Packaging & Protection
Packaging is extremely important with cases, particularly the “Flat Packed” style cases in which each piece is shipped loosely. Not only is it important to prevent external damage from outside the case, the interior loose pieces can damage themselves if there is not adequate internal protection. I think it’s more than safe to say, XSPC has taken “Flat Packed” packaging protection to a new level above and beyond their competitors. I have read a few horror stories of other cases coming shipped with bent corners and poor packaging, but I could not see any potential for that in my review of the H2 with the exemplary methods used in packing the H2.
First, there is the large box, it comes box in a box with additional corner protection and banding as you see here.
Protection Layer 1 – Outer Box
Upon removing the banding, edge protection and opening the outer box, you are presented with yet another box layer of protection:
Protection Layer 2 – Secondary Box
After opening up the second box, you see many layers and pieces of foam and packaging peanuts surrounding the individually wrapped case pieces. It’s pretty hard to tell what is what at this point because everything is completely wrapped in a multiple layer of plastic and foam wrapping.
Protection Layer 3 – Foam
For example, here is the hard drive cage, first the outer foam wrapping:
Protection Layer 4- Foam Wrapping
After removing the foam wrapping, you have another layer of protection in the form of a plastic wrapping:
Protection Layer 5 – Plastic Wrapping
Layer 4 and 5 was pretty much the standard for all the packaging of individual parts. It did take some time getting everything unpacked and left me with a good supply of materials to recycle for my own shipping needs, but it’s very welcome knowing the parts are all extremely well protected. A high end case like this deserves high end packaging protection and it has that.
After opening the many layers of protection, there is finally a sign of the anodized aluminum..:)
Packaging and Protection was exemplary…doesn’t get much more padded and protected than that. You can be rest assured that the product you ordered will leave the factory and arrive at your home in perfect condition as well. Excellent!!
Martin, when I first saw this tower I immediately thought of one quad and one triple rad at the botom since I prefer much more vertically mounted rads, and this tower already has, at least, the side panel holes to do so. Well, the width of the case is 246.6mm the RX series rads are 63mm each and 25mm from each fan that would be 63+63+25+25 = 176mm. What do you think about cutting rectangular hole at the botom with 70mm of width right at the middle and mount each radiator with its fans pulling the air from the botom and exausting through both sides. Would it be doable while using the lower dual bay for a dual pump bay reservoir? That would be great.
The inside dimension of the case I measure is 8-13/16″ or 223.8mm. You could certainly do that. It is vented between lower and upper chamber too so you could probably draw air downward if you wanted as well.
That should work fine, but I would probably just hole saw a line of holes that size to retain structure in the base for the castors.
You also probably have options to push air in from the front if you built a screen/fan mount in the front drive bay. It’s not quite tall enough for a 120 in the factory double bay, but there is room to expand that.
Plenty of mod options in that lower bay, and I’ve always like the idea of keeping water down low where gravity keeps water away from electrical as much as possible..I spill a lot!:)
Another great review Martin! Congratulation on your new case & I shall wait for the build log.
Could you please let me know the internal length (depth) measurement for the lower chamber.
I’m contemplating modding the rear panel to accommodate dual psu’s (2x OCZ ZX 1250w), installing an XSPC dual bay 750 rev.2 pump / reservoir up front, and would like to know if there would be room left length wise to accommodate 2x Thermochill TA 120.2 dual rads (on stands against either side grill), allowing for PSU cabling of course.
The depth / length specs on the components are 200mm (XSPC 750), 175mm (PSU’s), and 129mm for the rads, totaling 504mm which should, in theory, leave 118.9mm left to play with.
However, you have stated above that the internal width of the case is 22.2mm less than the 246.6mm stated on the spec sheet, so I’m wondering how this may affect the other internal measurements?
I get roughly this for the bottom chamber using a tape measure and converting (rough):
606mm Long Internally
219mm Wide Internally
182mm Tall Internally
I have a Mountain Mods Pinnacle 24 and I noticed that several of the panel junctions in the XSPC case look identical to ones on my case. I wonder if XSPC is contracting Mountain Mods to make their cases. MM uses 1.65mm panels, how thick are the panels on the XSPC?
It’s approximately the same panel thickness, somewhere between 1.5 and 2.0mm (I need to replace my caliper battery, so I’m guessing). I wouldn’t assume any panels are compatible, as far as I know they are independent.
EXCELLENT REVIEW! Thanx Martin, I’m buying the case based on what your great review.
Just one question: If I install the two 120.4 rads and the one 120.3 rad, where does the PSU fit?
I haven’t tried it to confirm, but I think with an average sized triple 120, you can fit both the triple and PSU on the lower left side. There is just over 600mm worth of space there for the two of them to sit end to end. Check your PSU and radiator dimensions to make sure it would work. If those don’t fit, maybe a 2×140 rad would…which would give similar frontal radiator surface area.
Only thing that stopped me from going with this case is that the case is held together by VERY visible external thumb screws. In my opinion in really ruins the sleekness of the case having lumpy thumbscrews everywhere. Perhaps they should have gone with recessed screws of matching color.