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JustPC USA Gazelle Cases

Gazelle ATX Tower Case


Of the various types of cases JustPC carries, the Gazelle series is most interesting.  This is the particular model we've reviewed.  Many of their products are offered in different color schemes.  This is a two-toned black and silver case:

It comes in a large, corrugated shipping carton, and is well-supported by Styrofoam blocks.

Here is the case itself, wrapped in plastic for moisture protection.  Note that the case is made of a steel skeleton with a nice plastic exterior.  The plastic is finished very smoothly, and constructed well.  No creaking or loosely assembled parts were identified.

Here is a close-up of the front panel.  It has both power and reset buttons, and a small flip-open door concealing USB, FireWire and audio ports.

There are three 5.25" bays, all of which are external.  The top two bays require the use of their optical-drive front panel, which has a flip-open door and button.  The bottom bay does not require that front panel.  As for the 3.5" drives, there are three bays, one of which is externally accessible through a sliding front door:

The side panel pops open by unlatching the handle.  It features two fan vents with stylized grilles.  Cool.

Here is the rear panel.  Again, it is mostly covered by the plastic shell.  It really makes a difference in terms of style and appearance.  This case has a very fashionable appearance!

Even the expansion slots have individual plastic covers.  They are not replaceable though.  Once removed, they cannot be reattached.

The inside of the side door is shown here.  The upper vent is 80mm, while the lower one can accommodate a 120mm fan.  Note how the entire door is a solid sheet of metal.  This provides very good EMI/RFI insulation. 

Inside the case, we have a 450W ATX PSU, a box of screws and hardware, one 80mm exhaust fan, and the drive retention brackets. 

Here is a close-up view of the PSU.  It is a 450W unit.  Not bad at all!

Here is a view looking into the rear of the case.  The exhaust fan is placed right next to where CPUs would reside, allowing for maximum hot-air expulsion. 

Looking into the front of the case, we see the drive bays and the two intake fan spots.  One is an 80mm at the front panel, and the other is a 120mm at the floor of the case.  This may provide great ventilation, however a concern here is the amount of dust and debris that would be sucked into the case.

Lastly, here we have the drive retention brackets.  From top to bottom:  5.25" optical drive, 3.5" HDD, 3.5" FDD.  How do they work? Well, the drive is slid into the bay.  These brackets have small pins which go into the screw threads.  The orange knob is then turned to lock the bracket into place, thereby securing the drive as well.  This is VERY CLEVER, and I wish that all manufacturers would adopt similar technology.  Very simple, quick, secure and effective.  Of course, there are drawbacks, such as non-standard screw threads, hole placement, lack of holes, etc. on devices such as Audigy drives, fan controllers, HDD coolers, pull-out HDDs, and such.  Perhaps the biggest hindrance is cost. 

 

Building a complete system around this case was very easy and straightforward.  There were no surprises, and the noise level was well within normal limits.  Overall, the Just PC Gazelle GA899ATXBK case receives as verdict of:

94%


     
 

 

Next:  Gazelle MicroATX Tower Case
  Table Of Contents  
     
     1. Introdution  
     2. Gazelle ATX Tower Case  
     3. Gazelle MicroATX Case  
     
     
     
     
           
     
     

 

 



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