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Product:
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Mountain Mods Bob Slay Acrylic Cube Case |
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Price:
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$164 (CAN) / $140 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Mountain Mods
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Author:
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clsGrinder
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Date:
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November 24th, 2005
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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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Testing:
Since the Bob Slay employs a unique cooling design, I felt it necessary to analyze the cooling effectiveness
of having a CPU directly in the path of the 120mm intake fan. With my standard mid size tower case (Antec Sonata)
unavailable at the time of this review, my testing methodology will be as follows.
To simulate a standard mid size tower case’s temperatures, the Bob Slay will be standing on its rear, with the
front 120mm fan set to exhaust hot air out the top. Idle and Load temperatures will be taken, using F@H to simulate
load for 15 minutes. A temperature probe attached to the Chromatic Windmill will provide the temperature readings
of the CPU.
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Click image for larger view
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The thermal design of the Bob Slay gives gamers a clear advantage with regard to CPU temperatures. Most LAN
environments typically have a much higher ambient temperature than your normal office or home gaming environment.
This edge in heat dissipation will guarantee a stable and operational gaming rig in the hottest of LAN party rooms,
basements and facilities.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Visually the Bob Slay looks to be quite big. It has a wide footprint, which in LAN terms take up allot of valuable
table top real-estate. In reality this couldn’t be further from the truth, as the Bob Slay is much shallower, measuring
less than 15 inches from front to back. Plus, if you were so inclined to place items on top of the Bob Slay, you have
plenty of room to do so. In sheer volume, the case takes up less than 2000 cubic inches of table top room, while a
standard mid-tower case takes up 2300 cubic inches of room.
The stainless steel carry handle works exactly as advertised. I’ve known people to purchase pre-modded cases with
handles already on top, only to have them snap and see their gaming PC’s go crashing to the ground. Being conditioned
by such nasty events, I was nervous about picking up a fully loaded Bob Slay case. To my surprise the unit felt firm
and secure, I even rocked and swayed the unit, bobbing it up and down with full confidence that the case and handle
would hold together. Thank-you Mountain Mods, for curing my phobia.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The acrylic strip that holds the PC expansion cards in place does its job very well. I am disappointed at the way it secures
the filler plates though. Two of the filler plates came ajar from their spots when the Bob Slay was in transit. I imagine the
same thing will happen when I take this rig to a LAN party and because I have to remove 10 screws to fix this problem every time,
it has become a nuisance. Snap in filler plates would cure this problem nicely.
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Conclusion:
The Bob Slay Acrylic Cube Case from Mountain Mods truly accomplished what it set out to do;
offer a portable case that doesn’t compromise space, cooling, usability or looks. The side
mounted I/O panel is a welcome change, making hookup and tare-down of your space more of a
pleasure instead of a chore. With space for a full size ATX motherboard and power supply,
it’s sure to hold your entire high end gaming components easily. The superior airflow
pattern ensures that you can game in the hottest of environments without having to worry
about thermal stability issues, and you can count on the stainless steel carry handle to
perform for you day in and day out. Presentation of the motherboard/video card on the top
shelf is brilliant, and there is no shortage of bling you con pile into the Bob Slay. The
case is incredibly customizable, as Mountain Mods offers a wonderful canvas for you to
modify as you see fit. Overall I was pleased with the Mountain Mods Bob Slay Acrylic Cube
Case and award MTB's Seal of Approval with a final rating of
9 out of 10. If you have any questions
regarding this review be sure to visit the Mountain Mods
website for more information or discuss them in our forums.
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Pros:
- Excellent thermal design
- Side mounted I/O panel makes setup and tare-down a breeze
- Sturdy and rigid chassis
- A carry handle you can trust
- Motherboard presentation for the win
- Doesn’t cost you valuable table top LAN space
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Cons:
- No vacant 5.25 drive bay covers
- Hard drive spacer bracket should be standard
- PC card slot fillers are poorly secured
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