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Written by [t0rc]
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With a clear case you can see everything from every angle inside your
tower; it's a small observatory of sorts. Mutant Mods has constructed a
clear/blue tinted acrylic case for your viewing pleasure at The
Moditory.
| Product: | Mutant Mods 6-bay Acrylic ATX Case |  | | Manufacturer: | StarTech | | MSRP: | $165.00 USD | | Where to Buy: | Computers4SURE | | Submitting Company: | Mutant Mods | | Form Factor: | ATX or Micro ATX | | Features: | - 6-bay (4 external)
- Two front USB 2.0 ports
- 7 Expansion slots
| | Dimensions: | |
Arriving in a self-proclaiming box, the Mutant Mods Acrylic 6 Bay ATX
Mid-Tower Case was unharmed and on time. The box was slender but of
course that only means that assembly is required. I did notice on the
outside a mispelling or two, to the likes of "digtial" in reference to
the front USB 2.0 ports. I was slightly saddened when I saw that my
good friend Brown Box wouldn't be visiting me again, but to my
surprise, as the package was opened, I found a close relative of Sir
Brown Box.
To quote part of the Mutant Mods box:
"[The Acrylic Case] Designed with modders in mind, this sturdy unit can be custom fit with mod products to fit your needs"
Time to see if that claim holds true.
Inside the second box was all the panels, neatly protected by layers of
foam, and a parts box with little labeled bags of screws, instructions,
wires, bay covers, assembly gloves, power/reset buttons, gel case feet,
and the "cornerstone" pieces. Not only layers of foam, but each panel
was individually wrapped with bubble wrap. I was very glad to see that
the case came with gloves for assembly, else you'd be getting
fingerprints all over the nice acrylic and taint the overall effect.
The Mutant Mods
case makes use of 9mm acrylic, it's not going to break anytime soon yet
still prone to scratches. All acrylic scratches very easy, therefore I
do not recommend any acrylic case for a Lan Party rig. It'd be a case
suicide. The case doesn't weigh a ton, shipping with a weight of 16
pounds.
Assembling the case was fairly straight forward and if you come across
an enigmatic circumstance, just check the instruction manual and it'll
straighten your path. The bay covers on the front panel were a little
interesting to get into place; you just have to push harder than you
think is necessary to get the screw to sit flush. Unfortunately, as you
get the screw to sit flush, or close to it, it becomes significantly
harder to remove the screw to install a drive in the bay.
On the front panel theres a hole for an 80mm fan, we'd like to see more
allowance for fan-size variation but it's understandable as there's no
need to have an extra 8 holes that aren't being used for anything other
than an eye deterrant. The bay covers on the front panel are a
transparent blue, the same shade that of the right side panel and the
top panel. After installing the power and reset circuitry, I discovered
the Reset button would occasionally get stuck in the acrylic hole; I
re-checked the hex standoffs to make sure they were straight and they
were. That seems to be a slight mis-calculation, either with the hole
diameter, or the screw hole placement on the PCB. The USB 2.0 slots
went in nicely; I was surprised to see that the case did not come with
at least a FireWire port, not to mention one for headphones. An area I
must commend Mutant Mods on is that all the edges of the plexi are
exceptionally smooth and clear; a job well done.
The top panel has an 80mm fan mounting hole and is tinted blue, just
like the right panel and bay covers. The blue adds a little extra tone
to the case, which I think improves the looks over that of a purely
clear acrylic case.
The left side panel is clear and has an 80mm fan hole directly opposite
the expansion slots. Which brings us to the back panel. I was surprised
to see that there isn't any room for even an 80mm fan to be mounted,
due to the vertical power supply mounting. The power supply is
vertically mounted to help minimize height and increase its' support.
The I/O panel and expansion slots have a nice blue Metalcast tone to
them, melding with the rest of the case.
The panels use a block in each corner (8 altogether) to secure each
other. One screw goes through the panel and then into the small
die-resembling cube.
All the screws are a gold tone which while it doesn't stand out like a
radiator or large scratch, silver/chrome screws would've blended with
the case much better. The gel case feet allow you to keep the bottom of
your case from getting scratched when you do decide to move it about. I
found only one crack in the panels, which was along the side of a screw
hole. The screws are all dead center in the 9mm thick panels, nicely
drilled, and fairly clean. I like the fact that the chassis allow for
you to move drive standoff's around to where they are needed, which
allows you to not only mount nearly any drive of that width, but also
something that you fabricate.
Overall I found the Mutant Mods Acrylic Case to be a good case to show
off your overclocked wonder...as long as your willing to pay the
substantial price. Sturdy construction, easy assembly, attention to
detail, and good aesthetic appeal are definitive positives on this
case. Unfortunately, the case is tainted slightly by a large $165 USD
pricetag, missing Firewire, and slight button misalignment. While the
clear case may not be such a revolutionary idea in the modding field
it's one that is closer to perfection than most before modification.
The Mutant Mods Acrylic ATX Case is worth of a 89% rating and a Silver
Award; of course with a lower pricetag, the score would've increased
and demanded a Gold. In any case, combine this case with the other
products offered from Mutant Mods and you'll have one crazy looking
case. Nice work Mutant Mods.
Thanks to Mutant Mods for making this review possible.
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