Xoxide X-Sonic Mid-Tower Case Review
Date : Wednesday, 02 July 2003
By : Stygian
Provided By : Xoxide
Introduction
So your system is totally decked out - it's got all the mods, the watercooling setup and is complete with the best kickass-radiator out there. But what happens when you have to go to a LAN party? Are you going to lug that heavy, albeit sturdy machine up a flight of stairs? That's when it hits you: A strong steel case is good for a computer that stays relatively stationary, but such a case can also be murderous on one's back, with many of them weighing more than 16kg/35lbs empty! You need a lighter case, one that's meant to be used for mobile situations; one that's just for LAN parties and gaming. Enter the aluminum X-Sonic from Xoxide...
Manufactured by Chenming, the X-Sonic is a relatively low-priced Mid-Tower ATX case that continues Xoxide's line of affordable aluminum cases. Gone are the days where the only aluminum cases were high-priced Lian-Li models; the market is now flooded with lower-priced aluminum computer housings that almost anyone can afford. But a downside to this is that there are many sub-par and low quality aluminum cases that you simply would not want your computer to be in. Does the X-Sonic unfortunately fit into this category, or is it worthy for your system?
Specifications
The X-Sonic is a Mid-Tower ATX case with features pretty much standard to most aluminum mid-towers. It comes complete with a pre-installed side window, two Tri-LED case fans and front USB and firewire ports, making its feature set comparable to some of the more expensive cases out there. It's nice to see that more and more cases are coming with these previously exclusive amenities. The case sports four 5.25" drive bays, two 3.5" external bays, and two 3.5" internal bays, making it pretty much a standard configuration for ATX Mid-towers. The fan configuration is also similarly standard - there's room for a front 80mm intake, an 80mm exhaust and an 80mm blowhole fan on the side window, and the last two spots have the Tri-LED fans pre-installed.
The case is actually a little smaller than most Mid-towers; at a height of 16.5" and a depth of only around 17", it won't save you a lot of space but when this case is placed next to others, the difference is apparent. The X-Sonic is available in two different colours, the silver version reviewed here, and a black version. There is more than just a colour difference between the two though, as the black version has a different front bezel that lacks the front firewire port that the silver version has. Other than that, the two versions are pretty much the same. No PSU is included, but Xoxide provides an option of many quality PSUs to purchase with the case.
The first thing that strikes you about the case is its weight - even with a 350w PSU (PSU shown is not included) it is extremely light! In fact, the PSU's weight almost makes the empty case feel unbalanced. This is due to the material used in the construction of the case; almost all of the chassis is made up of 0.8mm thick aluminum. Contrast this to 1.0mm steel used in most server chassis and you'll see where most of the weight difference comes from. As a side effect, the X-Sonic does not feel nearly as sturdy as most steel cases because of this material difference, but is well constructed nonetheless, with supports in key locations to provide the case with strength. I couldn't find a weight spec. for this case, but I'd guess it weighed something around 12-13lbs with a PSU. The next interesting things were the front intake vents, which feature an innovative and eye-catching design. The mean-looking vents resemble upside down airfoils and perhaps were meant to give an impression of a cooling airflow going into your case... in any event, they do a good job at letting air in - though because there are no filters, they also do a good job of letting dust and dirt in!
 The silver X-Sonic case. |
 Three huge vents dominate the front panel. |
 Window comes with plastic sheet protection on both sides. |
With these specs you can see from the start that the X-Sonic would make and ideal and eye-catching case for a LAN party system. In fact, the LANBOY case from Antec seems to be based off the same chassis as the X-Sonic, and both are *probably* manufactured by Chenming. The back of the case features one 80mm exhaust and also shows off the integrated hardware storage box for the X-Sonic. The storage box was a nice little addition, and can be useful as it's now easy to carry around screws and other little things that may just be needed unexpectedly at a LAN party. The side window features one of the included Tri-LED fans installed, and it is set to intake air, blowing it right over the CPU area, a popular area to mount a fan. The window itself spans almost the entire area of the side panel, and is held in place mainly by the white plastic pushpins visible in the pictures; no moulding is used, probably because the pushpin method simplifies manufacturing. Personally, I don't mind this method but there is no doubt that moulding would look nicer around the edges. The back of the PSU does feature a hard on/off switch, something that can be useful in certain situations.
