In its first forray into the highend PC enthusiest/gaming arena Chenbro announced an all aluminium case called the Chenbro Gaming Bomb II.

Some features include:
- Removeable motherboard tray
- Toolless installation of 5.25" and FDD devices
- HDD installation that can be configured so that the HDDs face into the case or rotated 90 degrees like the Antec P160
- Front and back 120mm fans.
- Top 92mm blowhole
- Cable routing and hiding system for PSU cables
- removable handles for carrying the case
- Rubber grometts for HDD mounting

Full PDF here: http://www.extremereviews.net/GBIIPR.pdf

Pics:
http://www.extremereviews.net/php/view. ... omb_inside
http://www.extremereviews.net/php/view. ... omb2_light
http://www.extremereviews.net/php/view. ... omb2_black
http://www.extremereviews.net/php/view. ... mb2_silver

Tell me what you guys think from silence persepective.

Daniel

Looks a bit G5-ish

The good points are the 120 mm fans in front and back. I can't get really excited about the top 92 mm exhaust (adds to much noise) but on the other hand this could be used to make a psu duct.

The hdd bay seems to have stnd rubber o'rings to mount the hdd, so thats good as well.

The side window doesnt really work for me but might appeal to the case modding enthousiasts out there.

How rattle free it is remains to be seen. Can't really tell from a picture. But maybe we can confince MikeC to request a sample as well.

The looks are right on. If there is a version without a window is will actually look very stylish ala Coolermaster or Lian Li. If the external drivebays are hidden behind the aluminium plates this will be a killer looking case. From the looks and specs alone this looks like a great case for the LAN community and I would recommend it, but lets see a review first.

Hello:

It does look nice -- the only point of concern I have is the exhaust fan grill; it doesn't look very open. I would prefer large hexagons, but maybe in aluminum, they would bend too easily?

... That case is HOT!

Forget Antec... That is one sexy case. And it has many features of a quiet case... Cable hiding, PSU duct hole, 120 front AND back... Tooless... And the return of the elusive REMOVEABLE MOBO TRAY!

aluminum? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

lol mike. Im amazed at the *buzz* aluminum cases generate in spcr forums considering how much better steel is.

I wish it was steel

Much better looking than the orginal gaming bomb.

I don't care for the handles or the top blow hole.

I do like being able to mount the HD's front to back, I don't like side to side HD mounts at all.

Forgot to mention that the handles are removable (held in place by standard screws).

Ooooh very shtylee! So much prettier than the original gaming bomb. Shame its aluminium

I notice that the feet on the bottom raise the case off the floor by about an inch...potential for some diy bottom intake vents maybe?

No case is born silent. But I agree, it's HOT (except the window).

I'm still thinking about that last LianLi review; if Ubars around the doors could eliminate Alu vibrations, then this case might also have a chance...

I love the looks. Its a shame its Aluminium My case is aluminium, although with considerable time and effort it is now quiet. I don't think I want to go through that process again when they are some nice new steel cases out there

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewto ... 290#102290

Isn't the only down to aluminium the vibration issue?

If you carefully mount low rpm 120mm fans with rubbermounting and Suspend the harddrive, then there isn't much left to vibrate, is there?

Yeah, aluminium cases have a tendancy to vibrate. You can decouple your case fans, and that helps a lot. However, there are still issues with vibration. The HSF vibrations are passed into the mobo, and then into the case. Also, the PSU will pass its vibrations into the case, unless you have been lucky enough to have enough room to decouple the PSU fans. HDD(s) will have to be suspended of course - assuming you want the best results.

http://www.extremereviews.net/data.php?recordID=160&page=1&type=review

Heres them making the xpider case uglier which is quite an achievement considering how ugly the first one was. What a shame.

Cant believe that someone actually designed such an abomination, let alone approve it!

I don't like that case either. I've not actually heard of anyone that did like the first one. There must be some market segment out there that we are not aware of. If not, you would have thought they would have learned from the first one

There certainly is. It's the same people who buy those Thermaltake abortions and all those horrific Alienware knockoffs. Remember, there's no accounting for bad taste, and there seems to be plenty of it in the computer industry.

I think with the first one, it was a case of you either love it or hate it, with this new one I cant see any loving!

Strangely enough, Evesham Micros (a well-known PC manufacturer in the UK) have standardised on the first Gaming Bomb case - must be for its decent airflow

OK -- here's a vote for the first one: I like the blue and grey versions, the colors are muted enough for the silly "spyder" design to quickly fade from awareness. The internal design & sturdiness is very good.

NOOOOoooooooo we've lost MikeC!!! Someone has come along and kidnapped him. We will have to watch this replacement very carefully. Who knows what "quiet" components he will start recommending

Heh... you stumbled on to our secret!

No matter, we have him, bound and gagged so he can finally be silent at last! Bwhhahahahahahahahaha....

Good one luminous.

I can well imagine several manufacturers would like to have managed to obtain his silence over the years Maybe you will hear nice things from them now

Actually, if you look at the interior pics of the Chenbro PC-610 that I recently reviewed, you'll see that the two different cases are nearly identical beneath the plastic bezel. There's not a big difference (lower front drive bay area only) between the PC-610 and it's newer cousin, the PC-611, which is what the Gaming Bomb I is built on.

So just say "NO" to the Gaming Bomb and go with the PC-610 if you're looking for a case by Chenbro.

I must be bored this evening. I just did a calculation for you Ralf. Its been 564 days since you first joined SPCR. To date you have made 4587 posts, which is an average of 8.1 posts every day

Now I know why you were made a moderator That really is an impressive dedication to this site Something that we all benefit from *bows in a "we are not worthy way"*

Now I wonder if I can post 1000 post to the test area, delete them, and still keep the credit?? Maybe I'm not that bored this evening to find out

Luminuous,

I wonder, if you post an identical response 3x, do you get credit for all three?


Dave

Regarding vibrations, I read in another forum where a guy used shower pan liner (from Home Depot/Lowes) to dampen his aluminum case -- it's a sheet material that's used on the backside of acrylic shower stalls/tubs to dampen the sound of water and create a more "solid" feeling. I think he said that it was around a $1US/sq. ft.

Anyone have any experience with it? I'm thinking about giving it a try on my Kanam Accent HT-400 HTPC case (which has a very flimsy aluminum top).

Dave

How come two different cases are both named Gaming Bomb II (or Xpider II)?

Chenbro's keeping the name the same for "product identification" purposes while they're changing the design of the case, kinda like AMC did in 1978 when they updated the design of the famous Pacer.

Or Intel, with their Pentium.

I do wonder what their marketing will think of for "Pentium 5" (or "Pentium V"?) - lends itself to look under "redundant" .

Just name/brand recognition at its basic.