A Closer Look - Outside

After taking a first look at the case, it becomes apparent that the red is much brighter than one may expect. This opinion is further fueled by "what we could have had" mentality, due to the nicer looking version on the package. Nonetheless it quickly becomes apparent that the overall structure of the Dragon is excellent for a modern steel enclosure. While we see manufacturers use thinner and thinner steel sheets, Chieftec seems to have stayed with nice and thick variants. This also adds noticeably to the overall weight of the case. The top and front of the chassis are covered by plastic parts with metal mesh air openings. The plastic used feels very good and of high quality as well.


Taking a closer look at the front, you can see that the difference between the red and black version of the case is achieved by simply using different colored mesh metal parts. The entire front is made of such a material, with rounded plastic edges on either side. The rear looks nothing out of the ordinary, with the PSU bay located up top and the usual 120 mm fan opening above the expansion slots.


Both sides of the case are also made of thick metal sheets, but the main panel has a large 220 mm fan place on it. A bulky metal and plastic contraption covers the fan. I have no idea why Chieftec has not simply used something more compact instead, as the fan is located on the inside of the panel, not the outside.


Taking a closer look at the front, the bottom holds the Dragon logo in the center of the metal mesh, which has been extruded a bit, adding to the overall look and feel. The middle holds four 5.25 inch expansion slots, but not a single 3.5 inch bay in our review sample. Chieftec has informed us, that the new shipment of the chassis will feature a 3.5 to 5.25 inch adapter to convert one of the larger drive bays. The I/O has been located at the top, facing forward. You get the usual set of connectivity in form of two USB 2.0, the pair of audio plugs and an eSATA port.


Focusing on the rear, it becomes apparent that Chieftec has designed the case itself instead of taking an OEM design and slapping their plastic front and top on it. The bottom is filled by the seven expansion slots, which are all covered by seperated and reusable metal plates. Next to these are two large holes to route water cooling tubes through. The round opening for the 120 mm fan is bent outward a bit, so installing a radiator on the outside may mean having to flatten the honey comb grill first. Moving to the very top, the PSU bay may be rotated to install the power supply with the fan facing upwards instead. This feature is probably not the most useful, as the system generally benefits from the additional air flow of the PSU fan right above the CPU, so turning that around may not work to your advantage.


The top of the case holds the reset and power button and the usual LEDs. A large round Chieftec logo can also be found here. Toward the rear are two 120 mm fans encased in the plastic cover - but more on those on the next page.