The Chenbro Xpider is a fusion of the design of several prior Chenbro cases with some advanced new features that will appeal to the gaming/ enthusiast community. It is obvious that Chenbro plans to use the Xpider to enter the LAN gaming market; however, the case will almost assuredly find a place in the arsenals of many retailers and system integrators, as well. The Xpider is a unique design. It is rooted in some old fashioned practicality, giving it a refreshing edge when compared to many other cases. Chenbro intends to make the Xpider competitive, given its pricing. This is not without a few tradeoffs.
A look inside the Chenbro Xpider. It is a little cramped inside, but really no better or worse than many other cases. Notice that the fan mounting area in the rear of the case can handle up to a 120 mm fan. For some reason, Chenbro shipped our unit with only an 80 mm fan installed.
First of all, the Chenbro Xpider is a tower case that is just a little larger than a typical mini tower configuration. Chenbro uses an innovative removable wide bezel design to give the case a very unique and aggressive stance. This wide bezel makes the case actually appear a little larger than it is; this is a doubled-edged sword, since as the intro picture indicates, it causes more potential headaches to install all of the components and wiring into its somewhat cramped quarters. No matter; everything fits nicely into the case, but not without some challenges in getting everything installed and wired attractively. The case is designed using steel, which allows the it to be strong and to exhibit no bend or twist. The Xpider features a primarily screwless design with screwless add-on card holders, screwless slide rail installation for 5.25" and 3.5" devices, and a slide locking mechanism to allow easy removal of the side panel. The inside of the case is well made, with no sharp edges. It utilizes rounded, U-seam technology.
Another one its features is its ability to accomodate larger fans in both the front and the rear of the case. The front bezel is easily removable for cleaning using a snap locking mechanism. This front bezel features a metal mesh grill with built-in air filter to help trap dirt, while providing excellent air intake through the grill. The front fan in the Xpider can be either of the 80 mm variety or of the 92 mm variety; while the rear fan can accept an 80 mm, 92 mm or 120 mm fan. By using a 92 mm front fan and a 120 mm fan in the rear, we were able to obtain an incredible amount of airflow through our sample Xpider case. Due to this cooling capability, Chenbro is able to tout the fact that the Xpider has easily passed Intel's Pentium 4 3 GHz Thermal Chassis Guidelines.
The Xpider features a flip-up door that, when used, reveals front panel IO with support for two USB 2.0 ports/ audio/ 1394. The construction of the door is fair in design and works well. Above the front panel IO door you will notice the bronze colored trim that accents the front bezel of the Xpider. The trim panel is available in several other colors, including bronze as shown in this picture, silver as in the intro picture, blue and green. Potential buyers thus have an opportunity to purchase an Xpider in the color combination of their choice.
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