If our components are getting more and more expensive, shouldn't we be paying more attention to the protection our cases provide? Thermaltake thinks so. It's not just hardware either. We've got a lot of digital media content (obtained legally or otherwise), games, photos, and browser bookmarks that we'd really prefer not to lose. The Armor VA8000BWS is Thermaltake's answer: A sturdy, reliable case that's future-proofed against the needs of tomorrow's hardware. Join us for a tour of this armored PC fortress. Our tour of the Thermaltake VA8000BWS begins at its emblematic front doors. The role of these peculiar adornments wasn't immediately clear when we unpacked the case from its massive shipping box. They didn't seem to have any real purpose, and we weren't sure if we really liked them.
After some deliberation, we concluded that the doors could provide some real protection for the front of the case. To maximize intake airflow, Thermaltake lined the entire front bezel with thin, lint-screened mesh grilles. Without this flapping frontal armor, an errant foot, knee, or rolling chair could easily put a dent in the pliant screen material. You also run the risk of accidentally pushing an exposed button or two on a naked bezel. No one wants to pop a DVD out of the drive or hit the reset button just as they're about to return an enemy's flag back to home base. In our opinion, the silly aluminum shield doors may actually serve a legitimate purpose after all.
The flat black finish and transparent side cover rounds out the overall impression that this case means business. Blue LED light from the bezel and fans illuminates the case without being a distraction. The top panel houses dual USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 FireWire, audio and microphone ports. Continued... Removing and replacing the side panel is very easy. Thermaltake's lockable latch release system snaps in and out without requiring you to line up rail latches or anything like that. Large thumbscrews secure it in place.
