MGE Sidewinder: A Look at a Gaming Chassis
by Purav Sanghani on October 16, 2004 11:31 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
Cooling
The Sidewinder has awesome potential for cooling. For its size, the Sidewinder can be a great performer as far as thermal numbers go.It comes with three 80mm LED fans installed. One of them is placed at the front of the case as an intake. If the 80mm fan doesn't seem sufficient to cool the components in use, it can be upgraded to a 120mm fan, since MGE has provided screw holes to mount fans of both sizes.
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The second and third 80mm fans are located on the left side panel directly under the window. These two fans will mostly help cool the HDDs mounted at the front of the case as well as warm running VGA and other expansion cards installed in the system. Working with the CPU's heatsink fan and the power supply, this combination of fans should be enough to keep temperatures in the range that we feel most comfortable with.
Click to enlarge.
However, if things do seem to get a bit hot around the box, there is the option to add two more 80mm fans to the back of the case, say, as exhausts to create a front-to-back air flow. Since the Sidewinder is smaller in size overall, there is less space for warm air to circulate around inside, which helps cool components further.
MGE has also decided to include a whopping 400W power supply with the Sidewinder. Though priced at around $22, it is a great complement to a value class chassis.
Click to enlarge.
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ciwell - Monday, October 18, 2004 - link
#11, then you would be working for ANTEC. :DLoneWolf15 - Monday, October 18, 2004 - link
I'm starting to think I should go into case design. All I'd have to do would be to make tasteful cases that actually cater to the people who build their own computers, as it appears few manufacturers are actually doing this, including this one. How about designing something with reasonable expansion, front mounted ports, a few mounts for large fans that move lots of air at lower noise levels, out of solid materials, with a modest look but easy to mod later? No aliens, no snakes, no naked chick truck mudflap logos...function first, with just enough basic form to be appealing.ciwell - Monday, October 18, 2004 - link
Good review...I think the last sentence in it says it all.Operandi - Sunday, October 17, 2004 - link
#8 Hmmmmm... Put a $90 PSU in a $4.99 case that seems like a likely scenario.....shabby - Saturday, October 16, 2004 - link
#7 the funny part is that they didnt even use the psu that came with the case, they used an ocz one, check page 8 lolGundamit - Saturday, October 16, 2004 - link
#6 - What's really revolting is the 17A on the 12V rail. Get it? "Re-Volting" It like a ... oh nevermind.diehlr - Saturday, October 16, 2004 - link
Someone please give these case designers a clue. These cases with gaudy X's and tacky colored plastic are asthetically revolting.stephenbrooks - Saturday, October 16, 2004 - link
LOL @ #3I stared deeply into the chromed button and could only see a couple of black chairs in a white office, though, one with someone's coat hanging on it. Which page were you on?
Myrandex - Saturday, October 16, 2004 - link
I am actually glad they reviewed it, because I was considering purchasing it for a computer I am gonna build soon (saw it for sale @ directron). Haven't made up my mind yet, but yea I am glad they reviewed it.Jason
Budman - Saturday, October 16, 2004 - link
I can see a reflection of the reviewer in the chromed button. :)