SUMMARY: Mike checks out the Wind Tunnel II Gamer ATX case from CoolerGuys. This case is the big brother of the original Wind Tunnel, with more blowholes and little features which makes this a nice case.
I had been told by the friendly folks over at Cooler Guys that they were going to send me a modded case to review, but I wasn’t really sure which case they had in mind. They don’t have a huge selection of cases, but the ones that appear on their site have one main thing in mind…COOLING! They specialize in selling normal cases that have been modified with additional fans, performance power supplies from Fortron, and general tweaks to the case that will allow for a very cool system.
So when the UPS guy dropped off the case on my doorstep, I hurried out to see what was on the inside. The package came shipped in a good sized brown box, but that was just an extra layer of protection for the real box that was neatly tucked inside. So I opened the next box up and was surprised to see not just the regular styrofoam end caps, but also a case that was completely surrounded by bubble wrap as well. Just the fact that these folks take this much pride in their shipping let me know that I was in for something special.
After looking over the case, it was time to start getting serious, so out came the screwdrivers and it was now time to see what made this sexy little monster tick.
The Features
- Intake Fans
The first thing that draws your attention is the pair of fan grills that decorate the left side of the case. I also noted that the holes were very well made and there were no noticeable rough edges to show sloppy workmanship. Things were beginning to look better and better, so I figured that it was time to drop the side panel and see what these grills were hiding.
Tucked away very neatly behind the grills were a pair of Sanyo-Denki 92mm fans. Each fan spins at a low 2900 RPMs, and creates 55-CFM of airflow. They were set up with the 4-pin Molex connectors that I like, and were ready to rock and roll right from the start.
There are a couple of features that are worth noting concerning these fans. First is the fact that they came with air filters connected to them. This is a small feature that just goes to show that these folks mean business. Everyone knows that dust is a component killer, and the addition of filters to the intake fans will do a great deal to prevent that dust from residing inside your system.
Secondly is the way that the fans were installed. They include a small shim that allows for a much tighter fit to the case. Since there is no gap between the fan and the side of the case, it will create a better and more efficient airflow for the system. Smoother airflow means better cooling.
And the holes! They are about as perfect as you can get. They are cut out with a laser to keep those edges from being an unsightly mess. If you’re going to spend extra on a case that has blow-holes already installed, then it only makes sense to have them done in a professional manner. These definitely fit that description. They are professionally cut all the way.
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