Akasa Zen review

By far the cheapest case on test, the sub-£30 Akasa Zen will appeal to anyone on a tight budget. It looks better in white than black, partly because the clear plastic surround doesn't look tacky when combined with white plastic. But whichever colour you opt for, the Zen gives plenty of bang per buck.

The front panel offers four 5.25in bays, the topmost of which is designed for an optical drive. You mount the drive behind the hinged panel and adjust the Zen's button to push the drive's eject button. This means you can install a beige drive without ruining the colour scheme. There are also two 3.5in bays at the front, and four more inside. Only the 5.25in bays are quick-release; the rest - plus the rear expansion slots - have screws.

There are no removable drive cages, and no front access for the hard disk mounts, which could make it tricky to install or remove a disk with a large motherboard installed. The Gigabyte, by contrast, has two transverse hard disk mounts, so you can slide drives in from the side.

But, like the more expensive Gigabyte, the Akasa boasts 120mm fan mounts at the front and rear, and, surprisingly, fans are included in the price. It means plenty of air can flow past the hard disks, across the motherboard and out the back. Although there are no vents in the front panel, a gap at the bottom allows enough air to be sucked in. The fans themselves aren't too noisy, but the motors emit a buzzing noise you may be able to hear depending on how close you are to the case. The fans don't have speed controls like Antec's, but you can easily install a separate fan controller and still have change from £50.

Hidden behind a pop-down door at the front are a couple of USB ports, as well as microphone and headphone sockets. The side panel has a vent and a plastic duct attached to it, which will help the CPU fan to suck in cool air from outside the case, keeping temperatures as low as possible.

The Zen might be a basic affair that isn't the easiest to build or maintain, but it will keep your components cool and should run quietly without needing extra fans. If you don't need the frills of the Antec Solo, the Zen is a sensible choice.

Author: Jim Martin