

PSU Makers: 0-9 And A-B

Companies: 2The Max Asia Pacific, 3Y Power Technology, Ablecom, ABS, AcBel, A.C.Ryan, Achme, A-Data, AeroCool, Ahanix, AHCOF, Aikou, Akasa, Amacrox, AMS, Aopen, Andyson, Antec, Aopen, Apevia/Aspire, Apex, Arctic Cooling, Artesyn/Astec, Astec Int. Ltd., Asus, Athenatech, ATNG, Atrix, Avance, Axle, AXP, Azza, Be Quiet!, Bestec, BFG, Bgears, Boser Technology Inc., Broadway.

PSU Makers: C-D

Companies: C-Young, Casecom, Casing Macron, Channel Well, Chenbro, Chieftec, Chill Innovation, Club 3D, CompUSA, Coba, Codegen, Comix, Conda, Cooler Master, Cooling Well, Coolmax, Cooltek, Corsair, Cresun, DAR, Dbetter, Deer, Dell, Delta, Dongguan Zhangmotou, Dynapower, Dynex.

PSU Makers: E-H

Companies: E-Star International, Eagle Tech, Elwin Technology Ltd., Elec, Emerson Network Power, Enermax, Enhance, Enlight, ePower, Etasis, Etopmay, Flextronics, Fob, Focus, Forepoint, Fortrex, Fortron, Foxconn, Foxlink, Fractal Design, Frisby, Fujitsu Siemens, Glacial Power, Gigabyte, Global Bright Intl., Globalwin, Gold Pal, GrowUp Japan, GPS, Great Wall, GTR, Guizhu, Hama, Hardwaremania24, HC, HEC, Highscreen, High Performance Group, High Performance PC, High Power, Himere, Hiper, Hipro, HP, Huntkey.

PSU Makers: I-M

Companies: ICP, Ikonik, Impervio, Inter-Tech, In Win, IOK, I-Star, Jada, Jeantech, Jet, Jehovah, Jersey, Jiumeng, Jiu-Peng, JOU JYE, JPAC, Just PC, Kaibo, Kaisen, Keega, Key Mouse, KinEagle, Kingwin, Koolance, L & C, LC-Power, Leadman, Leadway, Levicom, Li Shin, Lian-Li, Lite-On, Linkworld, Logisys, Mad Dog, Mapower, Masscool, MaxInPower, Maxtro, Mean Well, MGE/XG, Micor, Minlong, Mitac, MSI, Mushkin, Mutantmods.

PSU Makers: N-R

Companies: NesteQ, Newton, Nexus, Nipron, nMediaPC, North P, NorthQ, NOX Extreme, NZXT, OCZ, Okia, Pangu, PC Power & Cooling, Point of View, Powercase, PowerCooler, Powerex, Powerleap, Powerman, Powertek, Powmax, Procase, Q-Technologie, R-Senda/Rsenda, Raidmax, RaptoxX, Rasurbo, Recom, Revoltec, Rhombutech, Rocketfisch, Rosewill, RSD.

PSU Makers: S-T

Companies: San Hawk, Sansun, Sanyang, Scythe, Seasonic, Seventeam, Sharkoon, Shinlion, Shuttle, Sigma, Shanda, SilenX, Silverpower, Silverstone, Sinan Power, Sino Tech, SinTek, Shanda, Sirfa, Sirtec, Skydigital, SMD, Solytech, Sohoo, Soyo, Sparkle Computer, Sparkle / Sparkle Power, Spec Research, Spire, Startech, Sunbeam, Sun Pro, Sunfone, Sunyo, Super Flower /SFC, Supertalent, Sytrin, Tagan, Taiwan Youngyear, Task, Techsolo, Thermaltake, Thortech, TMC, Tommade, Topmay, Topower, Top-Power, Towin, TS-Power, TTGI, Tuniq, Tyan.

PSU Makers: U-Z

Companies: Ultra, Unitek, Vantec, Win-Tact, Wintech, Wiseframe, XClio, Xigmatek, Xilence, Xion, X-Spice, Yesico, Zalman, Zippy.

Photo Gallery: Who’s Who?

Now we want to use three examples to show what can hide behind a label, and that it is in fact possible to get verified quality at a decent price.

Obligatory Conclusion

We want to stress two things in particular:

A PSU is not necessarily bad because it is cheap. But the lower the price, the more you'll likely have to skimp on safety and performance features. A high-quality PSU contains more expensive components. If you buy cheap, you might have to buy twice--or more.

A PSU is not automatically inferior because it was made by a contractor with which you aren't familiar. These companies make all kinds of products, from luxury brands to pure garbage. Again, it's a question of hitting different production targets. Is the product built for quality or aggressive cost reduction? The responsibility always lies with the buyer to recognize and reject products that are obviously unsuitable.

In the light of the previously presented tables of manufacturers, some quality issues, such as those seen with Be Quiet's P6 series, present an additional aspect to consider. We can also see that companies like Super Flower are often underestimated because they are not seen and accepted as the large manufacturer, which in fact they are.

We thank our readers again for their help.  We will continue to collect new results and regularly update the lists. They are, after all, a rough guide to what goes on behind the scenes in the power supply industry.

Bigger Than Your Biggest Fan

Editor's Note: Our Southern California lab recently signed for a big box from NZXT full of cases and power supplies to give away. If you'd like a chance to win one of three Phantom 410 chassis or one of three HALE82 power supplies, read through to the end of this piece and enter our sweepstakes!

CPU water cooling has been around since the early days of Tom’s Hardware. But enclosures specifically designed to hold large liquid cooling systems have always been scarce. And while the availability of mid-sized mainstream systems like Corsair's H100 pushes case manufacturers to at least support dual-fan radiators in their enthusiast-oriented models, high-end cooling support remains a rare feature, even in the highest-end chassis. Fortunately, the few solutions that do exist are fairly good.

If you missed our walk-through of these four enclosures last week, and you want a closer look inside each case before continuing, check out In Pictures: Four ATX Cases Perfect For High-Capacity Water Cooling.

Cooler Master tops the list in features, price, and weight, while Azza targets mid-budget enthusiasts with a mid-sized solution. Between those two pricing extremes, NZXT and Aerocool attempt to offer the best value with nine- and 10-slot designs. Today, we find out how well each case fits our parts and performs.

Before we move on to our installation notes, let’s take a quick look at the cooling system that made all of this testing possible.

Introducing Swiftech’s H20-320 Edge HD

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone would design a true high-capacity cooler that installed as easily as a self-contained unit? Swiftech thought of that with its H20-X20 Edge HD cooling kits. We tested the extra-long -320 model.

Though it looks complicated, most of the parts in the H20-320’s installation kit are adapters. On the left, for example, is a 120 mm spacer box that allows the radiator to hang off the back of a case (when it won’t fit inside). Likewise, various socket support plates are seen on the right.

The included MCR-320 Drive Rev3 radiator adds a pair of secondary return holes to support parallel flow configurations for lower-flow devices, such as memory and hard drive water blocks. An integrated pump on one end extends 7/8” above the radiator’s top surface, forcing builders to use fans as spacers, while dramatically reducing overall complexity of the loop.

The MCR-320 Drive Rev3’s integrated reservoir also simplifies the system’s cooling loop, extending beyond the radiator’s upper surface in a manner that necessitates the use of fans as mounting spacers. The shape allows air to be trapped in either horizontal or vertical orientation, and Swiftech places fill ports for both orientations.

The heart of a CPU cooling system is its water block, and Swiftech makes a good one. The Apogee HD mates a solid copper base with tiny machined fins to a plastic cover, reducing galvanic corrosion. A pair of secondary outputs allows the same parallel flow arrangement as the kit’s radiator.

Also available in black, we chose the white version for its ability to show brightly in photographs.

Gold electroplate protects the surface of the polished thermal interface from tarnish. A second set of screws supports the larger threads of Intel’s LGA 2011 integrated cooler brace, and installing them is as easy as removing e-clips from the original screws.

After applying thermal paste, the Apogee HD screws onto the motherboard’s cooler support threads. Springs provide even contact pressure across the entire CPU surface.

Cutting, clamping, and filling make the H20-320 only slightly more time-consuming to assemble than a sealed liquid system. On the other hand, we look forward to not drilling holes in these cases to install a pump and reservoir, not draining the system between installations, and not checking four more fittings for leaks. Swiftech’s Edge kits are designed to provide most of the cooling and configurability of a full component system, but without the extra clutter.

Building With Aerocool’s Strike-X ST

Aerocool’s Strike-X ST includes a user’s manual, an optional wheel set, and separately labeled screw packets. It does not include the 180 mm side fan from the manual’s image, and builders who prefer a rolling chassis must add around 2” to the height listed on the first page of this article.

Dual mounting patterns on all ten drive trays support 3.5” and 2.5” drives. Since the 2.5” drives most frequently used in desktop systems are SSDs with no moving parts, the use of noise-dampening grommets exclusively for 3.5” drives is perfectly acceptable.

