A G-Dubs "man on the Street review" of the Cubitek Magic Cube Case.
Item description
Cubitek Magic Cube Aluminium Case Black
Manufacturer and code
Cubitek: CB-MAA-B210
Cost
158.99 (inc VAT @20%)
Supplier
Removed by G-Dubs in respect of forum rules
Description and overview
A modular case system able to accommodate ATX and E-ATX Motherboards. The Cubitek approach splits the motherboard/PSU section from the HDD and Optical drive units, dividing the traditional single case into 3 modular components.
The Motherboard and PSU section
The HDD section
The optical Drive section
First impressions and quality.
First impressions are important. Very important indeed. I eagerly slid this case from the box with the full intention of getting to work on assessing it, taking it apart via the multitude of thumb screws and allan bolts, and learning what this Modular system was all about. However on feeling the brushed aluminium and drinking in the stunning quality finish I couldn't help but just sit it on the table and stare at it. Stare at it with desire. Stare at it with the same desire that a lonely shepherd stares at a sheep skin coat. What I was feeling was wanton lust for this case. I tried to drag myself away, to get to work on the bolts and break it down into its component parts, but somehow I was unable to. Somehow it felt like I would be defiling it's beauty. You might think I'm exaggerating a tad. I'm not. I really am that struck by the quality and beautiful elegance of this case.
Instructions.
Unable to defile it's beauty I distracted myself with a few of the other contents of the package. The instructions, brilliant I thought, that should help calm me down. (I shall resist the urge to further carry the analogy that instead of looking at the sexy case I am now looking at pictures of the sexy case). So in a businesslike manner, Ahem...The case comes with a monochrome set of multi language instructions. The instructions cover the cabling options and detail the included screws and accessories. Handily they also show some rather excellent, exploded drawings of the 3 main sections, indicating which bolts release which panels. The instructions give good insight into assembly of the case and which panels are to be removed to access the various areas.
Usability and ease of hardware installation
The case is designed from the floor up with ease of access in mind. The plethora of thumb bolts and allan bolts enable every panel to be easily removed. And I mean every panel. No plastic clips here, no flimsy plastic panels, Oh no this is quality engineering, and this quality engineering isn't just limited to the main section, it's extended to each of the smaller units also.
Any Modder thinking of using this case as the basis of a project, and seeing the ability to easily remove every panel can't help but think how handy this feature is should he decide to re spray or start chopping things about. Talking of chopping about, sadly the case does not come with a window. In some ways the presence of a window would detract from the clean simple almost stealth like beauty of the case. However we know we like to see the goodies inside and a window enables just that. Still with the panels being so easy to remove, it's a relatively simple job to cut your own, just the way you like it.
5.25 Drive section with a few of the panels removed.
Round the back of the Motherboard tray there is a fair amount of space for cable management, 14mm to be exactly. Not the most spacious cavity but it should be more than plenty, even for the accommodation of the bulky plug/socket assembly you get when using 24pin ATX extension cables.
Cable management holes are large and well distributed across the interior with a large cut out behind the CPU area. There are no rubber grommets to cover any of the holes, an excusable omission on a lesser quality case, perhaps, but would have been nice to see them featured here in a case of this quality. The inside of the case is spacious, able to accommodate GPUs up to 31cm in length.
Even though this is a modular system it's still necessary to connect the modular components together. Cubitek have of course supplied long lengths of all the required cables from their Cobra series of cables.
The cables exit and enter their respective modules via letter box style openings at the rear of the respective units.
Like the inside of the case the outside is also black anodised aluminium, with the quality finish of the exterior being extended to the interior. The front I/O boasts connections for a pair of USB 3.0, an eSATA and a pair of audio connections.
Cooling
Cooling wise things are pretty well sorted for a case of this type. The case comes with a total of 3 Cubitek 140mm fans, 2 in the front and 1 in the roof, and a smaller 120mm fan at the rear. Even the fans come in their own little modular cassettes, Each one having inbuilt isolation dampeners. The fan cassettes, once loaded with their fans then simply slot into machined retainers in the cases interior.
This method of attachment should also make it easy to install radiators into this case. Simply attach the Radiator to the fan cassette and then slot the fan cassette into the retainer. By my reckoning a 140.2 in the front and perhaps a 140.1 in the roof.
