A Closer Look - Outside

DeepCool has certainly gone all out by creating one of the most elaborate enclosures out there. At first sight, the name is a perfect match for the elaborate plastic structure with its silver-colored vents which really are reminiscent of a steam-punk-like theme. The black version of the chassis comes with a fingerprint-resistant surface, and the colored units have a piano finish.


You will find two large air vents in the front. These are not only there for show as they actually allow for fresh air to be pulled into the chassis via the pre-installed 200 mm unit. In the rear is a fully ATX-sized PSU bay, and the chassis can hold upward of a mATX board. As you can see, the Steam Castle is also wide enough to swallow such a motherboard horizontally instead of vertically, which should make installation a bit simpler.


A large, but tinted window can be found on the main side panel. It is big enough to also reveal a cable mess you meant to hide in the chassis' bottom compartment, but the tint should alleviate the issue a bit. Turning the Steam Castle around, the opposing cover is completely solid, though it does hold the I/O. While this approach will work just fine and is a similar to other companies, like BitFenix, it does result in a little more cable mess once the system has been assembled.


You will find three buttons on the panel. The largest of these controls the LEDs and up to three connected fans. Press this button to change the lighting color, and turn it to adjust the brightness of these LEDs, which will also change the fans' speed. On top of this button are the smaller power and reset buttons. Last, but not least are two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 plugs and the normal audio connectivity.


The DeepCool Steam Castle features a single 5.25" drive bay in the front, but you may pull the entire panel off to reveal the 200 mm fan. DeepCool embedded into the frame. As you can see, the actual skeleton also offers an external 3.5" drive bay, but DeepCool has chosen not to include an opening in the front even though there is nothing there to prevent them from doing so.


The PSU bay itself features two sets of mounting holes, which allows you to install the unit with the fan facing up- or downward. I would strongly suggest you install your PSU with the fan facing downward due to the way the case is build. In the top are the four motherboard-expansion slots, each held in place by a single locking mechanism, DeepCool also includes a 120 mm fan which pushes hot air out of the chassis. You may upgrade this fan to a 140 mm variant as the Steam Castle also features mounting holes for such a fan.


The Steam Castle's elaborate steam-punk design continues on top, with four circular vents featuring silver elements out of plastic. You may also remove this panel with a firm pull to reveal the top of the frame, which allows you to install two 120 mm or 140 mm fans into the top, or even go as far as to include a radiator if you do not require the 5.25" drive bay. Taking a quick peek at the top panel itself, each of its round vents come with embedded LEDs and a PCB which unifies all cables, so you only have a single lead going into the interior.


DeepCool placed a full cover on the chassis' underside, which creates a well-rounded look all around. The PSU bay also comes with a with a vent and a removable dust filter for easy cleaning. You can pull that contraption out the back of the Steam Castle without tipping the system over.