Because it’s hard to get a modern graphics card, some suppliers are now trying to meet demand for entry-level options by re-launching older products. Earlier this month we reported that Japanese vendor Kuroutoshikou decided to re-start sales of its GeForce GTX 1050 Ti boards. This past weekend the card made it into retail, but its price is far from what we usually consider an entry-level. The unit costs ¥22,800 ($210 with taxes), according to Akiba PC Hotline. Meanwhile, such boards can cost even more in the U.S.
The Kuroutoshikou GF-GTX1050Ti-E4GB/SF/P2 is produced by Palit Microsystems and is based on Nvidia’s GP107-400 graphics processor, with 768 CUDA cores (featuring the Pascal architecture and introduced in October 26, 2016) paired with 4GB of 128-bit GDDR5 memory with a 7 GT/s data transfer speed. The card has three display outputs: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b and a DVI-D for legacy monitors (fitting for a legacy architecture). As for compatibility, the board does not require an auxiliary PCIe power connector and will fit into most desktops, including Mini-ITX systems, but not low-profile machines.
Nvidia’s 4.5-years old GPU will hardly deliver sufficient performance in modern games (unless maybe you’re happy to dial down most settings). Its performance should be comparable to or higher than that of Intel’s Iris Xe G7 (96 EUs) integrated GPU, so it is still faster than the vast majority of integrated graphics solutions that are used today.
Given that the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is outdated in terms of performance and architecture, demand for such a product would be close to zero under normal conditions. But today the GPU market does not act normally, which is why the price of the product exceeds $200. In fact, Akiba PC Hotline claims that a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti was priced at ¥11,000 with taxes in October, 2019. So, in less than two years this outdated product has become twice as expensive in, at least in Japan.
But if you thought that was bad, it’s worse in other countries. Based on data from CamelCamelCamel, new GTX 1050 Ti boards were recently sold for betwee $399 – $599 at Amazon.com. So maybe it’s time to dig through your closet and see if your old graphics card could finance a new CPU or SSD upgrade.
Cooler Master’s MasterFrame 700 is an open-air presentation case and test bench that transforms in just a few minutes. But while it’s built like a tank and has a true quality finish, it requires a skilled, patient builder to make the best of it.
For
+ Gorgeous open-chassis looks
+ Excellent build quality
+ Beautiful paint finish
+ Heavy steel panels
+ Includes lightly-tinted glass panel
Against
– Very heavy
– Paint finish in threads makes some screws difficult to insert
– Transforming from open-air case to test bench requires longer AIO tubes
– Can be tedious to work in (needs a skilled, patient builder)
– Motherboard tray covers back of socket
Assembling the MasterFrame 700
When Cooler Master reached out asking if I could have a look at its upcoming MasterFrame 700 open-air chasis / test bench, I was scratching my head a little about how to approach it. I wondered what mainstream appeal there could be in a test bench.
And while ‘mainstream’ is absolutely not how I would describe the MasterFrame 700, it actually left me quite impressed. After my experience with it, I can appreciate its appeal as an open-air chassis to showcase pretty builds.
It won’t be making it onto our Best PC Cases list as it’s not a chassis meant of the masses, but if you’re into this sort of thing, it might be worth reading on to find out more about the MasterFrame 700 – if the photos haven’t already convinced you.
Specifications
Type
Open-air/Test bench chassis
Motherboard Support
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX
Dimensions (HxWxD)
16.1 x 12.1 x 27.6 inches (410 x 306 x 702 mm)
Max GPU Length
17.7 inches (450 mm), Up to 12.2 inches (310 mm) for maximum compatibility
CPU Cooler Height
6.2 inches (158 mm)
Max PSU Length
8.3 inches (210 mm)
External Bays
✗
Internal Bays
4x 3.5-inch
7x 2.5-inch
Expansion Slots
8x
Front I/O
2x USB 3.0, USB-C, 3.5 mm Headphone/Mic Combo
Other
(Removable) Tempered Glass Panel
Left Fans
None (Up to 2x 140mm, 3x 120mm)
Right Fans
None (Up to 2x 140mm, 3x 120mm)
Top Fans
None (Up to 2x 140mm, 3x 120mm in Test Bench Mode on a Radiator)
Bottom Fans
None (Up to 2x 140mm, 3x 120mm in Test Bench Mode on a Radiator)
Side Fans
✗
RGB
No
Damping
No
Warranty
1 Year
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Normally, we start off case reviews with a tour of the features, build a standardized system in it, and wrap up with thermal and acoustic testing – but today we’re foregoing the usual format. Instead, I’m going to take you on the path I took to familiarize myself with the product, which starts off with assembling the MasterFrame 700.
Unboxing, Layer by Layer
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The Cooler Master MasterFrame 700 comes flat-packed into a relatively compact, briefcase-style box. None of the components come assembled, and as such we have to start with assembling the case. I started off by fixing the case’s radiator wings to the main frame, which was easily accomplished by using three countersunk screws per hinge, of which there are four. I also stuck on four rubber feet.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The hinges are beautifully manufactured to a mirror finish. In fact, all the parts are quite nicely made with a very smooth and even paint job. The panels themselves are also very thick steel, and altogether, it’s a very heavy chassis that oozes quality – which is no surprise given that it’s partly manufactured by hand.
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However, at this stage, I already ran into my first issue – with the wings on, the entire chassis was tilted quite far forward, which didn’t seem right.
With no manual to be found (yet), I played around a bit with the wing layout and eventually got the wings attached the correct way – with the text on the user’s side and the straight edge at the bottom – the top of the wings are slanted down slightly for style.
I then proceeded to attach the PCIe bracket, PSU bracket, and rear cover. The case comes with two PSU covers that you can install above one another for extra power. I don’t really see the need for a second PSU, but I suppose the addition of just one bracket can’t do much harm for those who do.
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At this point, the chassis was almost assembled and ready for system installation. I also chucked on the glass panel holder, a small SSD bracket at the rear, a fifth rubber foot at the bottom of the rear cover, the IO panel at the top, and voila:
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
However, in this assembly I had a few moments where I got stuck, not knowing exactly how to fix a certain bracket to the mainframe. When it was all done and built, which took longer than it looks like from the pictures, I was wondering where the manual was. I had already turned the box over twice looking for it. But eventually, I found it hidden under the glass panel.
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Yep. I had placed the glass panel aside for when I neared the end of the build, but in doing so totally overlooked that the manual might be in there. Oh well, we made it this far.
