XG Viper 2 Case Review

Yeah boy! Cases are without a doubt one of my favorite computer products to review. This is in no small part due to my opinion that a computer case and its accompanying power supply are two of the single most important elements of any successful system build! Cases vary greatly in size, style, functionality, power, and storage ability depending on the type of operation they will be used for. Case design coupled with associated performance and style modifications are also in my opinion one of the few true art forms left which allow the system build to truly express the persona and character of the builders work.

I will have to be honest and state for the record that I'm not a huge fan of the more aggressive look currently being implemented in the design of case bodies and bezels. The more traditional approach with straight or contoured lines is more of a personal preference. I do not in anyway let this effect my judgement of a case as I'm judging functionality and performance. For the above stated reasons, I will let you know in advance that I'm somewhat anal with regard to case design as it pertains to performance and functionality; looks not withstanding.

With all of that being said let's move on to the "case at hand", the XG Products Viper 2, the second generation of their popular gaming case. I'd like to thank Jason Martin and the personnel at MGE, XG Products parent company, in advance for the opportunity to review this stylish gaming case.

The features and specifications captioned below are somewhat misleading when compared to those posted in the product comparison on the web page of XG and those on some of other case vendor's websites. To clarify this as much as I can, these specifications and features are almost identical to those of the product I received. In the Product Comparison Table on the XG's website and on some of the US vendor sites for this product it is suggested that Viper 2 ships with a "500 watt SLI ready power supply" and two "120mm fans".

To further confuse things confuse things the carton that this case shipped in states the Features as an "MGE 450 watt power supply that is both SLI and SATA ready" while in a picture next to the features it states "500W, SLI READY". In the Specifications just below the Features on the same box it states "MGE 400 Watt Power Supply, SLI Ready + Dual Fans (optional)". In the same "Specifications" section on the box the case dimensions are listed as 540x260x420mm.

If this is confusing to me, it must be horribly confusing to the potential consumer who's doing product research while eagerly shopping for a home for his new "gaming rig". One can only hope that these errors are attributable to the fact that this is a relatively new product and XG in its zeal to release it made some mistakes. It could also be due to several versions of the case being available for purchase but other than the term "optional" captioned above in one of the power supply descriptions I could find no mention of this.

One final error is the mention of "four fan slots". I could only find two, the front and the rear. I guess it's possible that in marketing vernacular this means that the case will accept more than one size of fan in both the front and rear fan slots. Stretching it a bit it could also refer to the option of having a front and rear fan and a power supply (optional) with two fans. Frankly, I'm very confused!

Features

• front air blower
• side slide door
• LED lighted door with "Viper" emblem
• LCD Controller for time, temperature, and fan speed
• side door lock
• tool-less drive bay
• tool-free PCI expansion slot
• revolutionary design
• stylish "turbo" air ventilation side panel design
• high-gloss mirror paint

Specifications

• Form Factor:   Micro-ATX & ATX
• Power Supply:   400W, Smart Fan Control
• Drive BAY:  5.25" x 4
• Drive BAY:   3.5" x 2
• DRIVE BAY INTERNAL:   3.5" x 4
• USB 2:   2 external ports
• Firewire:   1 external port
• Fans Included:   1x120mm Rear | 1x80mm Front LED Fans
• Fan Slots:  4
• Audio/MIC:   1 external port
• LCD:   Yes
• PCI Slots:   7 (Tool Less)
• Material:   1.0 MM Aluminum alloy)
• Case Dimensions(DXWXH):   470x200x430mm    18.5x7.87x16.92in
• Weight:   8.0kg
• PSU SATA Connection:   Yes
• PSU Main Power:  20pin + 4 pin convertible connector
• PSU PCI Express Connection:  Yes
• Color Options:   Black, Silver, Blue & Red

An extremely important aspect of buying any case is what type of condition the finished product will arrive at your doorstep in. This is especially important given the fact that many of the current case models are made out of lighter weight aluminum and tend bend or ding quite easily than their steel counterparts. I was very impressed to see that the people at XG not only double box their product for shipping but have it extremely well secured within its primary carton.

We certainly hope that the other vendors of this product take the same care in double boxing this product before entrusting your future prized possession to the men in the square trucks. Shown below is the inner carton that the case I'm reviewing was shipped in.