GELID Solutions, creators of CPU coolers, thermal paste, fans and other cooling accessories, has just entered the ultra-competitive chassis market with its DarkForce mid-tower. Part of the company’s already-established GAMER line, the DarkForce’s claim to fame is its focus on cooling – as expected from a company that focuses on little else.
Aesthetics-wise, the DarkForce chassis looks rather ordinary, with plastics making up the bulk of the design. For those who like to see their components hard at work, the DarkForce does feature a window that just about exposes the entire inside. Interestingly, though the chassis has a focus on cooling power, there’s no option to put a fan on the door.
In its press release, GELID touts the ability to install up to 8 fans in the DarkForce, with dual 120mm fans coming pre-installed. For a chassis that focuses on cooling and retails for $119 USD, I have to admit that a mere 2 included fans is rather lackluster given a total of 8 can be installed. If six more 120mm fans are added after-the-fact, that tacks on at least another $30 to what already looks like an expensive mid-tower.
For additional cooling power, however, the DarkForce supports both a 120mm or 240mm radiator to be mounted to the bottom, with 8+1 slots offered for PCI peripheral connectivity. Out of the box, the chassis should support all GPUs just fine, but in the event you’re using an extra-long offering, the HDD cage can be removed to support them (up to 16 inches).
It’s hard to conclude on a chassis like this without touching it, but for its SRP, not a whole lot seems to be offered here. What are your thoughts on GELID’s first chassis offering?