- Aluminum Bezel, SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower
- USB / Audio / IEEE 1394 Front Ports
- Side Air duct
- 5 External 5.25" Drive Bays
- 4 Internal 3.5" Drive Bays
Great case -- dubious cooling
03/03/2008
This review is from: Cooler Master CAVALIER 3 CAV-T03-UW Silver Aluminum Bezel, SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Pros:
Well for one, this case looks fantastic. This is a machinists piece. The sanded aluminum front looks fantastic, this is the thing that first caught my eye, and what really made me buy this attractive case.
Edges are all deburred. Craftsmanship is excellent on this case, I might even say top notch. The ability to switch door swivel direction is a nice touch.
This case doesn't have any really flashy lights, and is fairly unobtrusive -- exactly what I want out of a case. As I've said, this case gets an A+ when it comes to styling.
Includes all fans.
Cons:
The cooling situation is dubious at best:
Note what is missing from the pictures? First of all, the front fan is only 80mm, not like the 120mm rear fan. Why? That fan by the way, is pretty noisy. Also, the included fans don't have the normal 3 prong fan plug. Again, why? This makes no sense.
The front air intake is on the bottom of the case. I understand they did so a grill wouldn't disturb the elegance of the front, but this would be a useless intake if the case sat on a carpeted floor.
The worst part is something I didn't see mentioned on any of the major review websites: The front air intake is pathetic. Not only does the fan have to overcome a honey comb grill, but the actual room for intake is a 1/2" x 4" slot on the bottom of the case. As if it isn't bad enough, the slot is blocked by a steel plate which covers the entire slot, and has a series of .125" diameter holes drilled in it. It's also worth mentioning that these holes are spaced widely apart.
Overall Review:
I cut open that honey comb in the front, removed the restrictive steel plate, and replaced the stock fan with a temperature controlled Enermax fan. I plan to cut up the case a bit to allow better airflow, and a larger fan.
Overall this case is nice, but certainly not a 5 star case. It sure looks nice.
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- Bernard G.
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Verified Owner
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Owned For:
1 day to 1 week
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