Let’s
take a close look at the entire interior of this
case:
Take
notice that there is ample room for several CD/DVD
drives and HDDs. Also, there are two bays available
for Floppy Drive type drives.
This
is a really nice looking case and one that users
who prefer to place their PC in an area below
the desk will likely enjoy. Having the On/Off
and Reset buttons right on top will eliminate
the need to bend over when needing to use either
of these. Additionally, having the I/O connections
on top is also a convenience for these same users.
After
my initial and overall positive impression of
this new case, reality began to sink in and I
realized I’d never be able to use this case
for my own personal use. There’s one major
flaw in the design that prevents that. Let’s
take a close look at the area where the motherboard
will be mounted and see why I will not be able
to use this case. Others will likely be in the
same boat and need to be very well aware of the
limitations I’m about to explain.
Look
very closely at the way the HDDs bays are designed.
It’s a nice idea to have them mounted so
that the IDE/SATA connections are conveniently
located pointed to the side of the case. But,
due to the fact that this mounting area is permanently
fixed, this is going to cause many people to not
be able to use this case. Let’s look at
the distance from the rear of the case to the
HDD bays:
Pay
close attention to the actual measurement of 10
½ inches/26.67cm vs. the distance needed
for a PowerColor X1950 Pro PCI Express video card
that needs a minimum of 13 inches/33.02 cm! This
totally eliminates this case from consideration
for anyone needing the extra room for these much
larger video cards. A recent photo of ATI’s
R600 series cards reveals an even greater distance
needed for clearance.
So,
although very well designed for cooling -- and
even for convenience for those who could use the
top mounted controls -- the Mystique 632 has a
definite built-in limitation for anyone needing
more than the distance shown in the photo above
for any add-in cards. Keep in mind also that even
if the add-in video card is slightly less than
the shown clearance, additional clearance will
most likely be needed for the 12V power plug that
needs to be used.
I
really wish I’d been able to put this case
to use in order to show just how it looks with
everything in place. Sadly, however, that’s
not to be as I didn't have a small enough video
card at hand. Additionally, for my part, I prefer
my case located on the desk and that would make
the top mounted controls less convenient. Also,
any USB or other devices plugged into the top
connections would likely cause wires to become
obtrusive and tangled.
CONCLUSION:
Pros:
