Needed to add more storage to my wife's PC and her OEM case wasn't configured for it. Additionally, the OEM case had a single exhaust fan and no way to add an intake fan or anything like that. (I'm looking at you ASUS). So I went in search of a replacement - I wanted something nice, easy to assemble and not too expensive. The Thermaltake Versa H17 is definitely what you need. This is my first case of Thermaltake. Based on my experience with the H17, I assume it won't be my last. (I am seriously considering migrating my home server to a V21 cubic chassis.) I will detail my chassis building experience. First let me mention if you're reusing old parts or if you're on a tight budget and getting a wired PSU instead of a modular one, then this case is perfect. The H17 doesn't use traditional drive cages to attach drives - no doubt a cost-saving measure - instead it uses system rubber washers + screws that allow you to mount a 3.5" hard drive on the bottom of the case under the power supply. cover and a second 3.5 inch hard drive under the PSU cover. This mounting system leaves a LOT of space in place of drive cages to neatly hide unused power cables. 2.5" drives are mounted in the same way as 3.5" drives, except that the drives can be mounted on either side of the case. Chassis motherboard tray. I decided to mount the drives on the back of the tray for easier cable management. The motherboard tray has a very large cutout to allow easy access to the back of the CPU should that ever be needed. The side panels slide on and off with ease - unlike many other cases I've used over the years. There is ENOUGH space behind the motherboard tray for cable management, especially considering the space under the PSU shroud. There are plenty of connection points which also help keep your cables organized. If something is missing from this suitcase, it's the rubber pads and velcro straps, but their inclusion only adds to the price of the suitcase. Let's talk fans and cooling. With a predominantly solid front apron, the amount of air entering the chassis will be limited. However, because the vents are on the faceplate (rather than the sides of the faceplate as in some other cases), the incoming air must not kink and lose pressure. The front of the case supports up to 3 x 120mm or 2 x 140mm front fans along with 1 x 120mm or 140mm fan on the top (with magnetic dust filter) and 1 x 120mm Rear Exhaust Fan - Thermaltake 3-pin base black. a fan is included. The installation of only one fan is another cost-saving measure from Thermaltake. When I bought the case I ordered 2 x 120mm Cougar Vortex PWM fans to use on top of the 120mm Cryorig fan I already have. While I don't think most people will need to add three fans to this case, I highly recommend that you get at least one decent fan as a front air intake. My original plan was to place all 3 fans on the front of the case and leave the top fan space free. I changed my mind on this during construction for two reasons. 1 - wires for buttons, LEDs and connectors on the top of the case are attached to the front panel. Mounting the fans too high in the case will make it difficult to route these cables through the case. Install a 120mm Cryorig fan as a supply air fan. If the position was closer to the back I would put it up as an exhaust fan instead. If I made that fan an exhaust fan where it's located, I would literally steal the cold air going into the case and blow it out of the CPU before it could use it. This is despite the fact that positive air pressure is best for dust control. If this computer had a tower style CPU cooler (like the Cryorig H7 or CoolerMaster 212 EVO) instead of the stock downflow cooler, I wouldn't add a top fan at all as it would just cause turbulence. If for some reason we're rating this case, these are the points on the fan mounts. However, I don't think it's appropriate to deduct this case from the bill at all. That's why. Since this case is a budget case, I don't expect many people buying it planning on using 360mm AIO coolers - which can be difficult due to the wiring issue I mentioned - and to be honest I think the cooling configuration I'm currently using is probably more optimal than my original plan with three fans on the front of the case. By running 3 fans at the front, you could only blow up excess air under the PSU cover. The forward-biased top fan is a plus because running the intake fan here eliminates any problems you might have in pulling in enough air to cool things inside. In general, if you are looking for an attractive case. (especially if you don't need a side panel with a window) which has a high build quality but a reasonable price, I strongly recommend you to take a look at the Thermaltake Versa H17.
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