Assembly

After removing all components from the case, installing the mainboard is actually a breeze. One big drawback of the case is the fact, that you won't be able to install other small boards like ITX within the Matrix. The stand-offs are fixed within the case and there are no holes for such mainboards.


To install the hard drive you need to first secure it within the afore mentioned 3.5 inch tray. This is done with simple screws. As you can see it is placed upside down inside the tray and the cooling fan blows air directly unto the PCB.


Before installing the optical drive, you will need to replace the white plastic duct. This serves the simple purpose of keeping the area around the CPU fan cable free. Considering the overall size of the case, this is a much needed feature. A circular hole is large enough for all OEM cooling units, but you may get in the way with some aftermarket ones. Luckily, there are plenty of manufacturers, which produce heatsinks with similar shape to the OEM ones, but with a much quieter fan.


The optical drive is held in place by screws as well. This entire contraption is then placed on top of the white air duct/cover. At this point you will loose complete access to the main portion of the mainboard. Make sure you have connected everything before you reassemble the PC.


Once everything is installed you can clearly see the bottom part of the mainboard. The entire length of the case at the height of the PCIe x16 slot is free, meaning you could install at least a single slot graphic card for your gaming needs - like a Radeon 4850 or 9800 GT. Even though the power supply may not have the required power connector, a splitter or two and the PCIe power adapter should do the trick.