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Chieftec Maxtrix ATX Case
Review Date: June 21, 2003
Reviewed by: Dwayne Sessom
Sponsored by: Chieftec USA
This is probably one of the most popular PC cases on the market today. I am an avid LAN Party attendee (and I have been known to host one here and there...) and there is always at least one person with a Chieftec case - usually a Matrix, or Dragon design. There is good reason for this; Chieftec caters to their customers, and gives them what they want. Most enthusiasts want a case that looks good, has plenty of room for expansion, is durable, easy to mod, and is screwless. This is just the short list but Chieftec fills the bill, and then some. The Matrix design that we are looking at today is just one of a superb line of enthusiast cases from Chieftec USA.
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Before and after modification. Click for larger view.
About Chieftec:
With a long experience and strong industrial base, Chieftec Industrial Co., Ltd. was established in 1990 and quickly became a professional leader in manufacturing and exporting of computer cases. Chieftec is a full-service vendor, with complete manufacturing facilities including own tooling making, stamping, coating assembly, and export to assure customers of the best quality. In order to serve the customers more efficiently and technological capabilities, in 1998 Chieftec set up a factory in Dong-Guan, China, with 180,000 square meters of space and more than 3,000 employees. They remain an industry leader in the manufacture of computer cases and power supplies.
Features:
- Front Swing-out Bezel Cover with Lock.
- Quick Release Clear Side Panel with Lock.
- Quick Release Internal 3.5" Drive Bays.
- Large Front Panel Vent.
- 4 Screwless Case Fan Mounts.
- 4 Sets of Rail Kits.
- 10 DRIVE BAYS.
- 4 Ext. 5.25" Bays, 2 Ext./4 Int. 3.5" Bays.
- Size: 8.1" (W) x 20.6"(H) x 18.6"(D).
- Accepts AT, Baby AT, MATX and ATX Motherboards.
- Power Supply NOT INCLUDED.
The Maxtrix case comes in the following colors:
- Carbon Black.
- Sky Blue.
- Infinity Silver.
- Earth Green.
- Lightning Yellow.
- Solar Flair. (Reddish orange)
- Planet Purple.
I requested the Planet Purple for this review since the PCExtreme logo color is purple, and purple is my favorite color. Can you tell? Chieftec was also kind enough to send a dual fan 420 watt ATX power supply with this case, as well as a wireless mouse and keyboard that matched the color of the case. I will comment more on those goodies later in the review, and I will also get into the modifications I did to the case to show it's modding potential (Modding is just in my blood, I can't help it..).
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Click for larger view.
This case gets its name sake from the slot and dot pattern in the case front that you see above. I see modding potential already. But really, the slots in front are mainly for ventilation but they have alot of aesthetic appeal as well. I have seen a few of these cases with LEDs or cathodes behind the slots to light it up, and it looks very cool. The front door has a lock on it so you can secure your CD/CD-RW/DVD drives, which are easily removable because of the screwless mounting system - they unlock and slide right out. So, having a locking front cover is a good idea, and I often implement it when going to a LAN party.
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Click for larger view.
Behind the front cover, there are four 5 1/4" bays and two 3 1/2" bays. The covers are very easy to remove, although they will not just pop out at any time. Chieftec has put "scallops" on each side of the bay covers, so you can fit a finger in to pry them out easily, and without tools. The power and reset buttons are nicely located near the center on the case. The power button is large and simple, which I like. The power and hard drive LEDs are nice and bright, but not overpowering - just enough to see clearly in a well lighted room, but they will not blind you in a dim room.
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Click for larger view.
This case has 7 slots in the back, allowing it to accomodate just about any motherboard on the market today, and even some that aren't! It also comes with four screwless 80mm fan mounts - two in front and two in the rear. So, it would have a total of five 80mm fans when the power supply is mounted. This is enough to provide very adequate cooling for most systems. The nicest thing about the fan mounts is that they require absolutely no tools or screws! Just pop your fans in, and they are going no where! Chieftec has implemented a very nice fan retention system that works very well.
Click for larger view.
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