Though we’re told that Intel actually designed the now-standard front-panel USB 3.0 header, this editor pushed that concept into the market. After all of that effort, it’s sad to see any modern case arrive without support for this two-year-old standard. The Strike-X ST uses rear-panel pass-through cables instead.

Designed exclusively for exhausting heated air, Aerocool’s 200 mm top fan had to be removed before we could install our triple-fan radiator. This same part is used as a front-panel intake by mounting it on molded-in spacers, but the Strike-X’s side panel doesn’t have this provision. We soldiered on without any side panel fans.

Swiftech’s MCR-320 Drive Rev3 radiator fits the Strike-X ST most easily with its pump on the front and reservoir on the back. The top panel also has room for some 3 x 140 mm radiators, but a larger radiator wouldn’t leave enough room for an integrated reservoir at the back end.

We wanted enough coolant line to fit the same system into all cases without having to drain it. By being the first case tested, the Strike-X ST sets the pace for evaluating other enclosures.

One small problem was that the USB 3.0 pass-through cables were too short to reach the appropriate ports on our motherboard, at least when using any of the chassis' original egress holes. We were instead forced to plug these cables into USB 2.0 connectors

A much larger problem was that the side panel tabs did not properly mate with six keyholes across the opening’s top and bottom edges, forcing many minutes of finessing before the panel finally closed all of the way—but even then was only mostly secure.

Front and rear fans feature red LED lighting.

Building With Azza's Hurrican 2000

Azza includes several cable ties, power splitters, a 3.5” external drive adapter, and a SATA cable in its installation kit. Screws are packed together in one messy bag, and a separate speaker allows use with a few older motherboards that lack this now-standard on-board feature.

A major shortcoming of the Hurrican 2000’s otherwise-exceptional backplane is its lack of support for 2.5” drives. The problem is nothing more than a lack of 2.5” mounting holes on the tray. Rather than modify the tray, Azza adds two 2.5” adapters.

While our drive fit into the adapters perfectly, using them prevents connector alignment on the backplane. Thus, Azza removes two connector boards from its backplane, dropping external plug-in support for the bottom two bays and limiting the system to a maximum of two SSDs. While that works for us, we’re sure most users would have preferred a redesigned tray to serve both functions.

Two very nice 230 mm fans were removed from the Hurrican 2000’s top panel to make room for Swiftech’s triple-fan radiator.

Unfortunately, the Hurrican 2000 has mounting tabs for only one 120 mm fan. Traditional liquid cooling systems could probably make do with this by sandwiching the grill between the radiator and fans, but MCR-320 Drive Rev3 uses its fans to fill the gap between its reservoir and pump. Rather than attempt to hang the radiator from one end, we sorted through our scrap bin to located a pair of metal tabs to support the opposite end.

Also notice that the pump is exposed beneath a hole at the front of the panel. Turning the radiator around could have aligned its fill hole with this convenient location, if not for a conflict between our memory and coolant lines.

The Hurrican 2000 has an almost-perfect amount of room for an ATX motherboard and three-fan radiator, in spite of its lack of secondary and tertiary 120 mm mounting holes. A different motherboard could have allowed the same radiator to fit in a better orientation, while a different radiator would have allowed the fans to be placed on top.

The finished build looks great, in spite of minor installation issues specific to our selected hardware.

Building With Cooler Master's Cosmos II

Adapter brackets allow the Cosmos II to support a second radiator in place of its lower drive cages. Cooler Master also adds an extra-long (approximately 12”) eight-pin EPS12V extension cable to the expected screws, standoffs, and cable ties in its installation kit.

Because its trayless backplanes only support 3.5” drives, we were forced to install our 2.5” SSD onto a drive tray without a backplane in the central drive cage.

External drives are secured via push-button latches. Also seen in the photo above, the side panel hinge brackets are slotted to allow easy panel removal.

Cooler Master’s installation kit contains most of the Cosmos II’s standoffs, but two standoffs are factory-installed. An extended collar on each of these special standoffs fits mounting holes tightly to positively locate the motherboard.

Cooler Master is one of the few companies to properly use the two-year-old internal USB 3.0 front-panel header. Most of its competitors are living in the far-more-distant past, though the feature is matched by one other product in today’s round-up.

As with Azza's competing Hurrican 2000, the Cosmos II is designed to support fans above the chassis top, and a radiator beneath it. This is how that installation would look, assuming the builder prefers to have these fans mounted as exhaust.

Unfortunately, our radiator requires the fans to be mounted directly to it, creating clearance for its integrated water pump and reservoir. That combination requires 2.3” of mounting space, and the Cosmos II has only 1.8”. Our installation ended here.

Why bother featuring the Cosmos II if we couldn’t test it? Cooler Master sent the case in good faith knowing that triple-fan radiators fit, and it does support most triple-fan radiators. It simply doesn’t fit this triple-fan radiator.

With that said, our invitation clearly stated, “We plan to use Swiftech's H2O-320 Edge HD to enable an easy transfer of the cooling system between cases,” complete with a link to Swiftech's product page. Instead, we’ll let our picture story describe the Cosmos II features that other builders might wish to employ.

Building With NZXT's Switch 810

NZXT is one of only two companies to supply an eight-pin EPS12V extension cable in its installation kit. Though the case is designed for the latest high-end hardware, the cable is particularly useful to owners of low-cost and older-model power units.

NZXT is also one of the few companies to include a proper front-panel USB 3.0 internal connector. Most of its competitors still rely on pass-through cables hanging out the back of the case, even though the internal standard is two years old.

The Switch 810 has only a single-drive backplane, but its tray bests competitors by fitting both 2.5” and 3.5” drives.

Two push latches release the center cover of the Switch 810’s top panel for easy access to its fan mounts. Fans can be installed on either side of the metal structure beneath.

Most builders won’t need to strip the case this far to install a radiator, but we removed the top panel completely to gain access to a latch that had broken in shipping. One side of the top 5.25” drive bay was also removed to make more wiggle room for radiator insertion.

We noted that reversing the radiator on a competing case would have allowed easier access to our radiator’s fill port. We also noted that the other case’ radiator placement prevented us from doing this, due to a space conflict between coolant lines and memory. NZXT’s Switch 810 doesn’t have that problem, at least with our motherboard.

In fact, we were forced to install the radiator the correct way in the Switch 810 because the lid of its second drive bay would have blocked our coolant lines as well. As a result, we can positively state that the Switch 810 is the absolute best match for our hardware. Most builders will want to shorten the cooling lines, but we wanted to test the case with the exact hardware used in the other configurations.

The H20-320's 2.3”-thick radiator and fan assembly blocks the Switch 810’s top 5.25” bay, so we mounted our optical drive in its second bay. The second bay doesn’t have set-back mounting holes to hold a drive behind its glossy white optical drive cover, so we flush-mounted it. Alternative radiators that allow the fans to be mounted above the case’s metal panel can be placed above the top bay, enabling the use of the Switch 810’s optical drive cover.

Power and drive activity lights are found on the front portion of the Switch 810’s top panel.

Test Settings And Benchmarks

While our Core i7-3960X heats up the radiator, a pair of GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards heat up the inside of our case. Maximum graphics fan speed make thermal and temperature testing consistent at full load, while automatic graphics fan mode and a long idle period brought down temperatures and fan speed for our idle noise tests.

Almost amazingly, this lab’s reference Seasonic X760 power supply continues to drive unreasonable loads throughout our torture tests.

Temperature, Noise, And Acoustic Efficiency

We tested the thermal properties of each case at maximum CPU and near-maximum GPU loads, using 11 threads of Prime95 and looping 3DMark 11's first test simultaneously. We locked the fans of our graphics cards at maximum speed to gauge the peak cooling performance without any added variability.

A well-placed intake fan and wide open side panel allow Aerocool’s Strike-X ST to lead at its highest fan speed. Azza takes second, place while NZXT follows close behind. Note that the Hurrican 2000’s fan controls are hard-wired to its top panel fans, which were replaced as part of our cooler installation.

We continued to use the fastest GPU fan speed through our full-load noise-level tests, but let those fans spin down completely for our idle tests. Mesh side panels usually fare poorly in this test at full GPU fan speed.

Remembering that low-speed fan mode gave Aerocool’s Strike-X ST a last-place finish in our temperature charts, we weren’t surprised to see a low noise level at idle. The noise under a full load is a completely different matter, as the same unit’s mesh side panel allows nearly 100% of the GPU cooler noise to pass through.

NZXT edges out Azza, and users who want the best of both cooling and noise can even try connecting their fans to thermally-controlled motherboard headers.

A comparison of temperature to noise should be a matter of simple division, except that we want the case with the lowest temperature to have the highest score. To achieve this inverse scale, we first divide the average temperature of all cases/all tests (52° C over ambient) by the average temperature of each individual case. We then divide the average noise level of each case by the average noise level of all cases (43 dB). Finally, we divide temperature (inverse scale) by noise (direct scale).

The resulting relative efficiency chart relates each case’s performance to the average of all tested cases. For example, at 105.4% of average, Aerocool’s full-fan-speed Strike-X ST performs 5.4% better than average.

