Well, where to start with the Nox Xtreme lanbx. When it was first offered for review, I couldn't help but think that I would finally get to review a truly unique chassis again. That thought still holds true to a certain extent considering the fact that you get a very compact chassis that is perfect for that next LAN party or on-the-road use.

It is meant to look menacing and bulky, which is what you would expect from a portable electronic device. That said, such is the look and not its functionality. While the plastic is quite sturdy and able to best the environments it is subjected to for most of us, it is not truly geared toward taking a beating. Just open the chassis and you will see that the plastic has been formed in a way to look bulky without really offering any additional protection. There are no rubber pads on the feet, so you will end up scratching your surface with the grime and dust that will collect during transport, nor are the corners lined with any kind of shock-absorbing material.

So while it may not offer as much protection as a proper ABS carrying case out of hard plastic, it does offer a nearly unmatched level of portability. Sure, there are plenty of Mini-ITX cases out there that are smaller, but none will make it as easy to grab a hold of your system and go on the road. The handle to manage such is strong and comes firmly attached to the rest of the chassis, but, once again, some rubber lining and a solid shape would have been beneficial.

The Nox Xtreme lanbx's interior manages to score points with its good use of space and very good cooling potential. With the inclusion of two 120 mm fans and the ability to use a 120mm or 140mm liquid-cooling solution for the CPU, you should be pretty flexible in your choice of system components. Such is further underlined by the fact that a 120mm tower cooler should fit if you do not place the top metal cover onto the chassis. Add its ability to hold up to five hard drives of which two are hot-swappable and a long GPU and you really can create a truly portable but potent gaming system.

This leaves the price to be discussed. At 90 euro, the Nox Xtreme lanbx is certainly not a cheap choice for a Mini-ITX chassis with such internal functionality. There is the fact that you will pay a premium for the portability, which does speak for the cost, but the lack of real protection does not. Overall, the Nox Xtreme lanbx is a cool chassis, and if real portability is what you are looking for, there are very few reasons you should not get one, but its price currently stands in the way of giving the Nox Xtreme lanbx an award.