Thermaltake The Tower 300 Computer Case Review

Computer chassis’ lets you make your computer unique while being able to help you decide on components. There are a lot of options out there, and some are getting rather creative!  Today I will be reviewing Thermaltake’s The Tower 300 series with the price of $149.99. We also received the case stand kit that is available for an additional $29.99.

 

Features and specs:

P/N:  CA-1Y4-00SEWN-00

SERIES:  The Tower

CASE TYPE:  Micro Tower

DIMENSIONS:  551 x 342 x 281 mm (22.5 x 14 x 11.5 inch)

WEIGHT:  8.3 kg / 18.3 lbs.

SIDE PANEL:  3mm Tempered Glass x 3

COLOR:  Matcha Green

MATERIAL:  SPCC

COOLING SYSTEM:  Top(exhaust): 140 x 140 x 25 mm CT140 fan (1500rpm, 30.5 dBA) x 2

EXPANSION SLOTS:  4

MOTHERBOARD:  6.7” x 6.7” (Mini ITX), 9.6” x 9.6” (Micro ATX)

I/O PORT:  USB 3.2 (Gen 2) Type-C x 1

PSU:  Standard PS2 PSU (optional)

FAN SUPPORT:  Top:  2 x 120mm, 1 x 120mm, 2 x 140mm, 1 x 140mm

Right Side:  3 x 120mm, 2 x 120mm, 1 x 120mm, 3 x 140mm, 2 x 140mm, 1 x 140mm

Rear:  2 x 120mm, 1 x 120mm, 2 x 140mm, 1 x 140mm,

Power Cover:  1 x 120mm, 1 x 140mm

RADIATOR SUPPORT:  Right Side(AIO): 1 x 360mm, 1 x 240mm, 1 x 120mm, 1 x 420mm, 1 x 280mm, 1 x 140mm

CLEARANCE:  CPU cooler height limitation:   210mm

VGA length limitation:  280mm(With power cover), 400mm(Without power cover)

PSU length limitation:  220mm

 

The Tower 300 comes in a color printed box with high-quality pictures of the case on the front, side, and back of the box. On the other side of the box are the cases’ specs.  Being secured inside custom-fitted Styrofoam along with a box that holds the stand for this case. Materials used in the construction was mostly metal with some glass and plastic. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. The case comes with the warranty and user manual booklets, as well as a motherboard speaker and some accessories to help with the building process.

The Tower 300 case has a great compact look to it along with plenty of airflow to help keep your system cooled. A case stand allows you to store the case at a 90-degree angle, making the case look similar to a cryo-chamber. It’s really cool looking actually!  Having airflow vents with mesh filters on the top, bottom, back, and both sides of the case there is plenty of airflow to help your system. There are 3 tempered glass panels at the front and slightly offset on the front held secure by push pins. This case also comes with two USB 3.0 ports, a type-C port, the usual audio ports, a reset button, and a power button. All of which are on the top front of the case.

Some of the features of this case are compatibility with mini ITX and micro ATX motherboards, having a dedicated detachable fan/AIO bracket that can support up to 420 mm AIO cooler, and being able to mount up to eight 120 or 140 mm fans throughout the case.  It comes pre-installed with 2 140 mm fans at the top configured as exhaust. This case can support up to 400 mm GPU along with up to 220 mm power supply. This case is able to carry either three 2.5 SSDs or three 3.5 HDDs for storage capability.

One of the key features of the case is that it has a dismantlable modular design. Helping the case to be easily taken apart and put back together to help make the build and maintenance of your build easier. Because of this design, you are able to reach many hard-to-reach places in other mini cases.

In conclusion, the Tower 300 Micro Tower Chassis is a great case to be able to have an easy build and maintenance. Being able to have a sizable amount of storage capability as well as having a clean and compact look to your computer, is a home run. With the stand at an additional cost, I believe the stand is a must-have with this case to help maximize the look of this case. With the cost of $149.99 for the case and $29.99 for the stand, it’s very fairly priced.  And based on its design, features, quality, and performance, the Thermaltake The Tower 300 Micro Tower Chassis has earned our Highly Recommended Award. For more information, you can check out their website at thermaltakeusa.com.

