Just over a year ago, Cryorig took the wraps off a pair of space-saving cases at Computex 2016. At the time, Cryorig stated its intention to bring both chassis to market by the end of 2016 or Q1 2017. Both chassis featured extremely compelling designs, but the Ola and Taku vanished from the public eye almost as quickly as they appeared.
Fast forward to Computex 2017 when, lo and behold, we spotted the Cryorig Taku once again on display at the Cryorig booth. (There was no sign of the Ola.) It would seem that the company decided to forgo a traditional product launch for its space-saving case design and moved forward with a Kickstarter campaign instead.
The Cryorig Taku features a compartmental design that supports mini-ITX motherboards, full-length graphics cards, SFX power supplies, and mounting locations for up to two 2.5” SSDs and and a single 3.5” spinning disk. Internal components are mounted to a slide-out tray that allows the entire system to be removed or installed from the front of the case. The chassis is also equipped with magnetic fan filters covering the air intake vents in the top and bottom of the case.
Even though Cryorig seems to be marketing this as a chassis for home and office use, given the fact that you can install a mini-ITX motherboard with a high-end processor and a full-sized graphics card, the Taku could easily be used for an HTPC, a stylish Steam Machine, or 4K gaming machine that looks right at home in your living room.
The entire chassis is designed to act as a monitor stand with enough structural support to hold monitors up to 33lbs. The legs of the case are tall enough to allow a full-sized 104 Key mechanical keyboard (up to 54mm) to be stored underneath the Taku. There are two slots in the top of the chassis to pass peripheral cables through to the rear I/O ports on the back of your system. This makes it easier to charge your phone and connect USB devices or headsets while keeping cable clutter to a minimum.
The Taku comes in three colors and features 4 leg options (two wood, two aluminum). The color options for the anodized aluminum cover are red, silver, and gunmetal. Legs can be ordered in silver, gunmetal, and light or dark wood. It should be noted that the front panel is white regardless of the leg and color options selected.
The Taku Kickstarter campaign has a goal of $100,000 and ends July 27. As an added bonus, Cryorig said that if the project exceeds orders for 1,000 units, it will include a low-profile C7 cooler for free.
| Product | Cryorig Taku |
|---|---|
| Motherboard Type | Mini-ITX |
| Dimensions (H x W x L) | 142 x 570 x 310mm |
| PSU | SFX and SFX-L |
| Drive Bays | 1 x 3.5”2 x 2.5” |
| Front I/O | 2 x USB 3.0Audio In & Out |
| Fan | 92mm system fan (included) |
| CPU Cooler Max Height | 48mm |
| VGA Cooler Max Length | 280mm |
| Price | $300 - $395 |