Triple-Fan Water Cooling Cases, Evaluated

Hands-on experience can tell a tester as much about a case as its performance numbers. For example, Cooler Master’s Cosmos II had the heavy structure needed to provide superior noise dampening. It’s unfortunate that the radiator we told everyone we were using didn’t actually fit the Cosmos II, though we were able to verify that it holds traditional triple-fan radiators up to 1.8” thick.

Next in line for quality and features, Azza’s Hurrican 2000 is the least expensive unit in our round-up. Far smaller than the other cases in this review, it was still able to hold our cooling system once we tracked down a couple of metal tabs to secure it in place. We loved the super-value front-access hard drive backplane, were disappointed that the backplane didn’t support 2.5” drives natively, and lamented 2.5” adapters that required part of the backplane to be removed. Were Azza to slightly redesign the Hurrican 2000’s drive trays to hold both form factors natively, the company would certainly be in line to claim value supremacy.

Falling between those two in price, Aerocool’s Strike-X ST actually topped our cooling-versus-noise charts when it was running at full fan speed. It was still the noisiest, however, and didn’t have many of the features one might expect from a $200 enclosure. At this price, the presence of three fan controllers doesn’t offset the lack of any hard drive backplane. Furthermore, the combination of medium-gauge metal and slide-tab attachment should never be used on side panels that are this large.

NZXT’s Switch 810 sets a perfect example of how excellent design and manufacturing can assure proper panel fit—even when using metal that feels too thin for a case of its size. Advanced features, such as push-to-release latches on most access panels and dust filters, are certain to attract many buyers. Its use of a front-panel USB 3.0 internal connector also gets our stamp of approval. And though its “backplane” consists of only a single low-end bay adapter, we believe the balance of features brings it to value par with Azza’s similarly-priced, but smaller Hurrican 2000.

The Switch 810 is also the only case in the review to fit our cooling system and motherboard combination perfectly, rather than haphazardly. Yet, because most builders will install a different motherboard or radiator, that fitment doesn't qualify it for a universal recommendation. Instead of giving a generalized award to a product that didn’t top any of our performance charts and admittedly feels a little flimsy, we specifically recommend the NZXT Switch 810 to builders interested in copying our motherboard and cooling selection.

Editor's Note: We have some extra hardware on-hand, compliments of NZXT. For your chance to win one of three Phantom 410 chassis or one of three NZXT power supplies, enter our sweepstakes!

Update: Following up, our winners have been chosen, and their prizes shipped out. The lucky six are listed below, with their prizes. Congratulations all!

1. One (1) HALE82 850 W PSU: approximate retail value: $140 – Justin Rexroad of Winston Salem, NC
2. One (1) HALE82 750 W PSU: approximate retail value: $120 – Josh Steele of Kalamazoo, MI
3. One (1) HALE82 650 W PSU: approximate retail value: $110 – Christopher Ellis of Fisher, IN
4. One (1) Phantom 410 case: approximate retail value: $100 – Christopher Hailey of Mount Vernon, OH
5. One (1) Phantom 410 case: approximate retail value: $100 – Jeffrey Lopez of Chicago, IL
6. One (1) Phantom 410 case: approximate retail value: $100 – Sean Thompson of Grand Ledge, MI

Aerocool displayed a few new case products on the Computex floor, all of which share a common aggressive design and the color scheme of red and black.

A full tower model called the Strike X ST Pro has four 5.25" bays and can accommodate up to 10 hard drives. A special feature of this case allows for two power supplies, one at the top and one at the bottom of the case. The middle tower model, Strike X GT, is a simplified version of the Strike X ST Pro.

The real eye-catcher is the Strike-X Air, which is a full open-air case that still has panels for USB 3.0 and 2.0 (two for each type) and audio jacks on the front. Drive bays are stacked to the left in the frame.

Aerocool hasn't finalized pricing yet, but we're led to believe that the Strike-X Air will be a rather premium product for the overclocking hardcore.

These will start hitting stores around September/October.

It’s not unusual for custom builders to offer brand-specific custom paint and wild hardware configurations, but CyberPower took its experience to a new level by creating its own high-end cooling component for a CES 2011 launch.

Cyberpower added a high-volume pump and Aerocool Touch 2000 to a reservoir of its own design to produce a compact 2-bay solution, simplifying liquid-cooling installation and coolant hose routing.

CyberPower’s new 2-part chassis adds a drive and radiator section atop a more-traditional mid-tower design. The expanded portion features two flip-down panels and an adjustable, louvered top.

Getting back to more traditional “custom builder mods”, CyberPower was showing off a dual 3x120mm radatior cooling solution with separate pathways for its graphics and CPU.

Oh yes, and you can have custom paint if you’d like. White paint highlights the design features of Inwin’s Dragon Rider chassis in this $80 upgrade.

And yes, massively mass-storage is another option.

Manufacturers, Designers, And Labels

Between gobs of reader feedback and our own data compiled over many years, we've managed to put together a fairly comprehensive list of power supply brands and manufacturers. Despite the fact that it consists of more than 150 manufacturers, though, this list still doesn't reflect the entire market, which always seems to be in a state of flux. It can, however, be used as a guide to finding the difference between a bad deal and a bargain.

Who is Who?

Let’s start by dividing the manufacturers into three large groups so we can better understand the database and how these companies are connected:

1. The OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers)

OEMs manage all of their production internally. They either exclusively design and manufacture their own PSUs (like Enermax) or design and manufacture their own brands, as well as manufacture PSUs designed by other companies (such as FSP, HEC, and SeaSonic). Some of them focus heavily on worldwide exports and provide a range of models, which are later sold under different labels. It's common to find otherwise-identical models marketed under many different names and labels. The industrial areas around Shenzhen, China, are the cradle of the lowest-priced PSUs sold all over the globe.

2. Designers: Without Their Own Production

The second group of companies also develops and designs their own products. However, they have to outsource either some or all of the manufacturing to other companies. One example of this is Be Quiet. Those familiar with the brand noted how Be Quiet P7 models were suddenly much better than the disappointing P6. The answer was simply a manufacturer change, from Topower to FSP. Other examples of designers include SilverStone, Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, and Tagan.

3. The Labels: With or Without Any Technical Involvement

Arguably, this group could be subdivided. Some importers of foreign PSUs that resell models under their own labels have a certain influence over the quality and choice of components, while others simply bring in some very cheap products, relabel, and resell them.

This third group is the most interesting one for price-oriented customers, though also the most uncertain for quality. You're as likely to score a bargain by getting a relabeled high-quality product at a lower price as you are to be disappointed by being too tight-fisted. Some good examples of products to watch are new models from Aerocool, which are essentially the Cougar units from Compucase/HEC with a discounted price and completely restyled exterior.

After many tests and inspections of budget models (by us, our readers, and friendly computer stores), we would advise you to steer your piggy banks clear of the labels Rasurbo, Inter-Tech (Sinan Power, Coba), Tech Solo, LC Power, RaptoxX, Tronje, Xilence, Ultron, World Link, Q-Tec, etc. We were able to identify some of these models without looking at the UL number simply by having a look at the installed components. These were almost exclusively the simplest work of such manufacturers as Enhance, World Link, Andyson, Topower, Casing Macron, and Channel Well.

Lack of protection circuits, low efficiency, and bad build quality were major points of criticism. The lowest of the low was a European label called Hardwaremania24, targeted at OEM PCs. While still in standby mode, the PSU heated to about 176 degrees Fahrenheit, spent the next six hours billowing smoke, and finally made what might be described as a trumpeting sound before dying. The host computer was never even turned on. After analyzing the PSU, we found no protection at all save for a single slow fuse.

Firecracker Or Power Plant?

How do you identify a bad power supply before buying it?

• Extremely high wattage claims at a comparatively very low price are suspicious. There are simply no decent 750 W power supplies for $50. For every product class based on performance and features, there must be a minimum price. When a product is significantly below that price, be cautious. You can get a "400 W PSU" for $20, and such fire hazards are installed in budget PCs every day by unscrupulous companies that know exactly the risk they're handing off to buyers.
• Check the specifications. For example, if a PSU claims high performance on the 3.3 and 5 V rails while the 12 V rail numbers are low, then you know something is wrong.
• The manufacturer does not specify any combined maximum performance, but instead only shows the maximum load for each rail separately. This is done without specifying how much real power would be available if all rails are used at the same time. Avoid PSUs without this information.
• Be careful with juicy marketing expressions and commercial lingo: Super, Extreme, Gaming, Combat, etc. Using superlatives to describe something quite normal should arouse suspicion and have you double-check specification details.
• Passive rather than active Power Factor Correction (PFC) leads to lower power efficiency.
• Very few or short power connectors and cables might be an issue. A 750 W PSU usually has four PCIe connectors for graphics cards (2 x 6-pin and 2 x 6+2-pin), so think twice if a model only offers two (or at least consider your upgrade options).
• With cheap PSUs, the quality of the cable insulation may be poor, or the cables may not be insulated at all. The power cable grommet may also be insufficiently padded.
• Be careful if there are few or no indications of protection circuitry. If the PSU specification only says OPP (overload protection) or perhaps SCP (short circuit protection), this points towards a normal fuse. If the specification also says OVP (overvoltage protection), this probably means that it is equipped with a simple metal oxide variable resistor. These security measures by themselves are absolutely insufficient and cannot replace any kind of digital safety chip.