 Back of the case. |
 UV-reactive front fan holder can be seen. |
 Rear fan punchout is the honey-comb type. |
The entire exterior of the case is textured silver, with the drive bay covers having a clear acrylic layer on top of them, which gives them a smooth and reflective appearance. Strangely, only the left (window) side of the case is removable; this was probably because the other side has to remain in place to keep the case sturdy. In fact, the top and right side are one piece, and aren't removable unless you wish to drill out the rivets holding them in place. The left side, however, is held in place by two thumbscrews making it easy to remove without having to find a screwdriver. A small vertical-running indentation provides for a grip when removing the side panel. The back and inside of the case are very shiny, and this works well when used with case lighting, but unfortunately, the aluminum catches smudges and fingerprints very well in these areas.
 Front USB/firewire ports are behind a small hinged door. |
 Power, reset buttons and LEDs. |
 Tabs to remove front drive covers are hidden behind another door. |
 Four rubber feet provide grip. |
The front bezel features some niceties that not only add functionality but keep it looking attractive. A small door to the left of the Power/Reset buttons hides the two USB 2.0 ports and a firewire port; when the door is closed the area blends well with the rest of the front. Similarly, a small door on the right side of the 5.25" drive bays hides the indentation where the drive rails poke out; if you have a doored Antec case or similar, you'll know what I mean, as while these indentations make it easy to remove the drive rails they don't go well with the rest of the case. Attention to detail is really what's going on with the front panel. The power and reset buttons are pretty much standard fare, along with the two case LEDs; the reset button wasn't hard to depress at all. Also standard were the four rubber case feet to help keep the case in place
By now you're probably wondering why apparently, there are only drive rails for the right side. Well, let's open up the case to find out.
Accessories
and Getting Inside
The X-Sonic's screws and other hardware parts were all located inside a small plastic baggie that was in the hardware storage at the back of the case. The storage opens via a small clip-on door, and the storage area isn't that big, which explains why there aren't many screws or other things included. Don't get me wrong; there are enough screws and standoffs to properly install a system, but there just weren't as many as I'm used to seeing included with cases. No manual was included, though I doubt many of us would need one, but I would have liked some tie-wraps to be included, to aid in basic wire management.
As mentioned before, there are two thumbscrews securing the left side panel, which is the only way into the case. There is also a small hook/tab below the top thumbscrew that serves as a point to mount a lock, if you wish to secure your side panel that way. As with most case lock mechanisms, it's by no means secure, but it'll at least make getting into the case difficult, and not something that can be accomplished casually. One the thumbscrews (which can be tightened by a screwdriver if you so wish) are removed, the side panels slides out less than an inch, and then can be removed.
 Accessories in the hardware box. |
 Accessories. |
 Two thumbscrews and lock tab. |
 Side panels is easily removed. |
You can see in the first picture below how the top and right side are joined together as one piece. They're non-removeable, and probably essential to the case structure, and needed for strength and support. As the window was protected on both sides by plastic sheeting, it is in very good shape and did not have any scratches. The side panel is very light, and with the window on it, you'll probably want to be careful where you put it when it's removed. The window is rounded and doesn't have any sharp edges, so it's safe to handle; the clear fan goes very well with it.
 Top, right side are one. |
 Window is very clear. |
 Side internal view. |
 Front 5.25" drive bays. |
The chassis of the case sports a cross bar that runs horizontally from below the PSU to the front. It not only provides support for the PSU when it's installed, but also give the case strength. Additionally, there is a smaller bar that runs over the top of the PSU and is attached to this cross bar, and provides support for the rear top of the case. The inside also shows that the motherboard tray is non-removeable; the tray has two big gaps in it, perhaps to reduce weight. The mobo tray does have the mounting holes for P4 systems. The 5.25" drive bays suggest that the drives have to be screwed in, but this contrasts with the earlier finding of drive rails. In actuality, because the right side of the case is not removeable, drive rails have to be used for that side of the case, while the left side of the drive is screwed to the case, securing it. So each of your 5.25" drives will only have one drive rail on them, on the right side.
