[section_title title=Closer Look – Installation]Closer Look – Installation
When installing the test rig into the BitFenix Shadow, I had really mixed opinions regarding how I felt in doing so. On one hand it looked pretty fantastic when fully complete and externally, it looks great. On the other hand, the installation wasn’t hassle free and felt a bit painful at times due to the restrictions I came across in terms of cable management.
To best explain the trouble I had during installation, the main problem I had was when using my Enermax 1350w MAXREVO power supply. The cables on this particular PSU are relatively thick and in cases with very limited cable management, it can be a problem getting everything to fit; I did have a little trouble getting the back panel back on. Combine that with not being able to route the 8pin 12V CPU cable at the back, I had to do this in the front and it makes the build look somewhat untidy. Touching more on the cable management aspect, I can see what BitFenix tried to do but for a £55 case not to have sufficient cable management, it is a little bit poor; in my opinion of course.
My Noctua NH-U12S was a nice snug fit meaning that the largest tower coolers such as the NH-D14 and even the Thermalright Silver Arrow won’t be suitable for this case as the side panel would not fit back on.
Here is a quick look at that LED bar that allows Shadow users to customise the look of their system via the power of colour. Â The BitFenix Shadow has 2 available colour options available (red or blue) and should fit in with most system colour schemes; the red would be perfect for those with ROG themed set-ups or MSI Gaming users. Â It should be noted that the LED bar supports both red/blue and that all the Shadow models will do this; no need to look out for a certain model number as the Shadow has both colours included in the one case.
Overall, the Shadow hasn’t been that good to build inside and I felt I came across more problems than I should have; some of them could be easily solved though. One way I would change the Shadow is give another 0.5cm clearance between the back of motherboard tray and the side panel; this would allow cables to actually sit there without intruding into the drive bays etc. Another thing is the side panels, they do feel slightly on the cheap side and although £55 isn’t considered expensive for a case, it certainly isn’t cheap compared to some and I feel the Ronin which isn’t that much more money represents much better value for money. Aside from that, the Shadow is a cracking case and in terms of aesthetics, BitFenix have done a good job.
