Introduction

What makes a good case? Build quality? Accessibility? Space?

The enthusiast would probably choose all of those criteria. A good case shouldn't slice your hands open when you're reaching in to install the motherboard. Speaking as one who has had to struggle with many RM 35 (USD 9) Baby-AT cases, believe me when I say this is important!

A good case shouldn't have one component impeding the removal of another, and it should have more than enough space for your RAIDs, optical drives, expansion cards, etc. That much is easy enough to look out for.

However, an enthusiast case must also satisfy the user on other levels, such as design and airflow. It should also be light enough to move around - important when you're moving components in and out nonstop. And hey, while we're at it, how about a nice big window to show off to your friends?

Finally, it should also be reasonably priced, for those of us not blessed with deep pockets.

Chenming

Chenming Mold Industrial Corporation is a 30-something-year-old company that started out making stamping tools, and progressed to making computer enclosures in 1984. Like many other case manufacturers, Chenming is primarily a case OEM to many large brands, including HP and IBM.

This review concerns Chenming's latest update to their mid-tower ATX-601 case, the ATX-602, in aluminium. The case is also available in cold-rolled steel.

Though our review unit was black, the case is also available in beige, blue, silver, red, yellow, green, and purple colours. Chenming also lists on their website two options for this model which were not present on our review sample - a top blowhole and a side panel fan mount.