Foxconn TP544

Introduction:

   In February of 1997 the ATX case specification came along to take the place of the aging AT specification.  Motherboard and power supply manufacturers adopted the change pretty rapidly, and soon AT style cases were obsolete.  Eight years later hardware specs have come a long way, but the venerable ATX-spec has managed to persevere.  In my opinion, the new BTX specification (which isn't so new anymore, actually) is the answer to a question that nobody asked, which is evidenced by the relative scarcity of new BTX-style cases and the continuing release of improved ATX case designs.  I'm sure that BTX will eventually be king of the hill, but in the meantime, ATX case designs have become more refined, stylized and user-friendly.

   Why the history lesson? The case I'll be looking at today, the Foxconn TP544 ATX case, is a study of refinement and evolution, rather than being revolutionary. It is not without its faults, but many of this case's features can be appreciated most by folks who have lived through the "dark years" of  horrid case design.  Each ATX-style case I construct (and I'm into the hundreds now) has gotten easier and easier, which is one reason why ATX still lives and hasn't been completely supplanted by the new (BTX) kid on the block. 

   Let's take a look at the Foxconn TP544 in detail to illustrate these points.

Overview:

   The Foxconn TP544 is a mid-tower ATX case that is designed to be friendly to the system builder and owner alike.  Although it is not a bargain-basement case, it is a good value for the mid-range system with its included power supply option.  The overall case design is handsome without being gaudy, and would fit quite well in an office environment or den.  The black exterior with the silver front panel looks businesslike and sleek, and manages to convey quality without screaming for attention.  I like it.

The Foxconn TP544	Black and silver is a classic color scheme.
Vented, lockable and latched, a good case panel design.	Businesslike, simple and functional front panel design.
Nothing special here, but rear fan panel is overly obstructive	A truly novel approach to case stabilization.

   On the exterior, fit and finish is very good, with no obvious quality control issues.  The finish is unflawed and smooth.  This is a steel case, so is is not especially lightweight, but steel is superior (IMO) for rigidity and noise suppression.  Let's take a look at some of the features in detail.

Well-designed latch mechanism works smoothly.

The basics are covered with this front-panel design.

   The Side-panel latch mechanism operates smoothly with no issues noted.  It provides a lock for those who require it.  The top vent can either accept a cooling fan (80mm, not included) or you can use the included air director that allows the CPU fan to draw air directly to the CPU area of the mainboard. 

   The bottom vent is passive and allows air to circulate near the expansion cards and lower mainboard area. The front panel has the basics covered, with four USB, one IEEE-1394 (FireWire) port, and simple audio pass-through.  Note that all these ports' functionality depends on the mainboard functionality. The front panel also has provision for four 5.25" accessories; the top two have a very nice integrated opening for CD/DVD drives.  Now let's open up the case and look a little deeper.

The guts exposed. Complete kit!

An interesting alternative to the "Blow-Hole".

   The inside of the TP544 has a bunch of nice surprises.  The first item is the inclusion of an air duct, the side duct is for compliance with Intel's TAC 1.1 , that aims incoming air directly (or almost directly depending on your choice of mainboard) to the CPU area.  This feature will aid the CPU fan in cooling, albeit not with the same cooling capability as a dedicated 80mm fan.  Mounting provisions are provided if you elect to substitute a fan.