Thermaltake is a household name in the PC enthusiast market. They made their name in the PC cooling market by consistently making some of the most high-performance air coolers and fans out there. In recent years, they’ve branched out quite a bit by going into enclosures, power supplies, and peripherals, as well as creating new brands “Tt esports”, “Luxa2”, and “Chao” to target different lifestyles and market segments.
Thermaltake’s Weller Chen and Ramsom Koay were on hand to show off the 2012 product lineup for the company.
Their core product line, Thermaltake, features a full line of PC cases, aimed at three distinct market segments: Entry level, mid-, and hardcore. They showed off the Armor Revo, the Level 10 GT, the Level 10 GTS, and the Commander MS-II and Commander MS-III.
Weller Chen shows off the white Level 10 GT
One of the big pushes they’re making in 2012 is giving system builders the option to go all white in their system builds. They are offering white enclosures, CPU coolers, hard drive bays, mice, keyboards, and power supplies so that those who are concerned with aesthetics can easily make a very cool-looking system without having to bust out the masking tape and spray paint.
Thermaltake Armor Revo in white
Chen consistently stressed the overall design philosophy that he feels sets Thermaltake apart from other PC component companies. They think from a gamer’s perspective. What makes it easier for me if I’m travelling to LAN parties? What will keep my gear safe? Where will I hang my headset? The details come through in things like fold-out headset hooks on the cases, modular components that break down for easy storage in luggage, and other refinements that further cement Thermaltake as a premium brand rather than a commodity PC peripheral manufacturer.
Details like built-in electrical contacts for side fans set Thermaltake apart
Clearly Thermaltake components are design for a specific kind of consumer; many will not jive with the aesthetics or the sizes. However, Thermaltake makes no compromises in this regard and makes no apologies for it. “We obviously target our products to a specific kind of user. Let’s face it, your average home user doesn’t need our products. We are aiming for gamers, system builders, and people are care about performance,” says Chen.
That’s not to say they’re not trying to break into other markets, though. Their Luxa2 line of mobile accessories such as iPhone cases and chargers are accessible and cater to a younger audience who wants a unique look for their devices. They are also offering entry-level components for general purpose system builds, including the Commander MS-II case and the Smart power supply. But in true Thermaltake fashion, even their low-end have design nods that show their performance heritage (such as a 240mm top grill for radiators in the “entry-level” case).
Thermaltake haven’t abandoned their cooling roots, however. Their 2012 lineup of CPU air and sealed water cooling units are impressive, with design considerations such as easily seperatable fan brackets that allow clearance for socket 2011 systems that feature tall DIMMs. Their air cooler lineup ranges from mid- to high-end and of course, most of them will be available in white as well.
Thermaltake's CPU cooler lineup for 2012
Chen also showed off Thermaltake’s headset lineup, with two esports-focused gaming headsets and a slew of earphones targeted at DJs.
A new aesthetic for Thermaltake appears in their headset lineup
We walked away from the Thermaltake suite with a renewed sense of optimism and respect for the company. They truly do understand PC enthusiasts and their product lineup reflects their continuing commitment to our passion.
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