Product Analysis: External

Aesthetics isn’t something we comment much on but, as you can see, the case is quite pleasing to the eye. It looks sophisticated enough for the most demanding user.

From the feel of the plastic and steel, the case would be quite difficult to scratch and smudges don’t easily show. If the case does happen to get a smudge or get dusty, Thermaltake includes a lint-free cloth for cleaning the exterior, a nice touch.

The front door, although made of plastic, has a study feeling to it. It uses two small metal connectors to attach to the case instead of magnets. We prefer magnets to these connectors because it is just one less part to break. But we have to mention that during testing they worked great.

The door leaves some room on the side for air to flow in. We applaud Thermaltake for this move because it allows air to flow into the intake fan even when the door is shut. In our review of Thermaltake’s Shark full tower case, we scolded them for not including a way for air to flow into the front intake fan when the cover was shut, so we are very glad to see this feature integrated this time around. No need to worry about your hard drives overheating here.

Another nice feature of the case is that the front panel is lockable. When locked, it is impossible for people steal your 5.25" drives. Unfortunately the door itself will not lock shut, so anyone can insert media into your computer while you are away. We would like to see Thermaltake make that lock secure both the front panel and the door.

The Soprano features a filter for the front fan that aids in keeping your computer dust free. Dust can still get in via the side intake fan but every little bit helps.

We encountered a problem with the front door: it would not shut completely while the 3.5" fan control module was installed for the Thermaltake Venus 12 heatsink.

Behind the door, we have the external bays as well as the power and reset buttons and LEDs. The buttons are very sturdy and you won’t accidentally press them while searching around in the dark for the eject button on your CD drive. There is a red LED light for hard drive activity and a blue LED light for the power status.

Next