Aspire X-QPack: A Lanparty Dream
by Joshua Buss on July 2, 2005 1:15 PM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
Final Words
For anyone who has ever attended several lan parties, they know how much of a drag it can be to lug around a massive steel tower case fully loaded with multiple drives and other components galore. Shuttle will forever be famous for attempting to break this tradition of 'large' desktop cases, but for a lot of people their small form factor designs simply didn't allow for enough expansion, and others simply couldn't swallow the concept of getting a case that already came with a motherboard pre-selected for it.
Well with this new design from Aspire, buyers have yet another choice available to them. They can have a case that's still much more compact and portable than a standard tower case, but one that still provides 90% of the same functionality provided the user selects an appropriate micro ATX motherboard. With more and more people interested in smaller computers, motherboard manufacturers are going to continue to come up with new and improved micro ATX layouts that offer just as much power as their full-sized counterparts. Also, with so many devices getting put onto either the motherboard itself or into external devices rather than expansion cards, many users simply don't need as many expansion slots as they used to in order to get the same amount of functionality out of their PC.
In the heat and noise arena, the case does very well. We figured a maximum ambient air temperature of 28.3 degrees Celsius, and it kept our decent gaming rig's components each within relatively low ranges. Running full force we only measured a sound pressure level of 44 dBa, certainly low enough to not be a problem for the majority of users.
Considering one can get the X-QPack for $90, and that this comes with the 420 watt power supply, we simply could not recommend this case any higher for someone who wants a micro-ATX compatible case that doesn't cut many corners.
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stromgald - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
The dimensions of the included PSU are unique, but there does seem to be some space between the PSU and the installed DVD burner. The height and widths are the same as a standard ATX according to the article so the screw holes are probably in the same place, but the depth may be a problem. I think that's what #11 was asking, and I'm wondering the same thing. I've been looking to build a new mATX computer, and have been looking at the Aspire and its OEM version, the Chenming 118 (has a 300W PSU and is less flashy) for awhile. Great review, the article and the nice pictures will help alot if I use this case for my next build.Olaf van der Spek - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
It's also a shame it doesn't have independent cover parts, which makes me think of those old minitowers where takes of the cover was almost a disaster.Olaf van der Spek - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
> We should note how if our motherboard had supported external USB and Firewire connections, some of that cable clutter would be greatly reduced.What exactly are external USB and Firewire connections?
Spacecomber - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
From the Aspire website:Power Supply ATX 420W power supply
-High-gloss mirror finish
-1*80mm built-in UV blue LED fan
-Wire management:all wires are sleeved
-Size:116 x 149 x 87 mm
Power Supply Spec.
+3.3V +5V +12V -12V -5V +5VSB
20A 25A 20A 0.8A 0.3A 2.0A
(They don't list the 3.3v+5v combined power rating. Just that the maximum is 420w.)
Power Supply Connectors
1 x 20pin Main Power
1 x 12V (P4)
4 x Peripheral
1 x Floppy
1 x SATA
Those dimensions seem a bit unique; it certainly isn't a standard full-size power supply.
Space
Cygni - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
I agree, the PSU is the question. At $90 WITH a 420wt PSU, it sounds like a really really good deal.. but i get the feeling its not exactly a true 420.BTW, i noticed the HD thing too. In one view we clearly see the PATA cables, and from the other side, i see orange SATA cables running up, haha. :D
RaNDoMMAI - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
Can you put a normal PSU in?Spacecomber - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
I like this review, but I have to agree with #9 -- we need more information on the power supply. How does it stack up against good quality power supplies in terms of amps per rail? Are there two 12v rails? Does it come with a 24 pin main power connector and with the new square 4 pin video card connectors? Is it of standard dimensions? What options would there be for changing it out, if you feel this one is not adequate?Basically, I hate to pay the extra cost of getting a power supply and a case when it turns out that the power supply is a low quality generic model which I'll have to replace.
Space
JustAnAverageGuy - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
What were the amps (5V, 12V, etc) on the 420W power supply?One oddity.
In all of the pictures it shows a Western Digital hard drive. It states you used a Seagate on page 8 though.
DarkKnight - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
great review, case looks awesome. I wish this case had come out before I bought my aria :(. Had to mod the hell of out it to get acceptable temps.KristopherKubicki - Saturday, July 2, 2005 - link
Pannenkoek: Look in the comments section of the Sun article.Kristopher