dual chamber | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Wed, 20 Dec 2023 14:26:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png dual chamber | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Lian Li O11 Vision Case Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/james-dawson/lian-li-o11-vision-case-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/james-dawson/lian-li-o11-vision-case-review/#respond Wed, 20 Dec 2023 14:00:34 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=640934 No top fans or radiator... so how does it handle system thermals?

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We have reviewed several Lian Li O11 cases over the years, but just when you thought Lian Li couldn’t possibly do any more with its O11 case series the company goes and launches another variant! This time around it's not an O11 D but an O11 V for Vision. The O11 Vision offers most of the features of the O11D but with three sides of tempered glass for the ultimate system showcase. But can it match the hardware support and great cooling that we have come to expect from the O11 series? Let’s find out.

Timestamps:

00:00 Start
00:55 Some details and pricing
02:11 A closer look / removing panels
04:54 High and low mode
05:34 GPU/Cooler support/rear of case
07:27 Right hand side / white cables !
09:00 Front panel
09:29 Case floor
10:15 Accessories / build hardware
12:25 New Lian Li UNIFAN TL Fans
14:46 Thermal tests
15:45 James' closing thoughts

O11 Vision Features:

  • Lian Li has teamed up with the PC Master Race community to design a dual chamber case that elegantly displays the system and the user's installation skills.
  • The O11 Vision features 3-piece panoramic tempered glass side panels for an unobstructed view of the system to produce the ultimate look. All support frames and columns are removed.
  • Three glass panels connect at the top corners into a magnetic mounting key hidden behind a white and grey gradient on the glass.
  • Similar to the O11 Dynamic EVO XL case, the O11 Vision motherboard tray can be removed and adjusted between high and low positions for improved cooling options.
  • The O11 Vision features a modular side panel and radiator bracket design for easy installation and quick access to the system.
  • Support for up to 2 x 360mm + 1 x 240mm radiators and up to eight fans or eleven fans in push-pull radiator configuration.

Specifications:

  • Case Type: Mid-Tower (dual chamber)
  • Dimensions: (D) 480mm x ( W ) 304mm x (H) 464.5mm
  • Material: Steel 4.0mm Tempered Glass 3.0mm Tempered Glass Aluminum
  • Motherboard Support: E-ATX (Under 280mm)/ATX/Micro-ATX/Mini-ITX
  • Expansion Slots: 6+1
  • Storage Bays: Behind MB Tray: 3 x 2.5” SSD Hard Drive Cage: 2 X 3.5′′ HDD or 2.5′′ SSD
  • Max GPU Size: 455mm (Max.)
  • Max CPU Cooler Height: 167mm (Max.)
  • Max PSU Size: ATX (Under 220mm)
  • Fan Support: (side) 3 x 120mm / 2 x 140mm (bottom) 3 x 120mm / 3 x 140mm (Rear) 1 or 2 x 120mm
  • Pre-installed fans: N/A
  • Radiator Support: (side) 360 / 240 / 280mm (bottom) 360 / 240 / 280mm (rear) 240/ 120mm
  • Dust Filters: Bottom x 1
  • Font I/O: 1 x Power Button 1 x Reset Button 2 x USB 3.0 1 x USB Type C 1 x Audio
  • LCD Screen:  N/A

Thermal Performance Testing

To simulate thermal demand we run the Cinebench R23 multi-thread benchmark and 3DMark Speed Way stress test simultaneously in a loop for 30 minutes to fully load the system. This gives the CPU and GPU enough time to reach constant steady-state temperature. With this data, we can compare how the system handles the thermal demand and measure peak noise levels.

Thermal performance is measured with the case in various configurations, such as the default, with the tempered glass left-hand side panel removed and with the front panel removed to see how these configurations affect the CPU and GPU temperature. During testing, only stock case fans are used unless otherwise specified. All water pumps are set to maximum RPM and fans are set to a custom RPM curve by the Motherboard software/BIOS.

All temperature measurements are presented as Deltas – meaning the ambient temperature has been deducted from the CPU temperature giving us a Delta. Data shown in the charts represent the average component temperature over the length of the test as measured by HWiNFO and then the last 15 minutes of the data are calculated to get the average. The ambient temperature during thermal tests is between 20-22⁰C.

Test System Specification:

Thermal Performance Overview

The Lian Li recommendation when running an AIO in this case is to have the AIO fans and the floor fans as intakes with the rear fans as exhaust, so we tested this configuration against a couple of others.

With the case in the recommended AIO configuration, the best CPU and GPU thermals were achieved with all case panels installed. In this setup, the CPU runs at an average 72°C delta while the GPU runs comfortably at 38°C average delta under load.

Removing side panels dropped both the CPU and GPU temperatures by a few degrees. However, the alternative AIO configuration with exhaust fans negatively impacted CPU thermals, so the recommended Lian Li configuration has proved to be the best.

Closing Thoughts

It's easy to see that the Lian Li O11 Vision has been developed and built for enthusiasts by the enthusiast community. The three sides of the glass mean that no matter which angle you look at the case from, you can see the creation you have put together. The adjustable motherboard tray provides versatility to the system builder, whether you are using an AIO, air cooler or custom cooling the case can adapt to either situation. The attention to detail is key too, such as the white front I/O cables in the white case and the easily removable side panels, radiator brackets and storage bays.

