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Cheiftec/Chenming Aluminum Dragon Case
Review Date: September 26, 2002
Reviewed by: Dwayne Sessom
Sponsored by: Case-Mod.com
This is probably one of the most popular PC cases on the market today, and with good reason. The Antec-style tower is, for lack of better words, damn near perfect if you are a PC modder/enthusiast. It offers tons of hard drive bays which can be removed with a flip of a lever, is made of light-weight aluminum, has all kinds of fannage, a 420 watt PSU, and to top it off - a side panel with a locking handle and a huge window. What more could you ask for?
Packaging:
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This case came in a huge box, and was packed very well with heavy styrefoam. Unlike some cases I get for review, it had not a single scratch on it, and the window was covered in plastic film for protection.
Features:
- High Quality Aluminum Construction.
- Tool-Less Entry.
- Measures: 473 x 205 x 522 mm (D x W x H)
- Drive Bays: 4 x 5.25" FDD 2 x 3.5" FDD.
- 4 x 3.5" HDD and 7 standard expansion slots.
- 420watt TurboLink Power Supply.
- 2 x 80mm Clear Case Fans.
- Side window.
- Easy side removal via locking handle.
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The exterior of this case is very attractive and stylish. The front has a door that covers the exterior drive bays and also includes a lock (two keys are provided) which is a nice security feature that is very rare these days.
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Another rare and welcome feature is the that this case has not one, but TWO rear exhaust fans as well as the PSU exhaust fan. The PSU that comes with this case is also nothing short of outstanding. I am not going to review the PSU itself, but I can assure you that this 420 watt power source delivers plenty of juice!
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Want a big window? This puppy has a HUGE window that wraps around the locking handle. This handle is one of the slickest setups I have seen. It allows you to quickly and easily remove the side panel at any time without tools. If you are in and out of your rig as much as me, then you will know what a valuable feature this truly is! The 2nd pic shows the case with the side panel completely removed showing its cavernous interior with 2 removable hard drive cages, and ample room for showing off your hardware. This would be the perfect case for a dually rig! Can you say "SMP"?
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Have lots of drives? This case has four 5 1/4 internal bays, plus two remavable hard drive cages. The cages come out easily with the flip on a lever. This saves you from having to remove the other side of the case to put the screws into the hard drives when you mount them. The rear of the case has two clear exhaust fans that really help to keep the case cool, and they look better than blacks fans.
Here are some pics of the case in action. I liked it so much that I ditched my old Aopen full tower and put my Pentium4 rig into it as well as some CCFL's!
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Conclusion:
As hard as I tried, I just couldn't find a single thing about this case I didn't like. It has every feature I look for in a quality PC case - drives are easy to mount, cages and side panels are easily removed, it comes with a huge window, dual exhaust fans, and locking front cover. If you have read my reviews, you know by now that I tell it like I see it. I am pretty darned picky and put my equipment through hell to say the least. So, with all honesty I can tell you that if you think you like this case from the pictures, you won't belive how nice it is when actually get it. This is an outstanding product, far beyond my expectations and is well deserved of our best rating - 5 X's!
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