Thermaltake is no stranger to the computing scene. They have been designing cooling products for five years now, starting with the infamous Golden Orb CPU cooler. They have come a long way since then and have diversified their product line beyond CPU coolers. Thermaltake has been producing cases since 2002, when they first established their Xaser line.

The Soprano series of computer cases are Thermaltake’s answers to the entry-level, mid-tower case market. This market is highly competitive, and there are literally hundreds of different cases and dozens of manufacturers to pick from. Prices range from around $20 to $275. In the consumer computer world, rarely is there such a large selection of both products and prices. The Soprano falls smack dab in the middle of the pack in terms of price. As of the time of this article, the Soprano line is priced around $70-$80 depending on whether you want the side window or not.

The cases are nearly identical to the Thermaltake’s slightly more expensive Tsunami series, but to save costs the Soprano series is made with 0.8mm SECC steel and plastic while the Tsunami series uses lighter and more thermally conductive aluminum. Prices as of May, 2005 show that Soprano is about $30 cheaper than the similarly equipped Tsunami.

The Soprano we are reviewing today features an "X" shaped side window, allowing your visitors to stare in awe at the insides of your wonderful computer. Besides vanity, the side window version offers an extra 80mm side intake fan. For these extras, expect to pay a premium of only about $5.00,which is not bad at all.

It weighs in at about 21lbs (or 9.4 kg), about nine pounds heavier than its aluminum counterpart. As for expansion, there are a total of 11 drive bays in this medium sized tower, including four 5.25" and two 3.5" external bays, and five 3.5" internal bays. The case features the standard seven expansion slots in the rear. The top of the case provides access to two USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire (IEEE 1394) port, and an audio In/Out.

Cooling is taken care of via one 120mm intake fan at the bottom-front of the case, one 90mm intake fan on the side of the case, and one 120mm exhaust fan at the rear of the case. The 120mm fans are identical and rotate at 1400 rpm. The 90mm fan, however, rotates at 1800rpm. All three fans are rated at 21dBA.

Other features include case intrusion detection (if supported by your motherboard), a lockable front door, a lockable side bay, and tool-less installation of 3.5" and 5.25" drives and peripheral cards. What else does the case have to offer? Read on and find out…

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