 3.5" drive cage is held in place w/ latch. |
 Bar supporting the top and PSU. |
 Mobo tray is more like a frame. |
 Rear interior. |
The 3.5" drive cage, which holds up to two external and two internal drives, is removeable, and is very similar to those found on the Antec-like cases. The cage is secured by a latch, and can easily be removed or put in place. An easy to remove 3.5" drive cage is pretty much a necessity, due to the non-removeable right side. There are vents in front of the 3.5" drive cage, but no place for a fan here. However, the well-placed vents do allow for some air exchange between the outside and inside. The front fan holder supports 80mm fans, and is right below this drive cage. There are also ample ventilation holes for a fan here, and the fan holder glows green with UV light. It would have been nice to have some proper airflow over the 3.5" drives though. Most of the edges in the case were folded over to prevent sharp edges from cutting you as you work inside, but I found a few sharp edges that could still pose a threat. The problem was not endemic to the case, but nonetheless beware.
Next, you can see the cross bar that runs over the PSU; it starts attached to the case's main cross bar and then runs over top of the PSU and ends attached to the motherboard tray. It provides some support for the top of the case. The rear of the case has the 80mm exhaust fan, and you can also see the PSU support attached to the mobo tray via a screw.
 Front panel, USB, firewire connectors. |
 Slot covers replaceable. |
 Hardware box must be removed to access slots. (Screws removed from outside) |
 ATX I/O shield. |
The case has the standard front panel connectors for Power, Reset, and the LEDs, and also has the connectors for the front USB and firewire ports, which usually must be connected to headers on your motherboard. As expected, the USB and firewire connectors' wires are all separated, and must be tediously connected individually. You'll need to consult your motherboard's manual to figure out the proper pinout so that you know where each wire connector goes. I've always hated doing this, but it's still necessary as not all motherboards use the same pinout for their USB headers, though I believe motherboard manufacturers are starting to use a common configuration, which should make connecting front ports as easy as connecting the power LED.
An interesting design note is that the plastic hardware storage box blocks access to the expansion slots; it must be removed (it is held in place by a plastic clip) in order to install or remove expansion cards. All slot covers are replaceable (thankfully!) and held in place by regular screws, and because of the hardware box, larger thumbscrews can be prohibited from use here. Strangely, you must unscrew the cards from the outside; this prevents the back of the case from having the indentation L-shaped outline where the motherboard and expansion cards reside. The ATX I/O shield is pretty much a standard one, that'll work with most ATX and mATX boards, though if your motherboard uses a different format, as quite a few do, your motherboard package should have included the proper I/O shield replacement.
 Front panel held in place by 7 tabs. |
 UV-reactive fan holder also held in place by tabs. |
 Front panel connectors. |
 Front panel ventilation is very good. |
Removal of the front panel reveals that the components/switches are glued into place. This may make it harder if you wish to change the LEDs from their standard green and orange colours. The front panel itself is held in place by seven plastic tabs that must be depressed from the inside of the case to remove the panel. This can be a little tricky to do as the right side of the case is not removeable, but overall the front panel is easier to remove than most on other cases. The USB and firewire cables are nicely sheathed for protection, and all other front panel cables except for the power switch cable are connected as one ribbon-type cable. Lastly, the front panel has three huge vents that are angled downward; these vents provide excellent airflow into the case and look nice because of the downward angling.
Installation
With this case's Chenming origins, installation should be a breeze if the X-Sonic follows in its brethrens footsteps. We've already seen how easy it was to remove the side panel thanks to the thumbscrews, how does the lack of a removeable right side affect installation? As there is no removeable motherboard tray, you must mount your mobo directly. Because of this, you'll probably want to install some things like the DIMMs and perhaps the CPU and its heatsink/fan as these can be difficult to put into place once the motherboard is in the case. Again, strangely with this case, only four stand-offs were pre-installed, usually the four nearest the bottom of a standard ATX mobo; you'll have to install at least two more for a standard ATX mobo. The type of stand-offs included are the brass screw-down type that while requiring more effort to install than the clip-on type, seem to better secure the motherboard to its tray. The motherboard does have the four mounting holes for P4 systems.
