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Product:
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Thermaltake Aguila VD1000BWS Mid-Tower Case |
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Price:
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$152 (CDN) / $136 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Thermaltake
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Author:
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Hi-TEK
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Date:
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July 1st, 2006
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Rating:
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Thermaltake continues to round out the feature set of the Aguila with the inclusion of a vertical 5.25" drive bay
which can be used for special purposes. In recently months Western Digital announced the release of a new version of its
popular Raptor hard drive series dubbed the WD Raptor X. The WD
Raptor X is a unique product in itself and incorporates an acrylic top in order to see the inner workings of the hard
drive. In order to use the WD Raptor X with the Thermaltake Aguila VD1000BWS Mid-Tower Case requires the purchase of
an optional 5.25" to 3.5" adaptor kit.
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The Thermaltake Aguila VD1000BWS Mid-Tower Case includes standard motherboard header pins for Power LED, HD LED, Power
switch, Reset switch which can be easily connected to a motherboard. Additional connections exist for mounting two USB
cables internally as well as plugs for Firewire, Headphone and Microphone.
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The Aguila includes five sets of drive rails that are part of the tool-less key design function and aids in the easy and
quick removal of drive components. Each set have been clearly marked with L or R designations in order easy install any
type of 5.25" external component such as an optical drive, fan controller, LCD display or monitoring device. Once the
rails have been installed components slide into the drive bay with ease.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Installing components into the Thermaltake Aguila VD1000BWS Mid-Tower Case is a straightforward process that can be completed
in less than 2 hours. To test out this case, I assembled a series of spare components which included the following:
- DFI LAN Party Pro875B Motherboard
- Intel Pentium 4 2.8C Processor
- Albatron Gigi FX5900XTV 128MB Video Card
- 2 x 512 MB Corsair XMS3200LL Pro Series Twinx Memory
- LG 52x32x52 CD-RW w/ SuperLink
- 2 x Maxtor D40X-GL 60 GB Hard Drives
- Fortron Blue Storm FSP400-60THN-R Power Supply
My overall impressions of the installation process was slightly mixed. There are certain design and functionality issues
particularly in the removable hard cage area where rubber grommets are used to dampen vibration issues. I did note
that it takes a little longer to thread a mounting screw into the each grommet and align it properly with the hard
drive mount hole. PSU installation can be slightly tricky if you have a unit that is slightly larger in size. I found
that the top stealth panel tends to get in the way forcing a very tight fit.
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Click image for larger view
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Once the Thermaltake Aguila is powered, both the Power and HD LEDs will illuminate as well as the case interior with
a soft blue colour. This experience was short lived when I started to hear a loud clanging noise coming from the rear
mounted 120mm Quad LED fan. Upon closer inspection it seems the fan housing was defective separated itself from the
fan blades. This was kind of disappointing for a retail product and is the second report I've heard of this happening
with this case. ThinkComputers
reported the same problem with the rear 120mm cooling fan with their evaluation of this case.
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Conclusion:
In recently years Thermaltake has ramped up its product line with a huge selection of cases to cater to any type of
computer enthusiast. On paper the Thermaltake Aguila VD1000BWS Mid-Tower Case has all the bells and whistles one would
expect from a pre-modified solution. Execution of this pre-modified solution will leave a few people with mixed results.
The Aguila is quite unique and offers so much in terms of design and aesthetics. The anodized aluminum accents compliment
the case very well and provide the unit with character. The case offers a good amount of expansion room for complicated
computer set-ups. One of the benefits of the Aguila is the top mounted stealth panel which makes plugging in additional
accessories a breeze. The abundance of 120mm fans and mounts positioned in strategic locations guarantees adequate
airflow throughout this case. Add-in the tool-less key options, drive rail system, pre-modified side panel window and
customization options and you have a decent product offering. Where the Thermaltake Aguila VD1000BWS Mid-Tower Case falls apart is the
design of the hard drive cage which makes mounting units somewhat tricky. The ability not to be able to lock the swing
away door when the case is in transport is big problem since it tends to open up unexpectedly. Finally, I would have
scored this case much higher if I didn't run into problems with a faulty 120mm rear mounting fan which completely died
only after using the case for 20 minutes. Overall, I think the Thermaltake Aguila VD1000BWS Mid-Tower Case has great
potential but until some issues are fixed, I am awarding this case a final rating of
7.5 out of 10. If you have any questions regarding this
review be sure to visit the Thermaltake website for more
information or discuss them in our forums.
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Pros:
- Front mounted mesh filters and aluminum front bezel
- Complete tool-less design
- Top mounted dual USB, Firewire and Audio ports
- Removable drive cage
- Excellent cooling options
- Plenty of expansion room
- Pre-modified side panel window
- Good customization options
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Cons:
- Non-removable motherboard tray
- Faulty rear 120mm cooling fan
- Front aluminum door cannot be locked
- Hard drive installation can be tricky
- Sleath panel causes issues for larger PSU's
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