Exclusive: Thermaltake's Jaw-Dropping Level 10 Chassis Unboxed!
The guts of the Level 10: individual compartments keep components thermally isolated. And it looks wicked.
The right side panel on the Level 10 comes off for access to the rear of the motherboard tray, just like on a standard case. Note the holes for cable routing as well as the backplane cutout for installing CPU coolers.
Now, step back with us in time as we show our initial unboxing of the Level 10, and give our first impressions of the case. Plus a bonus game: spot the cool stuff in our lab!
The Level 10 shipped in a 66lb box, fresh from the factory in Taipei.
In the top of the box was a nifty design book.
When unboxing heavy components, it's best to lay the box on the side.
The Level 10 came well-protected.
At this point we started humming Also Sprach Zarathustra (aka the 2001: Space Odyssey theme)
Dun DUNNNNN!
The panels seem a tad saggy but sturdy when secured.
Here's the Level 10 with the rear panel removed.
The front-panel connectors include your standard 4 USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port, and standard audio jacks.The case fits standard ATX and micro-ATX boards. The motherboard tray is thankfully removable: we wouldn't want to install a board in a case you can't lay on its side. We dig the hard drive trays that light up when they contain a drive, and we especially dig that they can hold either 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drives without additional hardware. We're not as keen on the back panel- specifically, how difficult it can be to put the panel back on; you sometimes have to fiddle with the hard drive locking mechanism before it will go back on.
One thing that might not come across in the pictures: the Level 10 is huge. It's 12.5 inches wide, two feet deep, and 26.2 inches high, and weighs over 47 pounds. The carrying handle on the top will definitely come in handy; we doubt any of the component bays can hold the whole weight of the case if you try to lift from them.
The Thermaltake Level 10 is stylish as hell, but how well will it work as a case? We'll find out! Look for our full review on MaximumPC.com in the next few weeks! The Level 10 will be available in mid-October for $700. For more information, check out the official product page and stay tuned to MaximumPC.com!