Testing

For testing, the following components were installed into the case;

• Abit IC7 Max3 Motherboard

• Intel P4 3.0GHz

• Kingston HyperX PC4000 DDR

• Hercules ATI 9800XT

• Asus 16DVD ROM

• Plextor 52X CDRW

• 2 x WD Raptors 36GB 10K

• Tagan 480W PSU

The system was turned on and left idle for 30 minutes. CPU temperature was monitored using Abit's own EQ software. Ambient, Case and HDD temps were monitored using the 3 probes supplied with the Eudemon controller. Noise levels were also measure, using TES 1350A Sound Level Meter and taken at 2 feet from the case.

	Idle	Load
Ambient	32°C
CPU	47°C	56°C
Case	36°C	39°C
HDD	38°C	40°C
dB(A)	46dB(A)	52dB(A)

Ambient temperature was kept close to 32°C at all times. As you can see from the table below, the case is able to keep the temperature within the case at 36°C during idle and no more than 7°C of the ambient temperature at load. Noise level within the test room at idle is also pretty quiet at 46dB(A) with only the system running, that's slightly quieter than an average office environment. At load, the 52dB(A) level is not so much of the case fans spinning, but rather the smart fan feature of the IC7 MAX-3 that makes the CPU fan spins faster to cool the processor. The case fans can be substituted for a much more efficient replacements but keep in mind the rise in noise level that you would get then. Overall, the case did an excellent job in keeping the system cool and quiet as well.

Conclusion

Is the Temjin TJ03 Nimiz Case perfect? Well, I can't really answer that as the requirements differs from person to person and what's good for one person might not be the case for another. But have no doubt, a lot of thought were put thru in the construction of the Temjin TJ03 Nimiz Case. Using aluminium as the main material, the look and feel of the case is simply awesome. Clean lines and a stylish front bezel will definitely appeals to the users out there. It's workmanship and finish at it's highest quality. Inside, the construction is what you would expect from an aluminium case, clean and free from any sharp edges. Dual-procs/Ext'd-ATX mobo users will definitely appreciate the added depth and even if you're not one of the two groups of users, you'd still love the spaciousness of the interior. Don't forget the removable motherboard tray that we've all get to know and love so much. With the help of the 4 fans, the case also churns out respectable numbers in both cooling and noise levels.

Temjin TJ03 Nimiz Case would be classified as a high end chassis and with that, a high-end price is also inevitable. Costing us folks here in Singapore an average of S$465 (about US$290), it puts the case out of reach for the average user. And that's not including the 3.5" transfer bay. I would've expected them to include at least one for that price. And I don't think adding 7 thumbscrews for the expansion slots would raise the case price further too.

All in all, SilverstoneTek has got a winner in the Temjin TJ03 Nimiz Case. It's definitely a breath of fresh air from the all the Lian Lis and Coolermasters out there and if you're in the market for a high-end aluminium chassis, put the Temjin TJ03 Nimiz Case at the top of your list. I'd like to thank Ciputra of VideoFusion for providing us with the review sample and to you too for reading. Enjoy the site!