Enermax Security Screws & Tool Kit

Reviews: Cases

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Bradford Day
Kurtis
Maxpoint
Mar. 26, 2004

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Quality Check

The Enermax Tool Kit felt relatively solid in my hand, despite being made mostly of plastic. The only real complaint I have in regards to the Tool Kit is the ratchet collar (which allows you to select the tightening, loosening or lock position of socket neck). The yellow collar felt just a touch on the flimsy side and didn't really give me the sense that the socket could withstand high torque. But, considering that it is primarily meant for use with small computer screws, I doubt that this will ever become an issue. Just don't use it to loosen the lug nuts on your car, ok? Beyond that, the tool was light-weight, full of useful bits and sockets and folded down into a compact form.

What can I say about the Security Screws? They withstood a fair amount of beating, crushing and sawing and came out grinning. I am hard pressed to find anything wrong with these Security Screws. They were quite resilient, withstanding a fair amount of damage without breaking. The 3-pronged gold screws were harder to tighten than the 4-pronged black screws, but when using the security key rather than the screwdriver, there are no problems. I would definitely feel safe at a LAN party or at the office knowing these little suckers are holding my valuable hardware in place. Enermax says that they are perfect for motherboard use. I would not be inclined to use these screws to hold a mobo in place. The rotating outer ring made it difficult to mount these little screws in the confined spaces where motherboard standoffs like to hide. Also, these Security Screws have a slightly larger head than the typical motherboard fastening screws and could, in a rare event, be too large to safely fit through your mobo without interfering with the etched circuitry surrounding the pre-drilled holes in the PCB. I would, however, wholeheartedly suggest using these screws to secure video cards, hard drives and other expensive peripherals.

Conclusion

The Enermax Tool Kit is a handy little multi-tool. I really liked the ergonomics and would be happy to have one in my toolbox. The Security Screws held their ground all the way. Sure a very small set of needle nose pliers can eventually crack their strong hold, but a would-be thief that is going to bother to carry a set of those pliers will probably have a SKIL saw in his or her backpack too, just in case. However, they do succeed in making your computer a less opportune target. I can see these Security Screws being a hit with the LAN party crowd! especially at large events like QuakeCon and LANwar. I also see a market for these nifty little screws in the office environment and in school or public libraries where keeping wandering fingers out of computer cases can be an all too real concern. Kudos to Enermax for designing two simple yet exceedingly useful devices, keep up the good work.

Tool Kit Pros

Multi-use bits and sockets
Compact, comfortable design
Ratchet action

Tool Kit Cons

Hard to use in tight spaces
Not for heavy duty use

Security Screws Pros

Excellent security
Smart, effective design
Resist persistent (and forceful) tampering

Security Screws Cons

May not work well as motherboard screws

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Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: First Looks & Testing
Page 3: Quality Check & Conclusion

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2 User Comments

1 - Posted by Victor T on September 3, 2008 - 6:58 pm

I'd use one or two of those to secure a motherboard, but not put one in each hole. Using one to hold your heatsink in place would secure the processor, one for the graphics card, one for your expensive BRD drive, one for your hard drive - you get the picture. They sell locking lug nuts for car wheels, but they're not meant to replace every lug nut, just one. Like those, these would make it too tedious to work with your system if you replace EVERY screw with one.

2 - Posted by Kurtis on September 4, 2008 - 12:47 am

This article is -old- but good point, Victor. :)

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