Part 2: Four More Gaming Enclosures Under $50

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.