Neat Little Details
The MasterFrame 700 comes with a few neat little details that show thoughtful design. For example, it includes a magnetic rubber pad shaped like the Cooler Master logo that you can use to keep track of screws, a VESA 100 mount for if you want to wall-mount the chassis, and there are instructions on where to place the standoffs for the motherboard.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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That said, I’m not sure I fully understand the VESA mount. It’s part of the main frame, but behind it is the PSU mount, cable management space and the rear cover to hang hard drives nto. As such, you’d need to make a lot of sacrifices to be able to wall-mount this chassis if you want it flat against the wall – or you’ll need an arm. And it better be a strong arm, because this chassis is very heavy with a system installed into it.
I would like to thank XPG for supplying the review sample.
Born out of a sub-branding effort that took place in the past and was “upgraded” to its own independent branding, XPG is the gaming-focused product range from ADATA. The XPG Defender Pro we are reviewing today advertises E-ATX compatibility and a well-designed, metal exterior with embedded LED strips as well as a set of fans. As seen in the promotional image above, this case ships in either black or white color variants, and we received the white one for review.
Specifications
XPG Defender Pro
Case Type:
E-ATX Mid-Tower
Material:
Steel, plastic, and tempered glass
Weight:
N/A
Slots:
7+2
Drive Bays:
2x Internal 2.5/3.5″ 2x Internal 2.5″
Motherboard Form Factors:
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX, CEB, and EEB
Dimensions:
492 x 220 x 441 mm
Front Door/Cover:
N/A
Front Fans:
3x 120 or 2x 140 mm (2x XPG Vento 120 fans pre-installed)
Razer’s Tomahawk ITX values form over function. And although it looks great for a Mini-ITX chassis, it has design flaws that keep it from being worth its steep price.
For
+ Easy to work in
+ Thermally capable
+ Minimalistic looks
+ Built like a (small) tank
Against
– Very expensive
– Doesn’t get dust filtration right
– Ineffective front intake
– Doesn’t include fans
Specifications and Features
When Razer reached out asking if I wanted to review the Tomahawk ITX, I of course said yes. After all, it’s the first time Razer is delving into the ITX chassis market. And I have to admit, it’s a good looking case with a simple but purposeful desing.
Razer wouldn’t disclose who its production partner was, but the chassis closely resembles that of the Lian Li TU150, albeit with a few changes. Given the collaboration history between the two companies, a collaboration with Lian Li wouldn’t be surprising.
Whether this compact Razer case deserves a spot on our Best PC Cases list remains to be seen.Let’s dig into the Razer Tomahawk ITX’s design and performance to find out.
Razer Tomahawk Specifications
Type
ITX Tower
Motherboard Support
Mini-ITX
Dimensions (HxWxD)
8.46 x 9.72 x 14.49 inches (215 x 247 x 368 mm)
Max GPU Length
12.6 inches (320 mm)
CPU Cooler Height
6.5 inches (165 mm)
Max PSU Length
SFF, SFF-L
External Bays
None
Internal Bays
3x 3.5-inch
Expansion Slots
3x
Front I/O
2x USB 3.0
1x USB Type-C
Mic, Headphone
Other
Chroma RGB Controller
Front Fans
None (Up to 1x 120mm)
Rear Fans
None (Up to 1x 120mm)
Top Fans
None (Up to 2x 120mm)
Bottom Fans
None (Up to 2x 120mm)
Side Fans
x
RGB
Yes, Razer Chroma Underglow
Damping
No
Warranty
1 Year
Features
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Touring around the chassis, there’s not much to mention of any significance – the Tomahawk ITX is shaped like a shoebox on its side, with dark tinted tempered glass panels on each side and a closed front. There is some semblance of intake mesh on the side of the front panel, but the perforation is tiny and likely won’t do much for cooling.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
At the bottom of the case you’ll spot two Chroma RGB strips between the front and back feet. These provide Chroma underglow lighting, which we’ll demonstrate later in the review. With diffusers, they should handsomely light up the area underneath the chassis.
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The case’s side panels swing open on hinges, making it really easy to open and show off your system without the hassle of unscrewing and removing a panel. That said, there’s not a lot of space for cable management behind the motherboard tray, and without anything to hold the cables in place, it might become a challenge to keep the panel closed later on, as it’s only held shut by a magnet.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Top IO comprises a USB Type-C port, discrete microphone and headphone jacks and two USB 3.0 ports. Power and reset switches are naturally also present.
Internal Layout
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After removing the glass panels, because I don’t want them swinging around during the build process, we reveal the interior of the case. There is space for up to Mini-ITX motherboards, an SFX power supply near the front, and large 3-slot graphics cards.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Cooling
Despite being a $189 chassis, Razer does not include any fans with this case. You can install up to a 240mm AIO at the top of the case, two 120mm fans at the bottom, along with single 120mm spinners at the front intake and rear exhaust.
CPU coolers can be up to 6.5 inches (165 mm) tall, and GPUs up to three slots thick and 12.6 inches (320 mm) long.
However, air filtration is bound to be problematic in this case. There is a front intake filter, but the mesh design is so restrictive here that I doubt the case will pull much air through this filter. As a result, this can only turn into a negative-pressure case that draws unfiltered air in from the bottom and rear of the chassis.
Storage
An SSD mount is present on the side tray and the bottom also supports another two. There are no 3.5-inch HDD mounts.
Does it fit an RTX 3080?
Yes, the case fits triple-slot GPUs up to 320mm (12.6 inches) long.
I would like to thank Antec for supplying the review sample.
Antec seems heavily invested in the Flux platform because it is a unique selling point that stands out in this otherwise crowded sub-$100 market. With the original DF600 Flux, we saw some thermal benefits, but it was not worth the increased operating noise due to the fact that it only included the fans but not a fan controller. Then there was the P10 Flux, which actually made good use of that thermal platform, and its approach to silence provided a better use case for the Flux setup. Today, we get to review the Antec DF700 Flux, which is also part of the Dark Fleet series and seems to improve usability for that unique fan setup.
When times get tough, modders get modding, and 2020 was no different. Today, the winners of Cooler Master’s Case Mod World Series 2020 modding contest receive their crowns, rewarding some of the most remarkable mods created in a challenging year.
The 2020 contest saw 90 entries from enthusiasts across 23 countries. Mods were equally judged on craftsmanship, aesthetics, functionality and innovation, with judges including Cooler Master, professional modders, sponsors, including MSI and the game Control and media judges, including Tom’s Hardware.
Overall, 12 mods won awards, with the most coveted “Best Of” awards going to 6 builds (Best Tower Mod, Best Scratch Build, Best Innovation and Design, Best Craftsman and Best Art Direction).
You can see the full list of Case Mod World Series 2020 winners here. Below is an inside look at some of the fiercest award winners.
Best Tower of the Year: A.R.E.S. by Explore Modding
Case: Cooler Master Cosmos C700M
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
Graphics Card: Inno3D iChill Frostbite RTX 2070 Super
We may still be waiting for the hover cars that so many movies and novels have promised, but with Explore Modding’sA.R.E.S. build, the appearance of a floating tower is already here. The modder describes his build as a “story, told in art form.” He drew inspiration for the colors, curves and starry window (made of optic fibers and epoxy resin) from the character Robot from Netflix’s Lost in Space reboot.
