Thermaltake Level 10 Chassis finally available...for $849!!

[ciku]

geez so expensive...

 

[Spyguy]

I think that it's beautiful. I was amazed when I first saw a picture of it in CPU magazine.

 

[QuietIce]

I would have to agree - though I like some of the ideas in the inspiraitional design (linked by Neuromancer) as well!


I'd really like to see how the power/data connections on the drives work. Don't see how a slot can be used for 3.5", 2.5", and SDDs without having some kind of adapter?



Ya' I resurrected this thread because of the recent front page article ...

 

[Dooms101]

I think its a cool design for an architect, but I tend to think like an engineer, and to me, this is a stupid-as-hell design. I believe that aesthetics should never be considered before functionality. Although it is interesting, I think "the designers should stay in their cubicles and let the engineers do their job" (a common quote by my dad who is a hard-headed engineer.)

 

[Tw34k]

Ugly, expensive, and should only be used as a concept. I'd much rather get that corsair case instead

Exactly but might i add from watching the video of it, I really think it looks like its easy to break.

 

[GIXXERGUY6]

Yes that case is sweet, but waaaaaaaaaaaaay over priced.

 

[QuietIce]

I think its a cool design for an architect, but I tend to think like an engineer, and to me, this is a stupid-as-hell design. I believe that aesthetics should never be considered before functionality. Although it is interesting, I think "the designers should stay in their cubicles and let the engineers do their job" (a common quote by my dad who is a hard-headed engineer.)

It's funny to hear you talk about designers like that! LOL!

From a surveyors viewpoint, we tend to say the exact same thing about (civil) engineers! Inevitably there are problems that come up on construction sites, some of which the engineers themselves created! More times than not if an engineer visits the site with recommendations we let them talk, nod our heads, then build it the right way - after they leave.


For an air cooled system the design isn't all that stupid. Each component or type of component (in the case of the HDDs) has it's own cooling separated from the others. (It would have been better if they had also separated the video cooling from the board, though.) The wiring is out of the way yet seems to be very easy to access, though some of those runs must be terribly long and probably require custom work to set up. Easy access hot-plug HDDs is also a great feature for many people and a lot nicer to use than positioning a loose, external HDD "somewhere" on the desk. All in all there are many good features incorporated into the design - the problem is the price tag ...

 

[Tw34k]

owned by the 800D might i say?

 

[Dooms101]

@QuietIce lol, I never knew designers thought the same about engineers. My ideals are inherited from my dad, so I don't have any experience myself. I don't like this design because it would be a much more suitable design to isolate independent thermal zones much like in the high end full towers. Where there's separate space in the bottom for all the HDD's in their own little 'wind tunnel' along with the PSU isolated, from the drives, and finally the mobo isolated here. Level 10 follows the same ideas here, which is a good design, its just poorly implemented. The main compartment is cramped looking (although that could be a good thing), and a long GPU would severely hinder airflow. Also, the drives have no way to be actively cooled, and you can't stuff as many HDD's as you could in a cheaper full tower. I guess the design is fairly good, it just could be alot better, which is because of compromises to have a more pleasing appearance. If engineers made a case, you'd end up with this case, and when designers make a case you get the Level 10.

Next should be the $1000 Level 11 (SpinalTap!)

 

[QuietIce]

I do agree the main compartment could use an extra outlet but I guess they expect the rear of the video slot to act as an exhaust. There are two intake fans for the main compartment, though it took a posted comment for me to see the second one. It's in the cover, what would be the side of a normal case. Then there's the obvious one at the lower front for video and SB cooling.

The drive column has fans at both top and bottom allowing for plenty of air to circulate up though the "bins" (for want of a better word). I have to assume there are inlets and outlets on the bottom and top, respectively, of each bin arranged so a drive (if present) would split off part of the air flow toward the "front" of the bin. There are only 6 HDD bins though. That could be a problem for some people and you might expect eight for a case like this one.


Nothing wrong with the case you linked but for $500 I can build my own wood box and stuff it with fans and drive bays - and make sure there's plenty of room for rads. Maybe that's the allure of the Level 10 for me. There's no easy way to build that thing at home. Not saying it can't be done, just that it wouldn't be easy.

@QuietIce lol, I never knew designers thought the same about engineers.

I wasn't saying designers felt that way - it's the builders who feel that way! LOL! The guys in the field doing the actual building often find engineers to be "cubical dreamers" who know nothing about the real world of construction nor the practical side of engineering. There used to be a picture hanging on our office wall with the caption "You can imagine it, you can design it, you can even build it - but it just won't work." The picture above the caption was a sketch of a railroad track with a right angle in it ...

 

[A-Dub]

"Design by Case Giant thermal take and auto designer BMW?"

Dont they mean shamelessly stolen from a case modder a year or so ago?

I will see if I can find it ugh

http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2009/special/lessdegrees/pius-edelweiss.htm

Based of his 2006 project that I can not find right now

For some reason I saw the first picture and immediately thought "coffee maker".

 

[Dooms101]

I do agree the main compartment could use an extra outlet but I guess they expect the rear of the video slot to act as an exhaust. There are two intake fans for the main compartment, though it took a posted comment for me to see the second one. It's in the cover, what would be the side of a normal case. Then there's the obvious one at the lower front for video and SB cooling.

The drive column has fans at both top and bottom allowing for plenty of air to circulate up though the "bins" (for want of a better word). I have to assume there are inlets and outlets on the bottom and top, respectively, of each bin arranged so a drive (if present) would split off part of the air flow toward the "front" of the bin. There are only 6 HDD bins though. That could be a problem for some people and you might expect eight for a case like this one.


Nothing wrong with the case you linked but for $500 I can build my own wood box and stuff it with fans and drive bays - and make sure there's plenty of room for rads. Maybe that's the allure of the Level 10 for me. There's no easy way to build that thing at home. Not saying it can't be done, just that it wouldn't be easy.

I wasn't saying designers felt that way - it's the builders who feel that way! LOL! The guys in the field doing the actual building often find engineers to be "cubical dreamers" who know nothing about the real world of construction nor the practical side of engineering. There used to be a picture hanging on our office wall with the caption "You can imagine it, you can design it, you can even build it - but it just won't work." The picture above the caption was a sketch of a railroad track with a right angle in it ...

Ahhh, I misread your original post then. Well, I can see where you're coming from, you can definitely just build a case that could hold just about anything, but something like this case would be hard to reproduce. I think this is one of the reasons the case is selling at such a high price, it's very unique and different. I think I am just biased since I don't personally like how it looks.

Hmm, funny you should say that about engineers being cubicle dreamers. My dad has said that before, he's a main floor manager now since I moved. So he doesn't actually work in a cubicle designing equipment anymore, he still works on designs, but he mostly oversees the assembly with a lot of hands on. He comes home with tons of failed drawings he has to fix from his designers every week or so. It's pretty funny what some of these people think would be an easy fix with some elaborate redesign that would take months to do. Coming back to the case though, I would only ever buy this case if I wanted to show it off to people who actually know what its worth.