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Product:
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A-Top Z-Alien PC Gaming Server |
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Price:
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$185 (CAN) / $140 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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A-Top Technology
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Author:
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Shatterstar
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Date:
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March 10th, 2004
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Rating:
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Behind the top 3.5" drive bays is a small opening which can be used to route the cabling from the front
bezel. There is also a wiring harness that holds the cabling from the top external ports. These two
options help keep both the wiring and chassis interior clean as well as organized. As previously mentioned,
the harness for the top mounted ports includes cables for two USB connectors, Firewire connector and Audio
ports.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The wiring connected to the front panel includes a thermal probe, two USB connectors and a 4-pin Molex
connector to supply power to the thermal display and alien eyes. The 4-pin Molex is connected to the
thermal probe display with a 2-pin quick-connect connector. To help ease the installation of peripherals
in the case, the Z-Alien PC Game Server contains two added options. The first option is a removable
cross-bar, which once removed will allow for more room to install a CDROM or DVD drive. The second
option is a quick attach and release tab system located near the PCI card location. This works feature
works amazingly well and all that is required is to simply unscrew the three screws holding the system.
Once the three screws have been removed you install your PCI and AGP cards and then replace the
mechanism. After the cards are in and the cardholder is in place, it’s a simple matter of sliding the
tab down to lock it.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The included power supply is a generic 500W, which also features sleeving on the main power bundle. The
power supply includes a standard P4, ATX and AUX connectors followed by two cables containing two 4-pin
Molex connectors and a floppy connector. The third and final power cable contains only two 4-pin Molex
connectors. Testing the power supply was done on the following system:
- Intel P4 2.4C CPU
- ASUS P4C800-DLX Motherboard
- 2 x 512MB OCZ PC3500 DDR Memory
- 2 x 120 GB Western Digital SATA drives
The Z-Alien PC Game Server Case also has two 80mm fans, one 120mm fan and a thermal LCD display that
were all connected for the tests. I used Stanford’s Folding @ Home client to achieve 100% load. Only a
small 5-hour session was used to record the voltage differences.
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Z-Alien PC Game Server Case 500w PSU
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| Rail | 0 % Load | 100 % Load |
| 12v | 11.795 | 11.612 |
| 5v | 5.026 | 4.999 |
| 3.3v | 3.232 | 3.216 |
| VCORE | 1.552 | 1.52 |
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The goal of the test was to confirm the stability of the included generic power supply. From the results
found, I believe it would be safe to say that the generic 500W power supply is very stable for everyday
use. This will be futher determined over an extended period of use.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Once the test system was put together and powered, the two large alien eyes as well as the rest of the
front panel glow bright blue. The Z-Alien PC Gaming Server also includes a stealthed thermal display,
which is also backlighted in blue.
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Conclusion:
The A-Top Z-Alien PC Gaming Server Case manages to pack plenty of unique features that should appeal to
most budget conscience consumer. This is a complete pre-modified solution which balances both function
with aesthetic appeal. The overall design is good for consumers utilizing ATX motherboards with support
up to a maximum size of 12 x 10 inches. Consumers will be pleased at the inclusion of a 500w power
supply which should meet most system requirements. The pre-modified side panel window with the complimentary
alien head design is very appealing and matches the front bezel perfectly. The side and top mounted
ports provide immediate access for external devices such as cameras, headphones, microphones, scanners
and joysticks. The tool-less key design simplifies the process of component installation for both storage
components and peripheral cards. Air circulation is well thought out with fan mounts located on the front
and rear of the case all protected by removable fan filters. Additional options including the built-in
thermal probe, drive rails and PCI/AGP card holders as well as cable management options make this product
a great package. The only negative aspects noted with this case were the removable drive cage which is
problematic for SATA drive installations. I also noted that the wire length for the bundled fans was a
little short and that the front bezel once locked could easily be opened with enough force.
Overall, I was pleased with the A-Top Z-Alien PC Gaming Server Case and award a final rating of
8 out of 10. If you have any questions
regarding this review be sure to visit the A-Top Technology
website for more information or discuss them in our forums.
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Pros:
- Aesthetically pleasing design
- Includes 500w power supply
- Complete tool-less design
- Options to hide wires
- PCI/AGP tool-less cardholder
- Good air circulation
- Front and top mounted ports
- Built-in thermal probe
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Cons:
- Short cable length on fans
- Problematic removable hard-drive cage
- Security lock can easily be opened
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