Thermaltake - Core V1 Mini Itx Desktop Case Review
Thermaltake Core V1 Mini-ITX SFF Chassis Review
Another mini cube case hits our labs from Thermaltake. It'southward not an Urban or Element - this fourth dimension we see the Core V1 Mini-ITX chassis. Come take a wait now.
Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing
When the Core Series is spoken of, we immediately think back to the Thermaltake Core V71, where Thermaltake offered a chassis like no other they had before. Of course, it did accept some interior components that we had seen in other designs, simply the versatility of the interior design, along with the slick rounded exterior, the full mesh front panel, and huge side window, all lent to its loftier ratings. Not only did we at TweakTown give the Core V71 an outstanding rating, simply no 1 elsewhere could betoken out a failure with that design either.
And then, how do we connect this oversized full-tower into the realm of Small Form Factor cases? Well, both of these are from the same Core Series from Thermaltake. Of form, we are dealing with something much smaller this time effectually, but there is a definite styling that is easily recognizable as a chassis from this aforementioned series. This is due to the total mesh front bezel, the rounded off design, an interior layout with plenty of room for an AIO, and all of the typical Mini-ITX system goodies. They fifty-fifty figured out a style to put in an actress-big window in perspective to the chassis and panel size. And then, even though we are now in SFF territory, you will easily see why this chassis is named Cadre V1.
Nosotros accept you lot here today to join us as we take a tour around, inside of, and accept our hand at a build inside of the Core V1 Mini-ITX chassis from Thermaltake. Nosotros know it shares aesthetics and pattern elements that make it hands recognizable as a Cadre chassis, merely following the V71, we too expect some modularity, and an piece of cake time with the process as a whole. Stick around every bit we go through all of the finer points of what this Core V1 has to offer, and run across if it is a SFF chassis worthy of carrying the Core Serial moniker.
The Core V1 has an all steel assembly for the frame and panels, only this Mini-ITX chassis has a plastic bezel frame with steel mesh that covers the entire front end. The Core V1 is restricted to 276mm in tiptop, 260mm in width, and 316mm in depth. We tin too see that at that place is a windowed console, and a mention of interchangeable panels. This ways that either of the well ventilated side panels volition swap with the tiptop console, so the window can be on the left, the right, or you lot can exit information technology at the top as shipped.
Inside of the chassis there are two storage drive trays that will allow for either a pair of 2.5" drives, or a pair of 3.v" drives that hang off the right side of the motherboard tray. Speaking of which, the tray offers raised steel department drilled to accept the motherboard screws, and fifty-fifty offers a large access hole for the CPU libation backplate. At the front of the plate, virtually the 200mm installed fan, the tray is open to allow for all wiring from the PSU to go to the upper shelf hands. In the back there are two expansion slots, and cards that fill up them can be 255mm and still fit inside the chassis. The front is too cut away to allow you to fiddle with fitting 285mm worth of carte, if the 200mm fan is not used. The other specification that will lead to many wanting to employ an AIO is that the CPU pinnacle restriction is 120mm from the motherboard to the top console.
Cooling options are pretty express inside of this chassis as far every bit locations are concerned, merely this is a very small chassis to fit many fans into. The front allows for the stock 200mm fan to exist installed, just also offers mounting for a single 140mm or 120mm fan. With the room betwixt the front of the chassis and the motherboard tray, AIOs with standard 27mm thick radiators will pose little upshot installing here. The other pick for air menses is to fill the pair of fan locations in the rear of the chassis, simply sadly those are 80mm, so adding fans here will probable raise the noise level of this chassis too.
Finding a Core V1 for your very own is pretty piece of cake at this point, as stock showed up everywhere we looked during our search for its current pricing. This is where things get even better for the Core V1 in our stance. While some locations are asking the moon for one of these cases with virtually $90 pricing plus shipping, currently, this chassis can be had for much less of an investment. At commencement, nosotros thought the deal at Newegg was pretty skillful at $49 with $5.99 more than needed for aircraft.