While on the subject of water cooling, there's plenty of room inside this case for the accommodation of pumps and reservoirs etc.
Moving away from the main section now and over to the 2 smaller units. The first houses the systems Optical drives, providing accommodation for 2 5.25 inch drives or via an adapter a 5.25 inch drive and a 3.5 inch drive (remember those)
The second unit houses the HDDs This model, the B210 can accommodate 3 3.5 inch HDDs with an included adapter enabling the placing of a 2.5 inch drive. It's larger sibling, the B211 holds up to eight 3.5 inch drives and 2, 2.5 inch drives
Aesthetics
Images of this case really don't impart the Aesthetics to a sufficient degree. That's not to say it doesn't look tasty in the pictures, it does, but it looks even better in the flesh. I'm not just talking about the quality and feel of the painted brushed aluminium or the precision Allen head bolts, I'm talking about the Aesthetics, the "lines", the overall visual impact of the case.
All that said, as the saying goes beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and although as PC owners and Modders we like to have something that little bit different, as a rule we don't like to be too different. Why? I don't know, I guess fear of wandering from the pack too much perhaps. Have Cubitek strayed too far from Normal? Is their flavour of case to far removed from Vanilla to be palatable? Personally I don't think so. I think the lines and aesthetics of the main section hold the concept together sufficiently so as to enable the quirkiness of the individual drive sections to appear as they are, genuine design innovations. it allows the owner to be that little bit different without fear of straying too far from the path of normality.
Conclusion.
A truly individual piece of functional design from Cubitek. The case offers high levels of accessibility while combining heart stopping Aesthetics with admirable cooling performance. All of this of course would count for very little if it were not underpinned with the quality of materials and workmanship apparent here.
Good points
Individual and innovative design
Very high quality construction and finish
Unparalleled access via panel removal
Good cable management
Varied cooling options
Appearance and aesthetics
How could the product be improved?
Rubber grommets on cable management holes.
Perhaps a window option for the main unit.
Would I want to spend more to make it better?
I think £5 for the grommets isn't unreasonable, and would be nice to have a side window option at a price point comparable to other manufacturers.
Item description
Cubitek Magic Cube Aluminium Case Black
Manufacturer and code
Cubitek: CB-MAA-B210
Cost
158.99 (inc VAT @20%)
Supplier
Removed by G-Dubs in respect of forum rules
Description and overview
A modular case system able to accommodate ATX and E-ATX Motherboards. The Cubitek approach splits the motherboard/PSU section from the HDD and Optical drive units, dividing the traditional single case into 3 modular components.
The Motherboard and PSU section
The HDD section
The optical Drive section
First impressions and quality.
First impressions are important. Very important indeed. I eagerly slid this case from the box with the full intention of getting to work on assessing it, taking it apart via the multitude of thumb screws and allan bolts, and learning what this Modular system was all about. However on feeling the brushed aluminium and drinking in the stunning quality finish I couldn't help but just sit it on the table and stare at it. Stare at it with desire. Stare at it with the same desire that a lonely shepherd stares at a sheep skin coat. What I was feeling was wanton lust for this case. I tried to drag myself away, to get to work on the bolts and break it down into its component parts, but somehow I was unable to. Somehow it felt like I would be defiling it's beauty. You might think I'm exaggerating a tad. I'm not. I really am that struck by the quality and beautiful elegance of this case.
Instructions.
Unable to defile it's beauty I distracted myself with a few of the other contents of the package. The instructions, brilliant I thought, that should help calm me down. (I shall resist the urge to further carry the analogy that instead of looking at the sexy case I am now looking at pictures of the sexy case). So in a businesslike manner, Ahem...The case comes with a monochrome set of multi language instructions. The instructions cover the cabling options and detail the included screws and accessories. Handily they also show some rather excellent, exploded drawings of the 3 main sections, indicating which bolts release which panels. The instructions give good insight into assembly of the case and which panels are to be removed to access the various areas.
Usability and ease of hardware installation
The case is designed from the floor up with ease of access in mind. The plethora of thumb bolts and allan bolts enable every panel to be easily removed. And I mean every panel. No plastic clips here, no flimsy plastic panels, Oh no this is quality engineering, and this quality engineering isn't just limited to the main section, it's extended to each of the smaller units also.
