We ponder over what case will best suit our needs. We read review after review, comparing cases big and small before we make that difficult decision. It was during this journey for case perfection that I stumbled upon Antec's SX series of cases. I picked up an SX830 for my gamestation and soon after the SX1030 for my duallie workstation. Other reviews stressed how the cases were high on style and cooling so I was eager to take them for a spin. I know a lot of you are probably well versed in what the SX1030 has to offer, but let me hit you with the specs anyways.

The Specs

• Case Dimensions: 20.6"(H) x 8.1"(W) x 18.6"(D)
• Drive Bays: 4 x 5.25", 2 x 3.5" (external), 4 x 3.5" (internal)
• Cooling System: 4 x 80mm fans --> 1 Front (Optional), 2 Rear (standard), 1 HDD Bay (Optional)
• P ower Supply: 300 Watt SmartPower (Athlon Approved)
• Material: 1.0mm SECC
• Weight: 32.7 lbs

There are a couple of things that we should talk about after looking at these specs. First, let's discuss size. The SX1030 is the exact same size as it's "little brother", the SX830. I was a little surprised by this, because by looking at pictures of the case, it appeared that the SX1030 could handle many more hard disks than it's little brother. The catch is this: Your two external 3.5" bays extend into the top internal 3.5" bay. Did I lose you? The Bottom Line is: If you've got a floppy drive and zip drive in your box, the SX1030 will only hold 1 more 3.5" hard disk than the SX830. This may seem like a nitpick, but I would have preferred Antec kept that 4th 5.25" bay and given me the ability to fill those two internal 3.5" removeable bays with 6 hard disks. I'll digress because I probably confused the lot of you... (told you before I was picky didn't I?)

What about those fans? The SX1030 (and 830 for that matter) is geared up for air flow baby. Four 80mm snap-in fan brackets make installation and removal of fans really easy. No screws required, and I have noticed zero vibrations. They're flat out impressive. Antec gives you a headstart, supplying two 80mm fans for the rear brackets. Of course these are placed to expel all that nasty heat generated by your l33t components. Intakes? You'll have to supply those. I'd recommend Sunon High Output 80s, which you can pick up at several online retailers. 2cooltek is where I snagged mine.

Remember the good old days of PC construction when you'd keep a box of band-aids beside your work bench? Most geeks have a scar or two from slicing a finger inside a low quality case. Any case worth a grain of salt should come with rounded edges and high grade steel to prevent this from happening. The SX1030 is all about quality. Describing this case as tough, wouldn't do it justice.

How is it to work in?

The depth of this case gives you enough room to play around inside it without any difficulty, even when mounting a phat dual board. The Tyan Tiger 133 fits with room to spare, and those long pesky cables can easily tuck in behind the removable drive bays. Adding and removing hard disks couldn't get any easier. Flip a switch, slide out the bay. You never have to remove the right side panel on the SX1030, which is something I really appreciate.

Another feature of the SX1030, and one that many readers may not be familiar with, is the inclusion of 5.25" drive bay rails. Although setting them up the first time can take a little time and effort (properly aligning the rail on your drives so that they line up in the bay perfectly), they do prove to be quite convenient. Swapping cdroms and/or cdrws in and out of the SX1030 is a breeze. When you have multiple cases which use the same drive rail system, it gets even handier. It all depends on personal preference. I was hesitant about using them at first, but after seeing them in action, I'm a believer.