Accessories and Getting Inside

There's nothing extraordinary to speak of in the accessories. A small baggie of screws and standoffs, the necessary, is included as well as two slot covers, a diagram of the case and a converter for motherboards which have a different pinout for the power LED. The slot covers are included because this case has the kind of expansion covers which must be twisted and broken off. I simply hate these kind of slot covers, and while the two removable slot covers and included here, I'd much rather have them all be removable/replaceable. Additionally, it would have been nice if a few tie-wraps were included, to help aid in cleaning up the wiring.

The ATX I/O, diagram, 2 slot covers, bag of screws/standoffs and power LED connector-adapter.

Thumbscrews for side panels.

Side panel slides back a bit, then easily comes out.

Access is very easy for this case. The two thumbscrews per side panel are easily removed, and then the panels can be slide back a bit, with the use of the small handles, and then they will come out. The window is held in place by eight screws, and by the screws holding the clear side fan in place. No moulding is used, but the window still looks very nice from the outside. Additionally, the window's corners are rounded so there is no danger of injuring yourself while working with the case. The side panel is very light, even with the window and fan on it. At the same time, however, they also feel very flimsy, and would seem to bend easily. The top is riveted on, and seems to provide an integral part of the case's structure.

Window bolted into place.

Side internal view.

Internal drive bay view.

The inside of the case reveals a non-removable motherboard tray and four internal 3.5" drive bays. These internal drive bays are all mounted in front of the front 80mm intake fan so your HDD will have airflow over it to keep it cool. The edges of the case are folded back against themselves to prevent sharp edges from being formed, and protecting against cuts. Again, just from the feel of the metal comprising the drive bays, this case appears to be less sturdy than I would have liked. The lower internal front shows the four places for mounting a HDD.

Back of the inside.

Lower internal front; HDDs mounted in front of 80mm intake.

Front panel connections; Speaker/Mic on the left and USB on the right.

The rear of the case shows where the 60mm fan is mounted. There's nothing too interesting here, but you can also see the supports for the PSU. The front panel connections for the audio jacks and USB ports are separated into individual pins, which makes them a pain to connect but they connectors are separated this way because each motherboard may have a different pinout, so it will be necessary to consult your motherboard's manual to figure out the right way to plug in the connectors. The motherboard connectors for power, reset and the LEDs are standard fare, along with the provided ATX I/O.

Power, Reset, and mobo connectors.

ATX I/O in place.

Slot covers must be ripped out and are not replaceable.

I did have a few gripes with this case, and here's where they start. Firstly, the slot covers must be twisted and torn off, so they are not replaceable, and additionally, the process of removing them is troublesome. Also, before you can install an external drive you must twist and tear out a metal drive cover that is not replaceable. If you'll notice, I hate having to twist and tear out stuff from a case. Lastly, the front bezel is a little difficult to remove, making the process of twisting out the metal drive cover even more hard.

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