Conclusion - Innovative New Products That Offer Something For Everyone
As we have seen in this review, many new and unique ideas are making their way from the case-mod world into everyday case designs. It is clear that both case manufacturers and marketers are listening to the needs and wants of customers, and are making new cases to meet these demands.
Of the cases that we have seen in this review, three distinguished themselves above the others. While it was not an easy choice, we did feel that these three cases earned a THG Editors’ Choice award.
When money is no object and you want the best of the best with exceptional configuration, performance, and quality, our first Editors’ Choice goes to the Lian Li PC-6089A. Lian Li continues to push the limits of what is possible with case technology and lives up to its much-deserved reputation as an industry leader.
Our second Editors’ Choice award, in what is perhaps a surprise to some, goes to the Enermax CS-1018. We liked the design of this monster case and found it provided an excellent level of unique features that we did not see in the others. We were impressed by the high level of quality and attention to detail in this case. Although this case isn’t for everyone, it definetely offered some ideas that we would like to eventually see included in other case models. This case is more targeted for applications such as overclocking, dual processors, and servers.
For our overall value for the money pick, we have to give our third Editors’ Choice nod to the Antec Lanboy. With a reasonable price that is just a little more than some of the value-priced cases, the Lanboy offers some very unique concepts, as well as a practical introduction to an aluminum case. Most aluminum cases are more expensive than this, but the Lanboy is able to strike a good balance between usability and flexibility, which earned it our recognition over others.
We also saw some features in other cases that are worth mentioning. We liked the advancements that Enlight is making in revamping its product line. Many have complained that Enlight has been too conservative and is not moving toward forward-thinking designs. Clearly, these new cases from Enlight break new ground. While Enlight has not quite caught up to all of the competition yet, they seem to be headed in the right direction.
Kudos also go to the Thermaltake Xaser II 6000, which offers a ton of new ideas that we really liked a lot. We recommend this case as a solid purchase, as long as you like its design.
We also want to congratulate the folks at Atech who presented us with a very unique-looking case that is not only functional, but also offers the ability to fit in with your décor. Atech is really on to something with the AFT6551, and it will be interesting to see them take this design to the next level. We would like to see them trick out the AFT6551 with a see-through side panel and lighting to enhance this case.
Exciting times are ahead for case innovation enthusiasts. With the additional thermal requirements of new processor technology, it is obvious that additional innovations in cases will be required. No longer are case manufacturers content to produce plain beige boxes, which is a good thing for the consumer. We believe additional innovations will bring even more new features to the computer case industry that will add more convenience and usability. No longer will your computer case be just a piece of equipment, it will say something about you, and perhaps even spruce up your décor.