Nonetheless, when we looked over at Amazon, we found the current pricing to be prepare at just $40.99 with $8.99 for shipping, saving a couple more than dollars yet. For this sort of an investment, the Cadre V1 would accept to exist a serious failure to not attract tons of customers, and we already know that isn't the instance with the Core V1. For this cost, it certainly is impressive.
PRICING: You can find the Thermaltake Core V1 for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can alter at any fourth dimension. Click the link to meet the very latest pricing for the best deal.
Usa: The Thermaltake Cadre V1 retails for $40.99 at Amazon.
Canada: The Thermaltake Core V1 retails for CDN$sixty.18 at Amazon Canada.
Packaging
Thermaltake may be using a apparently cardboard box to firm this chassis, but male child do they know how to fill upwards empty space. There are thick bands cross the peak, middle, and the bottom of the front, with a filigree design filling the rest of information technology. Forth with the Core V1 naming, there is likewise a big rendering of the chassis to meet.
This side of the box offers all of the naming at the summit, followed past a smaller rendering of the Core V1. The bulk of this panel is taken up with explanations of the ventilation, expansion, and the back up this chassis offers, all of which is covered in twelve different languages.
The back of the packaging is most identical to what was offered on the other side of the box, just this time, a large exploded rendering of the chassis is given, and then you lot tin can visualize how this design goes together and functions.
This terminal console also mimics its opposing panel, simply rather than covering features under the naming and tiny rendering, this time the space is filled with the same specifications we but went over.
To protect this Core V1, on the inner most layer of protection, both sides of the clear window have plastic applied to it to forestall abrasions, and then the entire chassis is wrapped in a plastic liner to protect the paint finishes. The last line of defence is the thick Styrofoam caps used above and below the chassis to continue foreclose major dents in the product. As for our sample, this packaging proved once once again that it is more capable of delivering a chassis in terrific shape.
Thermaltake Core V1 Mini-ITX Chassis
Right out of the gate, we can see the Core Series in the front bezel design. At that place is just an expanse of steel mesh with small round holes to ventilate the entire forepart of the chassis, with simply the logo at the lesser to impede on the air menstruum.
With the front of the chassis now to the right, equally it curves upward to the top, we are greeted with a view of the windowed console that Thermaltake installs on the top of the chassis for transit. Remember, this panel tin be swapped with either of the side panels besides.
As for the left side of the chassis, we can run into that aforementioned curve the bezel fabricated to the top of the chassis is besides mimicked at the flooring as it wraps around the front I/O console. The stock side panel offered here is a well-ventilated panel that will allow a video card to breathe rather well after in the build.
The front end I/O panel is topped with a blue power LED to the left, and to the correct of that there is a cherry-red HDD activity LED. So we see a large power button followed by 2 USB 3.0 ports, three.5mm HD audio jacks, and a much smaller reset push at the bottom.
The back of the chassis has thumbscrews to concur in the tiptop and sides, every bit well as the lesser of this chassis, to make the build process as piece of cake as possible. We also notice the pair of optional fan locations for 80mm fans, with two expansion carte slots off to the right. The rear I/O is horizontal, just above where the PSU is to be installed. Yous can also option up on the tab hanging in that location to remove the grit filter.
The right side of the chassis is a mirror paradigm of the left side, sans the I/O panel. Once more, if you desire, the windowed console could exist placed hither, and this panel could be moved to the top. Or, if for some reason you want to practise so, you can fifty-fifty flip the side panels, and put the ventilation near the bottom.
Looking at the bottom of the chassis, nosotros observe thick, hard condom feet almost the corners, a dust filter under the PSU, and in the raised sections, there are some safe PSU supports that can be installed depending on PSU length.
Within the Cadre V1
The front bezel has a sparse ridge at the bottom that offers plenty grip to popular it off, gratuitous of the front end I/O that stays with the chassis. This is done to make cleaning the bezel easier. As for the front end of the chassis, we find that the I/O panel is held in with a screw for easy removal during the build, and of grade, how can you lot miss the 200mm fan covering the rest of it.