Unfortunately, you can't always tell at first glance whether you're dealing with a high-quality PSU or whether there's nothing but disappointment waiting behind the pleasant facade. Therefore, we decided to open up two budget PSUs representative of what you can find in many of today’s OEM PCs and illustrate the points and features you should be examining.

A First Look At the Inside: Primary Capacitor and PFC

First, look at the storage capacitors in the primary circuit. These act as buffers and help protect the PSU and computer from voltage fluctuations. The electrolyte used in them is key, because it evaporates or dries out through a combination of heat and time. As a general rule, capacitor lifetime is halved for each 10 degrees Centigrade increase in temperature over the specified normal load. Using higher-quality capacitors that can handle 105 degrees instead of 85 degrees (C) should almost double their lifetime, greatly contributing to the PSU's durability.

A PSU equipped with chokes (a kind of inductor) is a clear indicator of passive Power Factor Correction (PFC). Passive PFC plays a significant role in the efficiency of the PSU. Only active circuitry allows for factors close to the optimum value of 1, while passive components can reach 0.7 to 0.8 at best, meaning they only achieve 70% to 80% efficiency. PSUs with a passive PFC may be cheaper to buy in the short run, but poor efficiency can swallow savings over time in the form of higher electricity costs.

Protection Circuits

Even without opening the PSU, a data sheet can reveal some of the safety measures taken (or not) by manufacturers. A decent PSU should contain the following safety measures:

• OCP (Over Current Protection): protection against power spikes
• OVP (Over Voltage Protection)
• OPP (Over Power Protection): overload protection, sometimes called OLP 
• OTP (Over Temperature Protection): protection from overheating 
• UVP (Under Voltage Protection) 
• SCP (Short Circuit Protection) 
• NLO (No Load Operation): this isn’t exactly protection in the same sense as the other features, but it allows the PSU to power up and function normally, even with no load.

Without this information, you have to look inside the PSU to find out what you need to know.

We found no protection at all on this unit, except for a simple fuse. Sadly, this PSU is still available on the market under a couple of different labels.

Passive components do not guarantee sufficient protection. Without a digital security chip, the computer hardware is severely exposed to risks.

The security chip PS223 from Silicon Touch is popular, and you should avoid PSUs not using it or similar products, such as the PS332S.

Cables and Short Circuits

You can tell a lot about your PSU by looking at its internal wiring. A lack of heat shrink tubing, carelessly exposed solder joints, and components fastened with a glue gun are symptomatic of cheap and hazardous manufacturing. If unprotected cables are placed next to hot components, a PSU failure is nearly assured.

Boards

A final quality indicator is the circuit board material. Impregnated laminated paper (like the yellow boards in the pictures) is a sure sign of cost cutting. Fiber materials are much more durable and, perhaps more importantly, non-flammable.

How Do You Recognize The Manufacturer?

UL Numbers From Underwriters Laboratories

"Underwriters Laboratories, an independent firm working with product safety certification, has been active in the field of product testing and preparation of safety standards for more than a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems annually. Every year more than 20 billion UL marks are placed on products from 66,000 different manufacturers. The UL Group and its network of service providers include 68 testing and certification labs worldwide, serving customers in 102 countries."--from the About UL page at www.ul.com

Essentially, this means that all PSUs sold on the North American market must be marked with an UL number. This number should identify the actual manufacturer of a product. However, not every PSU has such a number. UL number omission on a North American product might indicate poor quality.

Step 1: Reading the UL Number

To find the UL number, there's no need to open your PSU or desolder anything. Simply open your PC and look at the power supply's label. The UL number usually begins with an "E" followed by a string of numbers. See the three examples below.

Online UL Number Query:

Now let's find out more about your PSU. Go to the UL Online Certifications Directory and enter the UL number in the UL File Number field. If the number exists in the database, you should immediately see the result. If not, the number is invalid, fake, or the manufacturer no longer exists.

Link: Online Certifications Directory

PSU Makers: 0-9 And A-B

Companies: 2the Max Asia Pacific, 3Y Power Technology, Ablecom, AcBel, Achme, AeroCool, Akasa, Amacrox, AMS, AOpen, Antec, Apex, Arctic Cooling, Aspire, Astec Int. Ltd., Asus, Athenatech, ATNG, Atrix, AXP, Be Quiet!, Bestec, BFG, Boser Technology Inc., Broadway

PSU Makers: C-D

Companies: Casing Macron, Channel Well, Chenbro, Chieftec, CompUSA, Coba, Codegen, Cooler Master, Coolmax, Cooltek, Corsair, Deer, Dell, Delta, Dongguan Zhangmotou, Dynapower

PSU Makers: E-H

Companies: Eagle Tech, Elwin Technology Ltd., Enermax, Enhance, Enlight, Etasis, Forepoint, Fortron, Foxconn, Foxlink, Fujitsu Siemens, Gigabyte, GPS, GTR, Hama, HEC, Hiper, Highscreen, High Performance Group, High Performance PC, High Power, Himere, Hipro, HP, Huntkey

PSU Makers: I-M

Companies: Impervio, Inter-Tech, In Win, I-Star, ICP, Jersey, JOU JYE, JPAC, Just PC, Key Mouse, Kingwin, L & C, LC-Power, Leadman, Levicom, Li Shin, Lian-Li, Lite-On, Linkworld, Logisys, Mad Dog, Mapower, Masscool, Mean Well, MGE/XG, Mitac, MSI, Mushkin

PSU Makers: N-R

Companies: Newton, Nexus, nMediaPC, NorthQ, NZXT, OCZ, Okia, PC Power & Cooling, Point of View, Powerman, Powertek, Powmax, Raidmax, RaptoxX, Rasurbo, Revoltec/Listan, Rosewill

PSU Makers: S-T

Companies: San Hawk, Scythe, Seasonic, Seventeam, Sharkoon, Shuttle, SilenX, Silverstone, Sinan Power, Sino Tech, Sirtec, Solytech, Soyo, Sparkle, Spire, Startech, Sunbeam, Sun Pro, Sunfone, Super Flower /SFC, Tagan, Taiwan Youngyear, Thermaltake, Topower, TTGI, Tyan

PSU Makers: U-Z

Companies: Ultra, Unitek, Vantec, Win-Tact, Wintech, Wiseframe, XClio, Xigmatek, Xilence, Xion, X-Spice, Yesico, Zalman, Zippy

Conclusion

We want to stress two things in particular:

A PSU is not necessarily bad because it is cheap. But the lower the price, the more you'll likely have to skimp on safety and performance features. A high-quality PSU contains more expensive components. If you buy cheap, you might have to buy twice--or more.

A PSU is not automatically inferior because it was made by a contractor with which you aren't familiar. These companies make all kinds of products, from luxury brands to pure garbage. Again, it's a question of hitting different production targets. Is the product built for quality or aggressive cost reduction? The responsibility always lies with the buyer to recognize and reject products that are obviously unsuitable.

We will keep collecting data and update this list every once in a while, and we’d love to include your findings. Please use our feedback form to forward information that isn’t available in our listing!

And Then There Were Seven

While high-end hardware generates the most excitement among technology enthusiasts, the toughest competition happens at the other end of the pricing scale. Many of the products here are sold based solely on their good looks, rather than performance. After all, the highest-performance products cost the most money.

It’s no surprise, then, that only eight of the many manufacturers we contacted for our two-part roundup were ready to step up to our challenge. Unfortunately, one of the most enthusiastic of those companies was unable to get its part delivered, even after several follow-up messages. A second case model from one of our Part 1 comparison’s competitors fills the gap. Oh, and if you missed Part 1 of our Gaming Enclosures Under $50 story, be sure to check it out first!

When it comes to gaming hardware, overclocking is often a necessity to get entry-level components to serve up adequate performance in games. When it comes to gaming-oriented cases, the cost of extra fans can be a real problem for the entry-level vendors. Fortunately, big fans are not much more expensive than the typical 80 mm coolers found in budget boxes, and all of today’s contenders have at least a 120 mm exhaust fan, in addition to gamer-themed styling.

Also fortunate is that all four of the cases featured in today's story remain under our $50 limit, unlike a couple of models from our Part 1 comparison that rose in price after the enclosures were delivered.

Rosewill tops the fan-to-price curve by packing its $40 Challenger with a total of three fans. But has the company been able to retain a modicum of quality at this low price? Let’s take a closer look.

AeroCool VX-R

Supplying the lightest case in today’s comparison, AeroCool adds surprising style and a few interesting features to its low-cost VX-R.

Those features begin with a mesh side-panel insert and bay covers that can help reduce heat buildup, and extend to a front panel that includes a two-speed, three-fan controller.

This editor’s biggest nitpick is the similarity between power and reset buttons. Activity lights help, but touching the “wrong” button is far too easy with this model.

