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Manuel M.

Manuel M.

Joined on 08/28/05

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 3
Most Favorable Review

Nice case, HTPC build.

Athenatech Black SECC Steel A3708BS.450 ATX Media Center / HTPC Case
Athenatech Black SECC Steel A3708BS.450 ATX Media Center / HTPC Case

Pros: Dual fan on PS which is ducted, heat does not enter case. Hinged door on optical drive is nice but had to modify button to function. Good ventilation, fans are quiet. I mounted a full size ATX mobo in this case with 2 hd's, optical and KINGWIN KF-72-BK HDD Mobile Rack (rack was a tight fit). No HDD led, I used the power led. Wires to front panel ports are labeled so if you have the info on your mobo should be no problem. Cable ties included were a nice touch and helped make for a neat installation.

Cons: Could use another internal HDD mount, I used the external bay for one of my HDD's so no room left for card reader etc. No HDD led. Hard mount rather than adhesive feet provided would be better.

Overall Review: If you take your time you'll end up with a nice build. The sides are vented and drilled for easy extra fan installation. Considering it comes with a decent power supply and has an unobtrusive appearance it is a cost effective alternative to the more expensive HTPC cases out there. I really liked the air flow through on the PS, definitely helps keep the case interior cooler.

Quality Corsair Memory - don't go with 'economy' stuff

CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB 260-Pin DDR4 SO-DIMM DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200) Laptop Memory Model CMSX8GX4M1A2400C16
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB 260-Pin DDR4 SO-DIMM DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200) Laptop Memory Model CMSX8GX4M1A2400C16

Pros: I installed this in a HP laptop that supposedly supports only 8Gb but actually supports 16Gb. Maybe they want you to buy a more expensive PC? Anyway, Corsair has always been a go-to when building or upgrading. This particular laptop came with only 4Gb and was really having performance issues working with files used for 3d printing. This upgrade more than solved this problem. Plenty of vids on how to - check them for your particular PC as some of them can have hidden hardware or other issues opening them up. Shipping was faster than they estimated so that was also a nice experience too!

Overall Review: I would definitely recommend this for any machine that will take it - High quality product

Cheap but works.

KINGWIN KF-72-BK Black HDD Mobile Rack
KINGWIN KF-72-BK Black HDD Mobile Rack

Pros: Low cost. I purchased two so I could share drives between machines. Uses centronics connector so you dont have to worry that your HD's connector is going to end up getting worn or damaged. You install your drive in a completely enclosed tray so it's reasonably well protected. Didn't have to load any drivers etc, worked first time and haven't had any functional problems running in either PC I installed these in.

Cons: Mounting holes didn't line up in two of the three cases I tried these in. I was able to modify the rails on the third case I used it in. Bottom of rack is open so you have to make sure there are no cables near there or you'll have problems. Plastic construction on rack a tad flimsy, you may have issue with door hanging up when tray is removed if you aren't careful during installation as rack can twist slightly. Rubber mounts in tray for HD screws take a lot of patience, they can easily pop out when you try to align the drive in the tray.

Overall Review: If you want an inexpensive method for drive swap or sharing and are careful during initial installation these are a great deal. If you don't want to deal with the odd placement of the mounting holes on the rack then avoid these. For me, once I got past the hope of a quick install and figured out a way to mount them, they work great.