Joined on 12/26/08
Very close to perfect
Pros: Easiest case to work in I've ever used. The ability to remove portions of the interior gives so much flexibility for custom modding, water cooling loops, etc. The case is simply beautiful. While I did have a few small issues (see below) the overall construction of the case and build quality are first rate. Quite on par with Silverstone Raven and Fortress cases I've built in.
Cons: As I said, close to perfect, but there are some tiny nit picks. The power supply cover was very difficult to fit in place once the power supply was installed. The LED lighting has a slight mismatch of color between the front panel strips and the top panel strips when certain colors are selected. The side window is almost like looking through a soft focus lens. It is not the tint that is the issue, it is just not extremely clear, so interior components look slightly hazy through it.
Overall Review: As I said in the title, it is not perfect, but it is close. I did have some small issues, but again, they were minor problems and do not take enough away from an otherwise great building experience with this case.
Decent but not great
Pros: The kit includes a replacement for all the original cables. The cables are stiff, and while this made them difficult to bend, once they are in position inside the case, they stay right where you put them. The coating is quite bright and looks nice under leds. No visible heatshrink.
Cons: The sleeving is not what I expected. It is quite thin and very rough to the touch. It is not like any sleeve material I've ever seen and much less visually attractive than other solutions I'm not sure if the cables just picked up contaminants from my fingertips, or if the coloring on the sleeving wore away, but place where I had to spend a lot f time bending the cables into position, the white looks as if it either wore away, or got very dingy.
Overall Review: There is an aftermarket company selling sleeved kits for the EVGA power supplies that are the same price, but use traditional sleeving material. I went with this kit because of all my previous experience with EVGA products, and while this kit suffices, I would not purchase it again, but instead go with the aftermarket kit.
Best value card in the price range
Pros: The card is very well built with a good design for the cooler. It comes with a nice factory overclock yet still has silent operation until under a gaming load.
Cons: The power plugs are inset a bit, and were a slight annoyance to connect while the GPU was in the case.
Very nice ITX chassis
Pros: The Neo Mini has lots of interior space for an ITX case, and is very well ventilated for a case this small as well. It's nicer looking in person than in photos, and it feels very premium. Aside from one issue, it was a great case to build in.
Cons: My only complain is that there is almost no room behind the motherboard tray for cable routing. There is an area behind the power supply to bundle up excess cable, which is nice in such a small case, but you really have to work to keep the cable runs flat just so that you can put the back panel on without forcing it.
If you have $300 for headphones, buy these, spend the rest on your music library.
Pros: Unbelievable sound for headphones in this price range. Extreme comfort. 3.5mm jack on headphones means you can buy any male to male 3.5 cable for use with these headphones
Cons: The included cable is too long for most uses. That's ok...see above. The clamping force is a little light so the headphones may slide around slightly if your head is on the very large, or very small end of the scale.
Stunning performance
Pros: Easily overclockable. Simply amazing performance for gaming or professional applications.
Cons: None
Overall Review: I came to Haswell E from an FX-8350. The switch has been worth every penny.
The shipping time was terrible.
The item was ordered on 8/31. I knew there would be a slight delay due to the holiday weekend, but was told the item should ship on 9/4. A shipping label was created on 9/5 but the item didn't arrive at the shipper until 9/7. I did not receive it until 9/14.
Good seller, awful shipping method
The seller made contact with me regarding availability and a slight delay in the wrist rests, and I was fine with the slight delay. They actually arrived before the seller's estimate, but the three wrist rests were simply folded in have and shoved into a bubble wrap envelope. The creases have not come out of them as it looks like they are now permanently deformed after being shipped in such a manner. That being said, they are $8 foam wrist rests, so they still function, they just look a little weird.