Sturdy Roomy Build
Pros: Roomy, Sturdy, Easy Access, Air flow, LED's
Cons: Cheap hinges, drive bay setup, front panel assembly
Style: If you're looking for a case that is going to give your rig a nice theme then check this rig out. With a glossy black finish, and dark green LED's surrounding the exterior, this case looks mean right out of the box. 1X80mm fan on the window lights up green and the front panel swinging door lights up green as well.
Space: The SMILODON has a lot of interior space, but depending on your setup, things can get a little crowded. I must recommend using a modular PSU and if water cooling, going with a custom setup. Right now I am using a non-mod PSU and a Corsair H100 water cooling kit and things are a bit crowded. The case features a door on the opposite side to fold down the motherboard for easy access; However, with the H100's radiator installed on the back panel, the door hits the radiator and cannot open very far because of this. There is also an arm that can be removed that sits across the side of the case just inside the window panel with a 80mm fan on it. This also did not fit with the H100 installed. Be careful when choosing water cooling setups or be sure to place radiator somewhere else.
Price: For 70 dollars this case is a pretty nice buy. It comes with easy installation drive bays where no hardware is needed. Also, the bottom set of bays is removable and can add a lot more space for wiring or just give space for air to flow behind front panel fan. Not many cases under 100 dollars come with the features listed below.
Features:
Overview:
For 70 dollars I really enjoy this purchase. When I first bought it I was a little frustated because when working on my PC I like taking the side panel completely off instead of just letting it hang open still attached. The hinges on the side panel door are a little weak and if not handled with caution, can easily break. However, the rest of the case is flawless and couldn't be built better. The wiring in the front panel makes it easy to swap out the original fan in the front and replace it with a more powerful one. Anything can be modified in this case because it is well built and easy to take apart and put back together. With the amazing airflow in this case and its abundance of space and nice features, this case easily makes it onto my list as a great holiday buy for a budget build. I would recommend this case for anyone wanting to build a decent rig and looking for a cheap to mid range case.
Space: The SMILODON has a lot of interior space, but depending on your setup, things can get a little crowded. I must recommend using a modular PSU and if water cooling, going with a custom setup. Right now I am using a non-mod PSU and a Corsair H100 water cooling kit and things are a bit crowded. The case features a door on the opposite side to fold down the motherboard for easy access; However, with the H100's radiator installed on the back panel, the door hits the radiator and cannot open very far because of this. There is also an arm that can be removed that sits across the side of the case just inside the window panel with a 80mm fan on it. This also did not fit with the H100 installed. Be careful when choosing water cooling setups or be sure to place radiator somewhere else.
Price: For 70 dollars this case is a pretty nice buy. It comes with easy installation drive bays where no hardware is needed. Also, the bottom set of bays is removable and can add a lot more space for wiring or just give space for air to flow behind front panel fan. Not many cases under 100 dollars come with the features listed below.
Features:
- Easy no hardware drive bay installation
- Very nice airflow with 4X fans
- Nice LED theme
- 2xUSB front panel w/audio jack
- Clear side panel window w/ opposite side door for Mobo tray
- Sturdy construction
Overview:
For 70 dollars I really enjoy this purchase. When I first bought it I was a little frustated because when working on my PC I like taking the side panel completely off instead of just letting it hang open still attached. The hinges on the side panel door are a little weak and if not handled with caution, can easily break. However, the rest of the case is flawless and couldn't be built better. The wiring in the front panel makes it easy to swap out the original fan in the front and replace it with a more powerful one. Anything can be modified in this case because it is well built and easy to take apart and put back together. With the amazing airflow in this case and its abundance of space and nice features, this case easily makes it onto my list as a great holiday buy for a budget build. I would recommend this case for anyone wanting to build a decent rig and looking for a cheap to mid range case.
