(sumber dan artikel lengkap bisa di baca di : http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?291425-Raidmax-Element)
Introduction
Mini-ITX has existed for years now as form factor, but a more recent phenomenon is the appearance of more versatile and capable motherboards in this size. Those make it possible to assemble your own compact computers, if you can find the right chassis of course. More and more Mini-ITX cases are being released for a variety of end users,so I picked out a new one from Raidmax to get a lay of theland.Thenew Element from Raidmax is a versatile enclosure that matches any CEO's desk, designer's office, or family living room. It Small size does not limit performance since its two expansion slot accommodates 12.5" graphicscards.Withsupport for mini-ITX motherboards, ATX power supplies,and even room for a 120/240mm AIO water coolers, the Raidmax Element packs enough features for a great gaming system, so lets get right to the good stuff and see what else this chassis has to offer.
Four different color options are available.
Packaging & Contents
Raidmax ships the Element in a plain cardboard package with an image of the chassis on the front.
Around the back we have a nice run down of many of the features, such as water cooler support.
Both sides are mirrored and feature the same information which is a specifications list.
Two compact foam spacers hold the chassis in place. While these might not seem like much, they are enough for such a light enclosure. A plastic bag has been put over it to protect it from fingerprints and scratches.
Inside the box alongside the Element are of course are a user manual, some screws,two brackets for the 3.5" HDD and a post speaker.
A Closer Look - Outside
Taking a look at this fairly light case,Raidmax has chosen to go with a simplelook.Suchan approach makes sense as the chassis is meant for DIY builders and system integrators.
The dimensions of the case itself (LxWxH) are 370mm x 225mm x 194mm.
The left, top and right sides of the chassis are made from a different piece of steel and held in place by two thumb screws each on the back of thechassis.Inorder to supply the power supply enough fresh air, the case is raised slightly at the front, it then drops gently to the rear.
There is some extra ventilation on the right side of the frontpanel.Thetop,right and left side panels offering separate ventilation areas.Unfortunately, there are no dust filters, so dirt can enter the chassis freely.
The plastic front panel features a nice clean look, with a 5.25? drive bay at the top,and the main I/O panel behind it.Raidmax also put the I/O into the front, and it consists of the usual pair of audio plugs and a USB 2.0 and a USB 3.0plug.Thecurrent configuration means that you will essentially use plugs intended for four USB ports to power these properly. Next to the I/O are the Power and Reset buttons.
The front panel features a silver Raidmax logo at the bottom.
Around the back you'll find two expansion slots, so there is very little room for extra components, which may be a deciding factor when planning on the longevity and build type of a PC system.
The individual covers are held in place by a traditional screw,each.Inthe opposite corner are a power plug since the standard-sized ATX PSU will be installed into the front, which Raidmax has route the plug to the back with a cable.
Last, but not least, the only fan in the chassis is 80 mm and pulls air out the back of the case.
The bottom of the chassis features an extra ventilation as well as four thick rubber feet that should help reduce vibration and also keep the chassis from sliding around on your desk / TV stand.
A Closer Look - Inside
Every edge appears to be folded, which allows you to reach into the chassis without having to worry about incidental cuts.
With the top panel off we can see the there is a huge area inside the case, there are not stacked hard drive bays or other obstructions, leaving lots of room for graphics cards and cooling components.
Two separate mounting frames are installing thedrives.Theframe that is located behind the front holds the opticaldrive.Thereis one more space for one 3.5" OR 2.5" HDD under the 5.25" rack.
The secondary holder is located under the top cover at the rear of the case. This also holds either a 2.5" or a 3.5" inch hard drive.A strength of the Raidmax Element is itsdiversity.Soup to two 120mm fans can be installed under thecover.Itis basically possible to mount a compact 120 or 240mm water coolingsolution.Itshould be noted that the installation of hard drives or optical drives thus may berestricted.Usersso have the opportunity for themselves to decide which priorities they wish to define in the installation of their system.
Finally another 2.5" drive an be mounted on the rear panel (waiving the pre-installed 80 mm fan).
To fit everything, Raidmax placed the PSU bay into the very front of the Element. It is supposed to be installed with the fan facing toward the front, since the small air vent in the front allow for fresh air to be drawn into the PSU.