Ultimately, A.R.E.S. tells its own story though. And with its base designed to make the tower look like it’s awesomely afloat, that story is told from a world seemingly far off in the future.
Not surprisingly, designing and assembling the base was the hardest part of the mod, Explore Modding told us. It required many parts that were hard to fit together, “due to tight tolerances.”
(Image credit: Explore Modding)
“Even designing it was difficult because I really wanted something that made it look like the case was separated from it and floating above the surface, but that required a lot of trial and error in order to make it stable enough,” Explore Modding told Tom’s Hardware. “In the end, the three acrylic blocks are very sturdy and they’re very transparent, so they even tend to disappear under some light scenarios, creating that awesome effect of floating.”
A.R.E.S.’ hardware panel rotates 180 degrees on the fly, so you can easily swap the build’s look — components on the left or on the right. Cable management located in the back and front allowed for a clean look inside, where the suspended centerpiece boasting all the components steals the show.
(Image credit: Explore Modding)
“I often change the layout on my setups, and I always had the struggle of sacrificing the amazing view of the internal hardware when I had to move the PC to the other side of the desk,” Explore Modding said. “I actually ended up tearing apart my build to make an inverted mod a couple times for this reason. … So this PC can be put wherever you want and still show the same side every time.”
Maintenance is also a bit easier. Just undo a couple screws and turn the panel to access your components. The rotating panel also means you don’t have to tilt the entire case to bleed air from the loop.
Best Scratch of the Year: Ikigai by Nick Falzone Design
(Image credit: Nick Falzone Design)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Graphics Card: MSI Radeon 5700 Gaming X
Motherboard: MSI B550I Gaming Edge WiFi
RAM: G. Skill Ripjaws V DDR4-3600 (32GB)
SSD: WD Black SN750
Cooling: Alphacool Laing DDC, Alphacool GPU waterblock and radiator, Optimus CPU block, EKWB fittings, Cooler Master SF360R fans
Power Supply: Cooler Master V650 SFX
Nick Falzone Design’s mod Ikiagi is named after the Japanese word for, as he put it, “one’s personal passions, beliefs, values and vocation.” The Japanese concept about finding your life’s purpose has also recently picked up Western attention and led the modder to create a sensible design with both modern and traditional Japanese woodworking techniques.
Nick Falzone Design, an American modder, has been working with wood since childhood and grew to enjoy the Japanese aesthetic, including the “overall timeless and modern design.” In fact, the modder’s first PC case had mini shoji doors.
“At the time, YouTube was not around, so I read books about Japanese architecture and Japanese joinery. … I’d always wanted to make the hemp leaf pattern that I did in Ikigai,” the modder told Tom’s Hardware
(Image credit: Nick Falzone Design)
Ikigai incorporates “traditionally made Japanese Kumiko designs” from unfinished Sitka Spruce contrasting with a Wenge wood outer shell complete with hand-sawn dovetails. The inside is mostly acrylic and aluminum with Wenge added for accent pieces.
To keep Ikigai cool, Nick Falzone Design crafted a distribution plate that also serves as the build’s pump top and reservoir, while keeping most of the cables out of view.
The biggest challenge, however, came in maintaining Nick Falzone Design’s vision of a Mini-ITX build. Keeping up with the small form factor trend is great, but carefully constructing the watercooling and wiring in a build that’s under 20 liters is no small task.
(Image credit: Nick Falzone Design)
“I made three full-scale models of the main case and many more models of the interior to maximize each component and make everything work efficiently,” Nick Falzon Design said.
Best Craftsmanship: Cyberpunk 2077 – Deconstruction by AK Mod
CPU: Intel Core I9-10900K
Graphics Card: Aorus GeForce RTX 3080 Master
Motherboard: Aorus Z490 Xtreme
RAM: Aorus RGB Memory DDR4-3200 (4x 8GB)
SSD: Gigabyte NVMe SSD M.2 2280 (1TB)
Cooling: Bitspower fittings, Premium Summit M Mystic Black Metal Edition CPU block, D5 Vario motor, Leviathan XF 120 4xG1/4″ radiator, Water Tank Z-Multi 50 V2 and Bitspower Touchaqua in-line filter, digital thermal sensor, digital RGB multi-function controller, PWM fan multi-function hub, Cooler Master MasterFan SF120M, AlphaCool Eiszapfen laser fitting with 4-pin molex
Power Supply: Aorus P850W 80+ Gold Modular
With Cyberpunk 2077 making splashes of all types in 2020, it wasn’t surprising to see a Cyberpunk-inspired mod. More surprising are the undeniable intricacies, craftsmanship and expertise boasted in this showstopping mod that looked unlike any other entry, (and yes, we looked at all 90).
The mod embodies Mantis Blades being repaired. AK Mod did a whole lot of 3D printing, as well as CNC milling and research into unique parts, like military aviation connectors, a vacuum fluorescent (VFD) display and a light bar — to bring the concept to life.
(Image credit: AK Mod)
Of course, 3D printing Mantis Blades calls for some patience. AK Mod separated the blades’ parts into over 90 fdm and dlp files but had to redesign due to construction failure.
“In the original design, inner metal structure frame and outer arm were separated. The outcome of the first design was too thin. The finger parts are difficult to assemble, and the weight bearing for the wrist part was not as expected, so we had to improve the design and print the outcome all over again,” AK Mod told Tom’s Hardware.
(Image credit: AK Mod)
Other techniques used to make Cyberpunk 2077 – Deconstruction include welding, digital processing lathing, UV printing and laser engraving and cutting. Hand-made parts were also sanded, soil filled, spray painted and given an aged treatment.
(Image credit: AK Mod)
AK Mod also included an actionable ring scanning instrument to “simulate the Mantis Blades being scanned as a weapon,” AK Mod said. Red LEDs add authenticity as the blades move horizontally.
Best Innovation and Design: Spirit of Motion by Maximum Bubble Mods
(Image credit: Maximum Bubble Mods)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Graphics Card: Nvidia RTX 2080 Founder’s Edition
Motherboard: MSI B450M Pro-M2
RAM: G.Skill TridentZ – 3,600 MHz (16GB)
SSD: Samsung 970 EVO (500GB)
Cooling: Corsair Hydro H115i Pro, Cooler Master MasterFan Pro Air Pressure RGB
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G5
While some of this year’s winning mods look straight from the future, Spirit of Motion opts for a retro vibe. Building the mod for his father, Maximum Bubble Mods’ Spirit in Motion goes for a classic car theme, incorporating an “Art Deco era front car grille,” as the modder describes it, topped off with delicious Candy Apple Red paint.
