Low profile and a low price, check out Fractal Design's Node 304

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 22, 2012 - 01:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: fractal design, Node 304, mini-itx, dtx, SFF

Fractal Design's Node 304 SFF case is 250 x 210 x 374 mm (9.8" x 8.2" x 14.7") and thanks to the removable HDDs you can actually fit larger sized GPUs in the case, though the biggest will be blocked by the PSU. Cooling comes from a pair of front mounted 92mm fans and a 140mm in the rear, all attached to a fan controller to help you manage the noise levels. HiTech Legion puts the MSRP of this case at $89 which is very impressive for a SFF case with this many features, especially the six HDD bays, but wish that the case was properly compatible with Micro-ITX PSUs to give even more space for a high end GPU.

"The Fractal Design Node 304 computer case brings style and functionality to the small computing market. The Node 304 features a modular design that allows easy configurability. Motherboard support includes mini-ITX and DTX compatibility. There are two expansion slots available. A total of six drives, either 2.5” or 3.5” can be installed. There is room for a full ATX PSU, up to 160mm in length. CPU coolers can be installed up to 165mm in height and GPUs up to 310mm in length (with adaptation). Fractal has included a cooling system with two front mounted 92mm Silent Series R2 hydraulic bearing fans and one rear 140mm Silent Series R2 hydraulic bearing fan. There is also a fan controller included with low, medium, and high settings. The front interface includes two USB 3.0 ports, a 3.5mm mic, and 3.5mm headphone connection."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: HiTech Legion

Nine Middle Weight PSUs battle it out

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 21, 2012 - 04:18 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, modular psu, corsair, Chieftek, cooler master, zalman

The 600-700W range is very popular with enthusiasts who either have a pair of fairly powerful GPUs or a single top of the line GPU, as they don't quite need a kilowatt class PSU. X-bit Labs put together a roundup which features 9 PSUs from Corsair, Chieftek, Cooler Master and Zalman some modular and some with permanently connected wiring. It was the Corsair TX650 which received the Recommended Buy award though Cooler Master came close to winning as well. Some of the other models fared poorly thanks to the lack of proper voltage regulation or in one case fan regulation. Check out the full review here.

"We would like to talk about nine power supply units from the most popular 600-700 W wattage range, which represent six different series of devices from four manufacturers: Chieftec, Cooler Master, Corsair and Zalman."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: X-bit Labs

A case of a different shape; Cooler Master's HAF XB

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 16, 2012 - 04:09 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: coolermaster, HAF XB

While it might not look it at first glance the $100 Cooler Master HAF XB can fit a full ATX board inside its squat interior. The case actually measures 17.4" x 13" 16.7", with a removable motherboard tray to help you install your components in what might otherwise be a difficult case to work with. It comes with a pair of fans and you can add more to ensure air cooling, Legit Reviews were glad to see that there is also enough space for a radiator for those preferring water cooling. Installation can almost completely be done without tools and the inclusion of 2.5" bays will make SSD users smile. Check out the full review.

"The HAF Xb LAN Box Chassis is the newest addition to the Cooler Master line of enthusiast PC cases. The CM HAF Xb was designed with transportation and open bench testing in mind and the end result is a new form factor! The HAF Xb can look like a normal case one second and then be quickly converted into an open air test bench with the removal of the side and top panels. Read on to see if this $99.99 case has the features you need!"

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: Legit Reviews

Zalman Launching FX100 Passive (Cube-Shaped) CPU Cooler

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 15, 2012 - 10:19 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: zalman, Passive, hsf, cpu cooler

Images have emerged on the Internet of a new cooler coming from Zalman sometime next year. In a brief mention from Zalman, the company named the new passive CPU heatsink as the FX-100. The cube of fins are aligned in a cross, or +, shape and combined with shrouding at the corners, Zalman has created a hollow cube. At the top is a hexagonal-mesh grill. The base-plate is connected to the fin array by four copper heatpipes. The fins are nickel plated and are black pearl in color.

It is designed to be run in fan-less configurations, and Zalman is stating that it will not draw dust as well. The fan-less cube cooler is currently listed as a CES 2013 honoree, so here’s hoping it launches soon and lives up to the claims.

