October 1, 2014 - by Author: Steve Lynch Editor: Kyle Bennett
Thermaltake has some very lofty goals set for its new mid-tower case. Its primary goal is to deliver outstanding cooling performance which is always high on our priority list as well. Form and function both seem to be well served in this new Core V51 model as its performance profile is not hard on the eyes.
Today we are reviewing the Thermaltake Core V51 mid-tower case.
Thermaltake is a company that needs no introductions. To be honest, the reason most of us know the name is because we've probably, at some point in the past decade, had one (or more) of its products installed in our systems. In the early days, the Thermaltake brand was synonymous with performance cooling but, over the last few years, it is hard to find a segment of the industry the company hasn't expanded into.
We have featured numerous products from Thermaltake in our product reviews over the years, everything from the company's cooling products and award winning power supplies to audio components and its uniquely distinctive computer cases.
V51 Sound Test:
Conclusion
After spending some quality time with the Thermaltake Core V51, we have to say we are very impressed with this chassis. Obviously no case is perfect and there are a few things we'd like to see changed. Having to remove the front panel to access the bottom front filter is a bit of a pain but, if you are cleaning your filters, the front panel would have to be removed anyway. The case ships with three 120mm fans, it would have been nice to see the V51 ship with 140mm fans. The bottom rear filter, which is over nine inches in length and removes from the rear, requires moving your whole case to service and clean.
We very much like the direction Thermaltake has taken with the aesthetics of its Core line of cases. You'll notice that the Core V51 chassis shares a lot of the distinctive and stylish good looks of the Tt Core V1 mini-ITX case which we feel is a very good thing.
It's no secret that we love modular drive racks. This feature gives you the freedom to configure your system to perfectly suit your needs and Thermaltake has taken its modular drive rack design a step further by attaching the drive racks to the motherboard tray and making the 5.25" optical drive bays removable as well. Want to improve airflow from the front of your case to your GPUs? Remove one or more drive racks. Need space for a second or third water cooling loop? Take all the drive racks completely out and use the alternative mounting locations behind the motherboard tray.
Thermaltake chassis' have always excelled in the area of fan filtration systems. Including filters on all the intake fan mounting locations and the addition of the magnetic filter on the top of the chassis makes the Core V51 stand out from the crowd. The washable plastic filters in the front and bottom do a great job keeping dust from getting into your system. While the filter in the base of the case might is a bit difficult to remove once your system is in place, that has no impact on its ability to filter dust.
Enthusiasts are in and out of their cases more than any other group we know. We are constantly upgrading our hardware, troubleshooting or just trying different configurations. The swing out side panels make accessing hardware a snap. The ability to remove one or more hard drive racks and optical drive bays makes sure there is room for future expansion when it comes time to upgrade components. The multitude of configuration options definitely make the Core V51 a pleasure to work with.
The cooling performance of the Thermaltake Core V51 was phenomenal thanks in large part to the spacious design and the modular hard drive racks that allow you to not only customize your storage configuration but also to tailor air flow and fine tune your system's cooling performance. The multiple rows of slotted mounting holes in the top of the chassis is a stroke of genius as well.
The Bottom Line
Surviving our enthusiast testing process isn't a chore to be taken lightly. Every case that comes through the HardOCP labs is thoroughly examined, pushed to the limit, and tested in ways that we feel gives you an accurate assessment of the product's ability to perform in the manner you would use it at home. The Thermaltake Core V51 is a water cooling enthusiast's dream...possibly wet. The configuration possibilities of the Core V51 are virtually endless, the build quality is great and it delivers everything you could want in a mid-tower case and more.
The Thermaltake Core V51 is available from Amazon for $109.99 with Prime Shipping (stock is expected at Amazon very soon), or from Newegg for $109.99 with $10 shipping (stock today).
For more information, please go to:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2014/10/01/thermaltake_core_v51_midtower_case_review/1
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