Thermaltake Argent E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair

When it comes to getting your game on, there’s a lot of components to consider. Graphic cards and hard drives are usually high on the list. But it’s really easy to forget one of the most important components: your chair. After all, for those really long gaming session, you need a quality chair that is both comfortable and gives you support. Up for review today is the Thermaltake Argent E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair.

 

Features and specs:

 

P/N:  GGC-ARG-BLLFDL-01

STYLE NAME:  ARGENT E700

CHAIR TYPE:  Ergonomic Real Leather

COLOR:  Ocean Blue

FOAM TYPE:  High Density Molded Foam

FOAM DENSITY:  143.3lbs/ft³ (65kg/m³)

LEATHER COLOR:  Black

FRAME CONSTRUCTION:  Aluminum and Metal

ADJUSTABLE ARMRESTS:  4D Adjustable Armrests, Left / Right Lateral Sliding Function, Clockwise / Anti Clockwise Rotation, Height Adjustment, Front / Back Sliding Function

ARMREST PAD SIZE:  L 9.4" x W 4.3" (24cm x 11cm)

MECHANISM TYPE:  Wire-control mechanism

GAS LIFT CLASS:  4

CHAIR/SEAT BACK STYLE:  High-back

ADJUSTABLE BACK ANGLE:  107° / 113° / 119° / 126°

ADJUSTABLE HEADREST:  Yes

BASE TYPE:  5-star Aluminum Base

CASTER SIZE & MATERIAL:  3” (7.5 cm) and PU

ASSEMBLY REQUIRED:  Yes

RECOMMENDED HEIGHT:  5’6” – 6’2” (170cm – 190cm)

RECOMMENDED WEIGHT:  < 331Ibs (150kg)

 

The Thermaltake Argent E700 came in a large cardboard box. Opening the box revealed a well-protected chair, held in place with cardboard, foam, and wrapped in plastic. Materials used in the construction was real leather, aluminum, and some plastic. Quality of materials used, as well as the fit and finish, was excellent! This is a premium chair, and it shows! Also included was the instruction manual for assembling it.

 

As I mentioned before, it’s really easy to forget how critical a quality chair is. After all, you need something that is both comfortable, and gives really good support. You won’t want to sit in a chair for very long if it isn’t comfortable. But comfort isn’t the only thing to look for in a chair. Even more critical is support. Because after long gaming sessions, if you don’t have the needed support, there’s going to be problems. After a long gaming session of multiple hours, a not-supportive chair will not only give you back problems, other parts of your body will be sore as well. And if it continues, it could actually cause some problems. I sit a lot, sometimes all day, so I know what it’s like.

 

When it comes to assembling a product, having easy to read and follow instructions is critical. I was extremely pleased to see that the instructions were very easy to follow. And not only that, there really weren’t very many pieces to put together. There was the very nice looking aluminum 5-star base, a class 4 gas spring that the chair sat on, and the 5 wheels that attached to the bottom of the 5-star base. The back of the chair easily attached to the seat with some bolts. With the seat and back now one piece, just set it on the gas spring and wheels, and you’re done.

 

With the chair now put together, I took a closer look at the completed product. The back of the chair is a beautiful thick plastic piece that’s a gloss ocean blue and goes from the back to the bottom, and appears to basically be the frame of the chair. The back and seat of the chair is made of high density molded foam, and is wrapped in 1.1 mm thick genuine premium black leather. The red stitching gives it that gaming chair look. Aluminum side handles adjust both the height and amount of recline. The thick metal 5-star base is also in aluminum. The headrest and arm rests are adjustable. It’s a collaboration with Studio F-A-Porsche, and I love it! The red stitching gives it that gaming chair look. Yet with the black leather and aluminum accents, it also works great as an office chair. While they have a great selection of colors to pick from, the ocean blue is stunning! Now let’s see how it performs.

