To paraphrase Forrest Gump: “Life is sort of a field of candies; you by no means know what you’re gonna get.” Mini-ITX PC circumstances are very very like that in the case of constructing in them. (It could also be a easy caramel, or a tooth-achy, crunchy shock.) Thermaltake’s The Tower 100, although, is the other of all that: The filling is on full show. As a lot a show case as a PC case, The Tower 100 begs to be lit up with the entire RGB lights you’ll find. It’s additionally simpler to work with than many Mini-ITX designs, and it’s priced at $119.99. That stated, we ran throughout some odd quirks in regards to the design that would use addressing in a future revision. But on the entire, this case is precisely as “good” as your PC-building abilities are.A Quirky, Colorful Cabinet The Tower 100 stands simply over a foot and a half tall (18.2 inches, to be actual) with tempered glass panels on the entrance, left, and proper. Most of what’s not made from glass is perforated metal. This helps to make sure that the system has ample airflow to forestall your element combine from overheating.
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(Photo: Michael Sexton)
The mannequin we acquired for evaluation is a trendy turquoise mannequin that retails for $119.99. The case can be obtainable in white or a darkish “racing inexperienced” colour for a similar value. A fourth, all-black model prices a bit much less at $109.99.
(Photo: Michael Sexton)
The entrance I/O panel is comparatively spare, with a row of three USB ports. Two of those are USB 3.0 Type-A, and the third is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C that is fed by a contemporary Gen 2-style motherboard header. (Make positive your Mini-ITX motherboard of alternative has each sorts of USB front-panel headers; older ones will not.) Alongside these are microphone and headphone jacks, in addition to the same old energy and reset buttons.
(Photo: Michael Sexton)
Externally, that’s about all there may be to the The Tower 100 case, however the constructing expertise is significantly totally different than some other case I’ve labored with up to now.The Building ExpertiseOn the again of the The Tower 100 case are 4 thumbscrews. For anybody that’s constructed a PC earlier than, this seems to be the way in which to open the case, nevertheless it’s not truly the primary entry level, although you may finally wish to return right here. Behind this panel is the again of the motherboard mounting tray. To open the case up for constructing functions, you must begin on the high and work your approach down.
(Photo: Michael Sexton)
The top-most panel is held on by a set of clips that launch the panel when pressed. Underneath is one other panel that doubles as a mounting bracket. This is one among solely two areas the place a fan will be mounted, and it’s the one place the place you’ll be able to set up a closed-loop water cooler. Officially, you’ll be able to set up a radiator right here solely as much as 120mm in dimension, however the fan bracket helps each 120mm and 140mm followers. The second fan mount is ready behind the motherboard tray and is similar dimension, however the motherboard tray makes it unimaginable so as to add a radiator on this location. Both fan slots include 120mm followers pre-installed into them. This panel is detachable by taking out 5 screws.After the highest panels have each been eliminated, you’ll be able to take away all three glass panels by merely sliding them up and pulling them off of the case. It’s solely after eradicating these panels that you just’ll have the ability to begin constructing a system.
(Photo: Michael Sexton)
The motherboard will get mounted vertically on this case, positioned in order that the board is on full view via the entrance glass panel. With the entire glass panels eliminated, gaining access to the entire varied headers to get them linked up is made pretty simple; you’ve quick access from three instructions. The identical goes for the RAM slots in your board, and the PCI Express slot in your graphics card.Directly under the motherboard mounting tray is a compartment for housing the facility provide. The energy provide slides in via the again of the case and mounts to a detachable steel bracket. Putting the facility provide in is an easy and painless expertise. Afterward, the cabling will be run up into the primary case chamber via varied slits within the PSU compartment, as much as the motherboard or graphics card as wanted.
(Photo: Michael Sexton)
Beside the motherboard mounting tray and the PSU compartment, Thermaltake left a big house for the video card. The cavity can accommodate a dual-slot card as much as 330mm lengthy.
