|
Design & Features
The first thing that hit me with this case was how light it is. The ECO is
just as light if not lighter than the Casemaxx 210, the lightest case I’ve
ever seen. The ECO features an all aluminum chassis with almost no frills to
make it weigh any bit heavier than it has to.
|
**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
The front of the ECO is rather well done. The styling is enough to be
noticed, but is nicely understated. This is certainly a box that will fit in
well in a professional setting. The venting on the lower front is very
functional, and will allow the ECO to move a lot of air. Right next to the
vent is the chromed power and reset buttons, and below that is the power and
HDD LEDs. I was in for quite a shock when I pulled the front panel off.
There is almost nothing behind the plastic bezel. Certainly this cuts back
on the weight, and also allows the air to get straight into the case without
having to go through another panel. The documentation states that both an
80mm and 120mm fans can fit into this space, and I’d agree with that
statement. The catch seems to be if you want the 120mm fan, you’ll only be
able to secure it with two screws. The two supports are only 80mm apart, but
with holes on each for 80 or 120mm fans only one will be able to be used
with a 120mm fan.
|
**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
The sides of the ECO are relatively unremarkable, save for the single 80mm
fan mount on the left side. Although it’s not going to have high airflow
with this style of grille, it will put cool air right on top of the CPU fan
right where it is needed most. Also visible on the left side of the front
bezel are the front panel connectors which include USB, Microphone, and
headphone jacks.
**click to enlarge**
The rear has a few more surprises. One thing that doomed the Casemaxx 210 in
the eyes of many was the single 60mm exhaust fan, which really could not
move the amount of air that was required. I had one 210 with a modified dual
60mm exhaust and even that was barely enough. In the ECO, there is a pair of
80mm fan mounts which will provide adequate airflow. The grilles are
stamped, but that can be easily adjusted if one has the mindset to do it.
The PCI covers are non replaceable, but the ECO does feature an interesting
method of securing the PCI cards. Removing the single screw allows the
raised panel to be removed, which holds any inserted cards in with just
pressure. If desired, a screw can be inserted in each card to make it more
secure, but it is not required. Also visible is the 350W power supply that
ships with this case. Not that much power, but more than enough for most OEM
applications. Besides, it is always nice to have a backup.
|
**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
Although it is plain, the inside of the ECO almost seems spacious. The new
Pioneer DVR-108XL drives feature honeycomb indentations to reduce vibration
on the top of the drive, and looking at the flat spots on the ECO one will
notice it has gotten a similar treatment. The ECO design certainly
subscribes to the ‘less is more’ theory, as the large gaps in the
motherboard plate clearly demonstrate. This also contributes to the overall
light weight of this chassis.
|
