Rosewill’s BLACKHAWK mid-tower case has
been out for a while, but we only recently had the opportunity to get our hands
on one for review. Having spent some time around the case’s larger sibling, the
BLACKHAWK-ULTRA and having loved it we jumped at the chance.
The BLACKHAWK has the same classic look as
the BLACKHAWK ULTRA, with simple, clean lines, a mesh front panel for optimal
airflow, and a side panel window for showing off the goods inside. It’s a steel
case, so durability isn’t likely to be an issue, and weighs just over 21
pounds.
Rosewill
BLACKHAWK
If you’re tempted to write this case off as
a budget offering from a store brand, think again. The BL ACKHAWK may be
inexpensive at $89.99, but Rosewill doesn’t skimp on the amenities. It comes
with five preinstalled fans, which would be impressive for a case that costs
half again as much, and three of them are blue LED units. There are mounts for
installing a couple more if you’d like. Its USB 3.0 ports connect to an
internal header, it boasts eight expansion slots, and its feet are the
heavy-duty rubber kind, not some cheap plastic pegs you need to worry about
snapping off.
The BL ACKHAWK provides a decent cable
management system, plenty of room for biggish graphics cards (you can install
cards up to 16.5 inches in length if you remove the HDD cage), and tool-less
drive bays. It also has an easy-to-clean dust filter for your PSU, which mounts
in the bottom of the case, and an external SATA hard drive dock built into the
top panel.
The case is easy to work with, thanks to
the inclusion of knurled thumbscrews at critical points as well as other
niceties, and we like the way the blue LED fans set off the case in low (or no)
light. Rosewill’s BL ACKHAWK delivers sturdy reliability and an impressive
value for its modest price.
Information
Price: $89.99
Website: www.rosewill.com
Specs: Dimensions: 19.9 x 8.4 x 20.3
inches (HxWxD); Motherboard support: mATX, ATX; Bays: 4 (or 3, with FDD)
5.25-inch external, 6 2.5/3.5-inch internal; Fans (included): 2 120mm blue
LED front, 1 120mm rear, 1 140mm blue LED top, 1 120mm side; Fans (optional):
2 120/140mm top, 1 120/140mm bottom; Front panel: 2 USB 3.0, 4 USB 2.0, audio
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