That custom grille not only looks good but opens up to reveal the PC’s components. Hand-building the aluminum grille took “tens of hours, hard work and many processes,” Maximum Bubble Mods told us.
(Image credit: Maximum Bubble Mods)
Further earning the Innovation & Design title, Maximum Bubble Mods inverted and mirrored the motherboard and vertically mounted the graphics card to keep all the I/O as low as possible.
“It was all done to keep the PC from getting excessively large and to keep the I/O below the frame that my hinge would mount to,” Maximum Bubble Mods explained.
Perhaps the best part is that Spirit In Motion is now the modder’s father’s best gaming PC (you can even watch him receive the mod on this YouTube video).
“The last time we talked, he was on a Civilization kick and sounding like he was loving the PC, so I’m happy,” Maximum Bubble Mods said.
Matthew Wilson 1 day ago Cases, Featured Tech News
Antec is revamping its Cube Mini-ITX chassis for 2020. The new Antec Dark Cube comes with two panel options, allowing users to choose between tempered glass for aesthetics or a mesh front panel for optimal airflow.
The Dark Cube is described an untraditional case, but it still maintains support for the latest high-end gaming hardware. This includes motherboards up to M-ATX in size, despite being an ITX case. By using dual panel options, users can also opt for maximum airflow with a mesh front, or better aesthetics for showing off your build with a tempered glass panel instead.
The Dark Cube measures in at 512 x 240 x 406mm (Lx W x H) and features a case structure made of 3mm aerospace standard aluminium alloy. Inside the case you will find room for one 3.5″ HDD drive bay and one 2.5″ SSD bay. There are also four expansion slots.
The case supports graphics cards with a length of up to 330mm and also supports up to 1x 240mm liquid cooling radiator in the front and a 120mm radiator in the rear. There are also three fan mounts for additional cooling. Thanks to metallic rails, the Dark Cube chassis can support different configurations, including an upside down build.
The Antec Dark Cube will be available later this month with an MSRP of €209. Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: Are any of you planning on putting together a small form factor gaming PC this year? Will you be considering the Antec Dark Cube for it?
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Asus has introduced its family of custom graphics cards based on the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT GPU with 2560 stream processors and a 192-bit memory interface. The new boards formally belong to higher-end/performance mainstream segment of the market, yet they have almost all the features that are found on enthusiast-grade graphics cards.
Asus’s family of custom Radeon RX 6700 XT video cards includes three models: the Dual Radeon RX 6700 XT, the TUF Gaming Radeon RX 6700 XT, and the ROG Strix Radeon RX 6700 XT. The ROG Strix-badged Radeon RX 6700 XT card naturally sits on top of the stack, the TUF-branded board combines durability and performance, whereas the Dual card is slightly more compact than the other two and can fit into Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX cases.
(Image credit: Asus)
All the products rely on their own custom PCB that is both tall and long, which most probably indicates an enhanced voltage regulating module (VRM). The cards also feature a hardware BIOS switch to automatically load different clocks and voltage settings, so it is safe to say that the three Radeon RX 6700 XT boards from Asus feature higher frequencies than those recommended by AMD.
As far as power delivery is concerned, the ROG and the TUF Radeon RX 6700 XT cards use two eight-pin auxiliary PCIe power connectors, whereas the Dual Radeon RX 6700 XT board comes with one eight-pin and one six-pin PCIe power connectors.
(Image credit: Asus)
All of the Asus Radeon RX 6700 XT cards are equipped with a large proprietary cooling system that is wider than two slots, feature two (in case of the Dual model) or three fans that stop at idle, multiple heat pipes, and a backplate to improve cooling and guarantee longevity. Since the new custom-built Radeon RX 6700 XT cards are designed mostly for DIY enthusiasts, their coolers are equipped with addressable RGB LEDs, making sure that the card blends in with your chosen aesthetic. The ROG has plenty of LEDs, whereas the TUF and Dual boards have more modest lighting.
(Image credit: Asus)
Asus yet has to announce final specifications of its Dual Radeon RX 6700 XT, TUF Gaming Radeon RX 6700 XT, and ROG Strix Radeon RX 6700 XT cards, so at this point it is impossible to tell how the new cards stack up against AMD’s reference design.
Asus did not disclose pricing or availability dates of its Radeon RX 6700 XT, though given the current deficit of GPUs and components, this is hardly surprising.
While we still don’t have an Intel Rocket Lake-S Core i9-11900K CPU to use for testing, Intel Z590 boards have been rolling in. So while we await benchmark results, we’ll be walking in detail through the features of these brand-new boards. First up on our bench was the ASRock Z590 Steel Legend 6E Wi-Fi, followed by the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master and Gigabyte’s Z590 Vision G. Today, we take a close look at the MSI MEG Z590 Ace. We’ll have to wait for benchmark results, though, to see if it deserves a spot on our best motherboards list.
The latest version of the Ace board features robust power delivery, four M.2 sockets, a premium audio codec and more. The new Ace also has updated styling on the heatsink and shrouds while still keeping the black with gold highlights theme from the previous generation. Emblazoned on the rear IO is the MSI Dragon (with RGB LEDs) and the Ace name (no lighting). We don’t have an exact price for the MEG Z590 Ace. However, the Z490’s MSRP was $399, so we expect the Z590 version to cost the same or slightly more.
MSI’s current Z590 product stack consists of 11 models, with most falling into the MEG (high-end) MPG (mid-range) and MAG (budget) lineups. We’re greeted by several familiar SKUs and a couple of new ones. Starting at the top is the flagship MEG Z590 Godlike, the Ace we’re looking at now, and a Mini ITX MEG Z590I Unify. The mid-range MPG line consists of four boards (Carbon EK X, Gaming Edge WiFi, Gaming Carbon WiFi and Gaming Force), while the less expensive MAG lineup consists of two boards (Z590 Tomahawk WiFi, and Torpedo). Wrapping up the current product stack are two ‘Pro’ boards in the Z590 Pro WiFi and Z590-A Pro. The only thing missing out of the gate is a Micro ATX board, but it’s likely we see one or two down the line.
We can’t talk about Rocket Lake-S performance yet — not that we have a CPU at this time to test boards with anyway. All we’ve seen at this point are rumors and a claim from Intel of a significant increase to IPC. But the core count was lowered from 10 cores/20 threads in Comet Lake (i9-10900K) to 8 cores/16 threads in the yet-to-be-released i9-11900K. To that end, we’ll stick with specifications and features, adding a full review that includes benchmarking, overclocking and power consumption shortly.
MSI’s MEG Z590 Ace includes all the bits you expect from a premium motherboard. The board has a stylish appearance, very capable power delivery (16-phase 90A Vcore) and the flagship Realtek ALC4082 audio codec with included DAC. We’ll cover these features and much more in detail below. First, here are the full specs from MSI.