I don’t think I have ever seen a power supply mount that protrudes out from the rear of the case before but it is useful in the O11 Vision. I have installed long power supplies in the O11D cases previously and struggled a little with cable management space in the second compartment, this was not an issue in the O11 Vision during this build. In fact, the whole system installation process was a breeze, I had nothing to complain about at all.

Initially, you might think that the lack of fan or radiator mounts in the roof of the case could be a problem but installing a 360mm AIO on the side mount with intake fans, using three floor-mounted intake fans, dropping the motherboard down to the low position and mounting two 120mm rear exhaust fans case thermals are surprisingly great for a case with three sides of glass. With the GPU getting direct airflow from the floor intake fans, GPU core temperature under heavy load is excellent.

The only minor negative I could find with this configuration is that you are limited in choice a little with the build layout by not having the option to install fans or a radiator in the roof, but it's not an issue as the Lian Li recommended cooling configs are the best and a well-planned system looks superb in the O11 Vision. Other dual-chamber cases look good, but for us, none do a better job of showcasing your creation than the O11 Vision. It's best not to think of the O11 Vision as a PC case, it is more of a glass display cabinet – but unlike the glass cases of old, this one shows off your system and manages to keep it cool, which shows how much case design has advanced and improved over the years.

The Lian Li O11 Vision is available to purchase from OverclockersUK priced at £129.95 HERE.

Pros:

  • Looks amazing.
  • Excellent build quality.
  • System installation is easy.
  • Great thermals for a three sided glass case.

Cons:

  • Radiator/fan restrictions with glass top.

KitGuru says: Lian Li saved its best until last this year with the O11 Vision chassis, but do you think this could be the O11's last hurrah? I'm not sure what else the company could do to revamp this chassis again.

Be sure to check out our sponsors store EKWB here

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NZXT reveals H9-series cases with a dual-chamber design https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/joao-silva/nzxt-reveals-h9-series-cases-with-a-dual-chamber-design/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/joao-silva/nzxt-reveals-h9-series-cases-with-a-dual-chamber-design/#respond Fri, 13 Jan 2023 17:00:58 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=590152 It's hard to deny how influential the Lian Li O11 Dynamic was to the PC case market. Since its release, many brands have launched their own dual-chamber cases with tempered glass, including Hyte, Antec, Raijintek, and Kolink. Now, NZXT is being added to the list with the new H9 series. Available in black and white, …

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It's hard to deny how influential the Lian Li O11 Dynamic was to the PC case market. Since its release, many brands have launched their own dual-chamber cases with tempered glass, including Hyte, Antec, Raijintek, and Kolink. Now, NZXT is being added to the list with the new H9 series.

Available in black and white, the H9 cases will have two variants. The Flow version is cheaper, using a more airflow-oriented design with mesh panels on the bottom, rear, top and right side. The other one is the Elite variant, which instead of using the top-vented panel of the Flow case, comes with a tempered glass panel with a smaller vent on the side. Moreover, the Elite cases come with an included RGB & fan controller.

Regardless of the model, the H9 features a seamless glass panelling that allows you to showcase almost every angle of the system. Thanks to the dual-chamber design, components like the PSU and storage drives are in a different division, reducing visible cabling and improving cooling. For cooling, there are three F Series 120mm RGB Duo fans and one F120Q fan. The front I/O offers two USB-A 3.2 Gen1 ports, two USB-C 3.2 Gen2 ports, and a headset audio jack.

The H9 cases support up to 3x 120mm /2x 140mm fans on the top and bottom, a 120mm fan at the rear and 3x 120mm on the side. All air intakes come with dust filters. As for the radiator support, you can put 360mm radiators on the top (280mm too), bottom (280mm too) and side (push/pull) and 120mm on the rear. There's 165mm (height) of space for CPU towers, 435 mm (length) for GPUs, and 200mm (length) for PSUs. Additionally, there are seven expansion slots. Lastly, there are 4+2 2.5-inch and two 3.5-inch drive bays.

The H9 is now available in the US for $159.99 (Flow) and $239.99 (Elite). It will also arrive in the EU and UK for €189.90/£169.99 and €289.90/£259.99, respectively.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think about the new NZXT H9 cases? Do you think they have what it takes to stand out from other similarly-designed cases?

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ASUS unveils dual-chamber TUF Gaming GT502 chassis with room for 13 fans https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/matthew-wilson/asus-unveils-dual-chamber-tuf-gaming-gt502-chassis-with-room-for-13-fans/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/matthew-wilson/asus-unveils-dual-chamber-tuf-gaming-gt502-chassis-with-room-for-13-fans/#respond Sun, 28 Aug 2022 10:39:52 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=572198 Asus is expanding its offering of cases this week with the new TUF Gaming GT502. This is a dual-chamber case, with panoramic tempered glass and a ton of room for additional cooling fans.  The TUF Gaming GT502 chassis gives users a wide array of options for planning their next high-powered build. It arrives in two …

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Asus is expanding its offering of cases this week with the new TUF Gaming GT502. This is a dual-chamber case, with panoramic tempered glass and a ton of room for additional cooling fans. 