There are no details on pricing, availability or the TDP ratings it is designed to cool yet.

What do you think of the Zalman FX-100 passive cube?

Source: FanlessTech

Comments (0)

Seasonic's new X-1250 provides pure power satisfaction

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 13, 2012 - 03:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, kilowatt, seasonic, X-1250, modular psu

Seasonic's new X-1250 PSU can provide 1250W of power, just as the name suggests, with up to 104 amps to the 12V rail which should provide enough power for even the most power hungry GPUs. Instead of going with a single rail design Seasonic chose to provide 4 rails so you should ensure to know which plugs you are using. It passed all of [H]ard|OCP's torture tests with flying colours, making it one of the better kilowatt ckas PSUs they have had the pleasure of testing and when you consider the price, with or without the rebate, it is a perfect choice for users building a system with multiple GPUs.

"Seasonic makes some of the best enthusiast computer power supplies in the world. It has long produced some of the cleanest power producing PSUs along with being some of the quietest on the market. The new fully modular X-1250 sports many enthusiast features and touts gold level efficiency. Is this new X-1250 worthy?"

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

NZXT's Phantom 820 hits the high end

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 9, 2012 - 02:09 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: nzxt, phantom 820

NZXT may have originally made their name in the lower end of the case market but that doesn't mean that they cannot build a high end case successfully. That is exactly what the $250 Phantom 820 is, with LEDs, an integral fan controller, well designed fan screens from top to bottom and an impressive array of extra screws, connectors and even covers for your USB ports. While you can install quite an array of 120mm and 140mm fans the case comes with an impressive 200cm fan preinstalled. All together, the quiet operation and impressive cooling capabilities netted this case a Gold Award from [H]ard|OCP.

"The NZXT Phantom 820 Full-Tower case is chock full of enthusiast features; multiple fan placements with consideration for chassis airflow, designed for custom water cooling as well as fully contained water cooling solutions, rear panel I/O lighting, room for plenty of wiring, a sleek window, all literally on a pedestal."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Corsair AXi/AX PSU Refresh: AX860, AX860i, AX760, AX760i

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling | November 6, 2012 - 08:00 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: PSU, corsair, 80 Plus Platinum PSU

It has not been too long since Lee Garbutt reviewed Corsair’s AX1200i Power Supply. Corsair used that product to introduce their Corsair Link Dashboard to the monitoring of Power Supply performance. Lee was very impressed with the supply and gave it a Gold Award.

Some of us are not looking to power a microwave inside our PCs. Corsair has thusly brought that feature to lower wattage PSUs with their new AX860i and AX760i. These PSUs achieve 80 PLUS Platinum certification along with the Digital Signal Processor connection to monitor. If you would rather have $30 USD instead of monitoring capabilities: each model number without the i contains the same 80 PLUS Platinum certification just without the monitoring capabilities. As an added bonus the Corsair power supplies should be very silent. The 860W power supply will shut down its fan to 0 RPM until it reaches a 60% load while the 760W will operate without fans until a 70% load.

These PSUs will be available in November and are priced: $249.99 USD for the AX860i vs. $219.99 USD for the AX860. The AX760i will be available for $229.99 USD vs. $199.99 for the AX760. Again, the i denotes the ability to be monitored by Corsair’s Link Dashboard software.

Press blast after the break!

Source: Corsair

Corsair Announces Hydro H100i and H80i Liquid CPU Coolers

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling | November 5, 2012 - 08:00 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: water cooling, corsair

Corsair has expanded their lineup of water coolers with the addition of the H100i and H80i products. The hook of this new product line is its ability to be monitored and adjusted by Corsair’s free Link Dashboard software. You are able to program profiles for fan speed as well as adjust lighting levels. Corsair has been moving toward this power and cooling monitoring architecture and they seem to be betting on that as their key differentiation factor.

The cooler also boasts compatibility with just about any major motherboard out there designed for modern processors from either AMD or Intel. The H100i is based on a 240 mm radiator compare to the “double-thick” 120 mm radiator of the H80i. Both will be available in November for 99.99 USD or 119.99 USD for the H80i or H100i respectively.

Press blast after the break.

Source: Corsair

Got heat problems? Slap a kilo of cooler on your CPU!

