AMS CoolTechnica Case - Installation page 3
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AMS CoolTechnica Case
Installation
Installing components into the case is standard fare. Pretty much the same as any other. Although with the quality tooless screws included everywhere, it makes the job much easier.
First I installed the Enermax 431w PSU as seen below. The install went without a hitch and fit in very snug. Although the fan on the bottom of the PSU was slighly blocked with by some of the case housing, it was not a problem and shouldn't hinder airflow too much, if at all.
The inclusion of a removable motherboard tray certainly would have been a plus. But bear in mind when you set up a case with a removable mb tray, it tends to limit some of your options. Such as the 120mm exhaust fan. That would not be possible with a removable mb tray. So I can take the good with the bad. Obviously a 120mm fan pumping hot air away from my CPU and out of the case is a good thing.
All the components fit in nicely, and being able to setup both my HD's towards the bottom where the IDE Connectors are on my motherboard was an added bonus. I was then able to use the very short 10" single ended silver mesh cables that were provided by Sidewinder Computers. These babies are sweet if you have a setup like this where they can be used. Lets take a look.
See what I mean? Very nice indeed.
Conclusion
After all is said and done. I am really pleased with the AMS gTower Aluminum Case. With plenty of room, very light and sturdy construction, great cooling and an absolutely beautiful acrylic face plate, how can you go wrong? Sure, the price is a bit higher than your standard steel cases out there, but it's one that certainly catches your eye and will make a lasting impression. And not just eye candy either. It has all the bells and whistles to go along with the looks.
Additionally, the AMS gTower can provide an excellent housing for those of you that want to get into water cooling. The case is very expansive inside and has no unneeded brackets or supports to get in your way and is also a good 1/2" to 1" wider than your standard ATX case. Excellent ingredients for a water cooling setup. As it happens, this case is Cooltechnica's choice for the watercooled AquaXtreme-XG barebones. It seems there are complaints regarding many other aluminum cases with water cooled setups, but due to the strength and thickness of the AMS gTower, vibration is not an issue.
Highs
Very light
Sturdy construction
Roomy for a mid-tower
Aluminum construction keeps it cool
Tooless with included thumbscrews
Great "off the shelf cooling"
Front USB, Firewire and Speaker ports are great
Removable HD Tray
Stock LED's
Lows
That's it guys. Not many lows here. I really couldn't appreciate the gTower until I actually pulled it out of the box and was able to scrutinize it's fine construction and sexy looks. I would have no problems recommending this case to someone who wants not only a quality housing for their PC components, but one that doesn't fit the standard stereotype of plain boring beige cases. The AMS gTower is definitely a cut above the rest.
We'd like to personally thank Cooltechnica.com who provided the AMS gTower case for review. Checkout this and many other fine products on their website if your in the market for some truly hardcore cases and mod equipment. And tell 'em OCA sent ya.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out the review. Feel free to head into the Forums for discussion, or stop by the Front Page and check out plenty of other GooSH!™ here at OCA..
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