Thermaltake Spedo Advance Chassis
A Closer Look: Inside
Published: 17th September 2008 | Source: Thermaltake | Price: £130.39 |
A Closer Look: Inside
In the inroduction to this review I highlighted that the Thermaltake Spedo Advance chassis is designed to provide effective cooling to critical components housed within a PC. The inclusion of a vast array of cooling fans and mesh panels will no doubt help to achieve this aim, but Thermaltake use another trick to compliment the cooling effectiveness of this chassis - ATC (Advanced Thermal Chamber). You can see from the top (left) image that Thermaltake has included plastic baffling to help compartmentalise the chassis and help direct heat away from critical components like the CPU, GPU and power supply.
There are four parts to the ATC setup and they simply click into place courtesy of plastic clips. The cover that goes over the PSU area also features a neat swinging tray that can be used for placing screws and what-not into. The very top cover that goes over the GPU area features little plastic strips on its edge that helps it contour to the shape of your motherboard. Despite the fact that the ATC is constructed entirely of plastic it is quite solid and feels rigid enough to not fall apart during transport.
The Thermaltake Spedo Advance chassis has the PSU situated on the bottom. The PSU is allowed to draw cool air up from the bottom of the chassis and expel warm air out the rear. Thermaltake has also included some flywire mesh in order to eliminate dust issues associated with the location. Interstingly, Thermaltake hasn't allowed the flywire mesh to cover the 120mm fan hole in front of the PSU area, so the threat of dust entering the chassis hasn't really been reduced at all.
The Thermaltake Spedo Advance chassis has an adjustable Fanbar that can be used to attach a 120mm fan and have its direction adjusted for maximum effect.
Thermaltake has decided to do away with a a removable motherboard tray on the Spedo chassis, and instead opted for a permanently fixed one. Personally I'm a fan of a removable motherboard tray, but the increased height in the top of the case makes for light work when installing a motherboard. Thermaltake has also included plenty of routing holes in the fixed motherboard tray which makes routing cables and absolute breeze.
Interestingly, Thermaltake has included a 120mm fan hole in the tray itself which can be used to extract warm air out from behind the motherboard. How well this would work is debatable, but hey, something is better than nothing right?
Like the top panel, the front bezel is also removable. The drivebay covers are easily removed from the front bezel by pushing two clips to facilitate their release. The covers also feature dust and noise reducing foam inserts. With the front bezel removed we can see the Thermaltake Spedo Advanced can cater for five 5.25" bay devices on the top and three 5.25" bay devices at the bottom. All 5.25" bays feature Thermaltake' tool-less design clips that make installing hardware really easy. Interestingly, the HDD caddy's sit behind the 120mm fan at the front, but they can however, be moved to either the top or bottom 5.25" bays courtesy of the 3.5 - 5.25" bay adaptors found in the accessories box.
The HDD caddy's themselves are very easy to move and/or install a HDD into. Each caddy holds three HDD's and the installation process is again mad very easy because of the Thermaltake tool-less design. To install a HDD into the caddy, simply push the white button on the edge and the black mesh part releases the drive tray. With the drive tray removed, simply place your hard disk into the tray and push down on the four clips on the side that hold the HDD in place. The HDD is now ready to be installed back into the caddy. The hard disk tray is then held in place by locking the tool-less machanism back into place.
Thermaltake' Cable Routing Management (CRM) system is inclusive of the holes in the motherboard tray, but at the same time provides a neater approach around the back of the motherboard. In its very essence, CRM means that cables out of sight are out of mind, and Thermaltake achieve this by including three 150mm x 150mm square plastic panels. The panels click into place over your cable routing job and essentially hide the rats nest of cables that usually end up lumped behind the motherboard.
One other area of the Thermaltake Spedo Advance chassis that I realised I hadn't covered was that of the 230mm fan on the side panel. What's really neat here is that the fan doesn't have a traditional molex connector on the end, but instead it has contact switch which is hard wired into the side panel itself. The other part of the contact switch can be seen in the 2nd lot of images from the top of the page (near the PSU area), and as soon as the door is closed the fan automatically starts spinning. When the computer is powered on of course! This is a great idea as it means that you don't have to disconnect a molex plug before taking the side panel off - excellent touch Thermaltake!
Let's head over the page to see how easily the Thermaltake Spedo Advance chassis is to get 'kitted' out with our test system...
Most Recent Comments
Nice review guys. Very thorough.
However the case leaves a bit to be desired by the look of it. The Thermal areas thing clearly doesn't work and 50 something decibels is really obnoxiously loud. The looks are fairly subjective so I won't comment, aside from saying it has quite a nice industrial look (from the pics...maybe not in the flesh).
I have concerns over the screwless expansion card connectors and the use of plastic. Another thing I dislike is the placement of the PSU and the use of louvres not of mesh.
I like the idea of the plastic squares on the back of the mobo, but at the end day it is only wire you are covering up. I also notice they've changed the thumbscrews on the back of the case...the worst feature of the Xaser VI
Speaking from experience with Thermaltake cases, they are not as bad as they used to be and while they lack the finish of Lian li, they aren't as bad as everyone says. Still wouldn't buy this one though.
However the case leaves a bit to be desired by the look of it. The Thermal areas thing clearly doesn't work and 50 something decibels is really obnoxiously loud. The looks are fairly subjective so I won't comment, aside from saying it has quite a nice industrial look (from the pics...maybe not in the flesh).
I have concerns over the screwless expansion card connectors and the use of plastic. Another thing I dislike is the placement of the PSU and the use of louvres not of mesh.
