Chieftec Hi-Fi Series HM-02B HTPC Case Review 8

Chieftec Hi-Fi Series HM-02B HTPC Case Review

(8 Comments) »

Value and Conclusion

  • The Cieftec Hi-Fi Series HM-02B can be had for around 200 € without a power supply. The A135 450W showcased in this review should set you back another 50 €.
  • Great, modern looks
  • Takes regular sized power supplies and graphics cards
  • Incredible build quality
  • Soundgraph VFD, remote and software
  • Card reader
  • Very simple but effective interior layout
  • Very convenient installation of drives
  • Case can be opened easily - thanks to push bolts
  • Plenty of space for such a HTPC case
  • Compact, but should fit fairly large graphic cards and CPU coolers
  • Very quiet operation
  • Anti-vibration design for all drives, the cover and the power supply
  • Fans have mainboard connectors and Molex connectors
  • Optical drive does not require modding or removal of bezel
  • Contents ship in an exceptionally secured plastic package
  • Case LEDs are covered
  • Optical drive bay cover has a DVD logo
  • Front I/O cables too long
  • Only supports mATX motherboards
  • Steel construction, heavy
  • Package could be considered too colorful
The Chieftec Hi-Fi Series HM-02B can be considered nearly perfect. Starting with the great looks, modern design, nice exterior feature set to the interior layout and installation experience. For HTPC cases less is more, which means that Chieftec has hit the nail on the head with the straight lines and covered front I/O & card reader area. The choice of a Soundgraph system to display all the necessary information is a wise one as well.
The interior of the case is simple but effective, making for a painless installation process. Placing the drives in the HM-02B is incredibly easy, requiring no screw driver, but still being held in place firmly and utilizing vibration dampening. The new Hi-Fi series comes in various sizes and can be had in either black or silver. If you are still in need of a proper power supply, go ahead and grab yourself an A135 series PSU. The large, quiet fan, 80 Plus certification and short cable tree, make it the perfect addition to the Hi-Fi Series.
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Oct 4th, 2024 07:13 EDT change timezone

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