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3D Velocity would like to thank Maxtop,
especially Adam for providing this sample for review.
Introduction:
The days when you had to get out the Dremel and cut,
drill, fit and fiddle to have a modified case are
a thing of the past. With everybody jumping on the
pre-modded case bandwagon, there are as many options
and configurations as you could imagine. From basic
window kits to custom lighting all the way to thermal
monitors and fan controllers, if you can dream it,
you no longer have to do it yourself. With so many
manufacturers out there, the determining factors seem
to be options, quality and price. We all know of the
main big guys, namely Lian-Li, Thermaltake and Enermax
when it comes to shopping for a pre-modified case,
but they all fall into the higher price ranges. I
have also had dealings with some of the "budget"
cases out there that look pretty slick, but hands-on,
they fall a bit short offering poor quality and sharp
edges. So when Maxtop contacted me about reviewing
their product line, I was a bit skeptical. I realized
that I was out of Band-aids from reviewing a prior
pre-modded case, and wasn't sure if I would have to
make a trip to the store for more before UPS dropped
this latest sample at my door. I was pleasantly surprised.
Some of my skepticism came from the fact that I had
never heard of Maxtop before. And I was a bit wary
when I visited their website and none of the product
pages would load correctly (if at all). But the rep
I was working with was very accommodating and we discussed
which models would best represent Maxtop, and he assured
me that the website was only experiencing temporary
technical difficulty (which seems to be cleared up).
We decided on shipping out the CSX-7788KEB-Win, which
is a slick looking black case with 7 color rotational
bubble lights on the front bezel, front USB ports
and an installed window kit as well as an included
350W PSU.
The case came double boxed with sufficient Styrofoam
framework to avoid any serious mishaps along the way.
After opening the box, I was pleasantly surprised.
The case is very solidly built and has a smooth black
finish. The face has a brushed aluminum finish beneath
a layer of plexi. The plexi-glass is not just clear,
it has a bluish tint, so that when light hits it just
right, the edges glow an electric blue. This particular
model sports a side window with an 80mm fan and a
92mm blowhole on the top for good ventilation if you
plan on building a hotrod inside. Thankfully both
fans are included so you don't have to have any on
hand or run out and buy them. The bubble lights in
the front are clear acrylic rods with bubbles "floating"
inside. There are LEDs on either end of the rod which
cycle through 7 different colors. I thought they would
be super cheesy, but after the whole thing is set
up, they are actually pretty cool.
Lets take a closer look...
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