BitFenix Prodigy M Micro-Tower Chassis Review

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by Ryan Perry on July 20, 2015 in Cases & PSUs

Whether space is at a premium, or you simply want something portable, BitFenix’s small form factor Prodigy M chassis might be exactly what you need. Whether it’s more for the features or the brilliant colours, it’s hard to walk by one without at least giving it a good once over, which is exactly what we’re going to do.

Page 3 – Final Thoughts

If we had to sum up the BitFenix Prodigy M in one word, it would have to be “advanced”. We don’t want to scare anybody away from such a solid chassis, but we could see how a novice could get frustrated due to what little space there was to work in.

Factor in the potential clearance problems when using an optical drive, as well possibly having to bend the power supply extension cable depending on the orientation of the pins on the power supply, and we could be left with a chassis that’s a bit of a pain for someone isn’t able to roll with the punches as they come.

We’re concerned by the high amount of flex in the handles, and again we would recommend that a fully built system be carried from underneath rather than tempt fate. With the exception of the handles, the build quality of the Prodigy M was fantastic. The panels and frame are very rigid and we didn’t notice any flexing of these during the installation of our test system.

BitFenix Prodigy M Chassis

Despite the smaller footprint, thermal performance was on par with a larger competing micro-ATX chassis, and the included fans are some of the quietest that we can recall.

We don’t know many folks who can “make it rain”, so price is also likely to be a factor in whether or not to purchase a Prodigy M. We’re happy to report that one can be had for as little as $85 USD, which is a fantastic deal.

All in all, our time with the BitFenix Prodigy M was a positive experience, however if you’re planning on using one as the backbone of your system, we recommend that extra time is taken to pick the components, or to ensure that your current gear will fit if being used as an upgrade.

Having a little extra patience won’t hurt either.

Pros

  • Low system temperatures despite a small footprint.
  • Virtually silent when idle.
  • Very affordable.
  • A good variety of colours are available to suit most builds.

Cons

  • Handles could be insufficient for transporting a full system.
  • Using an optical drive will likely cover GPU fans.

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