Thermaltake Element-Q VL52021N2U Review

Thermaltake isn't new to the market. They have a full line of different cases and cooling systems. Today Benchmark reviews will be testing the Thermaltake Element Q, model VL52021N2U. This chassis belongs to the "Small Form Factor" Line and it's targeted at the Mini-ITX industry. Apart from being the typical mini-case with 220 watts PSU included, what makes this product special against other Mini ITX cases? It supports full 5.25" optical drives and two 3.5" full sized HDDs. Compared to many other Mini-ITX cases; this can be an advantage over other products making your new purchase a lot cheaper. It also supports a full-height PCI card, which means you can install your Audio or Video card and enhance your HTPC experience. Read our full review to verify if the Element-Q suits to your needs.

Have you ever considered building a Mini-ITX PC is more expensive than a normal PC? You need to sacrifice performance to gain space. This means you can't install super fast HDDs (unless choosing SSDs; of course), you can't re-use your Blu-ray or DVD writer since you need to buy them in slim factor. All this ends adding a lot of money to the equation, and suddenly an HTPC is not an option anymore. What if you could re-use your 5.25" optical drive and install a pair of 3.5" without problems in the Element Q? It would certainly end shaving some dollars from your wallet making it more interesting. And what if you want your machine to have a "decent" GPU for gaming? The Thermaltake Element Q chassis gives you all these possibilities in a very small case.

Benchmark Reviews will build and test a H55+Core i3 platform on the Element Q and analyze if this product can compete with the rest, sacrificing some space but adding very interesting features. Let's have a look at the features and specifications of this product.

Thermaltake Element Q Features

• Quintessence - Typical small form factor, Mini-ITX chassis.
• Qute - Cute, small size which require minimum spacing.
• Quiet - Energy saving platform with fan less design.
• Built-in 200W SFX power supply
• Front I/O ports for easy access
• Compatible with Intel Atom platform
• Don't settle for less. Element Q supports full-size 5.25" Optical Disk Drives (Blu-Ray Players or DVD-RW Drives).

Thermaltake Element Q Specifications

• Case Type: Mini Case
• Material: SGCC
• Front Bezel Material: Plastic
• Color: Black
• Side Panel: No
• Motherboard Support: Mini ITX
• Motherboard Tray: No
• 5.25" Drive Bay: 1
• Ext. 3.5" Drive Bay: 1
• Int. 3.5" Drive Bay: 1
• Expansion Slots: 1
• Front I/O Ports: USB 2.0 x 2, HD Audio
• Liquid Cooling Capable: No
• Liquid Cooling Embedded: No
• Power Supply Supported: SFX
• Power Supply Included: 200W SFX Power Supply, 64.07mm H x 125.53mm W x 100.29mm L, 2.52" H x 4.94" W x 3.95" L
• Dimension (H*W*D): 130 x 220 x 330 mm, 5.12 x 8.66 x 13 inch
• Net Weight: 2.7 kg, 5.95 lb
• Warranty: 3 Year

About the company: Thermaltake

Thermaltake Incorporation, based in Taipei, Taiwan is the global leader Thermal Solution and Thermal Management for PC & Industrial Market. Its engineering staffs master in Airflow Analysis, Material Conductivity and Heat Dissipation Efficiency. Thermaltake offers a wide range of products and services, providing effective and cost-conscious cooling devices. The Company has more than 1,000 employees' worldwide supporting customers from its headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, as well as from offices in China, Europe and United States Continent.

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