With its new Element series, Thermaltake has paired a more subtle exterior with a redesigned interior to create a chassis that is both good looking and functional. The interior of the Element S is a pleasure to work in, (with the exception of the non-replaceable expansion slot covers, one of my pet peeves,) and the cable management features are really outstanding. This chassis will particularly appeal to users who demand massive storage capacity in their machines. With room for seven HDDs, the Element S can be easily outfitted into a storage monster. Hell, you can even add a couple of laptop hardies if you want.
As always, the look of a particular case is impossible to quantify and too subjective to try to rate in a review, so I'll just give my own impressions, for what they are worth. I like the overall design and look of the Element S, but I could do without the bright red trim around the door. In my opinion, something a bit more subtle would fit better with the overall look. It would also be nice to be able to turn the fan LEDs on and off.
The front I/O is nicely appointed, though folks still using FireWire devices may feel left out. Cooling performance is pretty good, but I would have liked to see another front fan included with this chassis. I not wild about the two 60mm fan placements on the backplane because I suspect that any significant cooling improvement will come at a hefty noise penalty. Speaking of noise, the Element S doesn't generate much of it. The side panel dampening has a lot to do with this, but I'd have liked to see something to isolate the HDD and ODD drives, too.
In the final analysis, Thermaltake has, with a few relatively minor issues, developed a great chassis with a distinctive look, innovative interior and good cooling. It's very quiet, will support lots of hard drives and really deserves a place on your short list if you're in the market for a new mid-tower case.
Pros:
- Good cooling performance
- Quiet
- Easy installation
- Excellent cable management features
- Roomy interior for a mid-tower
- Unique look
Cons:
- Could use a few expansion slot covers.
- Only one front fan included
- Graphics area cooling could be better
- No tool-free solutions for ODD and expansion devices
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