Installation:

The first thing you'll want to do is install the PSU since it must be put into position from the inside of the case. Not having anything inside the case, such as a motherboard, makes this job much easier. Installation is very easy and straightforward, though there are reports that longer PSUs (9") cannot fit. These PSUs are most likely of the 1000 W variety; if you have an extended PSU like this then it may not fit.

Installing a PSU.

Done!

There's no motherboard tray but thankfully installing inside of this big case is quite easy. Unfortunately, none of the stand offs for the motherboard have been installed so you'll have to do it yourself. However, all of the points are clearly labeled for different motherboard types so it's easy to get all the ATX mounting points, for example. After that, mounting the motherboard is straightforward, and as noted before, there's no pre-existing incompatible I/O shield to remove.

Stand offs must be installed.

Motherboard mounted.

Tool less card slots.

Moving on to expansion card installation, we can see that the tool-less latch Apevia has used here is quite unique. Instead of latch for each slot, there's a single latch that secures all of the cards with a simple lever to open and close it. This obviously isn't very ideal since if you open the latch to install another card all of the other cards become loose. However, it is quite secure since a decent amount of pressure must be applied to close the latch. In fact, it's one of the more secure latches we've used. However, it would still be nice to have an option to use screws to further secure the cards if needed; however this can only be done if the latch is left open, unlike other some other cases.

Latch open.

Latch closed.

HDD rails.

Moving on to HDD installation you'll find that it's dead simple. You just need to snap on the tool-less drive rails (no screws) and then slide it into place in the HDD cage. It's fairly secure, but again, it would've been nice if there was a backup option to use a screw or two to secure it in case you're moving your PC long distances.

HDD installed.

Front panel removed.

Tear-out drive shields.

Optical drive installation is a bit more troublesome. Firstly, I personally could not remove the plastic drive covers from the front; it was too hard to get them out, even with the gaps between the front panel and cover. Instead, the front panel had to be removed, which required removing both side panels first. It was then easy to push out the plastic covers from the back and also tear out the metal drive shields, something that's not very pleasant.

Remove covers.

Optical drive installed.

Wires may block longer drives.

Once that's done, however, installing an optical drive is straightforward. Similar to the HDD, all you have to do is snap on the drive rails and slide it in until it clicks into position. As for space concerns, our particular optical drive fit nicely into the top drive bay without interference, though the wires from the top I/O ports were somewhat close. If you have a longer optical drive, it may not properly fit in the top drive bay.

Almost done.

Powered on.

Front LCD.

In the end, you're rewarded with a very nice looking setup, as the blue LED fans (side and front) go along with the blue LCD, blue front panel lightning and general blue colour of the case. In fact, it's almost *too* much blue, and this is coming from a reviewer whose favourite colour has been blue all of his life. In all seriousness though, the X-Jupiter does a good job of standing out with its sleek styling.

Conclusion:

The Apevia X-Jupiter is an excellent entry into the full-tower market. Besides being very attractive and stylish, the X-Jupiter delivers a multitude of features such as four included 120mm fans (with an option for a fifth) a built in LCD temperature monitor and two fan controllers. The fans, while not ultra quite, serve the case well and the fan controllers will help keep down the noise; as an added bonus, the LED fans also glow brighter when spinning faster! Another big bonus is the aluminum construction, which does a great job of keeping the weight down, and as a result, keeping your back from getting angry at you.

There are some minor problems to be aware of. Firstly, the top fan position, when occupied, may cramp the area and make using an optical drive in the top position impossible. A fan here may also preclude the use of longer PSUs. There is also some concern with airflow through the front as the sideways HDD cage may present some obstruction. Furthermore, the cable lengths, especially those of the top I/O ports, leave some length to be desired. Lastly, removing the front drive bay covers was more trouble than expected

Other than that, the X-Jupiter is a fine case and worthy of most any system. If you're in the market for a full-tower, give it a look; just make sure you can handle the lights!

Pros:

• Four 120mm fans included

• Lots of space

• Built in LCD temperature monitor

• Two fan controllers

• Window and side fan

• Tool-less installation

• Aluminum construction for light weight

• Stylish and unique appearance

Cons:

• Top fan position may cramp area

• Internal cable lengths may be too short

• Front drive bay covers tricky to remove

Thanks go out to Apevia for making this review possible.

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