Two holes in the back of the VX-R support 3/8” O.D. cooling lines, while knock-out rings surrounding them open the holes to 1.1” to support larger water cooling lines and grommets. We would have preferred factory-installed grommets, but it’s hard to complain about small omissions on a case that adds more expensive features, such as its fan controller, without a noticeable increase in price.

Inside The VX-R

It might surprise some readers that the lightest case in today’s comparison is primarily made of steel, but such is true of all cases in both parts of our roundup. Lightness comes from the case’s 0.5 mm panel thickness and a lack of paint on the interior, though AeroCool does give this model the look of aluminum through its rust-resistant surface treatment.

Screw-free drive clips are attached to all useful bays. The VX-R’s plastic front panel blocks access to the second 3.5” external bay, so AeroCool leaves out that one clip.

Also notice the large access hole behind the CPU area, which allows the installation of CPU cooler support plates on many single-socket motherboards.

Though not exactly a rigid case, added metal in the VX-R’s front panel make it far sturdier than the previously-reviewed VS-9 from the same company. If you can figure out the mounting hole locations, 120 mm, 92 mm, and 80 mm intake fans are supported.

The bottom of the VX-R supports a second 120 mm intake fan mounted slightly forward of the power supply, when used with a power supply that has no more than 6.5” mounting depth.

Also notice that most motherboard stand-offs are stamped into the sheet metal of the VX-R, which is one method to reduce cost without taking away other features.

A single plate that covers the card access hole also clamps all seven cards simultaneously using a single screw. Holes in that plate allow individual hold-down screws to be added when they're required.

Building With The VX-R

With screw-free drive clips and built-in ATX standoffs, AeroCool adds a new level of minimalism to the installation kit.

Turning the center latch 90° counterclockwise allows the drive clips to be removed, and reversing the process secures the drives after slipping them into their cages. Mounting a hard drive in the upper two bays reduces card clearance in the bottom two slots to 10.5”, minus the thickness of cable ends.

The rest of the build follows normal screw-down installation procedures outlined in our “How to Build” article, though wiggling the graphics card’s hold-down tab through the case’s tab slot is a little cumbersome compared to traditional inset slot-panel designs.

The finished system has a far more stylish look than one might expect at the VX-R’s price.

NZXT Gamma

NZXT responded to our inquiry with its $40 Gamma. While we’re sure that a few of our readers might have preferred a slightly more elaborately-equipped NZXT model, the firm chose a well-ventilated, low-cost model in a likely bid for a value win.

A little stiffer and heavier than the AeroCool case covered on previous pages, the Gamma adds dual fan mounts to its ventilated side panel. Other design attributes include front-panel ports that are mounted towards the middle of its face, appealing to users who prefer to put their desktop computers on top of a desk.

That front panel comes with a bonus eSATA port, adding some extra value to today’s lowest-cost case.

NZXT even adds a little value to the rear of its Gamma by installing grommets in its external liquid cooling tubing holes. Located above the case's 120 mm exhaust fans, readers will have to look closely to distinguish these black-on-black parts.

The top panel is able to hold the builder’s choice of 120 mm or 140 mm fans, though the design of the case doesn’t leave enough room to stack a liquid cooling radiator and its fans internally. The side panel also supports up to two additional fans at 120 mm, 92 mm, or 80 mm.

Inside The Gamma

Many builders insist on painted interiors, and NZXT responds with a black finish on top of bare steel. A chip in the paint near one of the mounting holes reveals that the underlying metal is neither galvanized nor aluminized.

NZXT provides a cooler support plate access hole behind the CPU socket of most motherboards, along with several slots for easier cable management. Keeping cost low does require a few sacrifices, however, such as the omission of screw-free drive clips for external bays.

That’s not to say that all drives must be screwed down. A five-bay drive cage uses sliding rails, rather than screws, to ease 3.5” hard drive insertion and removal.

The front of the Gamma is boxed-in enough to provide moderate stiffness in spite of the case’s thin material, and supports an additional 120 mm intake fan. The two 3.5” external drive bays above the intake fan are blocked by the Gamma’s plastic face plate, though internal drives (hard drives) can still be mounted there.

The Gamma’s inset slot panel and replaceable slot covers, both standard on older high-end cases, are a prized find in the sub-$50 price class. Owners who change card configurations occasionally are most likely to appreciate these features, and they're certainly more valuable than a certain competitor’s fan controller to this editor. Then again, this editor uses motherboard-based fan control.

NZXT even adds a removable dust filter to the bottom of its Gamma case, below the intake fan of many power supplies.

A close examination of its hidden features makes the Gamma appear a little more complete than some of its “fancier” competitors.

Building With The Gamma

The Gamma includes thumb screws for every drive bay that requires screws, easing concern about tool-free drive replacement. Ten drive rails secure up to five 3.5” hard drives.

NZXT designed its hard drive cage with the cables on the opposite side, improving cable management. Conversely, this also means that both side panels must be removed whenever a drive is to be added.

Every component except for the drives must be secured using a screwdriver, as shown in our “How to Build” article.

The NZXT Gamma’s finish is so non-reflective that we had to highlight the photo to make dark parts visible against the light bar. The system appears far darker when viewed in-person.

Rosewill Challenger

Available exclusively at Newegg, Rosewill’s Challenger case is tied with the NZXT Gamma for the lowest-price at $40.

The similarities don’t end with the price, as the Challenger also has a similar side panel to the Gamma, with the same fan additions supported.

The Challenger even has the same grommets in back to support external liquid cooling hoses.

Unique to the Challenger is its single 140 mm top exhaust fan, which opposes the Gamma’s two empty fan mounts.

Other changes include front-panel ports moved to the top 5.25” bay. This reduces the total number of 5.25” bays to three, but opens up the two 3.5” external bays in the center of the Challenger’s face panel.

Inside The Challenger

Similarities between Rosewill’s Challenger and the NZXT Gamma continue to the interior, where we find that all of the steel panels are identical. Rosewill adds the drive clips missing from the Gamma, and also throws in a 2.5”-to-3.5” drive bay adapter to enable SSD mounting.

By now it should be obvious that Rosewill and NZXT get these competing case models from the same supplier. But just in case you’re not convinced yet, a look at the removable dust filter for a power supply’s intake fan might help change your mind.

Rosewill’s Challenger even keeps the traditional slot panel and replaceable covers previously praised in the NZXT Gamma. Rosewill uses black screws, however, as opposed to NZXT’s chrome screws.

Dual exhaust fans on the Rosewill Challenger replace the single rear fan found on the Gamma, but with fewer connection options. The top fan is 4-pin-only, the rear fan is 3-pin-only, and Rosewill doesn’t include any adapters.

Rosewill adds an LED-lighted front fan to the Challenger, in contrast to NZXT’s empty fan mount. As with its top fan, the intake accepts only 4-pin power connectors.

Building With The Challenger

Rosewill includes four more sets of hard drive rails, in addition to the set clipped onto its 2.5” bay adapter, to support a total of five internal drives without the use of screws. A simple manual, motherboard mounting screws, standoffs, and a PC speaker complete the installation kit.

With most of its panels identical to those of the NZXT Gamma, installing hardware into the Rosewill Challenger differs only in the 5.25” drive clips, which are missing from the Gamma. Turning the center tab 90° allows the clip to be removed or installed.

A mixture of styles defines the appearance of our finished configuration.

SilverStone Precision PS05B

Also called the PS05-B by Newegg and the SST-PS05B on SilverStone’s description page, the PS05B appears to take many of its design cues from the spacecraft of science-fiction movies.

Primary features include a port panel and removable fan cover on the PS50B’s top panel. The design means that this case is destined not for above or below a desk, but beside it.

A peek around back is a little more revealing, as the PS05B has the same rear-panel design (right down to the millimeter) as AeroCool’s VX-R. That includes the two 3/8” coolant line holes, which can be opened to 1.1” (for grommets) by knocking out the two rings that surround these holes. Like AeroCool, SilverStone cuts cost by not including these inexpensive parts.

Of course, tracking down these parts aftermarket is far more difficult. That fact makes the exclusion of grommets by both SilverStone and AeroCool a bit frustrating.

Inside The PS05B

While several of the PS05B’s steel panels are designed identically to those of AeroCool’s VX-R, SilverStone specifies fan mounts for the top. These even have offsets of 0.1” for the center and mounting holes, adding around 0.2” of distance between the fan blades and grille for quieter operation.

Installing fans on the other side requires finding fans that perfectly fit the top-panel grill.  The fans that came with our Swiftech cooling system did not fit over its centering pegs, and the frames in our Scythe S-Flex fans were too thick to fit under the edge clips. Reinstalling the fan grille is also more difficult once fans are installed, since the center clips will be pushed out of alignment with the four relief holes punched into the sheet metal chassis. We'd suggest SilverStone-branded fans to those who really need the extra airflow, at least until the company comes out with a more exact list of recommendations.

SilverStone’s PS05B motherboard tray is also dimensionally-identical to AeroCool’s VX-R, but SilverStone turns its hard drive cage sideways to ease drive access. This prevents the drives from interfering with card installation, and vice-versa.

