Thermaltake Spedo Advance Package Case Review

Interior Impressions cont.


From the other side of the case, another very unique feature can be seen; the CRM or “Cable Routing Management” system. Thermaltake – a company of few words and many diagrams – sums up the CRM system in one sentence: “Cable Routing Management 3 eliminates cable clutter”. There is not really much else to say except that the CRM system is beautiful in its simplicity. It is literally three small plastic shields and three smartly placed reusable zip-ties. Rather than bundling up unsightly header and power leads, they can be neatly tied up and concealed behind these plates.

We were pleased to see the system effectively hide the big bunch of header leads out of the I/O panel, and we’ll see how it works when we begin installing some gear into the Spedo.


Once we had a good look at the inside of the case, we started taking it apart a bit more. We started by removing the top and side panel, which was a very easy task. The front panel must be removed first and literally just snaps off with a bit of pulling pressure. It has a nice and secure feeling when removing it. The top can then be removed by depressing two small latches at the top of the case. It also comes off with little effort and feels nice and sturdy.

With the front panel off, we noticed that all of the drive bay covers are connected to the panel, not the case itself. All of the 5.25 inch drive bays are wide open and thankfully don’t need to have metal panels punched out. We also get a first glimpse at the clear LED fan present at the front of the case. Although it is smaller than the massive side panel and top exhaust fans, it is a bit larger than the standard size 120mm models. Thermaltake lists it as a 140mm fan.


With the plastic top panel removed, we get a good view of the 230mm exhaust fan and the stamped grille at the top of the case. Although the fan is 230mm, mounting holes exist on the stamped grille to accept smaller, 120mm fans, or a water cooling radiator. Unfortunately, there are no standard mounting hole locations to accept a second fan at the front grille. As such, a large radiator would also need a bit of improvisation to get securely in place. A dual 120mm radiator should fit at the top of the case with a little bit of elbow grease and some mounting creativity.


The 140mm front intake fan is held in place with four long post-screws and was easy to remove. Unfortunately, there are not a whole lot of 140mm fans on the market – or 230mm fans for that matter – so finding a replacement will be difficult.

The fan is a Thermaltake model TT-1425, which is a rebadged “Hong Sheng” model with an extended part number of “A1425L12S”. This is a sleeve bearing fan rated for about 0.30A at 12V, and spins at a relatively slow 1000RPM. Thermaltake rates it for only 16dBA. The fan has four red LEDs and is completely clear. This particular fan is pretty solidly constructed, and has a higher quality look to it.

As you can see, the fan openings behind the fan are very small and will restrict airflow a fair bit. If you are not using all of the hard drive bays, we’d definitely recommend removing one of the cages to improve airflow in the case.


Thermaltake opted to use massive 230mm fans at the top exhaust and the side panel locations. Case manufacturers have really raised the bar over the last couple of years and fans larger than 120mm have practically become the norm. As mentioned earlier though, this poses a real problem if these large fans do not meet your noise or airflow expectations. With 120mm fans, you can buy a replacement ranging from a silent Noctua model to a raging 150CFM Delta. When it comes to 230mm models, you will be hard pressed to find replacements beyond what is offered by the case manufacturer.
Replacement issues aside, larger fans usually come with some benefits—namely higher airflow at low rotational speeds and low rotational speeds usually equate to lower noise levels.


Although the side panel fan lists the Thermaltake part number “TT-2020” with the usual yellow and orange sticker, the top exhaust fan does not. According to Thermaltake’s specifications, they are both 230mm fans with a rotational speed of 800RPM. Although we can’t really say for certain what the top exhaust fan is, the side panel fan is a Hong Sheng model listed with an extended part number of “A2020L12S”, which tells us that it is a sleeve bearing model.

It should definitely be noted that we were not pleased with the build quality of these 230mm fans. The plastic used is very flimsy, and the frame does not provide any sort of rigid structure to the fan whatsoever. In fact, we’d be very concerned about breaking off the fins on the side panel if it is not handled carefully. We expected much higher quality given the high price of the Spedo Advance.


Two 120mm fans can be found acting as rear exhaust fans for the Spedo. Most mid-tower cases only have one 120mm fan in this location, and it is rare to see anything larger than 120mm in this particular location. The case would simply become too wide if a 140 or 180mm fan was used here. This is a positive thing as their very common 120x25mm size means they can be swapped out for just about any 120mm fan.


The accessory fan and the two exhaust fans are all the same; they are Thermaltake “Turbo Fan” models “TT-1225” rated for 0.3 amps at 12V. The fan is also a Hong Sheng model with an extended part number of “A1225L12S”, which makes it a sleeve bearing fan. Its rotational speed is rated at 1300RPM with a noise rating of about 17dBA. Although these fans don’t appear to be made with the same level of quality we’ve come to expect in a premium enclosure, their smaller size and standard type of frame makes them a sturdier fan than the 230mm models.