The TUF Gaming GT502 chassis gives users a wide array of options for planning their next high-powered build. It arrives in two variants: the TUF Gaming GT502 Plus, which ships with four pre-installed ARGB fans and an ARGB hub, and the TUF Gaming GT502, which ships without fans, so you can install your own fans of choice. In all, the chassis has room for 13 fans, which should be more than enough to keep even high-end builds cool.

The rear chamber has 90mm of space for cable management, and houses the power supply. There is also room in this chamber for storage drives, or up to a 360mm radiator for liquid cooling. The main chamber is where all your main hardware will be, with broad vents to draw air through the bottom panel.

The interior of the GT502 houses graphics cards up to 400mm long. An included vertical mounting bracket lets users choose whether they would prefer to orient a graphics card horizontally or vertically — all that's needed is a riser cable to show off a card’s shroud and fans in a vertical orientation. The case also comes with a GPU holder to keep it level without sagging. This is particularly useful for graphics cards with very bulky heatsinks.

Here are the full specs:

TUF Gaming GT502 PLUS TUF Gaming GT502
Form factor ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
Size 285 x 450 x 446mm
12kg
Materials Steel, plastic, tempered glass
Front I/O 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 (Type-A)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C)
1 x Audio combo jack
1 x ARGB LED Button
3.5” / 2.5” drive bays 4
Expansion slots 8+3
Maximum GPU length 400mm
Maximum CPU cooler height 163mm
Maximum PSU length 200mm
Radiator compatibility Top: 120/140/240/280/360mm
Rear: 120mm
Side: 120/240/360mm
Right: 120/140/240/280/360mm
Cooling support Top: 2 x 140 mm / 3 x 120 mm
Rear: 1 x 120 mm
Bottom: 3 x 120 mm
Side: 3 x 120 mm
Right: 2 x 140mm / 3 x 120 mm
Pre-installed fans Top: 3 x 120mm
Rear: 1 x 120mm
N/A
Removable dust filters Right / top / bottom
Cable routing 90mm
Extension hub Supports 5V ARGB 3-pin x6 N/A
Included accessories Vertical Graphics Card Bracket (3 slot)
VGA Holder

We don't have pricing or availability yet, but we'll update once that information comes through.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you currently planning your next PC build? Will you be going for a traditional tower case, or are you considering a dual-chamber chassis this time around? 

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MagniumGear unveils new Neo Qube 2 dual-chamber cases following big rebrand https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/matthew-wilson/magniumgear-unveils-new-neo-qube-2-dual-chamber-cases-following-big-rebrand/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/matthew-wilson/magniumgear-unveils-new-neo-qube-2-dual-chamber-cases-following-big-rebrand/#respond Thu, 14 Jul 2022 14:00:12 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=568025 Back in 2018, Phanteks branched out with a secondary case brand called Metallicgear, aimed at delivering value-oriented cases. This year, Metallicgear is rebranding to MagniumGear and with that effort comes a new line-up of Neo series cases.  The new MagniumGear Neo Qube 2 and Neo Qube 2 IM (Infinity Mirror Edition) cases are launching today. …

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Back in 2018, Phanteks branched out with a secondary case brand called Metallicgear, aimed at delivering value-oriented cases. This year, Metallicgear is rebranding to MagniumGear and with that effort comes a new line-up of Neo series cases. 

The new MagniumGear Neo Qube 2 and Neo Qube 2 IM (Infinity Mirror Edition) cases are launching today. Both cases are designed to be hardware showcases, with large tempered glass panels in a mid-tower, dual-chamber design to show off your hardware from multiple angles. The IM edition also has an Infinity Mirror design on the front panel, which pairs nicely with ARGB lighting to create a unique effect.

The dual-chamber design of the case makes hardware installation and cable management easy. Despite being a mid-tower, this chassis is also highly capable of housing high-end components and cooling gear. According to the company, depending on configuration, you can fit up to three 360mm radiators in here for a powerful custom liquid cooling loop.

The Neo Qube 2 cases also have new airflow optimisations, with low restriction mesh on all sides and a slidable dust filter at the bottom. All the ARGB lights are pre-integrated and pre-programmed too, so everything will be ready to go out of the box.

The MagniumGear Neo Qube 2 and Neo Qube 2 IM will be available in both black and white colour options. The black versions start at £109.99 for the standard version and goes up to £144.99 for the Infinity Mirror Edition. The white versions start at £119.99 and goes up to £149.99 for the Infinity Mirror Edition. All four cases will be available starting this month.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning a new PC build this summer now that the GPU market has started to settle? Will you be considering a Phanteks or MagniumGear case? 

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Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO (UPDATE!) featuring EK Custom cooling https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/lian-li-o11-dynamic-evo-god-tier-goat-and-flipping-great/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/lian-li-o11-dynamic-evo-god-tier-goat-and-flipping-great/#respond Tue, 04 Jan 2022 18:35:40 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=544025 It's Leo's new favourite case - but what makes the Lian Li O11D EVO so special?

