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Product:
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Kool Cases Platinum XP Case |
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Price:
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$98 (CAN) / $65 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Kool Cases
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Author:
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Shennon
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Date:
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July 2nd, 2002
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Rating:
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MODTHEBOX would like to thank Ed from Kool Cases
for providing Platinum XP Case for review.
Introduction:
There are a few selling points when it comes to purchasing a computer case. Some prefer the old fashion "beige box"
while others prefer something different, something unique, and something easily modifiable. In the pursuit of the
perfect "moddable" case, many purchasers have strayed from the norm and have found some radical looking cases.
Aluminum cases have been all the rage these days, but with them come a hefty price tag. Many people are still quite
happy with a more conventional case made from steel and plastic, or have forged their own style with homemade
enclosures for their computers. However, budget often plays a big part in the purchase, often leaving some cases out
of the reach of potential buyers. This is where Kool Cases comes in. Kool Cases has been selling economical cases at
reasonable prices for quite some time now. Some of their cases are affordable, while having some innovative features
that stand out from the crowd. Today in the MTB labs, we will be evaluating the Platinum XP, a neat mid-tower case that
incorperates a built-in temperature thermal probe and fan cooling system.
Specifications:
The Plantinum XP case is new to the North American market and has also been distributed under the name of the
Neon Light Case. The manufacturer of the case is a company based out of Korea called 3R Systems.
The Platinum XP is available in two different colours in both silver and dark grey. The unit that was sent
for review was the silver version. Here are some specifications from the Kool Cases website:
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Platinum XP Case - Key Specifications:
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| Platinum XP Case: Manufactured by 3R Systems |
| Case Dimensions: 7.75 (W) x 17mm (H) x 18.75 (D) in |
| Drive Bays: 8 (4 x external 5.25", 2 x external 3.5", 4 x internal 3.5") |
| Expansion Slots: 7 |
| Fans Included: 1 x 80mm front, 1 x 80mm rear |
| Universal ATX I/O Shield included |
| Form Factor: Supports all Flex, Micro, Full ATX motherboards |
| Intel P4 and AMD XP/MP compatible |
| Tool-less side panels with thumbscrews |
| EMI protective shielding |
| 2 x USB, 1 x Firewire extra ports standard |
| Hand-Cutting free aluminum |
| Drive Bay cover design |
| Special Features: Turbo two-speed fan for enhanced cooling and digital thermometer standard |
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The case was shipped in a standard double-walled corrugated cardboard box with the case manufacture’s logos printed on
all sides. The case was sealed in protected plastic with 2 pieces of polystyrene located on top and bottom of the case.
I was pleased to note there was very little outside damage to the box itself. There was one small scrape, which could
have been there from the container manufacturer, before the case was put into the box for shipping.
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Click image for larger view
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Platinum XP case accessories
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Out of the box the Platinum XP looks good in terms of aesthetic design and can easily differentiate itself from the
standard cases that are available on the market. The Platinum XP Case measures 7.75 (W) x 17mm (H) x 18.75 (D) and is
suitable for all Flex, Micro, and Full ATX motherboards. The accessories supplied in the package included an extra
drive bay cover, a bag of assorted screws and motherboard stand offs to install the computer components.
The case included two sheets of instructions with the first sheet covering information on supplying power to the
thermal probe and the second sheet covering the connectors for the side USB and Firewire ports. The Platinum XP did
not come with a PSU, but is capable of handling full size ATX and dual fan ATX power supply units.
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