Installation and Finished looks
Installing the motherboard into the Element is rather easy as you have complete access through threesides.Giventhe chassis' layout, you should install the PSU next, as drives will cover it up. As the PSU is installed sideways, it is important you use a short unit, especially if you go for a long graphics card.Between the PSU and the motherboard there is a nice bit ofclearance.ThePSU fits nice and snug and the pass through cable was enough enough to connect, and it�s a great solution for keeping the airflow of the PSU independent of the rest of the case, which should help keep temperatures of our other components lower.
Long graphics cards(31.8 max) should easily fit, so stuffing something high-end into the chassis is definitely anoption.TheASUS Radeon R7 250X isn�t a small card, but it fit with room to spare, there are a few cables cramped behind the PSU, but if you really needed to you can move them to the space between the PSU and motherboard.
The hard drives drop back into place last and after that you�re able to hook up your SATA cables, pop the top panel on and enjoy your new rig.
It took around 30 minutes to put the system together, which is pretty quick overall, but since there wasn�t much to do inside I didn�t really run into any compatibility issues, everything bolted in to place with ease.
Test System and Methology Test System: Processor:Intel Core i5 750@2.66GHz Motherboard: :Gigabyte H55N Cpu cooler:Noctua NH-L9x65 Memory: 16GB G.Skill Ares Graphics Card:MSI HD5670 Power Supply: Seasonic G-Series 650W Monitor: Dell U2311 Boot Drive: Intel SSD 510 Storage Drive: WD Caviar Black 1TB HDD
Software: CPUID HW Monitor 1.23 CPUID CPU-Z 1.65 Prime95 v27.1 Furmark 1.11.0 I am testing the Raidmax Element performance as follows: Room temperature is kept at 22C throughout my tests. The CPU Fan is set to 100% to eliminate inconsistencies as a result of PWM control. Idle temperatures are obtained after booting the PC and idling on the desktop for 30 minutes. CPU load temperatures are obtained after running Prime95's Small FTTs test for 15 minutes. GPU load temperatures are obtained after running Furmark's Burn-In Test for 15 minutes. To measure noise levels i disable the CPU fans and GPU fan.
Temperature
The temperatures recorded are fairly impressive, especially considering the limited room for airflow within the chassis.
Noise level
As expected,the Raidmax Element with only one 80mm exhaust fan is fairly quiet.
Conclusion
There are a lot of people out there who enjoy console gaming on the big screen, myself included, but the �glorious PC master race� can�t get by without anything less than a GTX 980ti, and it�s this crowd that cases like the Raidmax Element appeal to, allowing you to build a kick-ass gaming rig that you can pop under your big screen TV via a home cinema system, just plug in your favourite controller and off you go. That being said, the Raidmax Element is pretty competent as a HTPC too thanks to its clean looks and competent storage capabilities, you could fill it with hard drives, a half decent GPU and use it as a home entertainmentunit.Itseems then that Raidmax have hit on a little bit of everything with the Element, it�s got a great design that makes it look perfectly at home in the office, under or on top of your own desk, under your TV, or even just to take with you as a LAN gaming rig. The style isn�t without its details, but it still manages to be understated. I really like the ventilation areas on the top and side panels and the deep brush finish as well as the clean front panel makes it look like a much more expensive product than it actually is, which is no bad thing at all. Its overall construction is also quite good for a case of this price segment.Assembling your PC is also painless since you can take out individual panels and the interior is readily accessible.Removable hard drive bays are always nice, and the one here really do make for easy installations of your drives, while also making it easier to install other components when the bay is removed. I would have liked to see another fan mount somewhere near the front, but plenty of ventilation and room for a 120/240mm water cooler at the roof is a good enough trade off and will be more than sufficient for almost any rig in this formfactor.Whatis really bothersome, though, is the absence of dustfilters.Alsoif you choose the AIO liquid cooling path you will have to sacrifice something(ODD or HDD-it depends on the AIO's size).
