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Introduction:
First a little about the company,
Raidtronics, Inc.
Most of us know them as
Raidmax. This next blurb is from
their website:
“Raidmax's mission is to consistently offer best in class PC
enclosures and accessories to our OEM clientele, as well as
the fast growing retail market segment. Our constant effort
to provide innovative designs, quality products, and
excellent customer service is what sets Raidtronics apart
from our competitors. At Raidmax, we will not only work hard
to earn your business, our goal is to always meet or exceed
your expectations.” ~
more
info
A case is a little like clothing, car, or house. They make a
statement about the individual. Although, sometimes reading
a person by what they wear or have is not a true reflection
of the true individual. So can a case reflect your
age/personality? Obviously, everyone has different interests
and tastes. For that reason there are many cases on the
market. Some look overstated, and others very elegant but
simple. While silver and black are the standard colors,
cases come in many colors depending on the model. Who's to
say what's looks the best? Well, in this review I do ;)!
Let's have a peek at this case.
Packaging:
This product came in the original case box, which is
common shipping practice. Sometimes though, cases will come
shipped in another outside box to insure no damage.
Thankfully, there was no shipping related damage to this
product - the Styrofoam padding and plastic bag added extra
protection. Additionally, the windows are protected from
scratches with adhesive plastic both on the outside and
inside. This plastic is easily removed by simply peeling it
away.
Included
in this package is the case, a user's manual, speaker,
screws, case badge, and Power Supply cable.
Case Layout and Specifications:
The Raidmax Sagitta Gaming Case w/450W PSU is mostly steel
with a plastic front. The case dimensions are: 50cm (L) x
20cm (W) x 45cm (H), and it weights in at
7.3 kilograms. The overall look of the case is fairly
flashy and something that's certainly not going to appeal to
everyone. It's a product that will probably be more accepted
by the younger crowd.
This
case is available in a couple of different color
configurations; Silver with Red and Black with Silver.
At the top front there’s a door which swings open to the
right to reveal 5 x 5.25" drive bays and 2 x 3.5" drive
bays. These drive bays also have a tool-less design which
will make installing/removing drives a breeze.
At the front bottom there are 2 x USB ports, a microphone
and a headphone jack. Having to open the case door to access
the ports is a little inconvenient though. Also, the power
button is located to the left and the reset button to the
right. The door is
plastic and doesn't seem that sturdy.
Just inside the case at the front bottom, an
optional 80/92/120mm fan can be installed. A fan in this
location provides excellent case air circulation and is
strongly recommend. I believe a 120mm fan should have
been included.
Both side panels can be taken off by first
removing the two thumb screws at the back. The left panel comes with
a rather larger window and a blue LED 80mm fan. This
fan intakes cool air from the outside to the inside of the
case.
At the back of the case at the very top they
include a Raidmax 450 Watt standard ATX Power Supply. While
the budget builder would appreciate this PSU, any hardcore
computer user would require their own high-end power supply. They
also include a 120mm fan (exhausts warm air from the inside to
the outside the case), an IO shield plate, and at the bottom
back there are 7 expansion slots.
 
This is a mid-tower case so there isn’t a lot
of room to work on the inside and unfortunately the
motherboard tray isn’t removable. The form factor of this
case is ATX, however, there's no support for BTX. As mentioned previously, there
are 5 x 5.25” and 2 x 3.5” external drive bays. Well, there
are an additional three internal 3.5” drive bays. Installing
drives in these drive bays is also a tool-less operation.
The expansion slots also have a tool-less design for easy
card installation and removal.
Also, note the location of these drive bays. They are
ideally placed behind a optional intake fan. This will insure that the hard
drives stay cool if the fan is installed.
Below is a picture of the bottom of the case. Not a
flattering part of any case really, with four standard
plastic feet. Plastic feet are fine, offering
stability and some reduction of vibration as well. NOTE:
These feet are not installed before shipment of this case.
Installation is very simple, so it's not an issue.
Conclusion:
While this is not the king of cases, it does have many
redeeming factors. It has decent air circulation if an
optional 120mm fan is installed at the front. Lets face it,
case air circulation is very important. It baffles me why a
fan wasn't included at the front, I guess it's to keep the
consumer cost low. The tool-less design on both the drive
bays and the expansion slots will definitely come in handy.
It even comes with a power supply. This could really be a
positive or negative feature though. Some folks would just
prefer to get their own power supply. I believe it's a plus
because this product is really targeted at the budget
conscious computer builder. A word on the case's appearance:
If you need to make a statement at a LAN Party, this case
will do it. Oh, and on a funny note. This is not the
Spaghetti case, it's Sagitta meaning; 'A
constellation in the Northern Hemisphere near Aquila and
Vulpecula'.
Pros:
- Lots of fans (but no fan at the front)
- Great air circulation (remember to install a fan at the
front)
- Tool-less design
- Includes a 450W PSU
Cons:
- Looks a little cheap
- Front door may easily be cracked off or damaged
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