 Motherboard tray or frame has four stand-offs pre-installed. |
 So, you'll need to install at least 2 more. |
 Done! |
 Drive covers; 5.25" drive cover is curved. |
As mentioned before, and as seen in the pictures above, the motherboard tray is more of a frame, with most of the aluminum having been removed perhaps to cut down on weight. With the rolled edges of the cutouts, I don't think the tray has lost a lot of strength over this, and the frame-like design of the tray certainly did not negatively affect installation. What was of more concern was the right side bracket supporting the PSU. As you can see in the third picture (from the left) above, a single screw holds part of the bracket to the motherboard tray. While I did not have problem with this screw, some motherboards' leads might come close to it, however unlikely.
Expansion card installation is quite easy as well, due to the fact that the case has replaceable slot covers held in place by regular screws. As mentioned before, you have to first remove the plastic hardware box as it blocks access to the screws holding the covers in place, and once this is done the screws are actually removed from the outside, as seen in the previous section. A problem can arise however, with expansion cards that have connectors near the top, or the side that is towards the hardware box. Because the hardware box does cover up a small portion of each expansion card when it is in place, connectors that are near the box can prevent the hardware box from being put back into position - forcing you to leave the box out of position, and leaving a big hole on the back of your case.
A PSU in this case is supported by the internal cross bar on both sides and also by a lip from the back of the case. PSU installation would require sliding in the unit from underneath to the side, and then backward into position, so you'll want to install the PSU before you install the motherboard.
 One clip holds each drive cover in place. |
 Drive rail clipped attached to tear-out shield. |
 Drive cover and rail. |
 Now you have to tear out the shield... |
5.25" drive installation is a little different than most cases because of the X-Sonic's design, but nonetheless isn't difficult. First, you'll want to remove the drive cover, which is curved and has a nice acrylic/clear layer on top giving the cover a reflective appearance. The right side door opens to reveal the single clip holding the drive cover in place, and once the cover's removed you'll find the single purple drive rail affixed to the chassis drive shield. The rail is also easily removed, and from then you'll have to twist and tear out the non-replaceable drive shield. I really hate doing this, and while I understand the drive shields need to be place probably to prevent EMI or something like that, why not make them replaceable? That would at least make them easier to remove. Once that's done you'll need to screw the drive rail to the *right* side (from the front) of your 5.25" drive. Depending on where the screw holes are on your drive, and how long it is, you'll need to use the proper holes on the drive rail. Then slide the drive into position, and secure it on the left side with one or two screws. As mentioned before, this half-rail/half-direct mounting method is a result of the right side and top pieces being one and hence being non-removeable. It's actually pretty nice to only have to use one screw to secure a drive once the rail's in place, but having both sides use rails would have been nicer.
 The 3.5" drive cage is held in place by a latch/lever. |
 The steel latch assembly. |
 Again, you'll have to tear out the drive shields. |
 A single clip also holds the 3.5" drive covers in place. |
3.5" drive installation is very easy, thanks to the latch system typical of Chenming/Antec-type cases. The latch (which is made out of steel) holds the removeable 3.5" drive cage in place and when it is slid back, the drive cage can be removed. The cage can hold two external 3.5" drives and two 3.5" internal drives, though when it is filled to the max, there is very little room for air circulation, next to none at all. The drives are simply screwed in, and then the cage can be slid back into position and the latch locked to keep it secure. Before you do that, you'll need to tear out the drive shields if you have any external 3.5" drives. Again, I don't like doing this but it's a bit easier with this case than with others thanks to the aluminum design. To remove the 3.5" drive covers, you'll need to open the same door that covers the USB and firewire ports as it also covers the clips holding the covers. The 3.5" drive covers also have a clear plastic layer over them to make them reflective, but are not curved. The lower support for the 3.5" drive cage is riveted into place and provides good support for any drives you put into the cage. Though room for only four 3.5" drives doesn't sound like a lot, you shouldn't be using this case for a system with more than two HDDs, as it's really meant for a simple or LAN PC.
Because of this case's diminutive dimensions, space problems can be an issue. If you have a mobo that is larger than a standard ATX one, that is, you have to use more than six screws to hold the mobo in place, installation of long 5.25" drives into the two lowest drive bays can cut off access to the motherboard, but not prevent it from being there. Similarly, HDDs will also stick out quite a bit over the motherboard in some instances. Next, having to remove the hardware box to install expansion cards was annoying; eventually I just left the box detached from the case completely to save time, but then this left the back of the case with an ungainly hole just staring at you. Lastly, you can't really have any drives in the two upper 5.25" drive bays if you want to change/install a PSU, but this is typical of most mid-tower. Overall, installation wasn't overly difficult, but mostly because of space constraints can be a little tricky at times. The design was good giving these limits.
