Conclusion:

   All in all, the Yeong Yang YY-0221 Cube Server Case is a worthy entry into the entry-level server market, and a good option to consider for regular end users such as us. The case certainly shows Yeong Yang's experience with sheet metal, as the case is strong and sturdy as any case I've ever had; indeed, the thing could also function as a small table of sorts! The separation of the motherboard side from the drives has an additional effect beyond reducing the height the enclosure and that is a neater layout and the possibility for better cooling; with no drives coming near or covering up the motherboard, you'll be able to better change components here and allow for better airflow within the case. In addition the capacity of this case is quite remarkable, holding up to 6 5.25" drives and 8 internal 3.5" drives; filling the case to capacity in this way will surely be a task!

   The downsides are a little more numerous than I would have liked. Firstly, the case is heavy; but this can hardly be counted against it since it is so sturdy. Of greater importance were the sharp edges within, as I felt Yeong Yang should have rounded the edges here to provide a safer case to work with. However, my biggest peeve with the case were the difficult to use HDD bays; they're annoying to remove, with 4 screws holding each of them in place, and they're hard to get into position as they're only held in place by the screws, as there are no guides helping the HDD cages to slide into place. Even worse were the fans located here, as you'll have to remove the HDD cages just to get access to them, if you want to change or remove them. Although you won't have to do this too often, it's always nice to see tool-free options for easy maintenance. This is perhaps where the YY-0221's greatest flaw resides.

Pros

• Sturdy as heck

• Easy to mod

• Door blocks out non-matching drive faceplates

• Swing out side panels

• Many accessories included, such as 3-4pin adapters

• Lots of drive bays (16 total)

• Drive rails screw down for a secure attachment

• Cooling is decent, with mounts for 3*92mm and 1*120mm fans

• Separation of motherboard and drives promotes a neater internal layout

• Rear 92mm fans placed to allow for good HDD cooling

• Lots of LEDs included in the front panel

• Casters/Wheels provided for easy movement of the case

Cons

• Heavy

• Door lock isn't really a deterrent or even an annoyance to real thieves

• Some sharp edges inside

• Difficult to use HDD cages

• Cable pass through in mobo tray is small

• Hard to access rear exhaust fans (HDD cages block the way)

• Not many tool-free options

   Lastly, I want to thank Yeong Yang for providing the YY-0221 Cube Server Case for review. Thanks for reading, and I welcome your comments, as always!