SilverStone uses trays, rather than rails, for its hard drives. This makes it easy to keep track of the mounting hardware, since it is already clipped into position by the factory. SilverStone also adds the fan filters missing from AeroCool’s dimensionally-identical bottom panel, though the power supply must be removed to clean its filter. We’ll count that a second, less-significant design issue.

A hinged card holder unlatches from inside the PS05B, extending through a rectangular hole in the back panel. We mentioned that many of the case’s panels are designed identically to those of AeroCool’s VX-R, and both enclosures have this hole, though only the PS05B uses it.

Building With The PS05B

A plethora of tool-free features allows SilverStone to include a minimal installation kit, with only enough screws to hold the mothetherboard in place, and only enough standoffs to convert it from ATX to microATX.

Stamped-in-place standoffs reduce the number of steps required to assemble a system inside the PS05B. The only unusual steps were to remove plug-in pins from the side of the hard drive cage to add a drive, and to pull out, rather than slide, the tab on the optical drive bay.

While we’re not quite sure what type of effect the PS05B’s designers were hoping to achieve in the finished product, we are quite sure that it will appeal to at least a few of today’s readers.

Test Settings

Overclocking Intel’s C0 stepping Core i7-920 to 3.80 GHz allows us to test how well each case is able to remove large amounts of heat from its interior.

Keeping our system stable at high temperatures and loads is Asus’ original P6T motherboard.

A 2400 RPM fan keeps Rosewill’s oversized Fort 120 cool under pressure, while helping us to evaluate the noise isolation capabilities of each chassis.

An XFX GeForce GTX 285 adds even more heat and noise, especially in this factory-overclocked version.

OCZ’s Z1000 modular power supply keeps voltage stable on our mid-power system, even when it encounters relatively high case temperatures.

Dedicating seven CPU threads to Prime95 and a single CPU thread to FurMark allows both programs to push peak power consumption and heat production simultaneously. Galaxy’s CM-140 meter tracks noise levels.

Test Results

Rosewill edges out NZXT in temperatures, thanks to its inclusion of two additional fans. The small difference between these similar cases appears to indicate that intake fans offer little benefit in temperatures, though the LED on Rosewill’s model does add a bit of show to an otherwise ordinary-looking case.

SilverStone had the highest temperatures and lowest noise levels, showing us the tradeoff between cooling and noise. Extra fans push the Challenger to third place in noise, with its intake fan (not present on competing models) positioned closest to the sound meter.

This is where AreoCool’s “cool” ventilated side panel hurts it most. Tiny differences in full system noise levels between low-fan and high-fan modes prove that the shell does little to contain CPU and GPU noise. Remember that underneath the skin, the VX-R uses a design similar to the PS05B.

Our “Acoustic Efficiency” calculations use the average noise level for all cases and the average temperature for all cases as baselines for comparison. Dividing the baseline temperature by each case’s measured temperature gives it a higher percentage score for lower temperatures, while dividing each case’s measured noise level from the baseline gives the noisiest cases a higher “penalty” percentage.

Comparing temperatures to noise puts Rosewill back in the lead, with the NZXT Gamma close behind.

Conclusion

Rosewill topped today’s charts for cooling and cooling-to-noise, but this is the second of a two-part roundup. Let’s see what happens when we throw the cases from Part 1 into an expanded cooling-to-noise chart.

Antec’s Three Hundred still looks great from a performance standpoint, but it was disqualified from any awards during our Part 1 article, simply because of recent price increases. Available for $49 and change when it was delivered, this $60 part was only retained because it was submitted when its price met our requirements. The same is true of the $55 Enermax ECA3171, though this particular model has less of a penalty-price.

Now for a little easy math. Because this is a $50 case comparison, calculating price as a percentage of that target price is as easy as putting a decimal point in front of the price and doubling it. Doing so makes $50 a 100% target price (1.0), Antec’s $60 price is 120% of the target (1.2), while NZXT and Rosewill have an ultra-low $40 price that is 80% of the target (0.8). Dividing the above efficiency numbers by the price percentage proves the performance-value of each case.

This is what building on a budget is all about. The Rosewill Challenger and NZXT Gamma are basically the same case, but while NZXT adds a second, empty fan mount to the lid, Rosewill fills its single lid-mounted grille with a single fan. Rosewill then goes on to add a front fan, and still charges the same price as NZXT. Those extra fans don’t offer much in the way of added cooling, but the small help they do serve up is reflected in a 4% value lead.

Rosewill destroyed NZXT’s value leadership goals by putting a greater number of fans in an otherwise-similar chassis at the same price. Yet, with a lead this small over NZXT, buyers who prefer the second-place model’s style need not feel any shame over the slight value difference. Although they're very similar, both of these cases far exceed the value rating of competing products.

Rosewill wins the value competition (and consequently, our Recommended Buy award). But we can only really sign off on it for buyers who have extremely tight budgets. All but one of the cases we looked at today are made of 0.6 mm or thinner steel and lack the durability (and noise dampening) we prefer for long-term (and daily) use. The one exception, Antec’s Three Hundred is priced beyond the $50 target set forth during the planning stages of this piece. Though many of us have also been accused of being cheap, we’d all gladly pay a few dollars more for a 0.8 mm-thick model.

When A $50 Chassis…Isn’t

Though low-cost cases are everywhere, a limited few are outfitted with the extra cooling capacity required by gamers boasting performance hardware. This is just as true for budget builders as it is for high-end systems, since the budget parts often are the ones that get overclocked to match the speed of pricier pieces. It came as no surprise, then, when only eight manufacturers responded to our broad search for the best-performing, low-cost cases. After all, this is a scary space to compete in if you're not proud of what you're selling.

We split this comparison into two parts, giving each model the added attention it deserves. Today, we look at the first four solutions.

While black paint is a good way to attract system builders with a penchant for gaming, each of today’s cases has more to offer in the areas of ventilation, ease-of-installation, and noise reduction. Here’s a few of the critical details:

Two of today’s cases now cost more than the $50 limit, yet we’ve included them because they were submitted in good faith while priced below our cut-off-point. We could focus on whether the two more expensive models are worth the extra money, but we instead decided to examine the design merits of each case individually before testing its performance.

AeroCool VS-9

AeroCool follows the philosophy that “less is more” in its VS-9, using less metal to provide more ventilation. Most of the top and base are open to airflow, along with 1/3 of the left side panel and all nine 5.25” bay covers.

Though the VS-9 could support up to eight fans, the rear panel holds its only included fan. Rubber grommets under it protect the hoses of external water cooling systems, while folding side panel handles found even farther down can be left unfolded to ease access to rear-panel ports.

The VS-9 top panel can hold fans of multiple sizes, thanks to its continuous series of holes. The upper limit is two 140 mm fans, though the heat pipes and DIMM latch locations of some motherboards will prevent such large coolers from fitting.

The “front panel” port section is located along the VS-9’s left-side edge, and its ports are oriented for the top of a USB flash drive to face right.

Open-cell foam behind the drive bay covers prevents a see-through effect, while still allowing good system ventilation.

Inside The VS-9

A mid-sized access hole in the VS-9’s rear panel allows CPU cooler support plates to be installed without removing the motherboard, while a row of removable cable clips surround the motherboard area to ease cable management.

AeroCool adds seven flip-down card holders to the inside of its rear panel, but these didn’t work with our video card. Each holder is, fortunately, removable independently of other components, and threaded holes beneath these allow expansion cards to be secured by traditional screws when they're needed.

A row of ventilation holes along the bottom of AeroCool’s VS-9 allows a 120 mm or 140 mm fan to be mounted in front of most power supplies--even relatively-long units.

There’s very little structural metal in the VS-9, though the face is made more rigid by the factory-installed plastic fan adapter. This fan adapter is identical to the 5.25” bay to 3.5” drive adapters, and a second drive adapter can be used from the accessory kit to mount dual intake fans, if desired.

Building With The VS-9

The AeroCool VS-9 includes a simple instruction sheet, screw pack with standoffs and (unnecessary) insulator washers, a PC speaker, four drive/fan adapters, and a 5.25” to 3.5” external bay adapter plate.

Because the four drive adapters are identical to the one AeroCool installs across the VS-9's face, users can add up to five 3.5” drives, or four 3.5” drives and an intake fan, or three 3.5” drives and two intake fans. Users who want extra drive cooling can even install 120 mm fans under their hard drives.

We had no problem getting all of our large hardware to fit within the VS-9, and the case can even hold super-long graphics cards that extend through the drive cage. Unfortunately, we did have a few problems installing the drives, since one of the clips fell apart several times before we got it lined up and locked down. We also had so much trouble getting the clips to work with the 3.5” drive adapter that we gave up and used screws, only to strip the holes while using very little turning force.

The finished system looks great, even without the lighted fans that AeroCool's competitors use. In fact, using a non-lighted fan gave AeroCool a good reason to focus on performance by putting the single fan behind the CPU cooler.