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The Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO is the successor to the original O11 Dynamic case that launched in April 2018, and that was pretty darned good. Sadly we haven't reviewed the O11D, however we used it in a custom loop Gigabyte WaterForce build HERE and were deeply impressed. The good news is that EVO is even better. We update our original review today with a second video featuring the MSI MPG X570S Carbon EK X with custom loop cooling

Timestamps:

00:00 Start
00:15 Recap
01:07 Custom loop goodness with AMD
01:50 The cooling hardware detailed
02:48 MSI MPG X570S Carbon EK X closeup
06:30 Getting the motherboard ready / install
08:33 More hardware installed
08:58 Installing the graphics card (vertical GPU mount)
10:17 The final touches and boot up
11:09 PC up and running
11:55 Leo gets some EK christmas gifts!
12:10 Test details / Leo explains results
16:02 Leos thoughts after two system builds

Timestamps:

0:00 Start
00:15 Introduction
01:12 A tour of the original
03:23 What have they done with the EVO?
03:57 The panels and front I/O 04:55 Inside / changes
05:32 Other features and details 08:28 Accessory box / extras supplied
09:29 Supplied plate for drives 10:02 Front mesh kit accessory
10:34 Side bracket can be reversed 11:00 Top I/O kit accessory
11:39 moving the bottom I/O assembly 12:47 Additional I/O Kit
13:20 Flipping the chassis 14:08 Fitting a motherboard/GPU in flip mode
16:36 Conventional mode fitting and upright GPU kit fitting
18:50 Vertical GPU in place, brackets & Leo’s thoughts
21:02 Leo talks with Lian Li
21:52 Mesh Front with many expensive Corsair/Noctua fans
24:20 Corsair H115i and Seasonic Focus 850W PSU
24:50 Leo talks about the setup – noise tests
27:04 Temperature results and discussion
28:40 Leo’s closing thoughts

On paper the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO appears to have changed very little from the original O11D. You can now install a 280mm radiator in the side location and there are mounts for nine storage drives, rather than six. As you will see in our video, the devil very much lies in the detail as you can flip the case from right hand to left hand and can also install a range of accessories that include two different GPU mounts.

Specification:

  • Motherboard support: E-ATX (up to 280mm width), ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
  • Power supply support: ATX up to 220mm length
  • Expansion slots: 8
  • Included fans: None
  • Fan mounts: 3x 120mm/2x 140mm side, 3x 120mm/2x 140mm roof, 3x 120mm/2x 140mm bottom, 1x 120mm rear
  • Radiator mounts: 360mm/280mm side, 360mm/280mm roof, 360mm bottom.
  • 5.25-inch optical drive bays: None.
  • Internal drive bays:
    • 2x 3.5-inch or 4x 2.5-inch side
    • 2x 3.5-inch or 4x 2.5-inch bottom
    • 2x 3.5-inch + 1x 2.5-inch or 3x 2.5-inch drive cage
    • 2x 2.5-inch cable management bar
  • Front I/O ports: 2x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, 1x HD Audio/Mic.
  • Dimensions: 459mm H x 465mm D x 285mm W.

We ran through a number of hardware permutations, trying the RX6800 XT graphics card horizontally, vertically and also in the upright position and while those may sound the same, as you will see in the video they are actually completely different. We also showed you eight Corsair iCUE QL140 RGB fans in operation and then changed over to ten Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM chromax.black.swap fans. It took some time but we felt it was worth the effort and while we tested the case with the black Noctuas we were impressed how well the EVO displays RGB hardware.

Performance and Testing

To put this case through its cooling paces we will be using a test system consisting of an Intel Core i9-12900K CPU, Sapphire RX6800 XT graphics and an SSD. This system allows us to produce a substantial amount of heat and effectively test the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO‘s cooling capabilities.

Test System:

  • Processor: Intel Core i9-12900K (8P+8E cores/24 threads)
  • CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydro H115i
  • Case fans: Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM chromax.black.swap
  • Motherboard: Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master
  • Memory: 32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5-5200
  • Graphics card: Sapphire RX6800 XT 16GB
  • Power supply: Seasonic Focus PX-850 850W Platinum
  • SSD: 500GB Sabrent Rocket 4.0 M.2 NVMe
  • OS: Windows 10

Thermal Performance

Thermal Performance Overview

We loaded the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO with 620W of gaming hardware and it performed superbly. While we expected the Mesh front panel would help performance it actually made very little difference. When you consider we had fans in the floor, side, roof and rear of the case, perhaps it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise that the front panel did not act as a restriction. Thermally the EVO is a masterclass in how to do things right.

Closing Thoughts

Lian Li has been teasing us about the O11 Dynamic EVO for most of 2021 so when our sample case arrived it wasn't exactly new to us but neither was it entirely familiar.

The vertical GPU mount is something we understand but what about the upright GPU mount, and how might those pieces of hardware work when the case is flipped and effectively upside down. Also, why the heck is the front I/O under the case and who the heck might want to add a second I/O panel?

These are questions we have never addressed before and it took a fair amount of work to figure out what each of the features in the EVO means.