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 1, 2012 - 02:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Silverstone, SST-HE02

The heatsink market has really run with the idea that bigger is better, with the SilverStone HE02 being no exception. At 170mm x 130mm x 160mm (6.7 x 5.1 x 6.3") and a whopping 990g without a fan (which it does not ship with) this is one of the largest consumer heatsinks on the market. At $66 it does cost as much as many heatsinks that do come with fans, however it is large enough that it could be used passively on some CPUs though [H]ard|OCP's testing shows you would be wise to attach a 140mm fan if you plan on overclocking. When they charted out the price to performance of this cooler it was obvious that this is not a worthy successor of the HE01.

"SilverStone is back with its latest air cooled heatsink unit for today's desktop processors. As far as size goes, the HE02 heatsink is mammoth. Along with the huge heatsinks we often find installation and compatibility issues. SiliverStone speaks to designing the HE02 in order to ease those pains. How well does it work though?"

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

NZXT Unleashes the Kraken -- World's first all-in-one 140mm & 280mm liquid-cooler

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 31, 2012 - 05:18 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: watercooling, all-in-one, nzxt, Kraken X40, Kraken X60

30th October, 2012 – High performance liquid cooling has finally arrived in an easy to use, all-in-one package. NZXT releases the Kraken, the first premium all-in-one water cooler series for PC enthusiasts and gamers alike. The Kraken X40 and Kraken X60 are high end, all-in-one 140mm and 280mm liquid-cooling solutions where ease of use meets unmatched performance.

Applying its forward-thinking design philosophy to the water-cooling market, NZXT raises the bar with a userfriendly solution that brings unrivaled liquid-cooling performance to your fingertips. With 36% more surface area than standard 120mm/240mm radiators and fully interactive fan control, NZXT’s Kraken series is nothing short of a water-cooling behemoth.

NZXT brings its innovative HUE controlled lighting system to the Kraken, setting a new standard for design and performance. Featuring premium black sleeved cables and extended 16-inch tubing for large tower support, the Kraken brings high performance cooling with an uncompromised look that any enthusiast will be dying to show off.

At its core, the Kraken features a state-of-the-art pump attached to an all copper base that is compatible with all of the current offerings from Intel and AMD. Included with the 140mm Kraken X40 is one NZXT FX-140 PWM fan, with the ability to install an additional 140mm fan for a push-pull configuration, offering unmatched cooling performance.

The 280mm Kraken X60 features two NZXT FX-140 PWM fans, with the ability to install an additional two fans for a push-pull configuration as well. Additionally, the Kraken X60 utilizes a SATA power connector for easy installation and effortless cable management.

Both Krakens are aggressively priced at $99 and $139 for the X40 and X60, respectively, and backed by a 2 year warranty. With the Kraken, NZXT set out to unleash the best closed loop water cooler on the market, and believes its customers should not settle for anything less.

Source: NXZT

Corsair Announces Updated Hydro Series H60 and New Hydro Series H55

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 25, 2012 - 02:15 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: corsair, watercooling, hydro H60, hydro H55, hydro

FREMONT, California — October 25, 2012 — Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced an updated version of the award-winning Hydro Series H60 liquid CPU cooler, and the new Hydro Series H55 liquid CPU cooler.

The Hydro Series H55 is an update to the hugely respected Hydro Series H50, and is based on the latest, 4th generation cold-plate design. The updated version of the Hydro Series H60 takes advantage of the latest cold plate, manifold and fan technology to further increase performance and reduce noise levels.

"The Hydro Series H50 and H60 have a hard-won reputation for delivering effective, reliable, and quiet CPU cooling,” said Thi La, Senior VP & GM of Memory and Enthusiast Component Products at Corsair. "These new and improved versions demonstrate Corsair’s commitment to providing our customers with the latest and best integrated liquid cooling technology.”

In addition to the new cold plate and manifold design, the Hydro Series H60 also utilizes larger diameter tubing, which increases the coolant flow rate and performance. The new composite rubber tubing makes installation easier, but retains the low-evaporation rates of the older, more rigid tubing, guaranteeing a long lifetime. The Hydro Series H60 also introduces a new magnetic mounting bracket, which makes it simple to select the correct motherboard socket format.