 

Using the race car looking side handles, the right side adjusted the height, and the left side to adjust the recline angle. My initial thought upon sitting down, is that they definitely used high density foam. I used the chair exclusively for a few weeks. During this time, I had several long sessions using the chair for 5, 6, and even 7 hours at a time. While not plush and soft, the chair is very comfortable, and extremely supportive. Even after 7 hours straight in the chair, my back was just fine. And having back problems, that’s saying a lot!

Whether you are a gamer who enjoys long sessions, or just spend a lot of time at your work desk, most people need a good chair. The Thermaltake Argent E700 works great as both a gaming or office chair. It’s truly a premium chair, and it shows. Not only does it look beautiful, it’s also extremely well made to provide many years of use. And it also performs in spades. With a MSRP of $1,299, it may not be for everyone, but it should be. It’s worth every penny. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the Thermaltake Argent E700 has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website and www.thermaltake.com.

 

Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX Ice Motherboard Review

There are many crucial parts to a computer to make it work, from the processor to the power supply. The motherboard is one of the most critical parts. Your motherboard determines what socket you use for your processor as well as what memory you are going to be using. Today I will be reviewing Gigabyte’s Z790 Aorus Elite AX Ice. The motherboard MSRP is $269.99.

Features and specs:

• CPU
1. LGA1700 socket: Support for the 14th, 13th, and 12th Generation Intel^® Core™, Pentium^® Gold and Celeron^® Processors
2. L3 cache varies with CPU

(Please refer "CPU Support List" for more information.)

• 
  Chipset
1. Intel^® Z790 Express Chipset
• Memory
1. Support for DDR5 7600(O.C.) /7400(O.C.) /7200(O.C.) /7000(O.C.) /6800(O.C.) /6600(O.C.) / 6400(O.C.) / 6200(O.C.) / 6000(O.C.) / 5800(O.C.) / 5600(O.C.) / 5400(O.C.) / 5200(O.C.) / 4800 / 4000 memory modules
2. 4 x DDR5 DIMM sockets supporting up to 192 GB (48 GB single DIMM capacity) of system memory
3. Dual channel memory architecture
4. Support for ECC Un-buffered DIMM 1Rx8/2Rx8 memory modules (operate in non-ECC mode)
5. Support for non-ECC Un-buffered DIMM 1Rx8/2Rx8/1Rx16 memory modules
6. Support for Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) memory modules

(The CPU and memory configuration may affect the supported memory types, data rate (speed), and number of DRAM modules, please refer to "Memory Support List" for more information.)

• 
  Onboard Graphics

Integrated Graphics Processor-Intel^® HD Graphics support:

1. 1 x HDMI port, supporting a maximum resolution of 4096x2160@60 Hz
   * Support for HDMI 2.1 version and HDCP 2.3.
   ** Support native HDMI 2.1 TMDS compatible ports.
2. 1 x DisplayPort, supporting a maximum resolution of 4096x2304@60
   * Support for DisplayPort 1.2 version and HDCP 2.3

(Graphics specifications may vary depending on CPU support.)

• Audio
1. Realtek^® Audio CODEC
2. High Definition Audio
3. 2/4/5.1/7.1-channel
   * You can change the functionality of an audio jack using the audio software. To configure 7.1-channel audio, access the audio software for audio settings.
4. Support for S/PDIF Out
• LAN
1. Realtek^® 2.5GbE LAN chip (2.5 Gbps/1 Gbps/100 Mbps)
• 
  Wireless Communication module

Intel^® Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (PCB rev. 1.0)

1. WIFI a, b, g, n, ac, ax, supporting 2.4/5/6 GHz carrier frequency bands
   
   
2. BLUETOOTH 5.3
3. Support for 11ax 160MHz wireless standard and up to 2.4 Gbps data rate

Realtek^® Wi-Fi 6E RTL8852CE (PCB rev. 1.1)

4. WIFI a, b, g, n, ac, ax, supporting 2.4/5/6 GHz carrier frequency bands
5. BLUETOOTH 5.3
6. Support for 11ax 160MHz wireless standard and up to 2.4 Gbps data rate

* Actual data rate may vary depending on environment and equipment.

