Introduction

I would like to thank Chieftec for supplying the review sample.

Chieftec has been in the business of manufacturing and designing cases for a very long time. With over 17 years of experience under their belt, we have come to expect and cherish the relentless quality and innovative design of their products. In recent years the manufacturer has moved from just cases to other products like power supplies and other accessories as well. Such diversification is driven with the same outlook: to create quality products without a usuable and effective feature set.


We have the pleasure of taking a look at their newest offering for the HTPC market today. The so called Hi-Fi HM Series consists of three different enclosures to meet your needs in the living room. These cases range from very slim mATX, over a low profile version up to the full ATX variant. All with the same, clean, high quality design one would look for in a home theater PC. They are called HM-01, HM-02 and HM-03 respectively. We will be taking a look at the medium sized one, which can take a mATX board, but also allows for full height expansion cards.

Specifications

Packaging

Chieftec ships the Hi-Fi series case in a very colorful box. The sides only have various images of the chassis, along with a simple list of specifications. The chassis is available in black or silver. There is a simple marking on the box to let you know which one you will be getting. The HM-02B is further protected by an array of foam blocks, which have been glued to two separate cardboard pieces. This requires less foam, which reduces cost and ultimately has a positive effect on the environment as well.