Thermaltake Armor+ MX Mid Tower Case Review

Exterior Impressions cont.

In all total there one 3.5 inch bay at the top and five 5.25 inch bays below them. Of course there are in actuality 3 more 5.25 but these bottom three are reserved for the internal 3.5 hard drive bay. This bottom area also houses the front 120mm fan and is responsible for a good portion of the internal air movement. The included air filters are easy to remove and are washable.


As mentioned previously, the front of the case also has two large protective aluminum wings which give the Armor part of its distinctive look. These wings easily swing open and closed and when closed are held in position by magnets. If for whatever reason you do not like the look of these wings you can easily remove them by simply unscrewing a few screws.


When we focus our attention on the left side we see a perfectly flat shiny and boring metal side panel which lacks any ventilation holes or room for fans. On the right side we see a classic Thermaltake “X” window, which for us, brings back happy memories of the original Xaser cases. To say that this window is a full size window is understatement, in fact a better description is “imposing” as in it’s one honkin’ big window. Somehow it manages to give off this almost palpable vibe of charisma and charm which is really endearing.


When talking about the case's side panel / window you really can’t fully describe it without mentioning the huge, awe inspiring 230mm fan which sits smack dab in the center. Its location is perfect for sucking in air over and around hot running video cards, regardless of it is one, two or even four since this bad boy is big enough to handle them all. In an interesting move, Thermaltake has opted for a rather unique venting method for said fan. Instead of a honeycomb hole pattern which one would expect to see, or even an actual hole with wire mesh covering what, Thermaltake has done is cut huge slits into the plastic window so that the fan can suck fresh air in through them. While it’s a little bit on the counter intuitive side, we will see if this increased static pressure can be overcome by the massive 23cm fan.


Also on the positive was the inclusion of two large latches which means opening and closing the case is be very easy. If there is one thing we hate it is those old fashioned slide ‘n lock side panels which always jam at the most inopportune moment. This is classic Thermaltake engineering and really shows how user friendly this manufacture is. Goof job Thermaltake.