BitFenix Neos Case Review
by E. Fylladitakis on January 21, 2015 9:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- bitfenix
- Case
BitFenix Neos Exterior
As we mentioned on the previous page, the Neos is available in multiple chassis/faceplate color combinations. BitFenix supplied us with both the black and white chassis of the Neos, shipping us a black/black and a white/white model of the case. The company also supplied us with the corresponding windowed side panels of each model.
Aesthetically, the Neos is based on a very simple, straightforward, and clean design. The chassis is just an ordinary SECC steel body, without any aesthetic modifications, while the faceplate basically is a metallic mesh on a plastic frame. The only aesthetic improvement is the rounded edges of the faceplate and the metallic mesh. This does not mean that the Neos is bad looking – a minimalistic design actually is much better than an extravagant "aggressive" appearance for most users.
Structurally, the Neos makes use of a thin (0.7-0.8 mm) SECC steel chassis, which is adequate for a case of this size and acceptable considering the price range of the case. The plastic frame of the faceplate seems good as well. The metallic mesh however can be an issue, as it can be easily disformed or damaged, especially when handling the 5.25" covers if you're not careful.
Aside from the aluminum company logo, the faceplate of the Neos is entirely plain. BitFenix moved the I/O ports and buttons to the top of the plastic faceplate frame. From left to right, we can see a round power on button, a rectangular reset button, the 3.5" audio jacks, two LED lights (power and disk activity), one USB 2.0 port, and one USB 3.0 port. (Note that providing a single USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 is a bit odd, as they usually come in pairs so effectively you lose one of each with this arrangement.) The positioning of the I/O ports and buttons limited the number of 5.25" bays to just two, but they should be more than sufficient for most users.
The removal of the faceplate reveals two filters. First, a foam-type filter is right behind the metallic mesh of the faceplate – this is sure to get dirty very easily. The second filter is a nylon net-type filter, covering the 120mm intake fan openings.
A look at the back of the case reveals that the Neos has its PSU compartment down at the bottom of the case, as well as two rubber grommets for the tubing of liquid cooling setups. These openings can also be used for cables, if required. The feet of the case are nearly 2.5 cm tall, which is a forced requirement as the intake of the PSU is below the case. A nylon net filter can be found there, removable towards the rear of the case, limiting the amount of dust that will be introduced into the PSU.
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Oxford Guy - Wednesday, January 21, 2015 - link
You can get a case for $25 that can be used for a low wattage system. Why spend so much on this? It doesn't have good cable management, etc.SleepModezZ - Wednesday, January 21, 2015 - link
In the shop that I usually buy from the cheapest midi/mini case (for full ATX-motherboards) is 33€ (LC-Power 3001B). Neos (without a window) is 41€. Scrolling the list down from cheapest to more costly, the Neos is the first to give some aesthetic pleasure because its color options. That could decide it for some. You can choose a case that fits the room it will be in. Cable management is not really so important if you have a low wattage system in a windowless case. (I don't really understand the window option on a case like Neos.)E.Fyll - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
A lower thermal load would yield correlative results, just at a lower magnitude and over a significantly longer period of time. That is why every comparison of cases using either the 850W and 400W load charts always ends up the same. Regardless of the thermal load, given that we are talking about a passive load, if case A is better than case B, it will always be better than case B - only the magnitude of the results changes.We are using the 400W load only because there are some cases (like this one) that cannot handle a very high thermal load at all without starting a fire. With the 400W load requiring a time of at least seven hours to give usable results, testing with a lower load is unfeasible - it would take days and I cannot keep the ambient conditions stable for that long. Furthermore, a very low load would bring the results of many cases very close together, making them look virtually identical, because of the shrinkage of the scale. My equipment can tell the difference between 41°C and 42°C, but not between 20°C and 20.02°C.
SleepModezZ - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
Thank you for your answer - and for the review. You are right that it makes sense to test in the way you do. The problem is more in the conclusions that seems to be derived from that - or maybe just the emphasis on that one fact. At a low thermal load the case will still be worse thermal wise than the bigger and more expensive comparisons - but in practice the difference won't matter much. Other factors will easily overrun that drawback for a potential buyer who is not interested in building a gaming rig into the case.It seems that you did not like the looks of the case. I have not seen it in person so I can't make a comment. Still, it has several color options to choose from whereas probably every else case in the same form factor and price group comes without such choice. I, for one, would easily pay 50% more (or accept other drawbacks) to get a case in the most pleasing color option. It will be a part of the furniture for some years so the exterior appearance, in the context of the room where it will be sitting in, is very important. I don't know if BitFenix was the first to offer cases with color options - more than a black and a white option, or a black and an aluminium/silver option - but they are currently very prominent in that - and I really appreciate that.
Antronman - Wednesday, January 21, 2015 - link
Scorching review. All you need is some obscene language and I'd think Chef George Ramsay wrote this.Antronman - Wednesday, January 21, 2015 - link
Fuck Gordon Ramsay wtf was I doingmakerofthegames - Wednesday, January 21, 2015 - link
tl;dr version: BitFenix finally fucked one up.wbwb - Wednesday, January 21, 2015 - link
This is a fine-looking, solidly built case for a basic PC with a quad core CPU and a single GPU, i.e. a 450 watt system. I built one last month. Not every case has to be designed to support overclocking and radiators or monstrous heatsinks. If you want that, there are plenty of other cases to choose from, and stop kidding yourself, you're not going to buy a $60 case anyway.chlamchowder - Wednesday, January 21, 2015 - link
The problem is, there are $60 cases (Corsair 200R, NZXT Source 220, and probably some others) that can take radiators or bigger heatsinks, and look like decent options even for overclocking.If you want to overclock, and want radiators/big heatsinks, and can get a case that supports that for $60 or even less, why not do that?
lazymangaka - Saturday, January 24, 2015 - link
If you know you want to overclock and think the possibility of radiators or big heatsinks is in your future, you should probably choose a case that reflects that.This case isn't for that. It doesn't (to the best of my knowledge) claim to be that. This is the sort of case for the build you do for a parent, sibling, or significant other that is built once then not touched for years. The sort of build where the looks of the case are more important than the convenience of the cable management.