XG Viper 2

Print
by Greg King on May 20, 2006 in Cases & PSUs

Like most product selections, there is hardly a shortage of computer towers to choose from. The XG Viper is made out of aluminum alloy and includes many of flashy LEDs. They even threw a 400W power supply in there to get things started. Are all these features worth the semi-steep price?

Page 3 – Conclusion


The install was painless, thanks in part to the ZERO jagged edges in the case. It is nice to work with a case that will not cut you. The tool less install was beautiful as well. The clamps for the PCI brackets are easy to use and painless and the tool less holders for the optical drives and hard drives worked beautifully as well. One thing that I noticed while installing the hardware into the case was the fact that as much moving around that I did, I did not scratch the paint, not even once. To test this further, I even ran a thumbscrew up and down a section of the case, trying to scratch it but it was no use, the case would not scratch. Now we can get serious and give it a try with a knife but I am not that determined to scratch this case.

The front LCD panel is a nice touch as well. This gives you the opportunity to monitor your fan speeds as well as your CPU temperatures. You don’t really have to monitor your CPU but that’s what I choose to monitor. You can monitor your hard drive, case sections or anything you can think of. Get creative.

As you can see, there is a huge difference when the lights are dimmed. This case looks pissed when the lights are low and I am glad I am on its side. The picture was taken when the computer was first booted up so the temperature reading is still a bit low for the CPU. The fan speeds were accurately displayed and the CPU temperature was correctly displayed as well. While we are the subject of temperatures, let’s see what the case temps are like.

Going into this review, I was worried about 2 things. One being the power supply rating of 400W and the second was airflow. With one 80mm in the front and one 120mm in the back (basically reduced to a 92m due to air restrictions), airflow wont be what other cases with a pair of 120mms can produce but will it be adequate?

When the case was completely sealed up, my temperatures went up. It wasn’t a lot but it was enough to prove my concerns right. One 80mm and one 120mm can in a case just doesn’t provide the airflow that I would have liked to have seen on a case costing what this one does. Does this mean that this case is worthless? Not at all. The airflow, while not where I would have liked it, was adequate for the system that I had. I don’t know if I would do much overclocking in this case but that’s not really what it was designed for. This, to me, is a LAN gamers dream. The case is flashy, bright and extremely light. Even fully loaded, the case was lighter than my 24/7 case was empty.

    Pros

  • Light
  • Flashy
  • Good looks
  • Did I mention light?
  • Brilliant paint job
  • No rough or sharp edges
    Cons

  • Could use some better airflow
  • PSU labeling needs to be changed
  • Flimsy in some areas

There you have it folks. For what it is, the Viper 2 is a heavy hitter in some areas and not so much in others. There are couple of issues that I have with this case and the number one being the power supply. XG is trying to become a tier one case supplier and in some regards they are almost there. I would like to see a more powerful power supply if a case that is selling for $150 around the web. I would recommend this case in a heartbeat to anyone that attends a lot of LAN events because this case is so damned light and easy to move around with.

I am giving this case a 7 out of 10 on our scale because the power supply is a bit weak and the airflow is equally as weak. Other than those two issues, this is a solid case for anyone that is on the go and needs to transport their PC for whatever reasons they might need.

Discuss in our forums

Discuss this review in our forums! All you have to do is head straight into this thread and post your comments. You don’t even need to register in order to do it! What are you waiting for?


Support our efforts! With ad revenue at an all-time low for written websites, we're relying more than ever on reader support to help us continue putting so much effort into this type of content. You can support us by becoming a Patron, or by using our Amazon shopping affiliate links listed through our articles. Thanks for your support!