H60 Includes Fan Based on Award Winning Air Series SP120

A high-quality fan designed specifically to move air through the fins of a liquid cooling radiator is an essential part of any liquid cooling system. The new H60 includes a 120mm fan based on the award-winning Air Series SP120. This utilizes a motor that has been specially tuned for high torque, ensuring outstanding static pressure, and consistently high performance at low noise levels.

The Hydro Series H55 is designed to provide a simple and effective upgrade from a basic CPU air cooler. The 4th generation cold plate design, and high static-pressure, low noise 120mm fan provides great performance, while the tool-free mounting bracket and low-permeability rubber tubing makes installation simple.

Both the Hydro Series H55 and Hydro Series H60 CPU coolers are compatible with most cases that feature a rear 120mm fan mount. Both support motherboards based on the Intel LGA115x/1366/2011, and AMD AM2/AM3/FM1 sockets, and are backed by a five year limited warranty.

Pricing and Availability

The Corsair Hydro Series H60 is available immediately from Corsair’s worldwide network of resellers and distributors, at a price of $79.99 in the United States.

The Corsair Hydro Series H55 is available immediately from Corsair’s worldwide network of resellers and distributors, at a price of $69.99 in the United States.

Source: Corsair

The second coming of the AX1200, now with software controls

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 24, 2012 - 05:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, modular psu, kilowatt, Digital Power Supply, Corsair Link, corsair, ax1200i, 80 Plus Platinum

Corsair's new AX1200i PSU is 80 Plus Platinum rated and sports Link monitoring and control software as you might remember from Lee's review. On the off chance that you would like a second opinion about the PSU, [H]ard|OCP recently published their own review. Just like Lee they were impressed with the voltage regulation, efficiency, and DC Output quality though they were less impressed with the noise they saw during their Transient Load Test. They also questioned the use of the Link tweaking software and while the final verdict was positive in some ways they didn't feel this PSU was as true successor to the stellar AX1200 released almost two years ago.

"Corsair has a refresh today that talks to its high end line of high power PSUs. The AX1200i comes in touting "platinum" efficiency and "an unprecedented level of monitoring and performance customization." How does the AX1200i perform out-of-the-box and does it actually bring value at its huge price?"

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Corsair Carbide Series 200R Chassis Makes PC Building Easy

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 24, 2012 - 03:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: corsair, carbide 200R

The brand new Corsair Carbide 200R is now available on NewEgg for $80 and has some features that are unique at this price point. Tool-less installation of 2.5", 3.5" and 5.25" drives has become common at this price point, as have wire management cut-outs however the bottom mounted PSU to allow top mounted fans is a unique feature. The case will accept heatsinks up to 160mm and video cards 300mm long or 430mm if you remove the lower drive cage. Seven expansion slots and up to eight fans ensure that even a high end system has enough room and cooling, which could be a good thing if you spent all your money on the components and need a lower cost case to put them in. Check out the full specs at Corsair.

FREMONT, California — October 24, 2012 — Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced the Carbide Series 200R mid-tower chassis. Priced at only $59 and offering features designed to make PC building incredibly easy and quick, the 200R is ideal for PC builders looking for great value for money.

The Carbide Series 200R is Corsair’s lowest-cost chassis, yet it still includes many of the features that make Corsair chassis popular with enthusiasts and gamers, such as built-in SSD compatibility, front panel USB 3.0 ports, intelligent cable-routing, tool free installation, and a matte-black interior. It is exceptionally easy to use, and a screwdriver is only required to install the motherboard.

"The Carbide 200R is a great value case that breaks the mold by offering intelligent features, great cooling expandability, elegant looks, and is extremely easy to build,” said Thi La, Senior VP & GM of Memory and Enthusiast Component Products at Corsair. "Too often PC builders on a budget are limited to low quality, poor-performing cases with ‘extreme’ looks. Now they have a clear, refined choice."

The Carbide 200R eschews the clichéd look of many low-cost ‘gamer-orientated’ chassis and instead offers a clean and elegant aesthetic design that will appeal to gamers, hobbyist PC builders, and professional system integrators alike. And with up to eight fan mounting locations (two fans included), tool-free support for four 3.5” drives and four 2.5” SSDs, and support for long graphics cards, it can even support high-end PC hardware.

