Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
Building in a unique form factor and small chassis is always a challenge. The unique design means components do not fit in traditional ways, which takes time to figure out what goes where. It was mainly challenging to know the order of installation, but here are some things I learned while putting everything in its place. First, the majority of the components should be installed before any radiator is placed. Next, you can connect all of the front I/O headers before mounting the graphics card, which is similar to other cases. Finally, the 140mm fan on top of the power supply can be put in its place. This all took some time to plan out, but since so many panels can be removed, access was easy enough. The power supply area was the most challenging, with special care having to be taken to route the cables before affixing the power supply in its place. Accessing the cables or plugging new ones in is nearly impossible without routing them properly first.
There are many cutouts found throughout the case to help with routing cables effectively. There is room in the power supply area to store some cables out of sight. The back of the case features enough loops to tie down cables, and the vertical height creates two channels on each side of the case to run cables out of sight. Cable management was made easy, but there were some challenges. The 24-pin motherboard cable and the USB 3.0 front I/O connector require quite a bit of force to get them to bend at the angle required to plug them in with a fan installed above the power supply. I would also be cautious of putting a large radiator on the side, since my 360mm one is already a tight fit. Otherwise, the installation went pretty well.
After plugging everything in and booting the computer up, it was quite a case to see. The three tempered glass side panels provide a huge and beautiful view of the internals. The LCD screen on the front was an easy accessory to install, while the software was quick to download and use. On the first page of the review, you can see the other accessory placing the case in a horizontal position. The look is definitely very different in its horizontal position, taking up much more space on a desk. As well, the chassis stand kit includes an identical panel to the top of the case. It is important to buy the right color for these accessory components, otherwise you might mix and match in a way that does not complement the final look.
In the above photo, there is a view of the LCD screen that can be purchased separately as an accessory. This screen measures 3.9'' across and can be used in other Thermaltake cases, such as the Ceres 330, which is not to be confused with the Ceres 300 . The screen uses the TT RGB Plus 2.0 software that can adjust the screen from using a few different presets to uploading images or GIFs. In the above photo, I have a loop running of snow falling on a tree with the CPU temperature displayed underneath. The display can be synced with other products from Thermaltake that have a customizable display. Once again, you have to acquire the right color to match your case. In my case, I received the Hydrangea Blue version, which includes a small panel with the 3.9" screen cutout. It is a nice way to extra customization to your case.
In the above photo, you can see the optional horizontal stand kit. Depending on the color of the case that you have, it also includes a side panel that matches the color of the case. This panel looks the exact same as the top panel of The Tower 300, except with no front I/O. The stand is fairly plain. Included in the box is the flat panel and two arms that stick out. These have to be installed in the flat base. They require some force to install, but provide a fairly solid bottom to set the case on. It is a little precarious setting the case on the stand the first time, but if you do not need to move your case around a lot, it works well. The case feels much larger and takes up more space in this orientation. Personally, I find the horizontal placement to look a bit worse than the vertical. The angle creates a nice look, however. All in all, it is another way you can change the appearance of your build in The Tower 300.
Amazing looks aside, the functionality of the Thermaltake The Tower 300 was a bit lackluster. First of all, the motherboard I/O is inaccessible. One has to remove the top panel and the front glass panel to plug anything in, including anything into the graphics card. I found this to be the biggest drawback, because I regularly plug components in and out of the back panel. The second big drawback was the sound level of the fans. They are surprisingly loud even at idle. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is quiet and 10 is loud, the included fans comes in at 4.0/10 at idle and 6.0/10 under load in my opinion. At idle, there is a discernible low whine to them, which is quite distracting when not wearing headphones.
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The Thermaltake The Tower 300 is a case with many benefits for someone willing to embrace the quirks of a unique design. The Tower 300 is an excellent chassis to put all your components on display. The many different colors you can choose from allows for quite a bit of customization, while the case itself features many options for which components can be installed. For almost every component, excluding the motherboard, there is more than enough clearance. Its cooling capabilities are excellent, being able to install up to a 420mm radiator, even if it is a tight fit. There is space for a large graphics card and power supply. The Tower 300 definitely makes the most of the vertical space present to maximize components displayed. The case is built well too, with tempered glass and metal side panels. High quality dust filters are found on every intake or exhaust. There is enough room for plenty of storage and excellent cable management capabilities. The tool-free removal of side panels is convenient. The optional accessories for the case, the LCD screen and the horizontal stand kit, are great additions to provide some more customization or allow for a new orientation. However, there are a couple of disadvantages that have to be kept in mind for The Tower 300. Although cable management is easy, at some points, cables have to be bent at quite an angle to be plugged in, such as the 24-pin motherboard power cable. The two included fans that are pre-installed as exhaust fans at the top of the case are rather loud. The motherboard I/O is hard to access, as you must remove the top panel and the middle glass panel first. Finally, only with the Hydrangea Blue color for The Tower 300, there is a stark black and white "25" painted on the front I/O, which breaks with the rest of the design of the case. The Thermaltake The Tower 300 comes in at $150 USD, which is a fair price for the quality of the case. The LCD screen adds $90, while the horizontal stand kit is another $30. Overall, the Thermaltake The Tower 300 is a good case, with areas to adjust to for this shift in layout.
Thermaltake provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.0/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Thermaltake The Tower 300 is a well-built mATX case with stunning looks at the expense of day-to-day usage convenience.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