(Photo: Michael Sexton)
In whole, the case can maintain 4 storage gadgets (not counting M.2 drives that could be mounted in your motherboard of alternative). On the suitable facet of the case are facet brackets that may maintain two 2.5-inch drives. Two 3.5-inch drives will be added to the again of the case behind the motherboard mounting tray, however this may require you to take away the fan from behind the tray to make room.The Rear I/O Panel: Twists and TurnsThere’s one final key level that we have to talk about about The Tower 100, and that’s the rear I/O panel placement. It’s an unconventional design, to make sure, and Thermaltake opted to put the rear I/O panel in one of many least accessible preparations of any case in current reminiscence. Instead of being on the again of the case or elsewhere on the case’s exterior for straightforward entry, Thermaltake positions the I/O panel contained in the case below the top-most panel. It makes the case look glossy and minimal from all angles on the surface, however heaven forbid if it’s a must to plug in something in a rush! You’ll must snake the cables via cutouts at the back of the case then bend them downward to the ports. You’re wanting right here on the within the chassis’ high panel from under, with the I/O port zone to the left of the fan…
(Photo: Michael Sexton)
As you’ll be able to see, the graphics card’s backplane, and thus your video outs, may also level up and out of the highest panel. This design is simply as bothersome because it in all probability sounds to you, and it makes plugging something right into a motherboard constructed into The Tower 100 a chore. That is, after all, except you’re taking the lazy approach out and go away the highest panel off…however who desires to maintain their showcase chassis part-disassembled, with cables looping out the highest? That goes towards the entire aesthetic of this chassis.
(Photo: Michael Sexton)
How may or not it’s corrected in a future revision? A vertical motherboard mount like this necessitates the I/O positioning up high, to make sure, however some extender cables to essentially the most generally used ports (akin to to a subset of your USB ports or to the show output) can be very considerate equipment to incorporate. Or maybe some L-adapters for stiff cables like HDMI or DisplayPort. Another choice may be to make the chassis just a little taller, permitting for extra room to entry the I/O panel from the rear. Having the rear I/O panel on the highest of the PC case is unconventional, however doing this may make attending to the rear I/O panel far simpler with out considerably altering the design.Verdict: Not a Bad Deal, for a Tower in Teal A system constructed into Thermaltake’s The Tower 100 case has potential to be an actual eye-catcher. The Tower 100, nonetheless, leaves a number of that work to you. The value is enticing sufficient, however Thermaltake does not provide you with an entire lot exterior the glass (aesthetically talking, and when it comes to equipment within the field) to make it a lovely choice for somebody trying to construct a flashy PC case. It’s one thing of a blank-slate field.For one: The case doesn’t have any LED illumination in-built, nor does it ship with RGB or aRGB LED followers. (The two included spinners are, curiously, unlit.) The case will do a great job exhibiting off the components you put in into it, however as you’ll be able to seee right here, our completed construct appears reasonably boring with out some LED aptitude.
(Photo: Michael Sexton)
Even with added LEDs, some extra standard PC circumstances may make higher show circumstances for pc {hardware} than this one. The factor is, although: Most of these are ATX, and that is Mini-ITX. Setting the aesthetics apart, the case isn’t significantly tough to work with; we have wrangled with far tougher Mini-ITX circumstances in our day. The cooling choices are fairly restricted, nonetheless, and the bizarre rear I/O panel placement means you may wish to plug in what you should from the outset and largely depend on your entrance USB ports from then on out. (Another purpose to verify your motherboard has that trendy USB 3.2 Gen 2 header for the USB-C port.) Overall, The Tower 100 leaves us with some blended emotions, and we want Thermaltake, a champion and pioneer of blingy gear, had opened up its purse and supplied some cool RGB stuff within the field to boost your construct. But if the worth matches your price range, the aesthetic tickles you good, and you’ve got the persistence and the components, the place else will you discover a teal or racing-green Mini-ITX chassis?
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