|
Product:
|
GMC Noblesse SE Mid-Tower Case |
|
Price:
|
Basic version $122 (CAN) / $90 (U.S)
|
|
Price:
|
Gold version $190 (CAN) / $140 (U.S)
|
|
Supplied By:
|
GMC Corporation
|
|
Author:
|
BigDaddy
|
|
Date:
|
July 8th, 2003
|
|
Rating:
|
|
|
Click image for larger view
|
Click image for larger view
|
|
Removing the front bezel, we get a clear view of the front chassis. One of the 5.25 and 3.5 inch bays
has already been punched out. While the top panel is screwed in place, making for easy removal, the
drive cages have been riveted to the chassis. Those wishing to paint the chassis interior will have to
drill out the cages and re-secure them after painting.
|
|
Click image for larger view
|
Click image for larger view
|
|
As was previously mentioned, the case comes with a great deal of additional components. Included in the
kit are a standard I/O shield, four rubber feet, a motherboard speaker, two expansion slot covers, some
audio pass through cables, a custom PCB for the Sound Selector, and the Hard Drive Selector unit with a
custom IDE cable. Additionally, GMC includes a clam shell with color coded screws, tie wraps, cable
anchors, rubber grommets and silicone pads for noise dampening.
|
|
Click image for larger view
|
Click image for larger view
|
|
The custom PCB is what allows the Sound Selector to interface with the sound card’s 5.1 audio system. It
has in and out ports for center/woofer, rear and front, as well as a microphone port. This allows the
user to choose if sound should be directed to the 5.1 speaker system, or to the headphone jack on the
front bezel. Obviously this requires a sound card with 5.1 capabilities to be installed, as the PCB is
merely a bypass mechanism, not a sound card itself.
|
|
Noblesse SE HD Selector
|
Click image for larger view
|
|
The Hard Drive Selector is designed to allow up to 3 pairs of devices to be powered independently of
each other on boot up. A single motherboard connector hooks up to the power connector, while Molex
connectors connect up to the power supply and the individual hard drives. Fully populated, the system
can have 3 separate master and slave drives operating on the primary IDE channel. On boot up, only one
set of the drives is active. After power is applied, hitting any of the other system buttons will have
no effect on the system. Thankfully, if you aren’t planning on using all the drives, each of the Molex
lines can be disconnected from the project box which houses the PCB. This will help cut down on the
cable clutter.
The Hard Drive Selector mounts on the side of the hard drive cage, where it can be hooked up to the
ribbon cable that connects it to the momentary switches on the front bezel. I would have preferred to
have seen the unit mounted on the opposite side of the cage, out of view, but there are no mounting
holes or the space to contain it. The main downside to the system is that the design of the system
forces users to implement it. Since the hard drive selector and the power button are one and the same,
a user who simply wants a dedicated power switch will have to make modifications accordingly.
|
|
Conclusion:
Overall, the GMC Noblesse SE Mid-Tower Case is impressive. The major feature on this unit is its visual
appeal, which made the original Noblesse so popular. As well, the steel construction makes for a very
solid, albeit heavy, enclosure. With 11 device bays and lots of interior room, the case will appeal to
those users looking for lots of room for additional gear or complex hard drive solutions. Having a
removable hard drive cage facilitates installing components, while the tool-less design provides easy
access to the case interior. As well, a locking side panel ensures the internal components are kept
somewhat safe from theft. Additionally, the unit comes with lots of extras, like cable ties, anchors,
grommets, silicone pads and color coded screws. Finally, the Sound Selector and Hard Drive Selector
will have an appeal to users looking for some of the more specific features those systems offer. The
unit is far from perfect though, as the stealth bay is rendered nearly useless without any kind of
mounting bracket to support it. As well, the front air intake is not the best to begin with, and is
further hampered by cabling from the front bezel. While the Hard Drive Selector is an interesting
feature, it is not an easy process to bypass the system for users with a single hard drive setup.
Aside from a few minor issues, I'm awarding this Noblesse SE an
8 out of 10 and would recommend it to users
looking for a visually appealing case with a handsome feature set.
If you have any questions regarding this review be sure to visit the GMC Corporation
website for more information or discuss them in our
forums.
|
Pros:
- Great looks
- Solid construction
- Lots of room for expansion
- Removable drive cage
- Dual exhaust fans included
- Includes extras such as sound dampeners, grommets, etc.
- Tool-less design
- Security mechanism
|
Cons:
- No power supply
- No slide out motherboard tray
- No mounting bracket for stealth bay
- Can not easily bypass hard drive selector
- Negligible front air intake
|
|