The good news is that the core chassis is very good indeed and allows you to build a high end PC that is fairly conventional and which functions well. The case is not especially large and has excellent thermals along with very good cable management.

The EVO part of the equation kicks in when you move the hardware around internally or add one of the accessories we show in the video. At this point the EVO takes off and becomes something extraordinary. It is familiar and yet simultaneously different and while we doubt you could build a bad PC in this case, Lian Li makes it very easy to build a really good Grade A system.

There is no doubt in our minds the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO is God Tier hardware.

You can order the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO from Overclockers UK for £124.99 HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

Pros:

  • Very clever design.
  • Superb air flow.
  • Masses of permutation for cooling and storage.
  • Cable management is straightforward.

Cons:

  • The bottom I/O location is a bit weird.
  • Shame they didn’t include the top I/O and Mesh accessories in the package.
  • Fans are not included so factor in that cost.

KitGuru Says: The Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO is superb and may well be the best case of 2022 (and it's still 2021).

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Corsair Crystal Series 680X RGB Case Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/briony-hannam/corsair-crystal-680x-rgb-case-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/briony-hannam/corsair-crystal-680x-rgb-case-review/#respond Tue, 12 Mar 2019 13:00:21 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=405553 It's a beautiful new case from Corsair, but at £220 does Briony think it is worth buying?

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If you liked the look of Corsair's Micro ATX 280X case that was released last year, but were a little disappointed it didn't come in a larger form-factor, then you are in luck! Corsair has today released the 680X, a very similar – but larger – case with plenty of breathing room for a whole host of tasty RGB hardware. With a dual chamber design making it easier to hide away cables, plenty of tempered glass, included RGB fans and the option to vertically mount your GPU, there is certainly an emphasis on aesthetics.

You'll also find room for a variety of radiators and fans to keep the components cool, while a number of tool-free drive mounts provide space for up to 7 drives. With a retail price of around £220 this case doesn't come cheap, so is it worth buying? 

Specifications:

  • Name: Corsair Crystal Series 680X RGB
  • Size: ATX Mid Tower
  • Colour: Black or Black
  • Materials: Steel / Plastic / Tempered Glass
  • Motherboard Compatibility: Micro ATX / ATX / Mini ITX / E-ATX
  • Internal 3.5″ Drive Bays: 3
  • Internal 2.5″ Drive Bays: 4
  • PCIe Slots: 8 + 2 Vertical
  • Front Ports: 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C / 2 x USB 3.0 / Audio
  • Max GPU Length Allowance: 330 mm
  • Max CPU Cooler Height Allowance: 180 mm
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 504.95 mm x 343.92 mm x 422.91 mm
  • Weight: 11.58 kg

Fan Options:

  • Front: 3 x 120mm, 2 x 140mm fan (3 x 120mm fan included)
  • Top: 2 x 120mm, 2 x 140mm fan
  • Bottom: 2 x 120mm / 2 x 140mm fan
  • Rear: 1 x 120mm / 1 x 140mm fan (120mm fan included)

Radiator Options:

  • Bottom – Up to 280mm
  • Front – Up to 360mm
  • Rear – Up to 120mm
  • Top – Up to 280mm

Test Build Components:

  • AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
  • Corsair H100i RGB Platinum SE AIO Cooler
  • MSI X470 Gaming M7 AC Motherboard
  • KFA2 GTX 1070Ti EX-SNPR White Graphics card
  • 32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 2666MHz DDR4 Memory
  • Corsair RM750x Power supply
  • Samsung 850 EVO 250GB
  • Corsair White LL120 RGB Fans
  • Corsair Premium PCIe 3.0 x16 300mm extension cable
  • Corsair Pro PSU Cable Kit

Cooling Performance: 

Front panel on (above)

Front panel off (above)

Idle temperatures are about 10C to 15C above ambient, with our figures showing 30C for the CPU and 35C for the GPU. This is pretty much as expected.

Because of the design of this case, we also removed the front panel to test the difference in temperatures. As expected the tempered glass does reduce airflow and the CPU runs 2C cooler, and the GPU 6C cooler, while idling.

After spending some time gaming, and after stress testing the system using AIDA 64 for 10 minutes, the temperatures maxed out at 58C for the CPU and for the 72C for the GPU. Removing the front panel didn't have much effect on the CPU as it stayed at 58C, however the GPU did run 4C cooler while under load.

The temperatures in general are pretty good with this case. Even though the GPU is mounted vertically it stayed cool and the CPU didn't even break a sweat while connected to the AIO cooler. There is definitely some airflow restriction from the tempered glass panel, but the difference isn't hugely significant unless you are someone who is looking for the best airflow possible.

Acoustic Performance: 

When idle, the fan noise coming from the 680X is audible but not too loud. While under heavy load there is a noticeable increase in noise to 45.2 decibels. The LL120 fans aren't the quietest and the amount of tempered glass, with open slots into the case, does little to dampen the noise. If you are after a silent case the 680X is not for you – but even at 45 decibels it is not going to annoy the majority of people.