• 
  Expansion Slots

CPU:

1. 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, supporting PCIe 5.0 and running at x16 (PCIEX16)
   * The PCIEX16 slot can only support a graphics card or an NVMe SSD. If only one graphics card is to be installed, be sure to install it in the PCIEX16 slot.

Chipset:

2. 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, supporting PCIe 4.0 and running at x4 (PCIEX4_1)
3. 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, supporting PCIe 3.0 and running at x4 (PCIEX4_2)
• 
  Storage Interface

CPU:

1. 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 22110/2280 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2A_CPU)

Chipset:

2. 2 x M.2 connectors (Socket 3, M key, type 22110/2280 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2P_SB, M2Q_SB)
3. 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 22110/2280 SATA and PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD support) (M2M_SB)
4. 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors

RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 support for NVMe SSD storage devices

RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 support for SATA storage devices
* Refer to "2-8 Internal Connectors," for the installation notices for the M.2 and SATA connectors.

• 
  USB

Chipset:

1. 1 x USB Type-C^® port on the back panel, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support
2. 1 x USB Type-C^® port with USB 3.2 Gen 2 support, available through the internal USB header
3. 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red) on the back panel
4. 5 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (3 ports on the back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB header)

Chipset+2 USB 2.0 Hubs:

5. 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB headers)
   
• Internal I/O Connectors
1. 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
2. 2 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connectors
3. 1 x CPU fan header
4. 1 x water cooling CPU fan header
5. 3 x system fan headers
6. 1 x system fan/water cooling pump header
7. 2 x addressable LED strip headers
8. 2 x RGB LED strip headers
9. 4 x M.2 Socket 3 connectors
10. 
    6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
11. 1 x front panel header
12. 1 x front panel audio header
13. 1 x USB Type-C^® header, with USB 3.2 Gen 2 support
14. 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header
15. 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
16. 2 x Thunderbolt™ add-in card connectors
17. 1 x Trusted Platform Module header (For the GC-TPM2.0 SPI/GC-TPM2.0 SPI 2.0 module only)
18. 1 x reset button
19. 1 x Q-Flash Plus button
20. 1 x Clear CMOS button
21. 1 x reset jumper
22. 1 x Clear CMOS jumper
• 
  Back Panel Connectors
1. 1 x USB Type-C^® port, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support
2. 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red)
3. 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
4. 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
5. 2 x SMA antenna connectors (2T2R)
6. 1 x HDMI 2.0 port
7. 1 x DisplayPort
8. 1 x RJ-45 port
9. 1 x optical S/PDIF Out connector
10. 2 x audio jacks
• 
  I/O Controller
1. iTE^® I/O Controller Chip
• H/W Monitoring
1. Voltage detection
2. Temperature detection
3. Fan speed detection
4. Water cooling flow rate detection
5. Fan fail warning
6. Fan speed control
   * Whether the fan (pump) speed control function is supported will depend on the fan (pump) you install.
• 
  BIOS
1. 1 x 256 Mbit flash
2. Use of licensed AMI UEFI BIOS
3. PnP 1.0a, DMI 2.7, WfM 2.0, SM BIOS 2.7, ACPI 5.0
• Unique Features
1. Support for GIGABYTE Control Center (GCC)
   * Available applications in GCC may vary by motherboard model. Supported functions of each application may also vary depending on motherboard specifications.
2. Support for Q-Flash
3. Support for Q-Flash Plus
4. Support for Smart Backup
• 
  Bundled Software
1. Norton^® Internet Security (OEM version)
2. LAN bandwidth management software
• Operating System
1. Support for Windows 11 64-bit
2. Support for Windows 10 64-bit
• Form Factor
1. ATX Form Factor; 30.5cm x 24.4cm
   