Cooling
and Mod Possibilities
The X-Sonic comes with three 80mm fan placements and two of these are filled with Tri-LED (Red, Green and Blue) fans. There is no fan in the 80mm UV-reactive fan holder in the front, but it would be very nice to install a fan with UV LEDs here, as it would go very well with the holder. The fan UV-reactive fan cage removes easily, as it is held in place only by a clip and two tabs, and it'll hold any 80mm x 25mm fan quite well. More importantly, the stamped front fan grill in the X-Sonic's chassis is better than most, as the holes are quite large and spaced very close together. Additionally, the front bezel design has the three large vents described earlier, and each has ventilation holes that permit quite a lot of airflow. You'd do well to install an 80mm fan here for intake to lower case temperatures. About the only mod you could do here would be to cut out the stamped fan grill in the chassis or perhaps set up an air filter of sorts, as with the current setup, a front 80mm fan will suck in a lot more than just air; depending on the environment your system is in, a lot of dust could build up inside the X-Sonic thanks to the liberal airflow design.
 UV-reactive fan cage looks sweet. |
 Cage holds 80x25mm fans. |
 Stamped fan grill is decent. |
 Front panel permits airflow well. |
The rear 80mm position is filled with one of the Tri-LED fans and it's set to exhaust air. Both this fan and the fan mounted on the window are the same model, and though I could not find any specifications for the fans, I would guess that they move about a little more than 30cfm, maybe 35cfm at most. They are not loud, but they are not whisper quiet either; I would estimate their noise (based on the ratings other fans have) to be around 32dBA, so you may or may not be able to notice them depending on what you're doing or how noisy your system is. The rear fan punch-grill is a honeycomb type that is again, better than most and does serve to allow a lot of airflow. I really don't think much would be gained by cutting out the stamped grill and using a fan guard instead. The fan is held in place by self-threaded screws.
The side Tri-LED fan is mounted to intake air, blowing air right over the CPU area. The blowhole cut for it is nice and even without any jagged edges, having been cut at the factory. The airflow of this fan may conflict with the fan on your heatsink if the heatsink's fan is set to suck air up from the heatsink. For example, Alpha advises you to install any fan on the PAL8045 with it set to suck air or "exhaust" it from the heatsink; this airflow would then be going in the *opposite* direction of the airflow on the side Tri-LED fan blowhole. Though I'm by no means an airflow/aerodynamics engineer or whatever the profession it is that deals with these situations, I don't think this would work out very well. But it could be just the opposite, that having both fans' airflow in the same direction would be detrimental to cooling. However, as most heatsinks have fans set to blow air onto the heatsink, this shouldn't be a problem, and the side blowhole intake should be able to aid in cooling of your CPU with its spot-cooling position. As with the rear exhaust, this fan is held in place by self-threading screws, so it's a little more difficult if you want to install, say some sort of filter to cut down on dust and dirt getting into your case or change the standard fan grill out for a more stylish one. Another addition that could be worthwhile would be the installation of a fan guard on the inside of this blowhole fan, to prevent wires and other things from getting potentially caught up in the blades and thereby wreaking havoc.
 Rear exhaust. |
 Stamped grill is again pretty decent. |
 Side Tri-LED fan is set to intake air. |
 View from the other side; make sure wires don't get tangled in the blades! |
The presence of the large side window on the left side panel limits the amount of mods that can be placed here. You could cut maybe one or two more blowholes and install fans, but I think that could be almost a little too much work for what it's worth. You'd have to remove the window, which isn't hard since all it's held in place by are plastic pushpins, but then you'd have to take great care to not scratch the window during the cutting process, and you'd probably have to wrap the entire thing in masking tape. I'm not sure how much your case temperatures would drop after an additional blowhole or two, but it would probably depend on where you placed the fan or fans. One more 80mm fan right below the first side 80mm blowhole, over the videocard area would be great for some extra cooling if you're overclocking your vidcard, but that's about all I can think of that would be helpful.
