Chieftec Dragon Case w/ Window - Articles / Reviews

Reviews: Cases

Chieftec Dragon Case w/ Window

Author:
Editor:
Sponsor:
Published:

Brian Kristensen
Kurtis
TheTechLounge
Mar. 21, 2003

First Looks

I received the all-too-well known Chieftec Dragon today from Directron. Having ordered from there before, I was used to the quality and care put into packaging the case. The first thing you notice about this case is how over-popular it is, and how it seems to be going out of style. This may be true, but this Dragon still keeps its attitude. It's stylish door and wicked ventilation beckon you. I had ordered the generic beige mid tower, but upon opening of the box, I realized that beige isn't that bad of a color. Most everyone has gotten so tired of the generic beige and have gone to a variety of other colors. Despite the hatred of beige these days, the Dragon still seemed just as menacing under that light brown coat.

The Outer Dragon

When I had first seen the description of this case, I had the thought in my head that it was aluminum, but alas, upon receiving it, I found the chassis to be made of steel. (Where that idea came from, I have no idea!) But it still seemed lighter than most steel cases. Upon looking at the rear of this beast, I noticed the lack of thumb screws. When will companies learn that I'm to lazy to get a screwdriver? The back has all the usual necessities. Nothing too special here. Both side panels are removable via screws. The left panel, along with the screws, has a lockable mechanical door handle. This makes for easier entry if you constantly have to gain access to the inside of the case. The front of the case (including the door) is, as I expected, made of plastic. There is a large ventilation system on the front of the case. It provides ample airflow that is hard to come by.

Another nifty gizmo on this case are the fold out feet. This case is fairly large, so the feet give it that extra bit of stability if you are looking for it. Of course, they can be folded back under, or completely removed if you wish.

You will also notice the front access to USB and FireWire. Some like this, others don't. I personally could care less. Just more wires inside the case.

Jaws of the Dragon

One of the more motivational reasons to get this case is because of its nifty door covering the front drive bays. The front door, along with the side door, contains a locking mechanism (two keys provided). You would think that a case with a locking door would keep your computer safe. Think again. The whole idea of security on this thing is just a placebo. Yes there is a lock on the front and side doors, but upon closer inspection, the actual locking part is plastic, and secured by super glue! And what's more, is that the hinges on the door are very easy to break. Slamming the door a little to fast is going to knock it off the case! In fact, Kurtis did just that with his own Dragon. These are some important things to consider before buying this case. This case is no more secure than any other case out there on the market.

Once you open the front door, you will see the drive bezels and power switch. This case has (4) 5.25" and (2) 3.5" front accessible drive bays. You will notice that the reset button is recessed into the plastic, thus requiring a small object such as a screwdriver to actually press the button.

The side panel of this case has a fan mounted in the window above where the graphics card will generally be. This is good as it will help air get to where its needed. Once downfall of this though, is that you will have to unplug the fan if you want to completely remove the door, unless of course you don't mind a few broken wires.

The Inner Dragon

The inside of the case is very spacious. A good thing, since it will allow more room for components and easier installation. The space also provides adequate airflow for the 5 case fans this baby can have (not including power supply fans). There are 2 in the front and 2 in the back, 1 on the side, and eventually 1 more in the back for the power supply. This will keep neutral pressure inside the case, which is best for keeping low temperatures.

All of the 3.5" drive bays are removable in 2 sets with just a flip of a latch. This allows easier installation of floppy drives and hard disks. Another unique advantage (or disadvantage depending on who you ask) are the included drive rails and respective assembly. This allows you to mount rails onto the 5.25" drives, and slide them into position. This makes adding and removing the drives easier, as if you are just rearranging the drives, you will not have to unscrew anything. Other removable gadgets include the fan holders. These allow screwless installation of fans. They can be removed if you don't care for the purple color though. One thing this case is lacking though is a removable motherboard tray. Many of the high quality cases have them, and it suprises me that Chieftec did not include this in the Dragon.

One thing I haven't mentioned yet is the quality of machining this case. With all the edges and corners in this box, you will hardly see a sharp edge or pointy turn. All of the edges have either been bent around or filed. This is very nice as it keeps you from cutting yourself. Chieftec has put good effort into ensuring safty.

Conclusion

All in all this is a very well built case. Although it does fall short in some areas, it is still a welcome addition to my family of computers.

Pros

Side window and fan
Extra set of keys for door
Light for steel
Removable 3.5" bays
Fan clips
Quality construction
Spacious
fold out feet

Cons

No thumb screws
No motherboard tray
Plastic front
Cheap plastic hinges on door
Plastic locks
Reccessed reset button

Extra Images

Subscribe to Mid-Tower [more info]

Add Comment

0 User Comments

Add Comment

To add a comment without being a member, you may omit the password field, but you must enter your name (or nickname) along with your comment. * Denotes required fields.