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Introduction:::...
I've looked at a few large HTPC orientated cases this year, and though I appreciate the benefits of these larger cases in terms of their generally more efficient cooling, their ability to take full sized motherboards, their ability to accommodate normal expansion cards and their ease with which to work when assembling, it seems several manufacturers have opted to waste all the potential front panel real estate by adding just a single external 5.25" drive bay.
These cases may well be targeted at the domestic environment, but that doesn't mean there's no need for at least one 3.5" external bay, perhaps for a memory card reader or a fan controller, and at least a couple of 5.25" bays, possibly to facilitate dual optical drives for making copies of the holiday video DVD for the relative,s or for one of those snazzy multifunction panels.
My personal belief is that those likely to opt for a larger HTPC system do so because they're planning something that goes slightly beyond a pure DVD player-cum-MP3 server, they've chosen a larger case because they have grander plans, and this often means a need for more available external bays. Maybe it's just me but I see no value in a case the size of a traditional desktop case but with just a single external bay.
Today I want to look at a very stylish looking HTPC case from Thermaltake, a company who have really begun to distinguish themselves with some stunning case releases over the past year or two. The Tsunami, the Shark, the Armor, the Kandalf, the Soprano, they've all set new standards in case design and construction, and though the Tenor borrows heavily on the Tsunami's wave-like front panel design ethos, do its merits stretch beyond the impact from its looks?
Time
for a closer look:
| Detail Specifications |
P/N |
VB2000SNS |
Color |
|
Case Type |
Desktop |
Drive
Bays |
Front Accessible |
3 x 5.25", 2 x 3.5" |
Internal |
3 x3.5" |
|
Front Access |
Dual USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 Firewire,
Audio & Speaker ports |
Expansion Slots |
7 |
Net Weight |
8.5kg (18.7lb) |
Motherboards |
ATX, Micro ATX |
Dimension
(H*W*D) |
170 x 430 x 460 mm (H*W*D) |
Features
|
 |
Thermally Advantaged Chassis- Prescott Ready |
|
Standard ATX motherboard & ATX PSII PSU |
|
Drive bay capacity : 3 x 5.25" drive bay & 5 x 3.5" drive bay |
|
Stylish front bezel : Aluminum made |
|
Reliable EMI shielding |
|
Dual USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 Firewire, Audio & Speaker ports |
|
Power
Supply
Unit |
Standard ATX PSII |
Cooling
System |
Front
(intake) |
80 x 80 x 25 mm silent fan, 2000rpm, 19dBA |
Rear
(exhaust) |
Dual 60 x 60 x 25 mm silent fan, 2500rpm 19dBA. |
|
Material
|
Chassis |
1.0 mm SECC |
Front Bezel |
Aluminum made |
|
|
|