Source: Corsair

Manage your fan speed from in front of your PC or half way across the world

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 19, 2012 - 06:22 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: bitfenix, Hydra Pro, Recon, fan controller

One of the best ways to bring down the noise your system generates without switching to alternate cooling methods is to install a fan controller in your system so that you can control the speed your fans run at and slow them when you don't need the extra cooling. Hardware Canucks finished a video review of two fan controllers from BitFenix, the basic five channel Hydra Pro and the Internet enabled, touch screen Recon which offers far more control than the analog Hydra Pro. Neither controller costs more than $50, check out the review and see which would fit your system best.

"Fan controllers may not be a marquee item within many enthusiasts’ systems but the power they grant over airflow within a case cannot be underestimated. BitFenix's Hydra Pro and Recon controllers hail from very different ends of the spectrum but they both grant end users complete control over their system fans."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: Hardware Canucks

A camoflauged case, the Thermaltake Level 10 GT Battle Edition

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 10, 2012 - 04:04 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: thermaltake, Level 10 GT Battle Edition, level 10 gt

Thermaltake's high end Level 10 case series has been around for a while, with a variety of styles including the new military themed GT Battle Edition case. While it keeps a similar look to previous models, with hotswappable HDD cages that are separated from the motherboard mounting area, though they are not quite as separated as on some other models. Tool-less assembly, serious air cooling along with grommets for an external radiator, USB 3.0 connections and enough depth to fit even the largest third party CPU coolers make this an attractive case for enthusiast level systems. [H]ard|OCP liked this case so much that they didn't even bat an eye at the $300 price tag.

H_ThermaltakeLevel 10GTBattleEdition.jpg

"Thermaltake got a lot of exposure a few years ago with its Level 10 computer case. At release it cost in the neighborhood of $1000 and declared styling by BMW. Thermaltake now has variants of that case which are much more affordable but do keep with the styling queues and functionality of the original."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Logitech Breaks in to Mechanical Keyboard with the G710+

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Systems | October 9, 2012 - 06:02 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: mechanical keyboard, logitech

Earlier in the year I was in a discussion with a friend of mine about mechanical keyboards. His friend was certain that he owned a mechanical gaming keyboard and so I asked him which one. I stopped him the second he said, “Logitech”. They make several high quality keyboards but not one of them mechanical.

That will soon change when they introduce their mechanical G710+ gaming keyboard to the market.

The Scarecrow went to the Wizard of Oz to ask for a brain.

Logitech asked to remove their membrane-domes. Heels weren't the only things which clicked.

The G710+ keyboard contains Cherry MX Brown switches along with a full set of media keys, a handful of macro keys, and a number pad. While the brown switches tend to be fairly quiet on their own Logitech has also included damping O-rings under each keycap to make it even more silent than most large mechanical keyboard competitors.

The G710+ is also a white LED backlit keyboard with the option to customize brightness such that your movement keys are lit differently than the rest. This is designed to be a visual cue to lead your fingers back to the movement keys in a dark room.

Macro functionality on the G-keys can be programmed using Logitech drivers in the Lua scripting language. This driver is available for Windows Vista through Windows 8 - sorry to the Windows XP holdouts of the world.

The G710+ is expected to retail for $149.99 in the U.S. (and Canada I believe) this month with Europe expected to ship in December.

Check in after the break for the press release.

Source: Logitech

Enermax hits 1350W and gets rated Platinum as well

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 28, 2012 - 02:30 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, modular psu, enermax, 80 Plus Platinum, kilowatt, Platimax 1350W

If the 1500W EVGA SuperNova PSU that Lee recently reviewed was a little too much for you then how about the Platimax 1350W from Enermax? It sports six 12V rails, two at 20A and the remaining at 30A, a mere eight 6+2 pin PCIe power connectors and 14 SATA power connectors. This PSU is the highest rated 80 Plus Platinum PSU [H]ard|OCP has seen, as well as the highest from Enermax and they were not disappointed. While it shared its design with the MaxRevo 1500W which left [H] a little disappointed, the Enermax implementation was superior and this PSU walked away with an Editor's Choice.