(1) Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 (MU-MIMO, 2.4/5/6GHz, BT 5.2)
USB Controllers
??
HD Audio Codec
Realtek ALC4082
DDL/DTS Connect
✗ / DTS:X Ultra
Warranty
3 Years
The accessories included with the board are reasonably comprehensive, including most of what you need to get started. Below is a full list.
Manual
Quick Installation Guide
USB drive (Drivers)
Cleaning brush
Screwdrivers
Stickers (MEG/Cable)
(4) SATA cables
(4) Screws/standoff sets for M.2 sockets
Thermistor cable
1 to 2 RGB LED Y cable, Corsair RGB LED cable, Rainbow RGB LED cable
DP to mini DP cable
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Looking at the Z590 Ace for the first time, we see the black PCB along with black heatsinks and shrouds covering most of the board. MSI stenciled on identifying language such as the MEG Ace name and the MSI Gaming Dragon in gold, setting this SKU apart from the rest. The VRM heatsinks are both made from a solid block of aluminum with lines cut out. Additionally, the shroud is made of metal and connected to the heat pipes, increasing surface area significantly. Also worth noting is the VRM heatsinks share the load connected via heatpipe. RGB LED lighting is minimal here, with a symbol on the chipset shining through a mesh cover on the chipset heatsink and the MSI dragon above the rear IO. While tastefully done, some may want more. With its mostly black appearance, the board won’t have trouble fitting in most build themes.
(Image credit: MSI)
Focusing on the top half of the board, we’ll get a better look at what’s going with the VRM heatsinks and other board features in this area. In the upper-left corner, we spot two 8-pin EPS connectors, one of which is required for operation. Just below this is the shroud covering the rear IO bits and part of the VRM heatsink. On it is a carbon-fiber pattern along with the MSI Gaming Dragon illuminated by RGB LEDs. The socket area is relatively clean, with only a few caps visible.
Just above the VRM heatsink is the first of eight fan headers. All fan headers on the board are the 4-pin type and support PWM- and DC-controlled fans and pumps. The CPU_FAN1 header supports up to 2A/24W and auto-detects the attached device type. The PUMP_FAN1 supports up to 3A/36W. The rest of the system fan headers support up to 1A/12W. This configuration offers plenty of support for most cooling systems. That said, I would like to have seen all pump headers auto-detect PWM/DC modes instead of only CPU_FAN1.
To the right of the socket are four reinforced DRAM slots. The Z590 Ace supports up to 128GB of RAM with speeds listed up to DDR4 5600 (for one stick with one rank). The highest supported speed with two DIMMs is DDR4 4400+, which is plenty fast enough for an overwhelming majority of users.
MOving down the right edge of the board, we see the 2-character debug LED up top, a system fan header, five voltage read points (Vcore/DRAM/SA/IO/IO2), 4-LED debug, 24-pin ATX connector, and finally, a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C front panel header. Between both debug tools and the voltage read points, you’ll have an accurate idea of what’s going on with your PC.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
With the MEG Z590 Ace towards the top of the product stack, you’d expect well-built power delivery and you wouldn’t be wrong. MSI lists the board as 16+2+1 (Vcore/GT/SA) and it uses a Renesas ISL69269 (X+Y+Z = 8+2+1) PWM controller that feeds power to eight-phase doublers (Renesas ISL617A), then onto 16 90A Renesas ISL99390B MOSFETs for the Vcore. This configuration yields 1440A of power for the CPU, which is plenty for ambient and sub-ambient/extreme overclocking. It won’t be this board holding you back in any overclocking adventures, that’s for sure.
(Image credit: MSI)
As we focus on the bottom half, we’ll take a closer look at the integrated audio, PCIe slot configuration and storage. Starting with the audio bits on the left side, under the shroud, is the Realtek latest premium codec, the ALC4082. Additionally, the Z590 Ace includes an ESS Sabre 9018Q2C combo DAC, a dedicated headphone amplifier (up to 600 Ohm) and high-quality Chemicon audio capacitors. This audio solution should be more than adequate for most users.
In the middle of the board are four M.2 sockets and five PCIe slots. With the PCIe connectivity, all three full-length slots are reinforced to prevent shearing and EMI, while the two PCIe x1 slots don’t have any reinforcement. The top slot supports PCIe 4.0 x16 speeds, with the second and third slots PCIe 3.0. The slots break down as follows, x16/x0/x4 x8/x8/x4 or x8/x4+x4/x4. This configuration supports 2-Way Nvidia SLI and 2-Way AMD Crossfire technologies. All x1 slots and the full-length bottom slot are fed from the chipset, while the top two full-length slots source their lanes from the CPU.
M.2 storage on the Z590 Ace consists of four onboard sockets supporting various speeds and module lengths. The top slot, M2_1, supports PCIe 4.0 x4 modules up to 110mm. Worth noting on this socket is that it only works with an 11th Gen Intel CPU installed. M2_2, M2_3, M2_4 are fed from the chipset, with M2_2 and M2_3 supporting SATA- and PCIe-based modules up to 80mm, while M2_4 supports PCIe only. M2_2/3/4 are all PCIe 3.0 x4.
The way this is wired, you will lose some SATA ports and PCIe bandwidth depending on the configuration. For example, SATA2 is unavailable when using a SATA-based SSD in the M2_2 socket. SATA 5/6 are unavailable when using the M2_3 socket with any type of device. Finally, the bandwidth on M2_4 switches from x4 to x2 when PCI_E5 (bottom x1 slot) is used. The M.2 sockets support RAID 0/1 for those who would like additional speed or redundancy.
Finally, along the right edge of the board are six horizontally oriented SATA ports. The Z590 Ace supports RAID 0, 1 and 10 on the SATA ports. Just be aware you lose a couple of ports on this board if you’re using some of the M.2 sockets. Above these ports is a USB 3.2 Gen1 front panel header along with another 4-pin system fan header.
Across the board’s bottom edge are several headers, including more USB ports, fan headers, and more. Below is the full list, from left to right:
Front Panel Audio
aRGB and RGB headers
(3) System Fan headers
Supplemental PCIe power
Tuning controller connector
Temperature sensor
(2) USB 2.0 headers
LED switch
BIOS selector switch
OC Retry jumper
TPM header
Power and Reset buttons
Slow mode jumpers
Front panel connectors
(Image credit: MSI)
Moving to the rear IO area, we see the integrated IO plate sporting a black background with gold writing matching the board theme. There are eight USB Type-A ports (two USB 3.2 Gen2, four USB 3.2 Gen1 and two USB 2.0 ports). On the Type-C front, the Z590 Ace includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports capable of speeds up to 40 Gbps. Just to the right of those are Mini-DisplayPort inputs for running video through the Thunderbolt connection(s). Handling the video output for the CPU’s integrated graphics is a single HDMI (2.0b) port. We also spy here the Wi-Fi antenna connections, 5-plug plus SPDIF audio stack, Intel 2.5 GbE and finally, a Clear CMOS button and BIOS Flashback button that can be used without a CPU.
