In the times of “bigger is better,” there are only a handful of things that realize the beauty of compactness. The comfort of using small-sized peripherals is still unmatched in the times when things are getting bigger with each passing day. In the PC industry, a similar trend is being observed, the latest GPUs, monitors, keyboards, etc are now bigger than their older siblings.
The thermaltake tower T100 is a product that appreciates the compact size factor and today we are going to have a look at the mini-ITX case and find out if it deserves to be a part of your build.
Design specifications
The case has a lot to show, the panoramic glass makes it enticing and you can have a full look at the insides. The build quality is good for the price and although there is plastic in some areas it has been blended in perfectly. The case is small, standing at about a foot and a half, and is made with perforated steel that ensures good airflow, and the airflow management is quite commendable. Small sizes and airflow do not always go hand-in-hand but the Tower 100 has taken good care of it. There are air filters at all the intake locations, i.e the top and the rear exhausts and the PSU intake. This is a good thing as the absence of the filters will cause dust collection. The color palette is good and the Racing Green magnifies the stature of the product.
Tower 100 is basically a shrunken-down version of the famous tower 900 by Thermaltake. The I/O placement is the same, there are two USB 3.0 and USB C input ports in the front along with the audio connectors and the Power and Reset buttons.
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The Rear is covered with a single panel that has an opening at the bottom for a full-size PSU.
There is a 120mm fan at the rear which, although should be adequate a 140mm fan would have been more suitable.
On the top, there is another 120mm fan that provides an exit to the hot air, and on the bottom are two dust filters for cleaning.
A look inside
To access the insides of the cabinet you have to remove several screws. The glass panels are secured by thumb screws that are easy to take off. There are dust filters at every intake and after you’ve removed them as well you have access to the barebones chassis. The dimensional ratios are quite similar to that of its bigger sibling, the tower 900. You can install a 120mm/140mm fan at the bottom where the case has a shroud with a vent. You can also install 2.5” drive bays in the place.
You can fit an ATX PSU without any problems. However, cable routing will take some brains due to the size of the cabinet. There is a hard drive bay that can accommodate drives up to 3.5” or you can install a fan, depending on the situation.
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There is enough room to install any GPU and the cabinet still has enough space to install 2×2.5” drives. As previously mentioned, this case can install a 140mm fan on the top, and given the size and hence the airflow, it makes a lot of sense to put a 140mm AIO there.
All the cables are sleeved black to improve the aesthetic of the case and the flat USB-C makes routing an easy job.
Conclusion
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If you are into small form factor cases then Tower 100 is a great choice. It’s a bigger sibling, the Tower 900 was a success and was loved by everyone. The Tower 100 aims to replicate the same fate in the Mini-ITX segment as well as the tower 100.
In our testing, the case performed well, given its dimensions and build. The tower 100 is not the quietest case around and understandably so, its size doesn’t really co-operate with the acoustics. But the case performs very well on the thermal side of things and does more than enough to make a case for itself.
The looks of the case are great, the resemblance with an aquarium greatly enhances the aesthetic if there is enough lighting. This will improve the overall look of your setup.
Every Rose has its thorns and this case is no exception. The case is not easy to open and nailing the cable management will be a challenge. There is no support for Liquid Cooling and you might want to replace the case fans with high-performance fans to get the best results.
Some might think that this case provides more looks than usability and it is true to a certain extent but the case does provide a good value after everything is factored in.
Buying this case makes sense if you don’t plan to build a very high-end rig that requires a lot of cooling and you want your setup to be visually appealing. At the price, the case is good but if you want the best mini-ITX cabinet you might want to have a look at other cases too, given the fact that you can stretch your finances.
You can buy this cabinet for anywhere around 7000 to 8000 Indian Rupees from authorized resellers.
Also Read:
Thermaltake ToughAir 510 CPU Air Cooler review
