Computex 2010 Coverage

Antec

I started off Day 2 by visiting one of the top manufacturers of cases and power supplies, Antec. Unfortunately, there wasn't much new since our CES visit earlier in the year. The first thing I was shown were two cases from the new Dark Fleet series, the DF-85 and DF-35. Both cases feature two Antec-patented technologies, Fleet-Release and Fleet-Swap. "Fleet-Release front drive bays allow swift customization of front fan and drive configurations and easy access to tool-less, washable fan filters." Fleet-Swap is a set of hot-swappable SATA drive bays that can be relocated within the drive case, which combined with Fleet-Release, provide a lot of convenience.

The DF-85 has three Fleet-Release doors, each of which open separately. In the third photo, you can see the Fleet-Release doors open, providing you easy access to the 120mm LED fans, as well as the washable filter. What may be a bit difficult to see is that there are small knobs on the outside of the door, in the bottom-right corner. These knobs are fan speed controls for the individual fans. The doors are also lockable to ensure security if you happen to bring this to a LAN party, or simply don't trust your roommate. The DF-85 is a full tower, measuring in at 596mm (H) x 213mm (W) x 505mm (D). It contains fourteen drive bays, which includes four external 3.5" Fleet-Swap drives. In addition, there is a top-loaded 2.5" Fleet-Swap drive. The DF-85 also has seven expansion slots, room for graphics cards up to 12.5" long, and a windowed side panel. Front ports consist of one USB3.0, three USB2.0 and audio in/out. Aside from the three front 120mm LED fans with speed control knobs, the DF-85 also comes with two 140mm TwoCool fans at the top, two 120mm TwoCool fans at the rear, and an optional 120mm fan on the side for graphic card cooling. Of course, there is also support for water cooling, and the inside of the case is painted black.

The DF-35 is mid-tower case featuring two Fleet-Release doors, housing two 120mm white LED fans, along with the speed control knobs. Aside from those front fans, the DF-35 comes with one top 140mm TwoCool fan, one rear 120mm TwoCool white LED fan, and optional 120mm fan on the side. There are eleven drive bays, including two Fleet-Swap SATA drive bays, along with a top-mounted 2.5" Fleet-Swap bay. The DF-35 measures in at 485mm (H) x 198mm (W) x 486mm (D) and can fit graphics cards up to 11.5" in length. The case comes with a windowed side panel, seven expansion slots, and a front panel consisting of two USB2.0 ports and audio in/out.

Next up was one of the more unique cases out there, the LanBoy Air. The LanBoy Air brings flexibility and modularity to new levels, featuring seven removable mesh panels on a modular aluminum frame. It can support up to 15 fans, three external 5.25" drives, six internal 3.5" drives, and two internal 2.5" drives. The hard drive mounting mechanism is very unique, suspending the hard drives in the air using flexible cords, which should reduce vibrations and thus noise levels. The LanBoy Air also features a front panel with one USB3.0 port, two USB2.0 ports, and audio in/out, has handles for easy carrying, and comes in either blue or yellow. Because of the modularity, Antec claims that the LanBoy Air has up to 34,800 different possible configurations. There is even an option radiator attachment for watercooling, as can be seen in the yellow version below. Pictures really don't do this bad boy justice. And don't be fooled by the mesh design - this thing is sturdy.