Software
For Z590, MSI has changed up its software offerings. We used to have several individual programs to adjust the system, but MSI moved to an all-in-one application called MSI Center with thisboard. The new Software is a central repository for many of the utilities (12) MSI offers. These include Mystic Light (RGB control), AI Cooling (adjust fan speeds), LAN Manager (control the NIC), Speed Up (for storage), Gaming Mode (auto-tune games), among several others (see the screenshots below for details). The User Scenario application has a couple of presets for system performance and is where you manually adjust settings, including CPU clock speeds and voltage, RAM timings, and more. Overall, I like the move to a single application. The user interface is easy to read and get around in. However, sometimes loading these applications takes longer than I would like to see. But MSI Center does an excellent job of pulling everything in.
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Firmware
To give you a taste of the Firmware, we’ve gathered screenshots showing most BIOS screens. MSI’s BIOS is unique from the other board partners in that the headings aren’t at the top but split out to the sides. In each section, all the frequently used options are easy to find and not buried deep within menus. Overall, MSI didn’t change much here when moving from Z490 to Z590 and their BIOS continues to be easy to use.
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Future Tests and Final Thoughts
With Z590 boards arriving but now Rocket Lake-S CPUs yet, we’re in an odd place. We know most of these boards should perform similarly to our previous Z490 motherboard reviews. And while there are exceptions, they are likely mostly at the bottom of the product stack. To that end, we’re posting these as detailed previews until we get data using a Rocket Lake processor.
Once we receive a Rocket Lake CPU and as soon as any embargos have expired, we’ll fill in the data points, including the benchmarking/performance results, as well as overclocking/power and VRM temperatures.
We’ll also be updating our test system hardware to include a PCIe 4.0 video card and storage. This way, we can utilize the platform to its fullest using the fastest protocols supported. We will also update to the latest Windows 10 64-bit OS (20H2) with all threat mitigations applied and update the video card driver and use the newest release when we start this testing. We use the latest non-beta motherboard BIOS available to the public unless otherwise noted. While we do not have performance results from the yet-to-be-released Rocket Lake CPU, we’re confident the 70A VRMs will handle the i9-11900K processor without issue. A quick test of the i9-10900K found the board quite capable with that CPU, easily allowing the 5.2 GHz overclock we set. For now, we’ll focus on features, price, and appearance until we gather performance data from the new CPU.
(Image credit: MSI)
The MSI MEG Z590 Ace is a premium motherboard adorned with several high-end features, including a very robust VRM capable of handling 10th and 11th generation flagship Intel processors at both stock speeds and overclocked. Additionally, the board includes four M.2 sockets, 2.5 GbE and integrated Wi-Fi 6E, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports for increased bandwidth and peripheral flexibility.
The MEG Z590 Ace’s 16-phase 90A VRM handled our i9-10900K without issue, even overclocked to 5.2 GHz. We’ll retest once we receive our Rocket Lake-based i9-11900K, but so long as the BIOS is right, it shouldn’t pose any problems for this board. Although it has four M.2 sockets, unlike the Gigabyte Z590 Vision G, using these sockets causes SATA ports to drop, because more lanes are tied to the chipset on this board). That said, if you’re in a worst-case scenario, you can run four M.2 modules and still have three SATA ports left over. Most users should find this acceptable.
As far as potential drawbacks go, the price point of $400-plus will be out of reach for some users. Another concern for some may be the lack of RGB elements on the board. The MSI dragon and chipset heatsink light up with RGB LEDs, but that’s it. If you like a lot of RGB LED bling, you can add it via the four aRBG/RGB headers located around the board. The other drawback is the lack of a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port, but the faster Thunderbolt 4 ports certainly make up for that.
Direct competitors at this price point are the Asus ROG Strix Z590-E Gaming, Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master, and the ASRock Z590 Taichi. All of these boards are plenty capable with the differences residing in VRMs (Gigabyte gets the nod here), M.2 storage (MSI and Giga both have four) and audio (the Ace has the most premium codec). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if you forced me to pick among these, the Taichi would be the board I’d want to show off the most. That said, no board here is a turnoff and has its own benefit over another.
The Ace’s appearance, including the brushed aluminum and carbon fiber-like finish, really gives it a premium look and feel, while easily blending in with your build theme. If your budget allows for a ~$400 motherboard and you’re looking for a lot of M.2 storage and enjoy a premium audio experience, the MEG Z590 Ace is an excellent option near that price point. Stay tuned for benchmarking, overclocking, and power results using the new Rocket Lake CPU.
I would like to thank Deepcool for supplying the review sample.
The Macube series from Deepcool offers a solid steel exterior and a clean glass side panel with a functional no-frills interior while being budget-friendly. So when Deepcool offered us the Macube 110 for review, we jumped at the opportunity. The Deepcool Macube 110 is a smaller mATX variant to the larger ATX Macube 310, but with the same solid feel and clean, understated design. As with the bigger variant, the Macube 110 is available in black or white.
Not a lot of companies have announced Mini-ITX versions of their Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060-based graphics cards so far, but among them is PNY, one of Nvidia’s premier partners. One store in Germany claims to have stock of PNY’s GeForce RTX 3060 board designed for compact machines, and there are three things that immediately attract attention: a minimalist design, integrated addressable RGB lights, and a very long name.
From a specifications point of view, PNY’s GeForce RTX 3060 12GB XLR8 Gaming Revel Epic-X RGB Single Fan Edition is a rather regular Nvidia GA106-300-based graphics card with 12GB of GDDR6 memory. The board has a stock 1320 MHz clock, which boosts up to 1807 MHz, slightly higher than a stock RTX 3060 12GB. It carries a single-fan dual-slot cooling system, requires an eight-pin auxiliary PCIe power plug, and features four display connectors: three DisplayPort 1.4a and a single HDMI 2.1 port.
(Image credit: PNY)
The card looks as minimalistic as some of its Mini-ITX counterparts from other manufacturers, but since it has integrated Epic-X RGB lighting, it immediately attracts the attention of enthusiasts and modders. Not all components aimed at Mini-ITX builds feature RGB LEDs, so for this PNY deserves praise.
(Image credit: PNY)
PNY formally added its Mini-ITX GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card to the lineup a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, it is already listed at Amazon.NL with availability date of February 25, 2021. The board is not currently available, but the listing may indicate that the online store expects it to hit its virtual shelves shortly. Unfortunately, Amazon does not publish any information about pricing of the graphics card.
I would like to thank Fractal Design for supplying the review sample.
Today, we are reviewing the Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact. As the name implies, it a shorter and thus smaller variant of the original Meshify 2. Fractal Design is following the same MO by taking the tooling and frame of the Define 7 Compact and adding the Meshify exterior with its front mesh design and airflow-focused top panel. You may still pick between several different colors and even grades of tint for the glass window. For the review of the Fractal Design Meshify 2 Compact, we received the gray variant, which is also a first for us.
Fractal Design’s Meshify 2 Compact offers an excellent foundation for thermally demanding ATX gaming systems. And although it’s a bit expensive, it’s a very well thought-through chassis that ships with three good fans.
For
Thoughtful interior and classy design
Ships with three quality fans
Great cable management
Excellent thermal performance
Easy filter access for cleaning
Against
Strong competition
Materials could be better
Sticky power button (at least on our sample)
Fans don’t have PWM control
No RGB (a pro, for some)
Specifications and Features
When Fractal Design launched its Meshify 2 chassis, it impressed us so much that we had no choice but to award it a rare five stars. So you can imagine that I was quite excited when the company reached out asking if I wanted to review the new Meshify 2 Compact. In essence, it’s the same case but a little shorter, cutting back on the extreme storage or radiator setup possibilities, but offering the same basic design.
Because of this, the Meshify 2 Compact is arguably the more mainstream case suited to standard ATX setups that don’t need a ton of space – the vast majority of gaming systems. However, priced at $110, it’s not the most budget-friendly option, and it’s competing in a crowded segment. Let’s find out if Fractal Design has what it takes to earn yet another spot on our Best PC Cases list.
Specifications
Type
Mid-Tower ATX
Motherboard Support
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX
Dimensions (HxWxD)
18.7 x 8.3 x 16.8 inches (474 x 210 x 427 mm)
Max GPU Length
14.2 inches (360 mm)
CPU Cooler Height
6.7 inches (169 mm)
Max PSU Length
6.5 inches (165 mm)
External Bays
✗
Internal Bays
2x 3.5-inch
2x 2.5-inch
Expansion Slots
7x
Front I/O
2x USB 3.0, USB-C, 3.5 mm Headphone, 3.5mm Mic
Other
(Removable) Tempered Glass Panel
Front Fans
2x 140mm (Up to 2x 140mm, 3x 120mm)
Rear Fans
1x 120mm (Up to 1x 120mm)
Top Fans
None (Up to 2x 140mm)
Bottom Fans
None (Up to 1x 120mm)
Side Fans
✗
RGB
No
Damping
No
Warranty
1 Year
Features
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For this review, I asked Fractal Design to send us the gray option as I was curious to see how this color option would turn out. We had already seen the black color on the full-size Meshify 2, and white wasn’t available just yet.
Circling around the case, it’s immediately clear that this is a Fractal Design chassis – if not from the ‘Fractal’ text on the front mesh’s door handle, you can tell from the folds in the mesh and the grille pattern that’s also unique to Fractal Design.
The sheet metal isn’t particularly thick, nor is this a heavy case. If you’re after a tank-type case, perhaps the Lian Li Lancool II Mesh is more up your alley. But the thin sheet metal here is only really noticed when you’re handling the case. Once sat in place, the Meshify 2 Compact looks like a quality piece of kit and the design efforts stand out beautifully.
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That being said, Fractal Design goes out of its way to make the case look good, almost to a fault. At the top IO, you’ll note that the tolerances between the removable top panel and the ports and buttons is extremely tight. This looks great, and for the ports it isn’t an issue, but it’s a little bit problematic on the power button. Our sample had a sticky power button. If you pressed it near the top, the button would get stuck in the down position – and yes, it did shut down our PC when we weren’t paying attention.
We didn’t experience this issue with the bigger Meshify 2, so it’s very possible that it’s something down to our sample. But if you have the same issue, don’t hesitate to ask Fractal Design for a fix . A sticking power button shouldn’t happen with any case, especially not one that costs $110.
Otherwise, top IO comprises discrete headphone and mic jacks, a USB Type-C port, and two USB 3.0 ports – all very complete.
To pull off the side panels, you simply pull them from the rear tab and take them off the case – it’s that easy. With that, we move on to the case’s internals.
Internal Layout
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When it comes to the interior layout of the Meshify 2 Compact, there’s very little worth mentioning – it’s all very industry standard with a main motherboard compartment with room for GPUs up to 13.4 inches (341 mm) long with the front fans installed (14.2 inches, or 360 mm without), CPU coolers up to 6.7-inches (169 mm) tall, two 3.5-inch drives in the PSU compartment and two 2.5-inch drives behind the motherboard tray.
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What I also appreciate is the cable management system. The case comes with rubber grommets on almost all access points to the main compartment, which goes a long way to making things look tidy on the inside by hiding the clutter behind the motherboard tray.
Cooling
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You can fit up to a 240mm AIO at the top of the case, along with up to a 360mm AIO at the front. The PSU shroud will be in the way of longer radiators on the intake, but it has removable pieces to make space for bigger coolers. Just note that if you do install a large radiator at the front, you’ll have to bump the HDD tray to make space. That said, 280mm radiators will fit fine without this sacrifice.
Of course, the Meshify 2 Compact’s strength is in cooling. The chassis comes from the factory with two 140mm fans on the intake and one 120mm fan at the rear exhaust, which is very complete indeed. That’s more than most cases, but it should be for $110.
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Filtration is provided on every possible intake location, including the top exhaust. The front filter is easily removed by swinging the door open, pulling it out of its hinge, and then removing the filter. You can access the top filter by pulling off the top panel from the rear.
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Another detail we appreciate is the bottom filter, as it’s removable from the front of the case. If you’re like us and have the back of your PC stuck near a wall, you know how annoying it can be to have to move the entire chassis to get to the PSU’s filter.
PC case and peripheral maker NZXT has recalled its H1 mini-ITX case due to the possibility of a fire hazard under normal use (via Tom’s Hardware). If you used the metal screws included with the $350 case to secure your graphics card or other PCIe device to the riser, there was a chance you’d create sparks, or a fire, if it came into contact with a trace in the printed circuit board.
NZXT seemed to know this in late 2020 when it opted to send out nylon plastic screw kits for H1 owners (upon request) to use in place of the metal ones. But it didn’t issue a full recall at that point, instead opting to resume selling the case. It initially stated that the issue affected “fewer than ten H1 cases,” but more recently YouTube channel Gamers Nexus argued that the nylon screws don’t solve the root problem. If owners ever switched to using a metal screw in the rise, they’d reintroduce the possibility of a fire. It could also spell trouble for people who use metal screws and aren’t aware of the issue.
