Budget cases
GROUP TEST
This makes the case impressively compact yet still
leaves plenty of room for large CPU coolers and
graphics cards thanks to the whole top section
being one big open space. This also means you can
fit a 2 x 140mm or 2 x 120mm radiator in the front
section as well as one at the rear.
As well as being petite, this case looks great.
Matt black paint gives it a really classy look while the
full tempered glass side panel adds a premium
touch. The downside is the paint is very delicate and
easy to scratch, so build it and leave well alone.
Up top you get the power button and
connectivity, which consists of no less than four
USB ports and an HDMI. Meanwhile, the default
cooling configuration has two 120mm exhaust fans
at the top and rear of the case. These combine to
good effect, providing good overall cooling
performance without getting too loud.
Overall, this is by far the best looking
case on test, it has good cooling and is
competitively priced. Not a bad combo.12
NZXT SOURCE S340 ELITE
It’s a big case too. Big enough, in fact, for eight 3.5in
hard drives, three 2.5in drives and a removable
optical drive bay. Cooling options are also extensive.
You can fit in five 140mm fans, six 120mm fans or
two 3x120mm radiators and there are mounts for
reservoirs and slots for fitting pumps. However, by
default you only get one 140mm fan that’s
positioned as an exhaust behind the CPU. But this
case still delivered the best CPU cooling on test and
was mid-table for GPU temperatures.
Something I’m less keen on is the bottom
section that covers the power supply and a couple
of the 3.5in drive bays. For some reason Phanteks
has perforated the entire top of it and put a large
hole in the side, so you can see much of the ugly
mess of cables and you don’t get airflow isolation.
The power button is on the front edge. The IO is
on the left side and consists of two USBs and audio.
Overall, this is well thought out, good
value case for a high-end PC that
requires serious cooling power.PHANTEKS ENTHOO PRO M
The S340 is one of the most popular cases you can buy right
now. Entirely modern in its design, it does away with any optical
disc drive bays and has just two 3.5in hard drive bays that are
hidden in the bottom alongside the power supply.As the most expensive case on test, you’d expect big things
of the Enthoo Pro M, and big things it delivers. Like the S340
Elite, it features a tempered glass side panel, while the rest of
the case is built from quality materials and is well put together.90 % 80 %
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