FrontX (X-tension) Port - Articles / Reviews

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FrontX (X-tension) Port

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Kurtis Kronk
Brian
FrontX
May. 10, 2003

FrontX's Package

When I got the FrontX combo from FrontX, it was packed inside a padded envelope. Upon opening the package I found a beige FrontX casing, Game Port, Double USB Port, Mic In, Speaker Out, Headphone Out, and mounting screws.

Taking a Closer Look

When you take out the FrontX casing, you will see that the door on it is held shut by 2 rubber bands to keep it from breaking off in shipment. The reason for this is that if the door folds back and too much pressure is applied, it could be broken off. The entire casing is made out of plastic except for the metal bracket that runs the length of it to reinforce it. When you open the door to on the casing you will notice 8 removable plastic port fillers. Looking at this product reminds me of playing with Lego blocks as a kid. When you want to add or remove ports to the casing, it is just a matter of sliding out the plastic port fillers and sliding in the port you want to install. The only time you will need tools for this device is for mouning it in a 5.25" bay, and for screwing on any PCI brackets used (headphones use one). I tried mounting the FrontX in 2 cases (Enermax CS-1018S / Chieftech Dragon) and neither had any problems. I will not go into installation because it is extremely simple and there are tons of instructions on FrontX's website as well as included with the product when you receive it.

Options

With FrontX you have tons of options... It offers several different ports all in 3 different colors (Black, Grey, Beige), and if you run out of room on one FrontX casing you can always add another. FrontX is an ideal solution for hardcore gamers and LAN party attendees because it eliminates the hassle of reaching around the back to plug in your various computer hardware. If you want you can purchase an array of different ports including Game Controllers, Firewire, USB etc. Something that I was pleased to see was the option to buy just the components you want, and they are all fairly priced.

Quality Inspection

The first thing I took note of was that the entire casing is made of plastic, except for the metal reinforcement bracket. The door is completely plastic and has plastic hinges that could easily be broken off. Given the price of this unit and the fact that the entire casing could be replaced for about $10 USD, it isn't that big a deal. Something I would like to see anyways is a steel door with steel hinges, just for quality's sake. It would actually be ideal if the entire casing was made of steel, and just had plastic port placeholders, but that would increase the price and then it would probably no longer be an ideal solution.

Installation Images

Conclusion

Overall this is a great product that provides an ideal solution for hardcore gamers or frequent LAN-goers. The quality of construction could have been a little better, but for the price I can't complain. I highly recommend this product if you are a hardcore gamer, LAN-goer, or if you are just too lazy to reach around to the back of your case to plug things in.

Pros

VERY convenient
Easy to install & use
Tons of port options
Plenty of instructions
Customizable Port configuration

Cons

Made mostly out of plastic
Weak door
Cables may be too short for some cases
Not many color options. Aluminum faceplates as an option would be nice

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