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Introduction In the past I've reviewed several aluminum cases, that, while being mid-towers, were perfect for LAN systems, some even good enough for one's main system. However, while some of them may have been of quality construction, because of the lightweight materials used they fell short of the sturdiness of a well-made steel chassis. Because of this, many people still fall back to a steel case when they require strength and durability - despite the pains associated with the weight. There are just some situations where hardiness is put above all. One such situation is seen in the entry-level server market. Such systems probably won't be physically moved too often; their main requirements are of a different nature. In addition to being of sound construction, they must also provide quick and easy access, in case an administrator or technician must perform a hardware upgrade or switch due to a component failure, in order to minimize downtime. Additionally, because entry-level servers can typically house dual-CPU systems with multiple HDDs, these cases must be able to provide adequate cooling and proper airflow to ensure proper operation of critical services. In short, the quality of these cases lies in their ability not to dazzle, but to perform a case's most basic functions in the best possible manner. It was somewhat of an inevitability then (and perhaps a little coincidental) that entry-level server cases would eventually fall into the limelight of the case modder and enthusiast market. The features of such cases made them ideal; a decently-sized interior able to house multiple HDDs and large motherboards, while at the same time not taking up too much space in one's room and an excellent cooling ability. But perhaps the most prized quality was their industrial look; after all, these cases were designed to perform a function (or set of functions), and those functions were placed high above form. This gave the cases an overall plain-Jane industrial-strength look that made it a dream to modify - in short, these cases were very much like a plain canvas upon which the case modder could create his or her masterpiece. One need only look at the success and proliferation of the Antec/Chenming series of entry-level server towers to get an idea of what I'm talking about. You can find these cases almost anywhere, but more importantly, case mods of almost every dimension, size and shape have been done to these cases, and there's no shortage of ideas floating around for you take a peek at - everything from basic add-a-blowhole mods, to all-out full-body paint jobs that would impress an auto body shop. The makers of these cases however, were not content just to keep producing their products as-is; they had found a new market for their products, perhaps by mistake, and were now willing to capitalize upon it. They quickly starting adding new features to their "entry-level cases", such as windows, additional fans, up-front USB/firewire/audio ports, and other features not indicative of the entry-level server market, signalling a desire to capture more of the enthusiast market. Additionally, update chassis designs followed, improving upon an already excellent interior layout. All of this has practically transformed most of the "entry-level server" market into an arena for hardware enthusiasts, each desiring a quality and easy-to-use case. Today, I'll be looking at one such case from this class, the Enermax CS-10182-BA Server Tower, provided by Xoxide. Specifications This Enermax chassis is most likely manufactured by Chenming, like all of the other cases similar to it; I believe this is true, but I cannot confirm it. It features an updated design that is quite a bit different than previous cases, such as the SX1000-series and subsequent cases from Antec; most of the differences are internal, and so they cannot be seen by the exterior pictures on this first page. The internal design is pretty much the same as that of the ThermalTake Xaser-III series. This is probably due to the commonality of manufacturers. However, the basic specifications remain almost the same. There are room for four 5.25" drives, as well as two 3.5" external drives; up to six internal 3.5" drives can be mounted, which is a little improvement over previous cases of this sort. In addition to there being room for two front 80mm fans and two rear exhaust 80mm fans, this case has added a top 80mm 'chimney' fan and room for two side 80mm fans, for a total of capacity of seven 80mm fans! As was configured in the case I reviewed, there were three 80mm fans included; two in the rear exhaust positions and one in the chimney/top position.
From the outset, the CS-10182 has the industrial-strength look and appeal. This almost plain look conceals the added functionality it has over other cases in the same class, and at the same time, prevents the case from being too flashy or disconcerting to your room. The front panel is plastic, but has an aluminum faceplate attached, covering most of the front. As is the case with entry-level servers, a door blocks access to the external drive bays, and can be locked using the provided keys. This lock also bars the opening of the entire front panel - in addition to the door, the entire front panel can swing out, as we'll see later, providing access to the front fans and more. The vents in the lower part of the front panel aren't the best, but they do a decent job of allowing air into the case. And, lest I forget, this case is heavy! It came well-packaged surrounded by 2" of foam (even UPS couldn't damage this one ;) ), and to remove it from its box, you'll most likely have to just turn the box on its opening and remove the box from the case. I'm willing to bet that the two removable side panels of this case weigh more than a lot of aluminum cases. The contributing factor to this is of course the 1.0mm steel used, which is rolled-over and folded in many areas to eliminate sharp edges, but this process also adds weight and strength to the case.
The rear of the case should be a familiar site to those of you with an Antec case. Two 80mm exhaust fans dominate the field here, and the punch-out fan grills do a pretty good job of facilitating airflow, IMO. Any power supply you use with this case will have to be attached to the PSU plate, and then the plate is secured to the chassis. This way, you can be sure that you can slide the PSU in from the back of the case, and not having to go in sideways. This does make PSU installation a bit easier. The left side of the case features a handle to help you remove it, but there is no latch like on other cases. The handle is merely a grip. Next to the handle are the intake vents for one of the side fans, and below this are the vents for the second side fan. As you can see, the vents are not all that big, and hamper the airflow to the side fans. Both side are held in place by easy to use thumbscrews that can also be secured by a screwdriver - so you've got tool free access.
The door has space for the two LEDs to shine through, and below this is the lock. Opening the door (which is held in place by a single plastic clip) reveals the external drive bays, and the cover of the first 5.25" drive bay along with the chassis shield is already removed. One thing I didn't like is that the door only opens 90 degrees; I would have liked it if the door opened the full 180, as if you have the case to the right of you, accessing the drives can be hard with the door only opening up 90 degrees. To the right of the 3.5" drive bays are the LEDs and the standard ATX power switch and reset buttons; the LEDs were green and amber, and both were 5mm and non-socketed. The reset button was not difficult to press at all. The front door is removeable - you just need to turn it most of the way out, and then it will slide off of its hinges. You can see the bolt heads holding the aluminum plate in place - these add to the industrial look that is reinforced by the actual strength of the case.
On top of the case, near the chimney exhaust, we find the USB, firewire and audio ports, a curious position to put them. This is contrasted with the typical location of these ports on cases being in the front - these two positions really represent a trade-off of sorts. If you put this case on the floor (as many, but not all, of you would because of its size and weight) having the ports on top can almost be better than having them in the front, especially if they were at the lower front of the case. However, if you put the case upon your large desk, it'd be quite a bit more troublesome to access the ports on top of the case. This is just something to keep in mind, depending on where you put your case. Nevertheless, they are nicely integrated with the look of the case, and are hidden behind a small push-to-open door. The ports located here are a feature that really makes this case not just an "entry level server", but a fully-featured chassis for almost anyone. As with most cases from this class, there are four swing-out feet to give the case stability, especially on carpeted or other soft surfaces. You can also see that the bottom provides some airflow to the front intake fans.
The outside of this case can be summed up as a professional sleek look, that is not too fancy and will go well in almost anyone's room, as the case exterior is almost all a solid, dark black. But, as we all know, things get more interesting on the inside, and the inside is what truly makes or breaks a case. << Back to Reviews Page | Accessories and Getting Inside >>
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