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Thermaltake Soprano DX Mid-Tower Case
Introduction
If you've ever shown off your computer, you know that the case is what sets it apart first, and most prominently. There's everything that goes into it, and that's an attraction (cases with windows in point),but the box itself makes the first impression. And nobody is saying that the Thermaltake Soprano DX looks cheap. Although not the first of its kind, with overlapping, curved lines and a reflective metal-flake finish, it absolutely makes a show of combined elegance and stature. The black is accentuated by chrome lines and blue lighting, neither subtle nor minimalistic, but far from overstated. It's a good-looking case. But then, what's on the inside? On paper, it looks as though it's a standard-layout ATX chassis, with just a few friendly changes. Are they solid improvements to a solid standard, or does the Soprano DX ship without innovation, empty-handed and plain? (Plain in a damn-good-looking sort of way.)     First Looks It's glossy. It's "Hey, pal, don't touch my stuff" glossy. The front panel handle, thankfully enough, is inside the panel itself. As brushed aluminum, the portion that's touched the most is slightly more fingerprint-resistant. The rest of the case... it's off limits to the jerks who can't figure out what that faucet's for. Under the front panel is a black plastic bezel, which is a bit translucent on the surface so that you can see the metal-flake, but otherwise opaque. The bezel has openings for the four 5.25" and two 3.5" bays, and a concentric-square vent for the front intake fan. The plastic will show off all the dust, but it is behind a door. The IO panel is situated on the top of the case, under a plastic cover, and the case has matching plastic feet that swivel out for extra stability. The case door looks like it's from a different computer--it's anti-stylish. The windowed version has a rough square, metal mesh filter on a round CPU vent (for an 80mm fan), and the solid door has two asymmetrical vents: one for the CPU and another for the expansion cards. Both would look cleaner without vents, and were I to use the case, I'd probably point the door side to the wall.
Page 1: Introduction & First Looks
Page 2: Inside the case Page 3: Installation, Quality Check & Conclusion 
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