Thermaltake Kandalf VA9000B

Also included with the Kandalf was the A2400 side panel. This fits both the Armor and the Kandalf but is different from the regular side panel in that it has a huge 25cm fan. The pictures do not do this fan any justice as this thing is really large. The fan is rated at 600rpms and is positioned directly over your motherboard, slowly bringing in cool air from outside the case.

Like the other side panel, this one has two latches on the top and bottom of the left side of the case. The top latch can be locked to keep anyone you do not want in your PC out. The A2400 is dominated by the fan in the center. I am curious how well it will help out temperatures with is only working at 600rpms but we will see soon enough.

Installation of my hardware into the Kandalf was simple, painless and trouble free. It would have been nice if a removable motherboard tray was an option but unfortunately it is not. This isn’t a big deal but having worked with cases in the past where the motherboard tray comes out, they are certainly convenient. The interior of the case has more than enough room and the installation of my water kit was easy and trouble free. I am glad to report also that I did not encounter one sharp edge and that’s a good thing.

The temperatures in the case were kept to an acceptable level as well. With the regular windowed panel on, my CPU never got above 35*C while idling around 27*C under full load and with one 7800 GT on the same water loop. When I put on the panel with the fan in it, my CPU never got past 35*C but idled at 27*C. While the CPU temps to not reflect it, the A2400 does offer a lot more benefits when motherboard temps are a concern. I saw my chipset temperatures drop from 47*C to 44*C. The fan also blows air across the RAM and all in all, brings in a lot of cooler air from outside the case, ultimately benefiting all of your hardware.