The motherboard came in a color white box with a high-definition picture of the Aorus logo on the front of the box. On the back of the box, it lists some of its key features such as 16 digital VRM, the included Wi-Fi 6E and ultra gain antenna, USB 3.2 gen2X2, and 2.5 GbE LAN. Inside the box is the motherboard surrounded by custom-fitted cardboard to help keep the motherboard secure. The motherboard comes wrapped in an antistatic bag to help protect the electronics inside. Along with the motherboard is a user manual along with an installation booklet.

Some of this motherboard's features include the chipset supporting 12^th 13^th and 14^th gen Intel processors and a twin 16+1+2 phases design for the digital VRM solution in an 8+8 phases parallel power design. This motherboard has four DDR5 channel slots running dual channel supporting XMP 3.0 with memory speeds of 4000 and 4800, and up to 7600 when overclocked. Another great feature of this motherboard is the many storage capabilities, there are three PCIe x16 slots ranging from 3.0 to 5.0 capabilities along with four M.2 slots all supporting PCIe 4.0 x4. The motherboard also comes with some cool RGB lights attached close to the M.2 Thermal guard extension that is subtle but pleasing to the eye.

For connections on this motherboard, there are four USB 2.0 slots, female connectors for the provided Wi-Fi 6E antenna, and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 slots. There are also an HDMI port and a DisplayPort, one USB-C at 20GB/S, three USB 3.2 gen 1 slots, as well as a 2.5 GbE LAN port along with your mic and line-out audio plugs. There are also six SATA connectors that can support up to 6GB/s.

For the firmware and software for the motherboard, there is the BIOS with the normal black and white format with some color on the top of the screen that is pleasant to look at. The BIOS menu is also easy to navigate with both an easy mode and an advanced mode. Easy mode makes it easy for beginners to change the necessary settings to help optimize the system. While the advanced mode helps you better tailor your system for what you want.

I love the useability of this board.  Think it’s time to upgrade, but want to save some coin?  You can use your old 12^th Gen processor, and get a board that you can grow with.  You can get the  current features that you can use now, like Wi-Fi 6E, four M.2 slots supporting PCIe 4.0 x4, and RGB, to name a few.  And then save up for a quality new 14^th Gen processor.

 I used this system to run the tests and benchmarks: I7 13700K, AMD Radeon 6600 XT, Kingston Fury DDR5, Cooler Master Master Liquid ML360L V2 ARGB, with a Thermaltake ToughPower GF2 ARGB 750W PSU. For the benchmarks, I ran Fire Strike Extreme, Time Spy, and Speed Way from 3Dmark. I also ran GPGPU and Cache and Memory benchmarks from AIDA64 along with Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Horizon Zero Dawn. All of the tests were run on factory settings on a 1440p resolution.

With the benchmarks, the Z790 Aorus Elite AX Ice performed well in all of the benchmarks. It did well in the gaming area as advertised. In both Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Horizon Zero Dawn, the board and card combo did well, keeping the average FPS over 80 frames per second. In Time Spy and Fire Strike Extreme, the combo did well in keeping up with the high demands of the benchmarks and showing great results.

In conclusion, The Z790 Aorus Elite AX Ice is a great motherboard scoring pretty high in the benchmarks, and is set at a great and affordable price for a higher-end budget to mid-tier build computer. And as mentioned previously, it’s a great board that provides good performance now, while you save up for other comments of your new build, like a new 14^th Gen processor. Based on it’s design, features, quality and performance, as well as large bang for the buck, the Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX Ice has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. If you want more information about these products and complete specs, you can check out their website at https://www.gigabyte.com/.