Montech Air 100 ARGB Review

Montech Air 100 ARGB is a microATX case that comes with four 120mm ARGB fans, a tempered glass window and the promise of great cooling to earn that Air name. That sounds like a decent list of features, however the cherry on the cake is that Montech Air 100 ARGB is cheap. Really, REALLY cheap.

Main features

• Super Fine Mesh Face Plate
• Excellent Thermal Performance
• Simplistic Minimalist Design
• Four ARGB Fans & Lighting Controller Included
• Side Swivel Tempered Glass Side Panel
• Fit Long Graphic Card

Specification:

• Motherboard support: Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX.
• Expansion slots: 4
• Included fans: 3x 120mm ARGB front intake, 1x 120mm rear exhaust.
• Fan mounts: 3x 120mm/2x 140mm front, 2x 120/140mm roof, 1x 120mm rear, 2x 120mm floor.
• Radiator mounts: 240mm/280mm front, 240mm roof, 120mm rear.
• 5.25-inch optical drive bays: None.
• Internal drive bays: 2x 3.5-inch/2.5-inch, 2×2.5-inch.
• Front I/O panel: 2x USB 3.0 type-A, 1x USB 2.0, headset jacks.
• Dimensions: 425mm H x 405mm D x 210mm W.

Testing

To put this case through its cooling paces we will be using a test system consisting of an Intel Core i5-11600K, Radeon RX 6800 XT and an SSD. This system allows us to produce a substantial amount of heat and effectively test the Montech Air 100 ARGB‘s cooling capabilities. For stress testing we use 3DMark Time Spy to create a workload that replicates game play.

Test System:

• Processor: Intel Core i5-11600K (6 cores/12 threads
• CPU cooler: Fractal Design Celsius+ S24 Prism
• Motherboard: MSI MAG B560M Mortar WiFi
• Memory: 32GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3600MHz
• Graphics card: Sapphire Radeon RX 6800XT 16GB
• Power supply: Montech Century 850W Gold
• SSD: 500GB Sabrent Rocket 4.0 M.2 NVMe
• OS: Windows 10

Cooling Performance

Cooling Performance Overview

The Montech Air 100 ARGB did a fine job in our Time Spy Stress Test while drawing 425W from the wall socket. The six 120mm fans were running at 1,200rpm and our test results were very acceptable.

Closing Thoughts

When Montech told us the prices of the various versions of the Air 100 ARGB we worked hard to keep our expectations in check. Once you allow for taxes, packaging and shipping you're working with a tiny sum of money that suggests the four ARGB fans cost about £2 each and the bare chassis is £20 or £25.

Our maths may be off but however you look at it the Montech Air 100 ARGB is very cheap and could be excused if it was a terrible piece of work. In fact it functions well and succeeds in pretty much every area. The list of problems we found with the Montech Air 100 ARGB is very short and doesn't contain any deal breakers.

Perhaps the biggest problem with the Montech Air 100 ARGB is the form factor as microATX has never been all that popular in the UK. A microATX motherboard is a good way to save money but most high end motherboards are ATX or larger and we know full well those are the boards that appeal to the KitGuru audience.

If you are planning to build a PC that is capable, rather than super duper high-end, and you plump for a motherboard such as the MSI MAG B560M Mortar WiFi used here, or the ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-Plus (Wi-Fi) reviewed by Luke, you may well find the Montech Air 100 ARGB fulfils your requirements and saves you a decent amount of money at the same time.

We don't yet have a buy link but you will be able to buy the Montech Air 100 ARGB Black for £51.99.

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Pros:

• Four 120mm ARGB fans are included
• Glass door and front filter are retained with magnets
• Front I/O is on the main frame of the case
• Plenty of options for adding storage
• Tint on glass for the black case is very light

Cons:

• User manual does not explain RGB control modes
• Power supply dust filter is fiddly
• Thumb screws are not captive
• Hinge pins are equal length

KitGuru says: Montech Air 100 ARGB is surprisingly good and offers superb value for money.

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