I like the idea of the plastic squares on the back of the mobo, but at the end day it is only wire you are covering up. I also notice they've changed the thumbscrews on the back of the case...the worst feature of the Xaser VI
Speaking from experience with Thermaltake cases, they are not as bad as they used to be and while they lack the finish of Lian li, they aren't as bad as everyone says. Still wouldn't buy this one though.
the xaser and the armor+ are still the best made thermaltake cases out there to my opinion. and these 2 are in par with cooler master cases to, wich is good. but it is true that lian li is still be best branch for cases, becouse of the finishes they have on their cases, but it also comes with a big price ofcource.
The case has actually grown on me as I stated in the review, and as you said it does have an industrial look to it. I think that look adds to the appeal somewhat.
Even though the screwless expansion card holders are plastic they do feel very solid and not likely to snap or crack. I too would have preferred modders mesh over the louvres.
While I can't comment on the Armor+, the Xaser VI is so bloody heavy. I found the weight difference between the Spedo and the Xaser VI to definitely fall in the favour of the Spedo.
Thanks for the feedback too guys - tis muchly appreciated
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Originally Posted by Diablo
I have concerns over the screwless expansion card connectors and the use of plastic. Another thing I dislike is the placement of the PSU and the use of louvres not of mesh.
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I'm not fussed by the squares personally. But considering that you can see into the back of the motherboard tray via the side panel, they sort of become a necessity. As for the thumbscrews, I really like the ones on the Spedo as opposed to those on the Xaser VII like the idea of the plastic squares on the back of the mobo, but at the end day it is only wire you are covering up. I also notice they've changed the thumbscrews on the back of the case...the worst feature of the Xaser VI
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Originally Posted by name='Robert'
the xaser and the armor+ are still the best made thermaltake cases out there to my opinion.
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Thanks for the feedback too guys - tis muchly appreciated
Quote:
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Originally Posted by name='Robert'
the xaser and the armor+ are still the best made thermaltake cases out there to my opinion. and these 2 are in par with cooler master cases to, wich is good. but it is true that lian li is still be best branch for cases, becouse of the finishes they have on their cases, but it also comes with a big price ofcource.
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Just wonderidng, does thev case have a removable mobo tray...that was an excellent thing on the xaser that cut down RMA stripping time by about an hour
That's good news about the screwless holders, on the Xaser, I just stripped them off because they didn't work with the 280GTXs or the DX2...bit of a pain. Also the screwless 5.25 won't fit shorter (without 2 screw holes) components like the Pico ITx or most fan controllers
TBH it looks like a Cosmos S dipped in acid 
Yet another EPIC FAIL....
Review was good though
Yet another EPIC FAIL....
Review was good though
I don`t use cases, but this one does look like a good overall package. I`d not get it on the back of this ATC thing, as it seems.. well no point really.
The looks of it I don`t care much about, it looks decent I guess, just not something I get overly excited about. The comment about handling hardware inside it being a breeze is the biggest selling point from my pov. The packaging looks handy in terms of accessories, which is nice.
Under $200... sure it`d do if I needed one.
Great rev.
The looks of it I don`t care much about, it looks decent I guess, just not something I get overly excited about. The comment about handling hardware inside it being a breeze is the biggest selling point from my pov. The packaging looks handy in terms of accessories, which is nice.
Under $200... sure it`d do if I needed one.
Great rev.
I knew a "its thermaltake so it must be rubbish" comment was coming.
I was a little bit surprised to see that the fan (the big one) is in the window side not the other side...seems an odd way to do it.
I was a little bit surprised to see that the fan (the big one) is in the window side not the other side...seems an odd way to do it.
Not a fan of Thermal Take Cases although the Soprano series are cool.
All cases are pretty subjective except really cheap and bad quality ones, and lian li!
nice review, and its nice to see thermaltake coming up with some good ideas...
but this case isnt all that nice imo
but this case isnt all that nice imo
Some of the features of that case are pretty damn nice, I LOVE the fan connection, wish more cases had that.
I actually quite like the look of the case
But come on Tt guys: spedo???
http://www.overclock3d.net/gfx/artic...190450277l.jpg
I actually quite like the look of the case
But come on Tt guys: spedo???
http://www.overclock3d.net/gfx/artic...190450277l.jpg
Thanks guys For those interested the official Spedo website is now live and can be found here
For those interested the official Spedo website is now live and can be found hereIt's definately better looking than the Armor+ and Xaser (in my opinion), but when you can get an A70 for under Ł120 it's just not good enough.
Most modern cases now use the bottom PSU placement. THermaltake went a little further and put a hole for the PSU fan to suck air in instead of using the case air. +1 Also, you can take that plastic exspansion slot piece off and go old skool screws if you please. But another review said that a 4870X2 can be put in there and its solid. So i dont think it would cause a problem.I have concerns over the screwless expansion card connectors and the use of plastic. Another thing I dislike is the placement of the PSU and the use of louvres not of mesh.
I know right? This case itself is Epic especialy with that no side panel fan wire thing.I knew a "its thermaltake so it must be rubbish" comment was coming.
The only thing i DONT like about this case is its looks, and what Kemp said. Spedo? Wtf man come on. Epic case, with an epic fail name.
great review but i somehow find the case lacking something with all its cooling capabilities and all that. i guess i'm just not a big fan of the looks and the looks of the casing happen to be pretty important to me (quite superficial i know but meh). it's fairly cheaper than the TJ09 over here, but i think i might just go with the TJ09.
don't get me wrong though, it's an awesome case with an awesome cooling system. just not my thing.
don't get me wrong though, it's an awesome case with an awesome cooling system. just not my thing.
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Check out the review to see what we think of it