The demand for affordable and compact cases is growing, people want the small form factor so that their systems fit into their home entertainment system, or even just something that can be easily transported for LAN gaming events. Despite the demand for small form factors, most people still want a full size power supply, plenty of storage, large graphics cards and room for a powerful AIO cooler, especially for overclocked systems and the Raidmax Element looks set to deliver on every single point, with the added bonus of being affordable at just �30.There isn�t really anything I don�t like about this case(except the absence of dust filters) and while I�m not under the impression that its the best case ever, it�s certainly one of the best ones within this price range and form factor.Introduction
Mini-ITX has existed for years now as form factor, but a more recent phenomenon is the appearance of more versatile and capable motherboards in this size. Those make it possible to assemble your own compact computers, if you can find the right chassis of course. More and more Mini-ITX cases are being released for a variety of end users,so I picked out a new one from Raidmax to get a lay of theland.Thenew Element from Raidmax is a versatile enclosure that matches any CEO's desk, designer's office, or family living room. It Small size does not limit performance since its two expansion slot accommodates 12.5" graphicscards.Withsupport for mini-ITX motherboards, ATX power supplies,and even room for a 120/240mm AIO water coolers, the Raidmax Element packs enough features for a great gaming system, so lets get right to the good stuff and see what else this chassis has to offer.
Four different color options are available.
Packaging & Contents
Raidmax ships the Element in a plain cardboard package with an image of the chassis on the front.
Around the back we have a nice run down of many of the features, such as water cooler support.
Both sides are mirrored and feature the same information which is a specifications list.
Two compact foam spacers hold the chassis in place. While these might not seem like much, they are enough for such a light enclosure. A plastic bag has been put over it to protect it from fingerprints and scratches.
Inside the box alongside the Element are of course are a user manual, some screws,two brackets for the 3.5" HDD and a post speaker.
A Closer Look - Outside
Taking a look at this fairly light case,Raidmax has chosen to go with a simplelook.Suchan approach makes sense as the chassis is meant for DIY builders and system integrators.
The dimensions of the case itself (LxWxH) are 370mm x 225mm x 194mm.
The left, top and right sides of the chassis are made from a different piece of steel and held in place by two thumb screws each on the back of thechassis.Inorder to supply the power supply enough fresh air, the case is raised slightly at the front, it then drops gently to the rear.
There is some extra ventilation on the right side of the frontpanel.Thetop,right and left side panels offering separate ventilation areas.Unfortunately, there are no dust filters, so dirt can enter the chassis freely.
The plastic front panel features a nice clean look, with a 5.25? drive bay at the top,and the main I/O panel behind it.Raidmax also put the I/O into the front, and it consists of the usual pair of audio plugs and a USB 2.0 and a USB 3.0plug.Thecurrent configuration means that you will essentially use plugs intended for four USB ports to power these properly. Next to the I/O are the Power and Reset buttons.
The front panel features a silver Raidmax logo at the bottom.
Around the back you'll find two expansion slots, so there is very little room for extra components, which may be a deciding factor when planning on the longevity and build type of a PC system.
The individual covers are held in place by a traditional screw,each.Inthe opposite corner are a power plug since the standard-sized ATX PSU will be installed into the front, which Raidmax has route the plug to the back with a cable.
Last, but not least, the only fan in the chassis is 80 mm and pulls air out the back of the case.
The bottom of the chassis features an extra ventilation as well as four thick rubber feet that should help reduce vibration and also keep the chassis from sliding around on your desk / TV stand.
A Closer Look - Inside
Every edge appears to be folded, which allows you to reach into the chassis without having to worry about incidental cuts.
With the top panel off we can see the there is a huge area inside the case, there are not stacked hard drive bays or other obstructions, leaving lots of room for graphics cards and cooling components.
Two separate mounting frames are installing thedrives.Theframe that is located behind the front holds the opticaldrive.Thereis one more space for one 3.5" OR 2.5" HDD under the 5.25" rack.
The secondary holder is located under the top cover at the rear of the case. This also holds either a 2.5" or a 3.5" inch hard drive.A strength of the Raidmax Element is itsdiversity.Soup to two 120mm fans can be installed under thecover.Itis basically possible to mount a compact 120 or 240mm water coolingsolution.Itshould be noted that the installation of hard drives or optical drives thus may berestricted.Usersso have the opportunity for themselves to decide which priorities they wish to define in the installation of their system.
Finally another 2.5" drive an be mounted on the rear panel (waiving the pre-installed 80 mm fan).
To fit everything, Raidmax placed the PSU bay into the very front of the Element. It is supposed to be installed with the fan facing toward the front, since the small air vent in the front allow for fresh air to be drawn into the PSU.
