Installation:

Installation can make or break a case. In this respect the X-Sniper is decent; there are some quirks with installation but nothing show-stopping. The PSU uses a very traditional mounting technique - nothing fancy, just slide the unit in from the inside and screw it into place.

PSU mounted.

Motherboard holes labeled.

While the motherboard tray features labeled holes telling you exactly which ones to use for various motherboard form factors, it would've been nicer to see the standoffs pre-installed for ATX since this would likely suffice for 80%+ of users and would save them from having to find the necessary tool. Nevertheless, installing the motherboard was about as easy as it is with most midtowers - space is somewhat of an issue, but at least it was not hard to screw the motherboard down, as there are no obstructions near the screw holes.

Motherboard installed.

Expansion slot latches.

The tool-less expansion slots were far from ideal. They felt somewhat fragile and didn't look secure to a card. Thankfully, you can still use a regular screw to properly secure any cards, which we'd recommend, especially for larger videocards. Most tool-less expansion slot retention mechanisms aren't that great, as they're either not secure enough or too tight and difficult to work with, so at least the option to use screws should always be present. Slot covers are replaceable, a good sign since no one likes to tear out sharp metal pieces.

Card locked in.

HDD rails.

HDD installation is simple and takes seconds. You just have to snap on the tool-less rails (which have pegs that go into the HDD screw holes) and then slide the HDD into place in the cage until it snaps/locks in place. It's fairly secure, though you probably don't want to max out the cage with three HDDs unless you put a fan up front.

HDD installed.

Drive bay covers.

Have to tear out metal.

5.25" drive installation is a bit more involved. Thankfully, the drive covers can be removed from the front by prying them out with a flathead screwdriver; this is what the manual prescribes. Behind this you'll have to tear out a drive shield through turning and twisting, or using some cutters. Either way is not ideal. After that, drive installation is easy since you just have to slide the drive in and secure it with the tool-less latch on the side.

Tool-less latch locked.

Drive installed.

Just about done.

With the case turned on and powered up, you can see that the blue LED side 120mm fan compliments the window very nicely. The backlit LCD temperature monitor was also a nice feature, being clear and easy to read. Combined with the big chrome fan control knobs and aluminum-covered door, the X-Sniper is actually a pretty decent looking case.

LCD temperature monitor.

Side window and fan.

Conclusion:

The X-Sniper is a dependable and decent case. If there was one word to describe it, it would be "unsurprising". This can be a good and bad thing. On the positive side, there weren't any major problems with layout, installation or design. The side window, cooling features and fan controller/temperature monitor were all attributes that make this case good, but this isn't the first time we've seen them together. They worked well, and for that we're thankful.

On the other hand, there wasn't anything ground breaking. However, the X-Sniper does carry a decent price; online it can be found for around $85 and for this you're getting good value. Despite the minor concerns with some of the tool-less latches, the case is a sturdy and good investment.

Pros:

• Dependable design & layout

• Excellent/durable front door

• Tool-less installation system

• Fan controller/temperature monitor included

Cons:

• Tool-less expansion slot latches not secure

• Front panel difficult to fully remove

Thanks to Apevia for making this review possible!

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