"Enermax is a long standing quality desktop PSU company. It not only specifies and designs power supplies it is one of the few companies that actually build enthusiast PSUs. Enermax today moves it 1350 watt giant into "Platinum" efficiency territory with the new Platimax 1350W."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Arctic Cooling's Freezer series, apartment sized or full chest style?

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 25, 2012 - 03:12 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Freezer i30, Freezer 13, arctic cooling

Arctic Cooling has a pair of coolers, one larger model for overclockers and a smaller model for those sticking to stock speeds. The Freezer 13 is 123mm x 96mm x 130mm and weights in at 695g with its 92mm fan and should fit in the vast majority of ATX cases. The Freezer i30 is larger at 100mm x 139mm x 161mm and 900g with the single 120mm fan it utilizes. [H]ard|OCP used an mATX board to test these coolers and while the Freezer 13 caused no problems, the i30 blocked some of their DIMM slots which is worth bearing in mind if you are setting up a system. Read their full review to see how these coolers perform under load.

"We are today reviewing two of Arctic Cooling's new CPU coolers. Both use fans for cooling. The Freezer i30 boasts enthusiast features with overclocking in mind, the Freezer 13 comes in a smaller package with sound levels in mind but still espouses a cooling capacity of 200 watts with near silence."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Murderbox Modding Limited Run of $1200 MKII PC Cases

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 21, 2012 - 08:37 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: murderbox mkii, murderbox, modding, custom case, atx

The Canadian moddding duo behind Hardwood Studios Inc has unveiled its latest custom PC case called the Murderbox MKII. The Muderbox MKII represents a completly overhauled design that has its roots in the Silverstone TJ07 and is nearly ready for release after two years of development. The custom PC chassis gets you an all-alluminum chassis that offers better cable management, a water cooling friendly design, custom drive bays, and a custom black anodized textured surface. What will this cost you? A cool $1200 for the base model, and the price goes up from there if you add extras. The Murderbox MKII is a limited edition custom case with only 499 cases produced in total.

The Murderbox MKII features a unibody aluminum chassis that has acylic side panel windows that are mounted to be flush with case metal on the outside. The front includes a red backlit logo, power and reset buttons, and a single externally accessible 5.25" drive bay. The top of the case features an etched fan grill, or a set of two fans should you upgrade to the fan accessory for $150.

The dual fan accessory.

The back of the case is part of the removable motherboard tray and features plenty of vents and PCI slot covers. There is also space for a bottom mounted power supply. Internally, the Murderbox MKII features a spot to hold a watercooling resorvoir on the motherboard tray (that slides into the case on nylon-coated rails), space for a 480mm watercooling radiator in the bottom, and drive bays that are pre-wired. You put the storage drives onto sleds and slot them into the bays where they connect to already-mounted/wired SATA power and data connectors. The custom case can hold three 3.5" hard drives, three 2.5" SSDs, and a single 5.25" drive. On the top of the case is a slot loading DVD drive as well.

Overall it is a really slick PC case that appears to have received quite a bit of TLC to get the perfect enthusiast case. However, with a limited run of 499 cases and a price tag that is more than most entire computer builds [My first DIY PC build actually cost just under 1200 in 2007, for example.. and I think the case was under $100 heh], the Murderbox MKII is going to be more of a spectacle than a stomach-able purchase (just imagine trying to get the 'significant other approval factor' passed on this thing!).

On the other hand, this is a piece of finely crafted hardware that is sure to turn heads and is nice to gaze upon, so if you want to check out more pictures you can find the gallery on the Murderbox website!

See what parts we recommend for your next build on the PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard.

Source: Murderbox

SilverStone goes to Heligon, brings back a 140mm heatsink fan

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 14, 2012 - 07:39 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Silverstone, Heligon, 140mm

If [H]ard|OCP's review of the SilverStone Heligon HE01 creates an urge for you to purchase it you should pull out a tape measure and examine your current enclosure. This heatsink hides a 140mm fan inside its 926g, 140mm x 119mm x 160mm metal body which many cases simply cannot accomodate. If you can however, you will have a top notch cooler as it topped out the charts when they tested it. You will have to pay a premium though, at $75 there are other coolers almost as good for much less cash up front.

