[section_title title=Closer Look – External]Closer Look – External
Starting out with the packaging, the BitFenix shadow comes in a primarily bog standard brown box with black accents with a few illustrations of the included features including the magnetic door, SofTouch surface and also a shot of the interior. The BitFenix crest is in the top right hand corner and also situated in the top; something synomonous with BitFenix.
Upon opening the box, the Shadow was clear in view and has 2 x polystyrene inserts which protect the case during transit. As standard cases have a plastic bag to avoid dust and particles getting inside which is nice to see BitFenix also include with their cases.
Taking a first look at the BitFenix Shadow case itself, this particular chassis doesn’t come with a side window as standard so if you are looking for a more discreet ATX build, this case will suit you greatly. It is all-black in colour and the side panels are made from rather thin steel; they feel very flimsy in my opinion and the quality of the panels could be better but given the price range, it could be forgiven.
The front panel which includes a magnetic mechanised door has the SofTouch technology from BitFenix which gives it a soft rubbery feel but isn’t actually rubber! The silver BitFenix crest on the front adds a nice contrast to the black and can be customised via Overclockers UK (they sell all BitFenix spare parts and accessories). Also on the door are 2 side vents which allow air to be sucked in and thus help with the laws of thermodynamics in cooling the case efficiently.
With the door opened, we have the removable dust filter along with 2 x 5.25 bays and 1 x floppy drive bay. The included 1 x 120mm fan is located in the top bay (of the bottom half) which should provide direct airflow over the graphics card, top mounted hard drives and across the centre of your motherboard. You can however change the positioning of the front intake if you so wish to do so.
The front I/O of the Shadow is located on the top and consists of the following ports:
1 x Set of front panel audio (mic/headphones)
2 x USB 3.0
2 x USB 2.0
1 x Red/Blue LED selector for the front illumination
1 x LED on/off switch
1 x Power switch
1 x Reset switch
1 x Set of activity LEDs
I am really impressed with the amount of connections available at the front and the USB 3.0 cable does have a USB 2.0 adapter attached which is fantastic if you don’t have a USB 3.0 compatible motherboard. One of the features that set this case apart from the rest is the red/blue changeable LED switch which allows you to switch between red and blue. This will certainly please consumers as cases can usually last 2-3 system builds before they even need worrying about; red and blue in my opinion are the 2 most popular colour schemes for system builds.
On the bottom of the case there are 4 x plastic stands which keep the case above the surface for 2 main reasons; to allow sufficient airflow underneath the case and to protect the case/surface from scratches and damage.
The rear of the BitFenix Shadow has everything you would expect on an ATX chassis, this includes 7 x PCI slots which don’t screw in individually, but instead there is a little mechanism to the right which allows you to un-screw it, slide a plate off and take them off individually. The rear motherboard I/O slot and a 120mm fan exhaust are also included.