Gamers Nexus helped to further expose this hazard in a series of videos (here’s parts one, two, and three), showing its work along the way, which essentially proved the design to be flawed — and dangerous. According to its research (and confirmed by NZXT in the FAQ section of this post), the screw’s thread can brush up against the trace in the circuitry as it’s twisted into place. Gamers Nexus worked with NZXT and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a government agency, which issued a Fast Track recall of the PC case on February 12th. CPSC says you should stop using the recalled case, a situation which isn’t convenient ever — especially during a pandemic when it’s tougher to get a different case quickly.
The recall affects 32,000 cases sold in the US, along with about 1,024 sold in Canada. The CPSC notes that the recall involves “cases with model numbers CA-H16WR-W1 (matte white) and CA-H16WR-B1 (matte black) and serial numbers 1200233400001 to 1203962204202, 00648999610844189725 to 00648999610844206361, and 0120AC00100001 to 01211C01900285.” You can find that info on the bottom of the case.
As noted on the CPSC site, if you’re affected, you can call NZXT toll-free at 888-965-5520 from 11AM to 9PM ET (8AM to 6PM PT) Monday through Friday, or contact the company by email at h1support@nzxt.comoronline at https://info.nzxt.com/h1-recall/ or www.nzxt.com and click on “Contact” then “Customer Support” for more information.
Razer’s Tomahawk takes an excellent case as foundation and bolts on some basic design flaws, ruining a case design that could otherwise have been brilliant
For
Absolute tank of a chassis
Heavy, quality materials
Quiet operation
Great looks
Against
Restricted front intake
Air doesn’t flow through front intake filter
Only includes one fan
Thermally abysmal
Features and Specifications
When Razer announced its Tomahawk ATX chassis, the first thing that stood out to me is that it appeared to carry the same internals as the Lian Li Lancool II Mesh, a case that we awarded full marks. As such, the Tomahawk ATX is off to a good start, but there’s one big elephant in the room that we must address before we continue: this Razer chassis, despite the same foundations, costs a mighty $200 – twice the price of Lian Li’s excellence.
Therefore, when Razer offered to send a sample, I was very curious to find out where the added $100 went. So without further ado, let’s find out whether the Tomahawk ATX is actually worth its price tag and deserving of a spot on our Best PC Cases list, or whether you should save yourself some money and opt for the excellent Lancool II Mesh instead.
Specifications
Type
Mid-Tower ATX
Motherboard Support
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX (280 mm)
Dimensions (HxWxD)
18.7 x 9.3 x 19.5 inches (475 x 235 x 494 mm)
Max GPU Length
15.1 inches (384 mm)
CPU Cooler Height
6.9 inches (176 mm)
Max PSU Length
8.3 inches (210 mm)
External Bays
✗
Internal Bays
3x 3.5-inch
2x 2.5-inch
Expansion Slots
7x
Front I/O
2x USB 3.0
3.5 mm Headphone
3.5mm Mic
Other
2x (Removable) Tempered Glass Panel
Chroma RGB Controller
Front Fans
None (Up to 2x 140mm, 3x 120mm)
Rear Fans
1x 120mm (Up to 1x 120mm)
Top Fans
None (Up to 2x 140mm)
Bottom Fans
None (Up to 2x 120 mm on PSU shroud)
Side Fans
✗
RGB
Yes, Razer Chroma
Damping
No
Warranty
1 Year
Features
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Circling around the outside of the chassis, it’s clear that Razer opted for a very clean and blocky style. It’s quite appealing really, as paired with the extremely dark-tinted glass panels, the chassis has a heft, power, and mystery to it. This thing does look like a $200 case.
But don’t miss me when I say heft – this is a chonky 30-pound (13.5 kg) boy. I’m not kidding when I say it was a challenge to take out of the box.
Okay, so maybe I’ve been away from the gym too much in this pandemic, but all the 0.8mm thick steel and oceans of tempered glass do give the case a quality feel. It’s built like an absolute tank and that goes a long way toward justifying the price point.
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Both the tempered glass panels swing outwards to open up. First, you press them once to click them out, after which you can pull the door away from the magnet – or if you don’t want to get fingerprints on them, just grab the panels from below to pull them out. After opening all the way, you can lift both panels off their hinges.
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And with the hinges, Razer went the extra mile. Whereas the Lancool II has hinges on the outside that kind of look a little cheap, Razer designed a hinge that sits on the inside of the case, giving a much cleaner appearance on the outside – even if it’s at the back of the case.
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Front IO comprises USB-C (something that’s an optional extra on the Lancool II Mesh), two USB 3.0 ports, and discrete headphone and mic jacks.
Internal Layout
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Turning to the inside of the chassis, on the motherboard side we find space for up to 280 mm wide E-ATX motherboards, though you’ll have to remove the cable management cover to fit such boards. Standard-width ATX boards fit best. GPUs can be up to 15.1 inches (384 mm) long and CPU coolers up to 176mm tall.
The PSU shroud has a door that’s also magnetically held in place and can flip down for access. Here you’ll find a trio of 3.5-inch caddies that slide out toward you. There’s plenty of space here for large PSUs too, with supported lengths of up to 8.3 inches (210mm).
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Behind the motherboard tray on the other side of the case you’ll find two 2.5-inch drive bays. These can be moved to the top of the PSU shroud if you want to show off pretty SATA SSDs. You’ll also find the cable management space here with three Velcro straps and the Chroma RGB hub. This hub connects to and is powered through an internal USB 2.0 header.
Cooling
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
When it comes to cooling, I suspect things are going to get interesting with the Tomahawk ATX – and I don’t mean that in a good way.
Starting with the good stuff, the case has plenty of room for fans and radiators. You can fit up to two 140mm spinners at the top, two 140mm spinners at the front (or three 120mm units in both cases), two 120mm fans on top of the PSU shroud, and one 120mm spinner at the rear exhaust location. There’s also lots of radiator space in here.
Where things go sour is in the intake design and the included fans – or rather, lack thereof. From the factory, Razer only includes a single 120mm fan, and it isn’t even PWM controlled, nor does it feature any RGB. This isn’t the kind of skimping you expect to see on a $200 case.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
That being said, we’ve proved in the past that cases can get away with a single fan, right? Well, yes, but only if the intake is open mesh – which it isn’t here. As you can see in the images above, the front intake for the Tomahawk ATX is severely restricted, with an attempt at filtration behind the already tight perforation on the front edges.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
To make matters worse, the case also has a shortcut that air can take around this intake – at the bottom handhold to pull the front panel off. As such, the Tomahawk ATX doesn’t have any real airflow path, nor proper intake filtration – this system will get dirty on the inside faster than other cases.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Fortunately the power supply does have a good air filter, so you won’t need to tear it apart for cleanup jobs.
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