The Lazy Days of Summer Case Review

TTGI TT-561, Continued

The TT-561 from a side view, showing its internal configuration.

The changes don't stop there, as the TT-561 does not include a slide-out motherboard tray, as the TT-301 does. Certainly, whether or not you choose to opt for this feature will depend on your budget. However, we have always found the slide-in motherboard tray to be a good and useful feature. The TT-561 exhibited less flex and bend than the TT-301. Again, we are forced to attribute this to the fact that this case does not include a slide-out motherboard tray; this seems to affect the structural rigidity of cases in general. While we are not suggesting that this affects the usability or longevity of the case, it is obvious that there is a difference. The front bezel of the TT-561 is covered by a piece of acrylic that is lined with steel on the inside to make it more attractive and to give the case a unique look. This steel piece seems to have been painted with a flake style paint and textured so as to look very attractive under this plexiglass.

Located at the bottom of the front bezel of the TT-561, you will find two USB 2.0 ports as well as a front mounted audio and 1394 port. As has been the case with the TT-301, the audio and 1394 have to be connected via cables to the ports on the rear of the case.

The TT-561 has excellent cooling potential, although during our testing the fan mounted in the side panel seemed to create some turbulence that affected the cooling of the PC. We got better results by disconnecting the side panel fan and running with just the two intake fans located in the front and the two exhaust fans located in the rear.

A look at the front-mounted port configuration of the TT-561.

Overall, we found the TT-561 to be a very capable case. It does have some tradeoffs when compared to its older sibling, the TT-301. We again missed the side panel window option with the TT-561, which was also absent from the TT-301. From our understanding, the side panel window is available as an option but was not included on our test case. Regardless, the TT-561 was a good performer and is priced reasonably for what it provides. While it does have some small differences when compared to the TT-301, it will be up to the buyer to decide if these tradeoffs are worth it in return for a slightly lower price. We have no problem in recommending the TT-561; some buyers, however, may wonder if they should have just sprung for the TT-301.