Pleading Your Case for Size.

Product: Matrix
Manufacturer: InWin
MRSP: $109.99

InWin has been kind enough to send another computer case our way for review purposes. This time we’re graced with the Matrix MicroATX Computer Case. From the get-go I can tell you that this is definitely not the case for high-end PC users, but what MicroATX case is? If you’re a user looking for a clutter-free set-up and space is definitely a concern of yours, the Matrix may be just what you are look for.

Obviously there are a plethora of MicroATX cases out there from which users can choose. The trick in this industry is to have your product stand out and give the consumer a reason to choose your model over the next company’s. As we’ve left behind the drab, beige era of computers and aesthetics has become more and more prominent as a “want” in modern computers, this is quite simply one of the key points to hit upon to achieve that “stand out” ability of which I just spoke. In this the Matrix case makes its point and makes it strong.

Visually the case is about as clean and clutter-free as you can possibly get. Providing cover doors to just about every last drive port and superb cable-management. While I am normally not a fan of comparative reviews, I have to say that the Matrix case resembles that of an Apple product with its smooth, yet simple white and black colouring. At a slim 13.6” H x 5.9” W x 13.7” D, the case definitely fits in the Micro category nicely. But how do the specs hold up when it comes to functionality?

Sporting 1x 5.25” drive bay and 1x 3.5” bay with 4 USB 2.0 ports, the Matrix offers basic functionality well enough. The case claims to support 4x Full-Height PCI/AGP ports, but I have to say that things get extremely tight when it comes to the inner set-up. Needless to say, don’t expect to fit any high-end PCI-E graphics cards into this case as they simply will not fit. Beyond that, the SFX power supply shipped with the case, a 300w PSU, simply does not cut it with even the mid level 8000 series Nvida cards, which require 350w PSU minimum standards. Of course, if you were planning on building a bleeding-end gaming PC you probably wouldn’t be looking at a MicroATX case to begin with.

I actually purchase an entire new set of hardware to test with this case so you can imagine that I give it a thorough testing, hence why the review took me a while to get posted. For starters let me just recommend that anyone who purchases the Matrix completely forget that IDE ever existed. Surely most users have moved on to SATA drives now, but there are actually still a lot of hold-outs when it comes to optical drives. The form factor of the interior of the case really does not bode well when it comes to the use of bulky IDE cables. The optical drive tray is actually mounted vertically in the unit, not horizontally and the tray is entirely removable, which one actually has to remove to get to the CPU.

I also found issue with the stock optical drive tray and the CPU fan housing in that, while it was somewhat modular, I actually had to remove it entirely because the stock openings did not fit my cooling unit for the Intel E6600 CPU placed into the computer. Again, any cabling other than SATA gets in the way of just about every tray inside.

The back-side cable management of the Matrix case, however, is something to note is praise. The back door swings open to allow ease-of-access to any cabling and directs all cables to a single slot opening at the bottom of the case. This wonderfully limits cable clutter and movement from the back of the case. The PSU is also located and the bottom rear of the case, eliminating even more cable concerns. Supplied with the case is a handy VGA adapter that cuts out the worry of what is always the largest input sticking out of the back of any computer.

Design:

It looks great! The cover doors, colour choices and cable management were well thought out. As to the layout for the form factor inside the case, I really can’t say the same.

Price:

The Street Price is well under the MSRP for the case, as low as $89.99. However, for what the case is I have to be quite frank in stating that I think this is about $30 more than the case really should cost. The 300w SFX PSU alone doesn’t justify the MSRP

Functionality:

Everything on the outside works perfectly, the inside, not so much. The Matrix, unlike most of InWin’s other cases is most definitely not user-friendly when it comes to opening it up and working on your computer. It just seems like everything was either a direct hit or a complete miss on the functionality of the Matrix MicroATX case.

The Good:

It’s one of the better looking MicroATX cases I have seen in a while. As someone who cannot stand cable-clutter, the cable-management system is wonderful with this case.

The Bad:

A 350w SFX PSU should have been included from the get-go. For most users the 300w just won’t cut it and having to turn around and spend another $50 on a hard-to-find PSU format really doesn’t bode well in my mind.

The Ugly:

Jammed, crammed and slammed are the insides of the Matrix. Again, use of IDE cables is definitely not recommended by this reviewer. Also, you’ll probably have to ditch the CPU Fan tray as I did unless you luck out and have a motherboard that actually fits with it.

Overall:

Now, it should be noted that I am a big guy. At 6’3” you can imagine that my hands were definitely cramped when working inside the case. But again, it is a MicroATX and I tend to buy full-tower cases for a reason. In the end, I think the Matrix case is actually a nice case to look at for someone who just needs a basic office computer and has limited desk/floor space. The construction inside could have been planned out a bit better, but with the elimination of IDE cables and use of low-end graphics cards this can be worked around well enough.

Final Vote: 3/5