The NZXT M59 case

NZXT is a relatively new kid on the block as far as computer cases are concerned. Founded in 2004, they’re not as widely known as some case manufacturers, but they make quality products that can stand up on stage with the venerable old names in the narrow world of computer enclosures.

In the past, we’ve taken a look at their Tempest, Panzerbox, and Guardian 921 cases. Today, we’ll be looking at an entry from their “Classic” line, the M59.

The M59 is one of the more unique-looking enclosures from NZXT’s product lineup. While the trend seems to be leaning towards flowing lines and curved surfaces, the M59 is all hard lines, sharp angles, and corners. As with any case, aesthetics will be a matter of personal preference. The M59 represents enough of a departure from NZXT’s other products that they can say “we have something for everyone.”

Here are the specs from the NZXT website:

• 5 fan capability (side 120mm LED and rear 120mm exhaust included)
• Included 9-fin rifle bearing NZXT fans rated at 42CFM and 23db
• An ambient light sits over the 5.25″ drives to give visibility in dark rooms or at LAN parties
• Smoked clear window and a black interior gives the best combination of black on black
• Meshed front panel allows for more airflow
• 5.25″ stealth bay to keep a clean look
• NZXT solid state bracket allows for two SSD drives to be installed
• Motherboard punched holes allows for quick CPU bracket removable and optimal wire routing, turned HDD also helps with managing cables
• Pre-drilled water cooling holes on the back plate
• Front mounted USB, audio, and eSATA ports
• Support for external dual radiator at the top of the chassis
• High end graphics card support, the M59 features space that is especially designed to fit longer 10″ cards

It all sounds well and good, but how did it work out in the real world, once we got the box open? (more…)

Ginormous side and top fans inside

Computer cases have become much more than a beige box designed to hold the guts of a vanilla PC. To the enthusiast, a case is as important as the components inside; it can be a reflection of its owner’s personality and dedication to their craft.  Today we take a look at one of Thermaltake’s offerings to demonstrate such dedication: the V9 Black Edition.  The V9 Black Edition is an all steel mid-tower case with an MSRP of $94.99 ($74.99 after $20 MIR).

Specs:

• Model: V9 Black Edition
• Case Type: Mid Tower
• Case Material: Steel
• Front Panel Material: Plastic
• Expansion Bays: 4 x External 5.25”, 2 x External 3.5”, 5 x Internal 3.5”
• Expansion Slots: 7
• Cooling: 1 x Red LED 120mm fan (front), 1 x 120mm fan (back), 1 x 230mm fan (top), 1 x 230mm fan (side)
• Dimensions(HxWxD): 18.19” x 8.19” x 19.1”
• Weight: 14.9 lbs (more…)

Based on the principles of flexibility, innovation, and efficiency, Chieftec has been producing computer cases and power supplies since 1990. Its products aren’t typically flashy or heavily advertised, but they have always featured sturdy construction, subdued looks, and good value for the money. Today, we’re looking at Chieftec’s unique CH-02 case.

The Chieftec CH-02 is part of their “Mesh” line of computer chassis. This line is focused on workstation and gaming towers with open mesh front and side panels for optimum air flow. The model Icrontic received is silver, but the CH-02 is also available in black, green, and red.

Specifications

• Model: CH-02SL-SL
• Case Type: ATX Mid-Tower
• Dimensions: (w x h x d) 205 x 442 x 540 mm
• Cooling:
  • Rear, 1 x 120mm Fan
  • Side, 2 x 90mm Fans
• Drive Bays
  • 3 External 5.25”
  • 1 External 3.5”
  • 6 Internal 3.5”
• Expansion slots: 7
• Tool-less rail design
• Weight: 28.7 lbs
• Motherboard Support: Extended ATX, ATX, Micro ATX

(more…)

Lian Li has been known for years as a designer of quality aluminum PC enclosures. Many an enthusiast has built a performance rig inside a Lian Li tower case. This summer, Lian Li released two new HTPC enclosures that follow the company’s design principles of simplicity and efficiency. These offerings, the Lian Li PC-C36 MUSE and PC-C37 MUSE, offer similar layouts with slightly different feature sets. (more…)

Tagan is a manufacturer of PC power supplies, storage solutions, and cases. The company supplied us with a Monolize-CS tower case, an impressive creation that features two huge 250 mm side intake fans.

At first glance, the Monolize case seems to be the ideal case for an enthusiast on a budget. It fits into the market at the very attractive $100 USD price point while offering a unique cooling system, stylish design, and pleasing lighting.

Let’s delve into the details of the Monolize to see exactly how it lives up to Tagan’s claims. (more…)

ArsTechnica’s Ben Kuchera reviews what he thought would be “gimmicky” night vision goggles – they cost $80 and are marketed as toys.

When he flipped the switch, he told a different story.

…the unit does what’s advertised. It provides real, working night vision. It was time for Nerf-gun wars in my jet-black basement

Man, these sound awesome. I want to go up north to my family property and take these suckers out in the woods at night.

It hit me the other day: Furniture sucks. Hard to clean, expensive, hard to move, and neverchanging. For example, let’s look at the Big Red Couch at ICHQ. It’s been around forever. I believe I paid something like $800 for it when we bought this house in 2004. After all the ICHQ flophouse parties, (like the IC LAN, Oktoberfest, St Patty’s day… you get the idea) and all the couch-crashers, it fell apart. The arms are worn through, the padding on the arms is gone, it has dog hair all over it, it’s just generally sort of beat up. Repairing it would be really expensive.

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