Page 2 - Physical Look - Outside
For some background information, XPG is ADATA’s gaming line of products. The XPG Starker is their mid-tower case made for entry-level PC builds. All of their cases come in a black or a white variation. The case includes a tempered glass side panel, as shown in our photo above. The review unit received was of the white variation. At first glance, the XPG Starker case is constructed out of steel with an hourglass-shaped front panel, attached using magnets on the front of the case as well as the front panel. At the bottom of the front panel is the XPG logo in red. In addition, the front panel has a mesh-like design and a cutout on each side to allow for airflow. The Starker's measurements come in at a height of 460mm, width of 215mm, and depth of 400mm. This smaller footprint does not take up too much space on your desk, but is slightly taller than other mid-towers I own. This is something to keep in mind if you plan on having your PC sitting under your desk like I usually do.
The I/O is aligned parallel to the long edge of the case rather than parallel to the front short edge of the case. Closer to the front of the case is a triangular power button, followed by a reset button, then a button to control the case’s LEDs. Behind these buttons is the 3.5mm combined audio jack, which is the plug for both microphones and headphones. Finally, following the audio jack are two USB 3.1 Type-A ports. The hybrid audio port is a nice touch to simplify the I/O and keep a clean look on the front of the case. That being said, people who use headsets that have a split aux connection will have to switch to the audio ports on the back panel of their motherboard. Directly beside the I/O connectors, the top vent is covered by a magnetic dust shield that can easily be put on and taken off for building or cleaning. The dust shield itself is fairly standard; being a thin rectangular mesh cover that can be slid off easily.
Looking at the back of the XPG Starker, we see that it is a relatively standard layout. The motherboard I/O panel opening is located in the top left corner adjacent to the fan opening. The fan opening can house a single 120mm fan. The fan vent has fairly long rails, allowing you to attach the fan as high or as low as you would like. Beneath all of this are the expansion slots that have a bridgeless design. This means that you have full unrestricted access to multi-slot cards. Finally, at the bottom is the power supply cutout. This case does not have removable brackets for the power supply, meaning the power supply directly attaches to the case itself. This is a standard way to install a power supply, but it would have been nice if XPG opted for a bracket design to make the installation easier.
At the bottom of the XPG Starker, you will find four plastic feet located at each corner with rubber footing underneath. These help to reduce vibration on whatever surface the case is sitting on. The size of the rubber feet should be sufficient in preventing this case from any unintentional sliding that may occur. The entirety of the bottom of the case is a vent with the same honeycomb design as seen on other sides of the chassis. There is room for one 120mm fan at the bottom. Over the exterior of the vent located at the bottom of the case is a thin mesh dust filter that is held on by thin metal tabs on the sides. When the mesh is removed for cleaning, it can be placed back in by slightly bending the mesh to ensure it is secured under each tab.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