You can buy the Corsair 680X from OCUK for £219.95 HERE

Pros: 

  • Attractive aesthetics.
  • Good build quality.
  • Plenty of cooling options.
  • Dual chambered design makes it easier to cable manage.
  • Comes with 3 RGB fans and controller.
  • Plenty of dust filters that can be cleaned in situ.
  • Easy to cable manage.
  • Easy to build in.

Cons: 

  • Expensive.
  • Big footprint which requires more desk space.
  • Large amount of plastic makes it feel less premium.
  • Front panel is difficult to remove.
  • Tempered glass restricts airflow slightly.
  • Black exhaust fan is ugly.

KitGuru says: If you like the aesthetics of this case then you won't be disappointed as it's easy to build in and performs well. However, at £220 you can great cases for a lot less. 

Be sure to check out our sponsors store EKWB here

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Riotoro GPX-100 Morpheus – The case that comes in kit form! https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/riotoro-gpx-100-morpheus-the-case-that-comes-in-kit-form/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/riotoro-gpx-100-morpheus-the-case-that-comes-in-kit-form/#respond Wed, 23 Jan 2019 10:06:40 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=401827 This is a heck of an interesting case from Riotoro, but does it hit the mark ?

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Over the years we have seen a number of unusual PC cases in pretty much every shape and size however the Riotoro GPX-100 Morpheus is batting on a completely different level as it claims to be ‘The World’s First Convertible PC Case.’ The fact it is a dual chamber design with an inverted motherboard is unusual, however we are familiar with the Corsair Carbide Air series and know what that is all about.

Morpheus is certainly unusual as the upper half of the case can be adjusted vertically, either upwards to accommodate a full E-ATX system or downwards if you only want to install a Micro-ATX motherboard. In Compact mode the Morpheus shrinks by 60mm in height and thus requires less space on your desk.

While we have seen something similar with the be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 the approach taken by the Riotoro design is completely different, and the fact you can swap out the expansion card section of the back panel (8 slots or 5 slots) is a novel approach.

We have saved the best until last as Morpheus is delivered in flat pack form so you have to assemble it yourself. As you will see in our video this process took us an hour and that pretty much guarantees that System Integrators will ignore Morpheus for pre-built PCs.

There is no doubt in our mind that Riotoro Morpheus will cause some heated debate. Is it a genius idea or an oddball looking for a reason to exist?

Main Features

  • Resizable from mid-to-mini tower configuration
  • High-density perforated mesh on all sides for superior cooling
  • 2x USB-C and 2x USB 3.0 ports
  • Dual compartments to isolate heat and streamline airflow
  • Supports EATX, ATX, microATX and mini-ITX motherboards
  • Dual 120 mm fans with mounts for additional fans and 240mm water coolers
  • Tool-less pc component assembly with optimized cable routes and mount points
  • 2x 3.5-inch HDD plus up to 4x 2.5-inch SSD
  • Package Contents
  • 1x Morpheus Convertible Case
  • 2x 120 mm Red LED Fan
  • 1x 80 mm Exhaust Fan
  • Manual, Accessories/Spare Parts Box

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Specification:
Motherboard support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX.
Expansion slots: 8.
Included fans: 2x 120mm front intake, 1x 80mm rear exhaust.
Fan mounts: 2x 120mm/140mm or 1x 200mm front, 2x 120/140mm roof, 1x 80mm rear, 2x 120mm/140mm floor.
120mm radiator mounts: 120mm/240mm front, 120mm/240mm roof, 120mm/240mm floor.
5.25-inch optical drive bays: None.
Internal drive bays: 2x 3.5-inch, 4x 2.5-inch.
Front I/O panel: 2x USB Type-C, 2x USB 3.0, 2x audio jacks.
Dimensions:
MID: 465mm D x 445mm H x 276mm W.
MINI: 465mm D x 385mm H x 276mm W.

The name of the Morpheus gives us a clue about the nature of this unusual case and the confusion that appears to come as part of the deal. Morpheus is the Greek God of sleep or dreams, although most people will likely think of the character in the Matrix movies played by Laurence Fishburne. Neither of these has an obvious connection with a PC case, however the word metamorphosis describes change, and that seems appropriate. It is clear the GPX-100 changes states from big to small or (Extended to Mid) but in fairness to Riotoro it may have been a bit of a mouthful to to call the case Metamorphosis.

Drilling down to the more important points, we do not understand why Riotoro has put the emphasis on the vertical height of the case when the obvious point is that the footprint of a dual chamber is very large. Squishing the case down vertically is all well and good but what we really want is a case that occupies less floor space.

While we were assembling the Morpheus we noted a few odd points in the specification. The dual chamber design can accommodate an E-ATX motherboard however there is not much space inside the main compartment. We are happy with the 300mm maximum GPU length and the 220mm PSU in the second compartment, however the 122mm maximum CPU cooler height is quite restrictive. The obvious answer is to use a liquid cooler, such as the Corsair H115i in our built PC, rather than an air tower cooler – but you need to proceed with caution.

