Introduction:
The world of imagination! This is the moniker that resides on Aerocool’s website for it’s line of fully customizable and interchangeable computer case kits known as Lubic. The moniker on the actual box that I received for this review stated: To be something new. I wonder which would best describe this case kit that I had sitting on my table? The Lubic model 3519 case really is a novel concept and a very welcomed change of pace if you are craving something off the beaten path. I first spotted these unique computer cases while in attendance at Quakecon 2003. While walking along the roped off section of the sponsors and vendors area, my friend and I actually walked into the vendors area by accident and caught a glimpse of this radical new structure while the fellows at the Aerocool/Lubic table were putting the finishing touches on these preassembled kits. At first, we just watched in sheer amazement as the representative fired up the actual working computer stuffed neatly inside this open air aluminum chassis that roughly resembled an elephant. That much was sure, it had two Kinyo speakers on the sides that resembled the ears of an elephant and sitting right beside this rig was a red chassis that resembled a mini airplane. I was impressed with the “newness” factor these promising kits had and I wondered how many of these Lubic cases I would see this time next year. I suppose we will have to wait until Quakecon 2004 to truly see what type of a splash they would have on the sophisticated taste of the modding and gaming scene.

Please click either image for a larger view

Pay close attention:
Before I actually begin the review of this product, I would like to copy and paste some of the hype from the Lubic website. There is a reason that I am going to do this. There is a valuable lesson for anyone that is truly interested in owning one of these kits and should pay close attention to what I’m about to discuss.

As per the Lubic Academy webpage:

Announcing the new "LUBIC" DIY case. With this modular "LUBIC" concept, you are equipped to create your very own design of PC case with the aluminum components provided in this package. Carefully plan the construction and the material usage, and your PC will transform into something other than just a dull metal casing.

At start you may be experiencing helplessness with all components included in the package as how to start building your very own DIY computer case (or anything else). We strongly suggest the user to follow the step-by-step instruction enclosed in the package carefully to learn how parts are used and assembled.

Breaking it all down like King Kong:
You will notice with the first paragraph where I selected the text in bold. This is mission critical when you are ready to get started and I cannot stress this sentence nearly enough, especially if you are planning on assembling something other than the generic concept case that comes in your instruction manual. You will spend a lot of time unscrewing those little #1 and #2 screws from most of the corners to add some more of the sliders to the rails of the frame if you fail to actually think through your initial design. This is the part that will make you want to pull your hair out one by one with a tweezer, believe me, I know this from my experience. Take the time to sketch out what you want to construct out of the pieces from this kit beforehand. Don’t be surprised if you have to take more than two corners totally apart if you forget to add just one little slider to hold a 90° L-Bracket to the structure. Don’t be surprised if you have to do this numerous times to achieve your final design. If I can give you one piece of advice that will make your day, don’t torque down any of the screws so tight that you might strip it out and ruin it when you realize that you made your first mistake; because torquing down any one screw too tight to remove properly was actually your first mistake.

Now about that second paragraph listed above. The part where they strongly advise you to follow your step-by-step instruction manual enclosed in your package, well let’s just say that I didn’t seem to have a step-by-step instruction manual with my kit. Instead of receiving a retail kit from Aerocool, I was sent an evaluation kit. The evaluation kit did not include some key features that were included in the retail kit that would allow me to expand much further beyond a simple concept case. I was missing one set of 300pc 1-hole sliders, the 4pc metal foot stand, about 10 extra #1 screws (M4x6), and the Acrylic panel for the ATX motherboard. The metal feet were really not that critical in the overall build of my case but it would have been a nice addition to the completed product.

Well, let me tell you that trying to assemble even that simple and harmless looking concept case without any instructions is like being lost in space while in a 5 mile per hour; head over heel; tilted slightly askew at 32°; while trying to drink your favorite carbonated beverage through a pixie straw…type of lost! Well, on second thought, it wasn’t quite that bad but it was very intimidating trying to get started on a kit with hundreds of pieces and no proper instruction guide what-so-ever to cookbook through. And so now you understand the uphill struggle that lay before me on the road to completing this review. I should add that on the Lubic website, there is a section there called “Lubic Academy” where they have a few simple animated instructions about doing the most basic of tasks. I have no idea if these are the same details that would have been in the manual but for the sake of this review I would have to assume that they are. In any case, we will now begin the actual review of the Lubic 3519 (Evaluation) Customizable Kit from Aerocool.

The goods:
The Lubic 3519 (Retail) kit should come with the following parts list:

As mentioned earlier, the evaluation kit that I received was missing the following components:

• (1) Bag of 1-hole sliders (300pc)

• Metal foot stand (4pc)

• #1 screws (M4x6)(50pc instead of 60pc)

• (1) Acrylic panel for ATX Motherboard

Project Lubic, Take #1:
After a quick visual inspection of all the main individual pieces included in this kit, I noticed that there were some very visible scratches in the paint of a few of the frames. My first thought was, “Great, I was sent a previously used kit for this review!” Some sponsors choose to send out the same exact version of a product to be sold to the general public and some choose to send used equipment or evaluation versions to a review site. I would think that for a proper review, one would need to have the proper equipment “to” review and that includes making sure the parts aren’t defective or unpleasing to the eye. Fortunately, most of these scratches were in the vicinity of where the corner brackets held the frame in place and weren’t visible once screwed in place.

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