A Closer Look - Outside

Unpacked the Aeolus is sleek as its contours blend nicely. The large window is covered in a static cling plastic sheet that keeps touch and scratch marks away.


The front and back are all black with only hints of color coming from the rear. The front bezel has an interesting look that appears to fan out the front a bit. The rear PCI brackets are a vibrant blue that matches the rear 120 mm exhaust fan.



Looking at the sides of the case the large window is definitely the main attraction. The large viewing area is nice but the specialized vents are placed directly where a video card will be placed. The vents have pre-drilled holes that allow for an optional 120 mm fan to draw air in to the video card area.


Focusing on the front we can see the bottom has a mesh opening under the front 120 mm blue LED fan. The case has a unique design around the fan and almost gives a turbine look to the front. At the top are the three optical drive bays with the easy release tabs. The bay covers have dust filters built in, as well does the mesh below the fan area.


Turning the case around to the back we have the power supply being installed at the bottom. The Aeolus has a universal mounting bracket which allows the user to choose which direction to mount the power supply. The middle of the back has two rubber grommets for cable routing or possibly watercooling. The bright blue PCI brackets really make a nice touch for the all black exterior. Finally the top includes a 120 mm exhaust fan next to the I/O cutout.


Rounding out the exterior inspection is the top and bottom. The top rear houses the exhaust of two 120 mm fans, again the turbine look is applied around both fans. Moving to the front is the power switches and front connectivity, also there is a small flat surface just behind that I found myself tossing my USB thumb drives; nice little touch. Lastly the bottom of the case has two nice features; a removable dust filter for the power supply as well as large supporting feet that ensure stability on almost any surface. You may also note the four thumb screws hanging out, these are for the removable hard drive bay which we'll get to next!