The problem is that Riotoro is happy for you to install 120mm or 140mm fans in the front, roof or floor of the case but only recommends radiators with a 120mm unit. We had no difficulty installing the 280m Corsair H115i but you may well find some 280mm radiators will not fit. While we’re on the subject of cooling, it seems daft you cannot install a 360mm or 420mm radiator anywhere in such a large case. Also, that 80mm fan at the rear of the case looks ridiculous in this day and age and should be either 120mm or 140mm in size.

Testing
To put this case through its cooling paces we will be using a test system consisting of an Intel Core i9-7920X, Nvidia RTX 2080 8GB FE and an SSD. This system allows us to produce a substantial amount of heat and effectively test the Riotoro GPX-100 Morpheus‘s cooling capabilities.
For stress testing we use AIDA64 to create the maximum amount of load our CPU and GPU are ever likely to see.

Test System:
Processor: Intel Core i9-7920X 12-core/24-threads, 2.9GHz all cores
Motherboard: Gigabyte X299 Aorus Master
CPU cooler: Corsair H115i 280mm AIO
Memory: 64GB G.Skill TridentZ DDR4-3200MHz
Graphics card: Nvidia RTX 2080 8GB FE
Power supply: Seasonic Focus 1000FX
Storage drive: Samsung 970 EVO M.2 SSD
OS: Windows 10

Cooling Performance.

Cooling Performance Overview
This case flows air impressively well, although we would expect nothing less as it is very heavily perforated. Temperatures for the CPU and GPU are both good and removing the main side panel only lowers temperatures by one or two degrees.

Acoustics performance.
This case can get very, very noisy if you run your fans at high speed or full speed. On the plus side, increasing fan speeds from silent mode to high performance has a minimal effect on temperatures so our advice is to run them low and slow.

Closing Thoughts.

The design of the Riotoro Morpheus is certainly unusual – with their creation of a case that can be adjusted in size. The problem is that this approach requires a series of compromises that deliver a case that is unsatisfactory and also rather expensive. The obvious alternative to this approach is to create a family of two or three cases that have a clear lineage and identity in a variety of sizes. There is a reason why Corsair, Fractal Design, NZXT, Phanteks and Thermaltake sell Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX and E-ATX models and do not attempt to deliver a single case that will suit all markets. It is not because these companies are lazy but rather that the traditional approach works effectively.

Unfortunately, we feel the Morpheus misses the mark as it is a physically large case with a restricted main chamber that imposes significant limits on the cooling you can install. That’s slightly disappointing but we were also mystified that we were obliged to assemble a case that comes with such a high price tag.

There is no doubt the Morpheus has a certain amount of merit, however it also suffers from a number of problems and that conclusion leaves us wondering exactly who might buy the Morpheus. Clearly it would need to be an enthusiast as the amount of work required for the assembly and the PC build precludes the casual PC enthusiast. The snag is that most enthusiasts are aware you can buy some very good cases for £120 and if you have a budget of £170 – the price of Morpheus – you have a great many options that include Tempered Glass, RGB without the need to assemble the case in the first place.

Buy from CCL Online for Price £169.99 inc VAT HERE

Pros:

  • Modders will love the way Morpheus can be fully dismantled.
  • Perforated panels give huge potential for air flow.
  • Every panel is filtered.
  • Plenty of space inside the case.
  • Included build mat is a neat extra.

Cons:

  • Morpheus is delivered in kit form and takes an hour to assemble.
  • The open design means there is little noise deadening.
  • The price is very steep.
  • No support for large radiators.

KitGuru says: This is a novel case design that misses the mark.

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Riotoro CR1088 Prism RGB Mini Tower ATX Case Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/riotoro-cr1088-prism-rgb-mini-tower-atx-case/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/riotoro-cr1088-prism-rgb-mini-tower-atx-case/#respond Fri, 04 May 2018 09:58:17 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=371900 It's an interesting dual-chamber case from Riotoro - a bargain at £70?

The post Riotoro CR1088 Prism RGB Mini Tower ATX Case Review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Riotoro calls its CR1088 Prism an ‘RGB Mini Tower’ which is a neat description that skips over the detail of what they have done inside this chassis. The major design choice is a dual chamber layout that moves the power supply from the traditional location at the bottom of the case to the right hand side. This means the CR1088 is low in height and looks like a mATX design (or possibly a large Mini-ITX) however it actually accommodates a full ATX motherboard. Almost as a side note the motherboard is flipped so the graphics card cooler face upwards and the various headers and connectors are located at the top.

The other part of the description is RGB, and the CR1088 does indeed have lighting on the front panel. You can step through a handful of colours by using the RGB button on the case but if you want full RGB control you have to work fairly hard to connect the case to the RGB header on your motherboard.

Specification:
Motherboard support: ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX.
Expansion slots: 7.
Included fans: 1x 120mm front intake.
Fan mounts: 2x 120mm front, 1x 80mm rear.
120mm radiator mounts: 120mm/240mm front.
5.25″ drive bays: None.
Internal drive bays: 2x 3.5-inch/2.5-inch, 2x 2.5-inch.
Dimensions: 394mm H x 360mm D x 230mm W.
Clearances:
Max GPU Length: 300mm
Max CPU Cooler Height: 122mm
Max PSU Length: 175mm

In our video you will have seen that we were able to build a decent gaming PC inside the Riotoro CR1088 and that it looked pretty neat as well. The fact of the matter is that the build took longer than we hoped because the case is very tight for space in the main compartment, and it really didn’t help matters that the user guide is just plain wrong.