 Strip around the outside of the Tri-LED fans. |
 Window held in place by pushpins. |
 Push-pins can be easily removed. |
 Window is very clear and would go well with an applique. |
As with most LED fans, the two Tri-LED fans included in the X-Sonic have a strip of circuit-carrying wire on the outside to supply current to the LEDs giving the fans their brightness and colour. The strips are by no means pretty, and would have looked better if perhaps a white or neutral coloured material covered them. As mentioned before, the entire window is held in place by nine white plastic push-pins, three on each side, and these can be easily removed if you wish to take out the window for some reason. The edges of the window aren't sharp and the corners are rounded; such is the upside of having a factory-installed window as no work is required to get such a nicely-formed window. The window is very clear, it doesn't have a tint to it, and because it was protected on both sides during shipping, there were no scratches on it. Installing an applique on the side window would look very nice, as there is quite a fair amount of real estate for one; this window also begs to show off a cold cathode or other case lighting, and the shiny interior of the case will only add to the effect. The presence of the Tri-LED fans also contributes a fair share to the "light show".
 PSU area; normally this PSU is not included, and as seen it doesn't have bottom vents. |
 No real room for an 80mm chimney fan up top. |
Lastly, a chimney fan is pretty much out of the question if you want to use the top 5.25" drive bay. The only fan that would fit in that case would be a 60mm or smaller one, and those small fans are hardly recommended for case exhaust. This is all due to the X-Sonic's depth; the case is only around 43cm or 17" long. You could fit an 80mm fan here if you wanted to, and then just install something that doesn't take up a lot of room in the top drive bay, like a fan control device, but then you'd have to put your 5.25" drives in the lower drive bays, possibly having them block off access to some parts of the motherboard.
Because the X-Sonic definitely qualifies as a "pre-modded" case, and because its design in respect to airflow is pretty decent already (thanks to the nicely stamped fan grills and big front panel vent), I'd advise you to take it easy on this case and save your modding energy and money for something that'll allow for more customization. Just pick up an 80mm UV-LED fan for the front fan cage, like the ones seen at the bottom of this page, and maybe an applique or other decals, if that's your fancy.
Conclusion
Being from Chenming, I expected something good from the X-Sonic, and for the most part my expectations were met without a complaint. The easy access provided by the side panel thumbscrews was in line with Chenming quality, as was the lever/latch-locking and easily removeable 3.5" drive cage. The silver colour wasn't too flashy but was appealing; what will really catch your eye are the included Tri-LED fans and the UV-reactive fan cage. With the proper case lighting, the window can be used to its full potential and you'll be turning heads at the next LAN party in no time. You also won't feel it on your back; this lightweight case is a dream for anyone with lifting problems. Also, don't mistake this case for being good looking and nothing else; the stock cooling options were pretty decent, with the front panel providing great airflow, (albeit at the cost of dust buildup) and the side blowhole and rear exhaust moving quite a bit of air as well. The major problems with this case result from its 0.8mm aluminum construction; although the X-Sonic has supports such as the cross bar, giving the case more strength, it just didn't seem extremely sturdy to me. I do realize that any increase in sturdiness would likely result in added weight, but I would have been able to deal with this trade-off. A motherboard tray would have been nice in a case this small, as would have been a removeable right side. Another annoyance was the hardware box; while it was nice to have screws and other things always available, the need to remove the hardware box to install/remove expansion cards got tiring after a while. If you're not always playing inside your case, this shouldn't be a problem though.
All things considered, the X-Sonic is a worthy choice for a LAN party system. It's got all the features you'd need - a decent cooling setup and great looks. And, it won't break your back or the bank either; the silver version here is only $64.99 USD, with the black version being $62.99 USD. Not a bad price for a case that has no major problems and comes from a quality manufacturer.
 Everything installed. |
 Beige drives go well with the silver finish. |
 Tri-LED fans look sweet! (Red is hard to see @ this angle) |
Pros
Cons
Lastly, I want to thank Xoxide for providing me this case for review in a timely manner. Please do check them out if you're interested in the X-Sonic; the Silver version and Black version of the X-Sonic are both available at their site.