"SilverStone brings us a newly design CPU cooler with wider fin spacing and an internally mounted adjustable 140mm adjustable speed fan sporting six heatpipes and Nickel-coated copper base. The Heligon HE01 is supplied with hardware that supports all recent socket configurations from both Intel and AMD."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Comments (0)

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 22, 2012 - 01:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: fractal design, Node 304, mini-itx, dtx, SFF

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 21, 2012 - 04:18 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: PSU, modular psu, corsair, Chieftek, cooler master, zalman

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 16, 2012 - 04:09 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: coolermaster, HAF XB

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 15, 2012 - 10:19 AM | Tim Verry Tagged: zalman, Passive, hsf, cpu cooler

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 13, 2012 - 03:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: PSU, kilowatt, seasonic, X-1250, modular psu

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 9, 2012 - 02:09 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: nzxt, phantom 820

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling | November 6, 2012 - 08:00 AM | Scott Michaud Tagged: PSU, corsair, 80 Plus Platinum PSU

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling | November 5, 2012 - 08:00 AM | Scott Michaud Tagged: water cooling, corsair

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 1, 2012 - 02:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: Silverstone, SST-HE02

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 31, 2012 - 05:18 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: watercooling, all-in-one, nzxt, Kraken X40, Kraken X60

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 25, 2012 - 02:15 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: corsair, watercooling, hydro H60, hydro H55, hydro

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 24, 2012 - 05:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: PSU, modular psu, kilowatt, Digital Power Supply, Corsair Link, corsair, ax1200i, 80 Plus Platinum

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 24, 2012 - 03:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: corsair, carbide 200R

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 19, 2012 - 06:22 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: bitfenix, Hydra Pro, Recon, fan controller

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 10, 2012 - 04:04 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: thermaltake, Level 10 GT Battle Edition, level 10 gt

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Systems | October 9, 2012 - 06:02 PM | Scott Michaud Tagged: mechanical keyboard, logitech

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 28, 2012 - 02:30 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: PSU, modular psu, enermax, 80 Plus Platinum, kilowatt, Platimax 1350W

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 25, 2012 - 03:12 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: Freezer i30, Freezer 13, arctic cooling

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 21, 2012 - 08:37 AM | Tim Verry Tagged: murderbox mkii, murderbox, modding, custom case, atx

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 14, 2012 - 07:39 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom Tagged: Silverstone, Heligon, 140mm

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 22, 2012 - 01:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: fractal design, Node 304, mini-itx, dtx, SFF

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 21, 2012 - 04:18 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, modular psu, corsair, Chieftek, cooler master, zalman

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 16, 2012 - 04:09 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: coolermaster, HAF XB

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 15, 2012 - 10:19 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: zalman, Passive, hsf, cpu cooler

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 13, 2012 - 03:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, kilowatt, seasonic, X-1250, modular psu

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 9, 2012 - 02:09 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: nzxt, phantom 820

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling | November 6, 2012 - 08:00 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: PSU, corsair, 80 Plus Platinum PSU

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling | November 5, 2012 - 08:00 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: water cooling, corsair

Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 1, 2012 - 02:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Silverstone, SST-HE02

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 31, 2012 - 05:18 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: watercooling, all-in-one, nzxt, Kraken X40, Kraken X60

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 25, 2012 - 02:15 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: corsair, watercooling, hydro H60, hydro H55, hydro

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 24, 2012 - 05:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, modular psu, kilowatt, Digital Power Supply, Corsair Link, corsair, ax1200i, 80 Plus Platinum

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 24, 2012 - 03:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: corsair, carbide 200R

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 19, 2012 - 06:22 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: bitfenix, Hydra Pro, Recon, fan controller

Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 10, 2012 - 04:04 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: thermaltake, Level 10 GT Battle Edition, level 10 gt

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Systems | October 9, 2012 - 06:02 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: mechanical keyboard, logitech

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 28, 2012 - 02:30 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: PSU, modular psu, enermax, 80 Plus Platinum, kilowatt, Platimax 1350W

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 25, 2012 - 03:12 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Freezer i30, Freezer 13, arctic cooling

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 21, 2012 - 08:37 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: murderbox mkii, murderbox, modding, custom case, atx

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 14, 2012 - 07:39 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Silverstone, Heligon, 140mm