Any Modder thinking of using this case as the basis of a project, and seeing the ability to easily remove every panel can't help but think how handy this feature is should he decide to re spray or start chopping things about. Talking of chopping about, sadly the case does not come with a window. In some ways the presence of a window would detract from the clean simple almost stealth like beauty of the case. However we know we like to see the goodies inside and a window enables just that. Still with the panels being so easy to remove, it's a relatively simple job to cut your own, just the way you like it.
5.25 Drive section with a few of the panels removed.
Round the back of the Motherboard tray there is a fair amount of space for cable management, 14mm to be exactly. Not the most spacious cavity but it should be more than plenty, even for the accommodation of the bulky plug/socket assembly you get when using 24pin ATX extension cables.
Cable management holes are large and well distributed across the interior with a large cut out behind the CPU area. There are no rubber grommets to cover any of the holes, an excusable omission on a lesser quality case, perhaps, but would have been nice to see them featured here in a case of this quality. The inside of the case is spacious, able to accommodate GPUs up to 31cm in length.
Even though this is a modular system it's still necessary to connect the modular components together. Cubitek have of course supplied long lengths of all the required cables from their Cobra series of cables.
The cables exit and enter their respective modules via letter box style openings at the rear of the respective units.
Like the inside of the case the outside is also black anodised aluminium, with the quality finish of the exterior being extended to the interior. The front I/O boasts connections for a pair of USB 3.0, an eSATA and a pair of audio connections.
Cooling
Cooling wise things are pretty well sorted for a case of this type. The case comes with a total of 3 Cubitek 140mm fans, 2 in the front and 1 in the roof, and a smaller 120mm fan at the rear. Even the fans come in their own little modular cassettes, Each one having inbuilt isolation dampeners. The fan cassettes, once loaded with their fans then simply slot into machined retainers in the cases interior.
This method of attachment should also make it easy to install radiators into this case. Simply attach the Radiator to the fan cassette and then slot the fan cassette into the retainer. By my reckoning a 140.2 in the front and perhaps a 140.1 in the roof.
While on the subject of water cooling, there's plenty of room inside this case for the accommodation of pumps and reservoirs etc.
Moving away from the main section now and over to the 2 smaller units. The first houses the systems Optical drives, providing accommodation for 2 5.25 inch drives or via an adapter a 5.25 inch drive and a 3.5 inch drive (remember those)
The second unit houses the HDDs This model, the B210 can accommodate 3 3.5 inch HDDs with an included adapter enabling the placing of a 2.5 inch drive. It's larger sibling, the B211 holds up to eight 3.5 inch drives and 2, 2.5 inch drives
Aesthetics
Images of this case really don't impart the Aesthetics to a sufficient degree. That's not to say it doesn't look tasty in the pictures, it does, but it looks even better in the flesh. I'm not just talking about the quality and feel of the painted brushed aluminium or the precision Allen head bolts, I'm talking about the Aesthetics, the "lines", the overall visual impact of the case.
All that said, as the saying goes beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and although as PC owners and Modders we like to have something that little bit different, as a rule we don't like to be too different. Why? I don't know, I guess fear of wandering from the pack too much perhaps. Have Cubitek strayed too far from Normal? Is their flavour of case to far removed from Vanilla to be palatable? Personally I don't think so. I think the lines and aesthetics of the main section hold the concept together sufficiently so as to enable the quirkiness of the individual drive sections to appear as they are, genuine design innovations. it allows the owner to be that little bit different without fear of straying too far from the path of normality.
Conclusion.
A truly individual piece of functional design from Cubitek. The case offers high levels of accessibility while combining heart stopping Aesthetics with admirable cooling performance. All of this of course would count for very little if it were not underpinned with the quality of materials and workmanship apparent here.
Good points
Individual and innovative design
Very high quality construction and finish
Unparalleled access via panel removal
Good cable management
Varied cooling options
Appearance and aesthetics
How could the product be improved?
Rubber grommets on cable management holes.
Perhaps a window option for the main unit.
Would I want to spend more to make it better?
I think £5 for the grommets isn't unreasonable, and would be nice to have a side window option at a price point comparable to other manufacturers.
that case is awesome, can't help but think of ways of modding it and putting loads of rads in it 
(the bigger model would be better for that though)
