Thermaltake XaserV WinGo V7000D

Reviews: Cases

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Nicholas Hart
Kurtis
ThermalTake
Mar. 30, 2004

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Quality Check

As mentioned earlier, this case is very heavy. Weighing in at 31 pounds with no components installed it is by far the heaviest mid-tower I've had the pleasure of lifting. Being heavy isn't all bad though, as heavier parts will resist vibration. And when everything fits as nicely as it does on the WinGo, vibration is reduced even more.

The viewing window is excellently made out of acrylic with the ThermalTake name and "Cool all your life' imprinted into it with a frosted effect. It is held on with plastic pressure fittings that are easy to remove should you want to make any modifications. Again, the fit is excellent with no gaps between it and the metal frame.

As I mentioned earlier, the front bezel fits nicely and it is also removable; but to remove it you would need to disconnect the lighted logo as well. The hinges are nothing special but the door assembly is lightweight and they should hold up well. I found that the key sticks a little when trying to remove it from the lock cylinder but will probably get better the more you use it.

The paint on the metal surfaces of the case is well done with a slight textured feel to it. The coverage extends even to folded surfaces which would be covered up during normal use. The bottom of the case is also painted with just as much attention to quality as the sides.

The top panel connectors are only average in quantity; two USB, one firewire, mic in and headphone out. The firewire connector sticks up a bit more than I would like to see, but the other connectors are level with the plastic surface. To open the door simply push down and it will pop up to open. The hinge is not a tight fit, but when closed the door fits tightly.

Conclusion

At about $100 street price sans power supply, the WinGo may be a bit expensive. But if you like the looks and want a quiet case it will certainly do the job. As for cooling, with 5 internal fans and variable speed control, it won't get hot. And at low speed, it's quiet even with all the fans whirring. I am still a bit bothered by the color difference between the plastic and the paint, but the longer I look at it, the less it bothers me.

I would recommend this case to anyone who likes to frequently tinker with their internals. There is plenty of room inside so even a motherboard swap would be rather painless. It would also make a great case for a demo PC. With the side fan bracket removed, customers could easily see the hardware inside and the locking front and side panel would keep them from making any "unauthorized changes.' I wouldn't recommend any frequent LAN-goers purchase this case, it is simply too heavy. But if you do, you will always have a seat to rest on, albeit an uncomfortable one!

Pros

Quiet
Very solidly built
Largely tool-free access to internals
Plenty of room inside
No cuts!
Sideways hard drive mounting for easier access
Hard to resist fondling the aluminum fan control knobs

Cons

Heavy
Color of plastic parts are poor match for paint on metal surfaces
Screw-free standoffs can be difficult to use

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Page 1: Introduction:
Page 2: First Looks & Taking a Closer Look
Page 3: Quality Check & Conclusion

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