Antec Three Hundred

While many of its competitors have gone with cheaper materials to address the $50 gaming case market, Antec chose instead to scale back the “bling” in its Three Hundred. Buyers get dual exhaust fans in a case that’s around 33% thicker than most competitors, but give up LED lighting and several tool-free features.

Thicker panels increase durability and simultaneous cut back on noise--two things appreciated by those who constantly use and service their own systems. Yet, good ventilation is often at odds with low noise, and today’s test includes a noise evaluation.

Some of the Three Hundred’s added ventilation comes from a three-speed 120 mm rear fan. Replaceable expansion slot covers beneath the fan are standard on quality cases, yet rare amongst Antec’s low-cost competitors.

A three-speed top fan adds even more ventilation for the CPU area. Our previous evaluations have shown this fan to be far less important than the rear fan when using cross-flow CPU coolers, and using its slowest setting reduces noise dramatically.

Front-panel ports along the top edge are easily reached for systems that sit either under or atop a desk. Though this is probably the best compromise Antec could make to capture both markets, it does cause headset cables to dangle in front of optical drives.

Inside The Three Hundred

An anticorrosive plating (probably aluminum) protects the Three Hundred’s bare metal steel interior from oxidation in normal environments. More durable and easier to photograph than black paint, a few builders still find this practical solution unattractive.

Modern convenience is limited to an oversized access hole for installing CPU cooler support plates. Other convenience items, such as screw-free drive clips, are omitted to maintain the Three Hundred’s low price.

Below the 3.5” hard drive cage, a set of stands holds a single 2.5” drive. Antec added these to address SSD installation concerns at minimal cost.

Two 120 mm fan cages cover the six-bay hard drive cage. A more expensive version of this case includes lighted fans in both mounts.

One place where Antec’s quality focus can be easily seen is its use of front-panel ports and buttons that are attached to the metal chassis, rather than the plastic front panel. Unlike competing products, this design allows the front-panel to be removed easily and completely.

Building With The Three Hundred

While many companies focus on screw-free hardware mounting clips, Antec uses classic thumbscrews to ease the installation of most components. Fine-thread screws used for optical drives still require a screwdriver.

Our large components fit easily within the Antec Three Hundred, though cable storage is mostly limited to the area between the hard drive cage and right-side panel. Cards are unfortunately limited to around 11” maximum length.

The finished system has a look of understated elegance.

Cooler Master Elite 430

A stylish design with multiple fan grilles, metal mesh bay panels and a side window make Cooler Master’s part number RC-430-KWN1 appear as though it belongs in a higher price class, while an amazingly low 10.5 pound weight reminds us the Elite 430 is just as thin as most other budget-oriented enclosures.

Moderate rigidity can only be attributed to good design, as the case has bracing ribs on nearly everything but the outer skin. A look around back reveals the ribs there, along with an empty 120 mm fan mount that includes 92 mm and 80 mm mounting holes.

Another clue to the Elite 430’s low cost are break-away, non-replaceable expansion slot covers. Cooler Master still provides the convenience of thumb screws in spite of costs, and even equips the case with breakouts for water-cooling hoses.

Dual 120 mm fan mounts atop the Elite 430 are offset to the outside, allowing fans to clear the oversized heat pipe assemblies of most enthusiast-class motherboards. A liquid-cooling radiator might also fit here, but adding one creates DIMM clearance issues for most platforms.

Though no version of this case is produced with FireWire, an outline of its port is found next to the Elite 430’s dual USB 2.0 ports and headset jacks.

Inside The Elite 430

A giant access hole in the Elite 430’s motherboard plate allows easy installation of CPU cooler support plates, while heavy ribbing in the remaining metal makes this lightweight part somewhat rigid.

Break-away EMI shields cover 5.25” external bays, and are replaceable using screws. We wish Cooler Master had afforded us the same courtesy in its non-replaceable expansion slot covers.

Two out of three 5.25” external bays, one of two external 3.5” bays, and two out of five internal bays have screw-free drive clips.

A single, lighted 120 mm intake fan is found up front for aesthetic reasons. The front mount is also compatible with 140 mm fans, and we know that moving this fan to the rear (as exhaust) can lead to far lower CPU temperatures.

A screen-type dust filter protects the intake fan of power supplies, though it's not easily removable for cleaning. An extra intake fan ahead of it can assist case cooling, though longer-than-standard power supplies (most units over 600 W) will at least partially block this location.

Building With The Elite 430

Cooler Master’s Elite 430 hardware pack includes coarse-thread screws in two head sizes, fine-thread screws, standoffs, a socket to secure hexagonal standoffs using a #2 Phillips head screwdriver, a security lock tab, cable ties, and a PC speaker.

We’d report any installation snags if they existed, but they didn’t. The Elite 430 easily swallowed our high-end hardware, though we did notice nearly one inch of overlap between the graphics card and hard drive. Cards up to 12.4” can be wiggled into position when the corresponding drive bay is empty, while drives reduce clearance to around 9.6” (using right-angle drive cables).

The Elite 430 gives an impressive light show to those who love aesthetic additions, while anyone who would like to use this case without the light show can simply use a different fan.

An alternative for users who want more internal and less external lighting would be to mount this fan behind the CPU cooler as exhaust, where it is also more effective at cooling the CPU.

Enermax Staray ECA3171 / ECA3170

Enermax sent its ECA3171-BR-AP, armed with three fans, where the hyphenated parts of the name indicate color and number of fans. A member of the ECA3170 family, this upscale version includes three red fans rather than the single blue fan of the more common ECA3170-BL. Because a limited-time discount forced the triple-fan version down to the single-fan version’s price, we tested the case in both configurations.

Front-panel control buttons are found on each side of a single 3.5” external bay, while front-panel ports and a fan lighting control are located in a bay panel beneath it.

The rear panel for the ECA3170 family has two grommeted holes for the pass-through of liquid-cooling hoses, and is able to hold a single exhaust fan up to 120 mm.

Inside The ECA3171-BR-AP

Our investigation into what comprises the ECA3171-BR-AP begins with its ECA3170-family chassis. A 120 mm front fan accompanies all versions, yet this otherwise modern looking chassis does not include the convenience of an access hole for installing CPU cooler support plates.

The front fan of all –BR versions has red blades and LEDs. Note that, while the drive cage supports two 3.5” external drives, the lower of these two bays is blocked off at the front panel.

A card clip disengages all cards simultaneously, presenting a slight inconvenience for some multi-card builds. Yet, this is the only screw-free mechanism that works with many of our graphics cards, and those who can’t use it will find that it’s removable using a screwdriver.

Unique to the EC3171-BR-AP are two 120 mm red LED fans factory-installed on the side panel. Users who prefer to choose their own fans will find that models up to 140 mm fit.

Building With The ECA3171-BR-AP

Our case arrived with a limited installation guide, two reusable cable ties, several screws and standoffs, a ratcheting cable tie with a self-adhesive holder, a ferrite EMI ring, and a security tab.

We had no issues fitting our large gaming platform within the ECA3171-BR-AP, but our large tower cooler prevented the side panel from closing with its top side fan in place.

Moving the upper side-panel fan to the rear and mounting it as exhaust alters the look of the case slightly, and likely improves cooling performance. This was the only reasonable installation option that allowed us to retain all three of its included fans.

Test Settings

Overclocking Intel’s C0 stepping Core i7-920 to 3.80 GHz allows us to test how well each case is able to remove large amounts of heat from its interior.

Keeping our system stable at high temperatures and loads is Asus’ original P6T motherboard.

A 2400 RPM cooling fan keeps Rosewill’s oversized Fort 120 cool under pressure, while helping us to evaluate the noise isolation capabilities of each chassis.

An XFX GeForce GTX 285 adds even more heat and noise, especially in this factory-overclocked version.

OCZ’s Z1000 modular power supply keeps voltage stable on our mid-power system, even when it encounters relatively high case temperatures.

Dedicating seven CPU threads to Prime95 and a single CPU thread to FurMark allows both programs to push peak power consumption and heat production simultaneously. Galaxy’s CM-140 meter tracks noise levels.

Test Results

Remembering that the Enermax ECA3171-BR-AP’s $50 price is temporary, we also tested it using the less expensive ECA3170-BL’s single-fan configuration. The two configurations that include only an intake fan were also retested with the fan in back, since we know that the result will be lower CPU temperature at zero added cost to the builder.

Antec’s lowest-cost Three Hundred includes two powerful exhaust fans and no intakes, resulting in the lowest temperatures at both low and high fan speeds. Enermax follows it with a dazzling light show using three fans.

The VS-9 performs best out-of-the-box against the single-fan configurations because its unlit fan is mounted as exhaust. Moving the ECA3170 and Elite 430’s LED front fan to the same place allows these to pass the VS-9, though they lose their front lighting.

Noise levels are “where the rubber meets the road.” Antec’s Three Hundred uses thicker panels to minimize noise output by the graphics card and CPU cooler, though we did hear some escaping from the unused side-panel fan grille. AeroCool has the quietest fan, but the case did a poor job of isolating internal component noise.

