Aspire X-Cruiser (cont'd)
First, a quick glance at the inside of the side panel to see the CPU shroud in better detail. The shroud's height can be adjusted, thanks to its two-part design.
After taking off the side panel, the simplicity of the interior of the X-Cruiser is rather apparent. The motherboard tray isn't removable, nor do any of the drives have any dampening or tool-less features. This doesn't necessarily make for a bad case; it just separates it from more expensive cases and might actually make it more appealing to people who want a simpler unit.
Click to enlarge.
There are a total of six 3½” bays, two of which are external, and four 5¼” bays. In this close-up, you can see the two optional 80mm fan mounts in the front.
The rear-mounted 80mm fan is blue just like the top fan, which (as will see in a bit) has a big problem with placement. One nicer thing about the X-Cruiser is that the motherboard backing plate is removable via a bolt, something anyone who builds PCs regularly will appreciate quite a bit more than the pop-in plates, which are often a pain to work with.
Click to enlarge.
Installing our test bed went fairly smoothly, except for a problem with the top mounted fan. At first, we thought perhaps our longer-than-average PSU was to blame, so we double-checked by installing a shorter unit.
Even with a relatively standard sized PSU, the top fan mount is unusable unless the fan is mounted externally, rendering the included grill useless. With a longer PSU, such as our OCZ PowerStream, the fan is still able to get air, but the reduced opening might impact cooling performance. When a short enough PSU is used, the fan could still be used as it came in the package, leaving the top looking like this:
Notice that the reflection is clearly visible in the glossy finish of the case.
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Phantronius - Friday, September 9, 2005 - link
My P180 is the last case I'll ever buy. I love you Antec!!!leviathan19 - Friday, September 9, 2005 - link
the 1200 is deeper yes but is still mid tower class it fixes the psu problems and more space is always better for work with itZepper - Friday, September 9, 2005 - link
Re. cases that come with PSUs. Either rate the PSU too or deduct the portion of the price that the PSU represents from the case price so you are comparing apples to apples price wise.. And I don't care for the looks of a lot of the cases on the market either. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My case is a Silverstone Berserker which many think is fugly...
.bh.
kmmatney - Thursday, September 8, 2005 - link
I don't see why people make such a big deal out of aluminum cases. In my experience, they are flimsier and louder than steal cases, and more prone to rattle. I don't see why anyone would pay so much money for one...at80eighty - Thursday, September 8, 2005 - link
DRTFA yet, so forgive me if its been coveredYou guys have any leads on cases with more fans?
with the new VGA's and CPU's i think a cooler case than a cooler-looking case is a better investment..
any pointers people?
johnsonx - Thursday, September 8, 2005 - link
RTFA, and no forgiveness for you!The Antec P180 is a quiet cooling dream I think. I looked at one on display over at Fry's and just about wet myself. Then I looked at the price tag and decided to stick with my old, free, boring, beige case. But if the price is no objection, I can't imagine purchasing anything else.
at80eighty - Thursday, September 8, 2005 - link
thanx mate! the p180 looks pretty sweet! the price is OK (just about) for me :)plus it doesnt have that HEY LOOK AT ME IM AN ATTENTION WHORE!!! look.
/hope this case shows up in my part of the world :-(
Cygni - Thursday, September 8, 2005 - link
I saw one case that i would even consider putting next to my desk.If you are supporting the case mfts making these hideous beasts by buying them, i personally hate you.
leviathan19 - Thursday, September 8, 2005 - link
why they used this one the 1200 is a better version and fix the psu problem...there is missing the pc75b and the TT shark those are nice cases too
OvErHeAtInG - Thursday, September 8, 2005 - link
The 1200 is much deeper, for extended-atx boards I think. Definitely not something I would get except for a big duallie rig.