Installation and Finished looks
Installing the motherboard into the Element is rather easy as you have complete access through threesides.Giventhe chassis' layout, you should install the PSU next, as drives will cover it up. As the PSU is installed sideways, it is important you use a short unit, especially if you go for a long graphics card.Between the PSU and the motherboard there is a nice bit ofclearance.ThePSU fits nice and snug and the pass through cable was enough enough to connect, and it�s a great solution for keeping the airflow of the PSU independent of the rest of the case, which should help keep temperatures of our other components lower.
Long graphics cards(31.8 max) should easily fit, so stuffing something high-end into the chassis is definitely anoption.TheASUS Radeon R7 250X isn�t a small card, but it fit with room to spare, there are a few cables cramped behind the PSU, but if you really needed to you can move them to the space between the PSU and motherboard.
The hard drives drop back into place last and after that you�re able to hook up your SATA cables, pop the top panel on and enjoy your new rig.
It took around 30 minutes to put the system together, which is pretty quick overall, but since there wasn�t much to do inside I didn�t really run into any compatibility issues, everything bolted in to place with ease.
Test System and Methology Test System: Processor:Intel Core i5 750@2.66GHz Motherboard: :Gigabyte H55N Cpu cooler:Noctua NH-L9x65 Memory: 16GB G.Skill Ares Graphics Card:MSI HD5670 Power Supply: Seasonic G-Series 650W Monitor: Dell U2311 Boot Drive: Intel SSD 510 Storage Drive: WD Caviar Black 1TB HDD
Software: CPUID HW Monitor 1.23 CPUID CPU-Z 1.65 Prime95 v27.1 Furmark 1.11.0 I am testing the Raidmax Element performance as follows: Room temperature is kept at 22C throughout my tests. The CPU Fan is set to 100% to eliminate inconsistencies as a result of PWM control. Idle temperatures are obtained after booting the PC and idling on the desktop for 30 minutes. CPU load temperatures are obtained after running Prime95's Small FTTs test for 15 minutes. GPU load temperatures are obtained after running Furmark's Burn-In Test for 15 minutes. To measure noise levels i disable the CPU fans and GPU fan.
Temperature
The temperatures recorded are fairly impressive, especially considering the limited room for airflow within the chassis.
Noise level
As expected,the Raidmax Element with only one 80mm exhaust fan is fairly quiet.
Conclusion
There are a lot of people out there who enjoy console gaming on the big screen, myself included, but the �glorious PC master race� can�t get by without anything less than a GTX 980ti, and it�s this crowd that cases like the Raidmax Element appeal to, allowing you to build a kick-ass gaming rig that you can pop under your big screen TV via a home cinema system, just plug in your favourite controller and off you go. That being said, the Raidmax Element is pretty competent as a HTPC too thanks to its clean looks and competent storage capabilities, you could fill it with hard drives, a half decent GPU and use it as a home entertainmentunit.Itseems then that Raidmax have hit on a little bit of everything with the Element, it�s got a great design that makes it look perfectly at home in the office, under or on top of your own desk, under your TV, or even just to take with you as a LAN gaming rig. The style isn�t without its details, but it still manages to be understated. I really like the ventilation areas on the top and side panels and the deep brush finish as well as the clean front panel makes it look like a much more expensive product than it actually is, which is no bad thing at all. Its overall construction is also quite good for a case of this price segment.Assembling your PC is also painless since you can take out individual panels and the interior is readily accessible.Removable hard drive bays are always nice, and the one here really do make for easy installations of your drives, while also making it easier to install other components when the bay is removed. I would have liked to see another fan mount somewhere near the front, but plenty of ventilation and room for a 120/240mm water cooler at the roof is a good enough trade off and will be more than sufficient for almost any rig in this formfactor.Whatis really bothersome, though, is the absence of dustfilters.Alsoif you choose the AIO liquid cooling path you will have to sacrifice something(ODD or HDD-it depends on the AIO's size).
The demand for affordable and compact cases is growing, people want the small form factor so that their systems fit into their home entertainment system, or even just something that can be easily transported for LAN gaming events. Despite the demand for small form factors, most people still want a full size power supply, plenty of storage, large graphics cards and room for a powerful AIO cooler, especially for overclocked systems and the Raidmax Element looks set to deliver on every single point, with the added bonus of being affordable at just �30.There isn�t really anything I don�t like about this case(except the absence of dust filters) and while I�m not under the impression that its the best case ever, it�s certainly one of the best ones within this price range and form factor.
(sumber dan artikel lengkap bisa di baca di : http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?291425-Raidmax-Element)
