New Case in Town - Thermaltake Spedo

aquariuz · #1 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 08:57 AM

Could've used a better name, but I kinda like it's design

Thermaltake Spedo Review

**Eurasianman** · #2 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 09:22 AM

Not too shabby.

I'm still happy with my TJ09 though

ElMoIsEviL · #3 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 10:05 AM

Meh...

Look very cheap (as in quality doesn't impress). I guess for the price it's decent..

The one thing I do like is the rear motherboard fan the rest I could do without.

If I wanted HD trays I would get the Coolermaster Cosmos 1000 becaues IMHO it's the best case when it comes to intuitive HD trays.

For water cooling I tend to like the TJ09 yet for overall style and features I am a fan of the Lian Li PC-X2000.

These are of course my opinions and will differ from those of others.

**Tark** · #4 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 10:12 AM

Bjorn golden bear award? wth..
agree it looks cheap.

**Dean** · #5 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 10:13 AM

I am not impressed at all by the looks, but it looks like a nice case to work with for sure.

**Dean** · #6 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 10:15 AM

One other thing: I didn't really enjoy that review. It seemed a bit too much like information I could easily find by looking at the manufacturer website.

Why didn't they take a rig from a competing case and move it to that and test airflow/temps/acoustic performance or something? All I really got from that review was "omg... we love it!" but they didn't even really quantify that rating... it seemed pretty easy to get that golden bear award if you ask me.

**Ches111** · #7 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 10:18 AM

Is this the case to use on the beach ONLY by older men with a Beer Belly and way too much body hair?

**Clue69Less** · #8 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElMoIsEviL

These are of course my opinions and will differ from those of others.

Yes indeed! Didn't you see what the author said?

"In checking out the Thermaltake Spedo, we were shocked at all the features Thermaltake incorporated in its design. It offers something for everyone needing a spacious chassis to grow their system into."

Shocked? Really? I can't imagine being shocked by a PC case that's rectangular in shape. This review reads like a TT advertisement and although I love my old steel Armor, I don't like to read reviews that are so packaged. I almost threw up in my mouth.

Regardless of that, I'm not sure where you're coming from on the quality comment, Elmo. I'll need to see one up close but it looks like a nice case to me. Easy cable managment, loads of fan/vent space, easy bay access. I'd expect it to be a dust bin in short order though. I'm not crazy about the stlye of the case but it isn't repulsive. Again, I need hands on to be sure but it looks good at first glance. What quality issues catch your eye? Cheap plastic finish?

**Clue69Less** · #9 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean

Why didn't they take a rig from a competing case and move it to that and test airflow/temps/acoustic performance or something?

They did:

"Migrating From A NZXT Tempest To The Spedo, The internal chassis temperature dropped 4°C (So much for the old airflow king)"

**Dean** · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clue69Less

They did:

"Migrating From A NZXT Tempest To The Spedo, The internal chassis temperature dropped 4°C (So much for the old airflow king)"

Oh... dang... I must have missed that.

**DaSickNinja** · #11 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 11:40 AM

NZXT Tempest? Now there's an industry wide standard...

**korben43** · #12 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 11:51 AM

you're just getting old, Dean

ElMoIsEviL · #13 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clue69Less

Yes indeed! Didn't you see what the author said?

"In checking out the Thermaltake Spedo, we were shocked at all the features Thermaltake incorporated in its design. It offers something for everyone needing a spacious chassis to grow their system into."

Shocked? Really? I can't imagine being shocked by a PC case that's rectangular in shape. This review reads like a TT advertisement and although I love my old steel Armor, I don't like to read reviews that are so packaged. I almost threw up in my mouth.

Regardless of that, I'm not sure where you're coming from on the quality comment, Elmo. I'll need to see one up close but it looks like a nice case to me. Easy cable managment, loads of fan/vent space, easy bay access. I'd expect it to be a dust bin in short order though. I'm not crazy about the stlye of the case but it isn't repulsive. Again, I need hands on to be sure but it looks good at first glance. What quality issues catch your eye? Cheap plastic finish?

You hit the nail on the head.. the cheap plastic finish look is what caught my eye. If I pay close to $300 USD I'd want something made of steel or aluminum. Thermaltake have nice cases (the armor I build a rig in is nice). I tend to prefer steel cases due to the sound dampening nature of these cases but enjoy the better heat dissipation of Aluminum cases. Which is why quality made Aluminum cases with plenty of rubber sound dampeners do the thing for me. Silverstone make, arguably, the best steel cases around IMHO. I still have The Wind tunnel model which houses my home server (SST-TJ06). http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/r...ST-TJ06_4.html

Even the fans in this case don't look too sturdy though.

1Tanker · #14 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 12:11 PM

Looks like they put a lot of thought into it... and it does have more "features" than any other case i know of. I understand Elmo's comment on the build-quality look. It looks like all plastic between the HDD trays, and the side-panels. Add the plastic(or at least plastic looking) mobo tray, and it does look like a case that RoboCop would own.

The switch-connected side fan is a cool idea, but i can imagine the contacts becoming loose or worn... before you're ready to turf the case. I can't believe they side-mounted the switches and LED's like the CM690

...they're sort of a PITA. As Clue said, i would have to see one in person before buying one... but overall, it looks like a very good case for enthusiasts.

**Clue69Less** · #15 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElMoIsEviL

You hit the nail on the head.. the cheap plastic finish look is what caught my eye. If I pay close to $300 USD I'd want something made of steel or aluminum.

I just looked at the TT pages for the Spedo - and what pain in the ass slow pages they are. The images are dark and shady so they don't help much and the specs aren't crystal clear. It says that the front bezel is metal mesh and the case is steel. On my old armor, the front bezel is plastic plus aluminum and my Armor Jr bezel has more plastic. I'm guessing that the Spedo is similar. I hope to be able to take a close look at the water cooled version and the reviewed version. Man, they should fire the team that made their web pages so bloated. (I just endured the "360 experience") In a way, the Spedo is sort of a rip off on one of the older Lian Li designs in terms of compartmentalizing heat sources.

1Tanker · #16 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 03:27 PM

It would make be a sweet subject for a review. HW Reviewers.....call TT.

**huddy** · #17 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tark

Bjorn golden bear award? wth..

Beorn (or Bjorn in Scandinavian) was a shape shifter from the hobbit that could take the shape of a great man or a great black bear... hence possibly the golden bear award.

Nerd alert...