Looking in at the left side of the chassis again, after stripping it pretty clean, we meet the motherboard tray that sections off the motherboard from the PSU at the lesser. Yes, the bottom is as well thin to slide in a PSU, simply there is a flim-flam for that, which nosotros will show in a bit.
At the back of the chassis there are no fans installed, but the ventilated expansion slot covers are held firmly in place with external screws that are hidden under the removable plastic cap.
Equally nosotros look into the right side of the chassis, nosotros see ii steel frames blocking off the view of the lower one-half. In that location are the storage trays that are removable to brand installation of either a three.5" drive or a 2.5" drive very piece of cake to do with screws.
Flipping the chassis effectually to stand up on its face, we tin run into the motherboard tray pretty well. There is a huge access pigsty to encompass well-nigh whatsoever socket location on your Mini-ITX motherboard. We also see a lot of holes around the cutout at the front to offer plenty of places to tie wiring that needs to pass through that pigsty.
Equally for the wiring coming from the front I/O panel, in that location is plenty to get where information technology is needed, and still have some left to hide. This wiring includes the native USB 3.0 connection, the ribbon cable of LED and push connections, and a black sleeved HD sound connexion.
What makes installing the PSU super simple is the fact that the bottom of the chassis is fully removable. This gives yous a chance to effigy out where to install the rubber isolators near the front before you lot slide the PSU in through the lesser of the frame.
Accessories and Documentation
The hardware that comes with the kit is somewhat limited, but does offer all of the essentials. In that location are four zip ties offered to help with wire management at the elevation. Under those are the three.5" bulldoze screws, with the safety grommets used with them but to the correct, and at the terminate are the two rubber PSU supports. The bottom offers the PSU screws, 2.5" bulldoze screws, and motherboard or 3.5" drive screws.
Nosotros also get a user transmission for the chassis. Inside of this transmission in that location is a parts checklist with descriptions of employ for all of the parts listed. This manual also carries on to explain how to disassemble the chassis for the build, the bodily build process, and ends with many pages of wiring diagrams. Everything is covered in all of the languages Thermaltake sells to regionally.
In case y'all notwithstanding haven't caught onto the cooling options in this chassis, this page makes information technology crystal clear for us. The dorsum only houses 80mm fans, but you can see the three fan options, and below, the pair of radiator options for the front.
While nosotros went ahead and mounted the two.v" bulldoze equally seen. Withal, after placing this tray dorsum in, nosotros realized that there is room to have this drive on the other side of the rack, and still be able to install a 3.5" bulldoze via the keyed holes on the sides where the two.5" drive currently is. This isn't really explained all that clearly, merely in full, that increases the capacity to four total drives, not the 2 we reported earlier.
Instance Build and Finished Product
While this may be an unusual way to view the bottom of the chassis, this shows the point we fabricated earlier about the ease of the PSU installation. Since the lesser panel of the chassis is removable, it makes sliding in and screwing downward the PSU a cinch.
After we installed the PSU, we noticed that with the fan removed, there is plenty of admission to plug things in and route them abroad from the fan. Nosotros can see the large cutout at the left for extended video card support, and options for fans with the various mounting holes.
Nosotros could have gone with a longer video card, but this MSI is installed to the Mini-ITX Os. The nice thing is there is plenty of room for wiring beneath, adjacent to the PSU and at the top. There is too plenty of room to power cards at the side, or fifty-fifty via the opening at the front for cards powered at the end.
We did not fill the fan locations in the dorsum, as it has been years since nosotros used 80mm fans. Nosotros did test fit an I/O shield, and all went well there. The video carte du jour is very secure, and nosotros already went over the PSU installation.
Looking into the right side of the chassis, we can run into that all of the wiring stays low, and will not obstruct the venting in the side panels or even the view if you opt for the windowed panel here. Honestly, the toughest part to exercise was to connect the button and LED connectedness, equally it got quite cramped when we put the I/O panel dorsum on.
