Boutique Graphics PCs Duke It Out

Digital Storm Hardware

The Digital Storm Twister Extreme starts with a custom-painted Silverstone Temjin TJ09 ATX mid-tower case, its included fans supplemented with those of an installed dual-radiator liquid cooling system. Temjin cases are well known for high quality metalwork using thick aluminum panels, and Digital Storm's custom finish adds to the allure.

The side panel is even stock, lacking so much as a side intake fan for cooling the graphics cards. Card cooling instead comes from an air tunnel that runs through the Silverstone TJ09 case, with a fan mounted directly in front of the cards. This design works so well that we'd probably have been disappointed if Digital Storm had chosen to change it.

Large rectangular holes in both sides of the TJ09 case feed a cooling fan in front of both graphics cards.

A pop-up panel on the TJ09 top panel features two USB 2.0, one IEEE-1394 FireWire, and two audio ports. Many users (such as co-author Sina Mohammadi) will find them convenient for portable devices and headsets, while others prefer these to be mounted in a lower location for better cable routing. Convenience mostly depends on whether the system is mounted on top of or under a desk, but Silverstone's build quality and Digital Storm's finish quality will impress even those who aren't so happy about the location.

The case also features a removable motherboard tray, allowing easy access to the components within. Digital Storm retained the standard 120 mm Silverstone-branded rear exhaust fan that is included with all TJ09 cases.