For example the guide states that you can install a 120mm liquid cooler in the front yet you can clearly see we installed a 240mm Celsius S24, using the mounting slots provided by Riotoro. Clearly that is a handy point that worked in our favour but it means we were unable to trust the user guide.

It was a similar story with the RGB lighting which is controlled by a button on the front panel. Each click takes you to the next colour until you hit the RGB cycle however you cannot easily control the lighting with the software that is provided with many motherboards. You can extend the lighting by connecting an LED strip to the RGB plug that is hidden behind the storage caddy but this isn’t much help. It is fairly difficult to route the strip though to the main compartment and surely no-one would would to illuminate their power supply.

Connecting the case lighting to your motherboard is possible, provided you replug one of the cables on the lighting hub, however we were only able to connect one lighting area at a time and found no way to manage all the case lighting as a single group.

This sounds like fairly minor stuff but nonetheless it was annoying. The bigger picture is that the dual chamber design of the CR1088 means you can install a decent gaming PC inside a small chassis.

Testing
To put this case through its cooling paces we will be using a test system consisting of an AMD Ryzen 7 1700,

EVGA GTX 1080Ti and an SSD. This system allows us to produce a substantial amount of heat and effectively test the Riotoro CR1088 Prism‘s cooling capabilities.For stress testing we use AIDA64 to create the maximum amount of load our CPU and GPU are ever likely to see.

Test System:
Processor: 3.2GHz AMD Ryzen 7 1700
Motherboard: ASRock X370 Pro4
CPU cooler: Fractal Design Celsius S24
Memory: 16GB G.Skill FlareX DDR4-3200MHz
Graphics card: EVGA GTX 1080 Ti
Power supply: Sea Sonic Prime Titanium 600W Fanless
Storage drive: Samsung PM951 M.2 SSD
OS: Windows 10

Cooling Performance.

Temperatures with our Ryzen 7 1700 and GTX 1080Ti were about ten degrees C warmer than we would expect to see in a full sized ATX case with an exhaust fan. This is not ideal however it does not give us any great cause for concern. If you want more cooling you will need an exhaust fan(s) and the 80mm mounts at the rear of the CR1088 are not much help in that respect.

Acoustics performance.
We set the intake fans on the Celsius S24 to run low and slow and as a result the PC was very quiet. When we ramped up fan speed using PWM control the Riotoro became fairly noisy. Although the case is fully filtered it has no noise deadening material and the full acrylic window does very little to reduce noise levels.

Closing Thoughts.

The Riotoro CR1088 Prism looks interesting and is relatively cheap however it suffers from a handful of problems. The main issue is the acrylic window which looks rather ‘olde worlde', and while it might be acceptable on a really cheap case, we do not consider the CR1088 qualifies – as it is priced more towards the mid-range.

Building inside the CR1088 is straightforward, provided you use an air cooler, as the components pretty much drop into place. If you want to use an All In One it takes a bit more work as you will very likely have to arrange the components carefully to fit everything inside. This is especially true if you are using a full length graphics card as the main compartment is very tight for space. We often complain that another 5mm or 10mm clearance would make a world of difference and this is certainly true of the CR1088 but we can see they have put an emphasis on making this case very compact. That’s all well and good however we maintain that a bit more room inside would be a major bonus.

 

The only realistic options for cooling are located at the front panel. We really cannot see the 80mm fan mount at the rear of the case is likely to be very useful, while the ventilated top panel doesn’t have any fan mounts at all.

Once your PC is built the most eye-catching feature is the RGB lighting on the front panel. It looks appealing however the difficulty of integrating the lighting with the RGB control on many modern motherboards is frustrating.

Throughout this review it felt as though the CR1088 was three or four years behind the times. Corsair has delivered Carbide Air with its dual chamber design that does a similar job to CR1088, only more effectively. When it comes to glass side panels and RGB integration we have to say that Phanteks led the way. These used to be novel and exciting features and have now become mainstream, so Riotoro cannot hope to charge a premium for their inclusion.

This leave us with the uncomfortable feeling that while the CR1088 looks perfectly OK and does a reasonable job it doesn’t have anything special to offer the customer. This falls a long way short of the CR1088 having a Unique Selling Point and instead makes you wonder quite why the buying public should care about this case.

Our simple rule of thumb here, is that if you like the looks of the CR1088 you should spend the money but please, don’t delve too deep as you are unlikely to find much else that you will admire.

Buy from Amazon UK For £69.68 HERE.

Pros:

  • Dual chamber design means this ATX case is relatively small.
  • Quirky design with an inverted motherboard tray.
  • RGB illumination in the front panel.
  • Support for up to four drives.

Cons:

  • Main windowed panel is plastic.
  • Front panel is tethered by cables.
  • Rear fan mount is 80mm.
  • Very tight for space inside the main compartment.
  • User guide is fairly poor.

KitGuru says: The Riotoro CR1088 looks interesting but fails to deliver.

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