Dividing the average temperature for all configurations by the individual temperature of each configuration gives us a percent scale that awards lower temperatures. Conversely, dividing the actual noise level for each system by the average for all systems gives us a noise scale that punishes the highest noise levels. Dividing the first result by the second yields the following Acoustic Efficiency chart.

Antec’s Three Hundred takes first and second place, depending on fan speed. We’d use the second-place “low-speed” mode, since few of us would want to work next to a pair of fans that emit 36.7 decibels constantly.

Enermax takes second place with three fans, while Cooler Master’s third-place finish is a good result for its use of only one fan, even though we had to move that fan to get this level of performance.

AeroCool understands that the rear fan does the real work, and knowing that it wouldn’t be easy to see the lighting with its fan in back, omitted any LED components. Had we not tested the other two single-fan enclosures in the alternative configuration, the VS-9 would have moved up to third place.

Antec Wins?

Antec’s Three Hundred leads our cooling, noise, and efficiency charts, but it’s an unfortunate fact that today it cannot be found at our intended $50 price point (it's now $10 higher than that on Newegg). Yes, it was cheaper a few weeks ago when Antec shipped it. But users who want superior quality should be willing to pay the extra $10 to get a unit that’s 33% thicker, more durable, better at cooling, and quieter than its competition.

Next up is the Enermax ECA3171-BR-AP, with three cooling fans sporting red LEDs and an unbelievably low $50 price tag. An obvious pick for the best case at or below this predetermined price point, our only concern is that its price will go up before anyone can click the “buy” button. For now, the chassis remains priced at $49.

Cooler Master’s Elite 430 takes third place overall, and we’re happy to see that it looks at least as good as it performs. Cheaper at the beginning of the month, it jumped up to $55, and is now back to $49 online--right where we were hoping it'd land. It only has one fan, but does well considering that fact.

The only real loser of the cases we're looking at today is AeroCool's VS-9. The thing started falling apart as we were assembling the system, it did little to nothing to muffle the noise of internal components, and it twisted so easily that we had to weigh it down with a power supply just to keep it sitting flat. We’ve not seen a case this weak since the Hades earned our ire a few months ago. But at least the VS-9 has a comparatively low-cost. We’ve even read user reviews that tell others how to beef the VS-9 up to the standards of other $50 cases but—armed with this foreknowledge—we’d just as likely chose a better starting point.

Of course, it's too early to declare one overall winner of our case comparison. We have four more models to add to our data here in Part 2. Look for that follow-up soon!

While touch-screen fan controls for the PC aren't exactly new (Google for NZXT's SENTRY 2), Aerocool thinks its Touch-2000 is unique. After all, to paraphrase a sales rep who spoke to us at COMPUTEX 2010, "it's patented!"

He was talking about the Touch-2000's two-panel configuration, or how it takes up two 5.25" expansion slots in front of a typical PC case. The added real-estate creates enough space for the following ports: 1 x eSATA, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x 3.5mm mic-in, 1 x 3.5mm line-out and as pictures show, the Touch-2000 can control up to four fans, and even features Celsius-Fahrenheit conversion for customers who can't handle the metric system.

While the sales rep couldn't come up with a specific price, he did point us to Aerocool's website. The product page does provide a healthy amount of info, including contact info for the sole US distributor and even the manual. Ultimately though, aside from the cool retro Knight Rider aesthetics, what makes a touch-screen PC fan control panel worth the buy?

Introduction

Because they’re not too tall and not too short, mid-tower chassis tend to be the most popular. When choosing our 13 candidates, we tried to collect a wide variety of models, based on the current market situation. Besides well known manufacturers like Silverstone and Enermax, we also found lesser-known companies offering their own interesting products.

We set out to answer a number of different questions. For example, how is the build of the case compared to others in the market ? Which advantages and disadvantages do the cases have relative to each other ? Are all edges sharp or rounded ? Further test criteria include the ease of adding hardware components and good internal ventilation.

An Overview of the Test Candidates

• AeroCool T-Gun Pro
• Antec Three Hundred
• Enermax Phoenix Neo
• Gigabyte iSOLO
• Hiper Osiris
• Huntkey H201 Aeolus
• Ikonik Zaria
• Inwin Gundam
• LanCool PC-K1
• Lian LI PC-B25 Black
• Silverstone SST-KL01B Kublai
• Thermaltake M5 VJ2000
• Zalman Z-Machine GT1000

Antec Three Hundred

Case vendor Antec sent us its Three Hundred to include in this chassis roundup. At a price of $70 (you can find it for around $50 online), it is one of the most inexpensive steel cases in this roundup. Despite its low price, it includes two pre-installed system fans—one that measures 120 mm and the other 140 mm.

The interior is unspectacular, yet spacious—the steel frame can accommodate 9 drives, with 3 drive slots reserved for 5.25 inch drives. There is plenty of space for installing hardware components and excess cables can be stored nicely in the inside of the unit. The power supply in the Antec housing sits on the bottom. However the case does not have any ventilation openings for the power supply there. The build is quite good for a steel case, and the predetermined breaking points for the 5.25 inch drives do not leave behind any sharp metal edges.

Antec Three Hundred Specifications

Antec Three Hundred Details

Antec Three Hundred

Conclusion : The Antec Three Hundred is an inexpensive steel case that offers a lot of room for expansion. ATX and µATX Motherboards can be installed, and the case can handle up to nine drives. There are two fans included that employ three speed settings each, and three additional fans can also be installed. The steel frame is fairly ordinary, yet robust and well-built.

• Pros
• Cons

• Pre-installed, speed adjustable system fansPlenty of space for drivesLow price
• Unspectacular interiorOnly the equipment that is needed is providedNo eSATA connectors

Enermax Phoenix Neo

The large fan on the side of the Phoenix Neo from Enermax is very flashy; the fan included with the black model lights up red. The highlights of this monster fan measuring 25 cm include speed regulation, the ability to turn the fan off, and even a switch to change the direction of rotation (so it either pumps air into the case or sucks air out). The illumination can be turned off, as well. Another illuminated fan is placed at the bottom of the chassis, behind the front panel, to blow air into the case; this is also where the mounting frame for the 3.5-inch hard drives is located. Installation of hardware can be done without tools because the Phoenix Neo offers plastic clips and rails for the installation of expansion cards and drives.

Aside from the common USB and audio ports you will also find an eSATA port on the front panel, but only for the data lines. For the power supply the user will have to come up with his or her own solution.

Enermax Phoenix Neo Specifications

Enermax Phoenix Neo Details

Enermax Phoenix Neo

Conclusion: The Phoenix Neo from Enermax has a speed-adjustable 250 mm fan and provides plenty of space for installing hardware. The build quality is good and there are no sharp edges on the inside or the outside of the case.

• Pros
• Cons

• Big, speed adjustable side fanRetractable hard drive cageeSATA portTool-free installation
• Front fan has no controls

Gigabyte iSOLO 230

The iSolo 230 is another product that demonstrates Gigabyte’s capacity for manufacturing more than just quality motherboards and graphics cards. The case is based on a solid steel frame, is not particularly flashy, and falls in the middle of the pack price-wise. Installing hardware is simple: on the right and left side there are rails to mount and dismount the 3.5 inch drives from the case. The ventilation system consists of two 120 mm fans—the fan in the front blows air into the case, the one on the back expels it out.

Gigabyte iSOLO 230 Specifications

Gigabyte iSOLO 230 Details

Gigabyte iSOLO 230

Conclusion: The Gigabyte iSolo 230 is a heavy steel case without any stand-out highlights. Hardware installation can be done without tools. For mounting the 3.5 inch and 5.25 inch drives, the unit comes with clips and rails, respectively. This not only simplifies the installation, but also acoustically decouples the drives from the steel frame. The ventilation system consists of two 120 mm system fans. There is no place for installing additional fans in the iSOLO.

• Pros
• Cons

• Acoustically-decoupled hard drivesTool-free hardware installation
• No eSATA connectors

Hiper Osiris

The packaging shows that Hiper has put some real thought into its Osiris case. One special feature of the Osiris case is the material used: the mid-tower consists of an aluminum alloy with special thermal properties that make it able to withstand high stress—the same material is used for the wings of fighter planes.

Both side covers are mounted with two hinges that are very unique: no bolts are used, rather large metal handles open the sides. The cover has a transparent window that you can open to reveal a very slick interior. The only thing that slightly lowers the positive overall impression are the two welding seams that connect the mounting cages for the drives.

The case comes with three pre-installed 120 mm fans for ventilation. As a special feature, each case in the Osiris series carries a production number on the back panel. In addition, each comes with a keychain of the Egyptian god Osiris and the serial number.

Hiper Osiris Specification

Hiper Osiris Details

Hiper Osiris

Conclusion: An elegant aluminum case with many visual highlights, the Osiris is one of the best-built mid-tower units in this round-up. The materials chosen are very well manufactured and the overall effect is unique. Although the price of $170 seems to be high at first glance, we feel it is worth the money. The only drawback is the fact that the two welding seams are visible—according to the manufacturer, this was unavoidable.

• Pros
• Cons

• Outstanding build qualityElegant door hingesDecoupled 3.5 inch drives
• Welding seams are visible