CyberHwy Clear Blue Acrylic Case

Reviews: Cases

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Brian Kristensen
Kurtis
CyberHwy
Jul. 16, 2003

Specifications

Introduction

Today we will be taking a look at a clear blue acrylic case from CyberHwy. They offer this case in three flavors: Clear, Blue, and Black. The blue and black cases are the same as the clear case but the top and right panels are replaced with blue or black acrylic panels. This case is very similar to Sunbeam's clear case.

Packaging

The case comes unassembled for ease of shipping. This reduces the risk of damage and the size of the box. The case's retail packaging is a very sturdy cardboard box with a large sticker on front showing off the finished product. There is a plastic pull out handle for ease of transporting the case. Inside the box each panel is covered in bubble wrap. There is a layer of Styrofoam on the top and bottom. Overall the packaging is great, which is good to know considering this product is very fragile.

What's Included

The case is not assembled when you receive it (as you can tell from the size of the box it comes in). There are eight panels total. A small box contains all the accessories needed for building the case (except for a screwdriver). Located in the box are several different types of screws for holding the panels together, and installing your components inside the case. There are also 8 acrylic blocks with metal threads inserted in them to hold the side panels together. Also included are the case buttons and LEDs, PCI slot covers, speaker, front bay covers, a standard motherboard I/O plate, installation manual and cotton gloves. The gloves are worn to protect the case from scratches and smudges while installing. The manual is very easy to follow and contains pictures that are easy to understand.

Construction

Constructing the case is a fairly simple task, but a little time consuming (a little under an hour). I won't tell you how to build the case because the included manual does a good job of explaining it. Instead I will post pictures from each step of the construction.

Installing your components into the case is simple. There are tall standoffs already in the side panel for installing the motherboard. There are special screws and standoffs for installing 5.25 and 3.5 drives. There are also special fan screws that are longer than traditional fan screws to accommodate the thickness of the acrylic.

The Finished Case

This case isn't packed with features due to the materials required to build it. The case does provide excellent airflow with the ability to mount up to five 80mm fans. There is one intake on the front, two on the side next to the PCI cards, one exhaust below the PSU opening and an exhaust on the top panel of the case.

The case isn't as sturdy as steel or aluminum cases, but it is pretty sturdy for being made out of acrylic and is easy to build and take apart.

The front bay covers are a bit of a problem. They aren't held in place well. The knobs that hold the covers on tend to come lose if you move the case too much.

Despite the lack of PSU supports, the case was sturdy enough to withstand the weight of the power supply, but the PSU does tend to slant a bit.

There is one problem I see with the case being set up the way it is. The motherboard is installed on to the right side panel, and the right side panel needs to be removed to add or remove drives. You will have to remove all your PCI/AGP cards so you can remove the side panel and then you can proceed to installing or removing your drives.

Another problem is that the panels used to mount the drives are further apart than the drives actually require. I had to squeeze the panels closer together to be able to mount the drives, and even then the screws were barely able to secure themselves in to the drives.

Mod-ability

One great thing about this case is there are endless mod possibilities. Since the case is made of acrylic, it is much easier to cut and work with than steel or aluminum. If I were to mod this case, I would cut 120mm fan openings and install my own grills. An appliqué on the side of the case would also be very nice looking. Other customizations could include a clear PSU cover that fits the clear blue theme and blue LED case fans.

Conclusion

This case was a breeze to construct, and looks great. Despite a few pitfalls such as installing new drives and the lack of PSU supports, it is still a great, well built case. If you don't plan on messing with the inside of your case much, and want something nice to look at, you may want to check out this case.

Pros

Looks great
Easy to build
Good airflow
Plenty of drive space

Cons

Mounting drives is a chore
No PSU supports
Drive cover retention isn't the best
Drive mounting panels too far apart
Sturdy, but not as sturdy as a metal case
Acrylic is known to attract dust

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9 User Comments

1 - Posted by handrail on July 17, 2003 - 8:20 am

i've never really liked those cases. they are definitely interesting, but i am so lazy i would never do anything cool like hide all my wires, or bind them in UV reactive sleeves, so mine would look so crap.

i prefer non-see-thru to conceal my slop.

2 - Posted by Rich on July 17, 2003 - 8:26 am

The idea of a clear case is interesting, but I would agree with Handrail, he has a sloppy computer :D .Seriously, there are some parts of the computer I just don't want to see.

3 - Posted by handrail on July 17, 2003 - 10:09 am

yeah, well you built my last one for me while i was out of town, as i recall, Pestis. :shock:

however, my computer wiring slop factor is second only to my motorcycle wiring mess. that is a fine piece of spaghetti soldering.

4 - Posted by Rich on July 17, 2003 - 12:51 pm

And I firmly stand behind my slop..way behind

5 - Posted by notobe on August 9, 2003 - 8:15 am

I really like Acrylic Cases but i dont really like the look of the coloured ones.. i like the plain clear ones but this is a very good review Brian. Well done. and if you dont want the acrylic case anymore.. send it to me lol.

Good job.

6 - Posted by caniswolfie on August 9, 2003 - 8:42 pm

The problem I don't like about them is the tendancy I would have to scratch the acrylic. I'm not that neat and I tend to move my stuff around a lot.

7 - Posted by A Person on August 12, 2003 - 12:46 pm

The clear acrylic would fascinate me for a couple of days. Then I would get sick of seeing all my different colored cables going everywhere. If I had the patience to wrap all the cables and organize them, maybe I would like the clear case.

8 - Posted by Kurtis on August 12, 2003 - 1:09 pm

Yeah thats the big downside to acrylic... although i like to keep my case relatively clean, its not worth the hassle to have a clear case in my opinion

9 - Posted by DigitalServer on August 12, 2003 - 1:52 pm

Also don't put a bay cigarette lighter in there :lol:

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