With the chassis all dorsum in i piece, from this bending, the simply visible alter is that we can come across the flashes of red from the video carte du jour through the ventilation. If y'all tin see the bill of fare that manifestly, you can be assured air can flow right through and keep it absurd.
Nosotros decided to keep the windowed panel in the top of the chassis to afford the best view of the almost hardware. On the side there is a nice view of the video card and PSU, but on the right, the view is less spectacular. We found this to exist the best pick for our tastes.
Of course, once the PC is powered, the 200mm fan comes to life, and with a three-pin connection, whatever header on the motherboard is off-white game. With any PWM IC in control of the speed, it volition vary from almost no racket, up to 35 dB at its loudest level.
Even with a stock CPU cooler, and no real changes to the positive air pressure blueprint of this Core V1, we found air draws in the front well; this keeps the interior components cooler than expected. We missed the red flicker of the HDD activeness LED, simply with both the HDD activeness LED and the blue ability LED placed and so low on the side, it doesn't fill the room with a massive glow of calorie-free.
Terminal Thoughts
Being blunt and honest has always worked for us in the past, so in that location is no need to change anything now. When we showtime looked at the Core V1 online, nosotros idea that it looked aesthetically pleasing on the outside with the cool option to change the panels around to suit each user's specific needs. This option is cool enough for most, just without having much of a expect prior to united nations-battle this chassis, our hopes for the interior were not all that high. Notwithstanding, our melody quickly changed after well-nigh x minutes with the Cadre V1.
After removing some thumbscrews, the panels started to shed off like leaves from a tree in autumn, and it became clear that there would be no struggle to build inside of the Core V1. Failure to pay attention to item is the one thing that will seriously break a skillful chassis and bring it to its knees in sales. Yet, nosotros constitute the Cadre V1 is like a gift that keeps on giving with its drive bays and removable floor, equally it hides features here and at that place like an Easter egg chase.
Equally we said earlier, the toughest part of the build was after we had everything installed and then added the front end I/O panel back into the chassis. There was plenty of wiring length to arrange all of the runs to the USB 3.0 and HD Audio. Since nosotros installed the video bill of fare prior to adding the tiny connections, we did have to fiddle effectually at that place, but that was due to the way we went at easing the build and eliminating the extra wiring. We did this until the PSU was wired to all of the components and tucked neatly away from the fans blades with the many wire tie points situated effectually where they pass from the bottom to the acme.
Nosotros too love that the access hole for the wiring is deep enough to fully back up a 120mm or 140mm AIO with a 27mm thick radiator and a 25mm thick fan. It also has just enough room left for the major wiring to laissez passer. The Thermaltake Core V1 may not have big plastic handles on the pinnacle and bottom similar the Prodigy, simply if e'er at that place was an economically friendly Prodigy killer, this Core V1 has to be information technology.
Keeping with notion that honestly is all-time policy, we practise experience the MSRP for this chassis is prepare a flake high. By that we mean that the intended price is nowhere near as awesome as some of the current pricing we have seen around the cyberspace. This is withal a pretty cool chassis at near $90, but if yous shop smart, this chassis can be delivered to your door for less than $fifty. This takes this from an boilerplate bang-for-your-buck design into the realm of excellence, and it is hard to deny such a sleek and roomy pattern in such tight confines at this price.
Merely as the Prodigy did years ago, I can see the Core V1 becoming the basis for many mods to come. It is too 1 of those cases that will make yous ponder ownership all the rest of the Mini-ITX gear just so y'all can consummate a build in, and have one of these Core V1 Mini-ITX cases gracing your desk. That lonely says volumes nigh a blueprint. Thermaltake has won usa over one time again past showing they tin offer unique, and stunning designs, fifty-fifty when it comes to a Small Form Gene chassis.
PRICING: Y'all can notice the Thermaltake Cadre V1 for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, just can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The Thermaltake Core V1 retails for $forty.99 at Amazon.
Canada: The Thermaltake Core V1 retails for CDN$lx.18 at Amazon Canada.
Source: https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/6635/thermaltake-core-v1-mini-itx-sff-chassis-review/index.html
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