Conclusion:
The Moneaul MonCaso 972S home theater PC case is something like an all-in-one solution for those looking to build a highly function, extremely attractive HTPC. You not only get a great case with plenty of top-notch features, but you also get a multi-function remote control and an integrated seven inch touchscreen to make interacting with your system enjoyable and convenient.
The case is well made and just about 100% aluminum. It looks good and will definitely compliment the other components in a home media center. There is plenty of room inside the case to build up a powerful system, and even though there are only two 80mm exhaust fans for cooling, there are plenty of ventilation locations, two of which can be used with your own 80mm fans for air intake.
On the downside, most items worth mentioning would merely be wish list item (tool-less drive cages, including a DVI to VGA adaptor, hard drive vibration isolation mounts). The one thing that bothered me, and was hopefully isolated to just this case, is that three of the ten screws needed to secure the drive cages were in some way damaged upon delivery. A high end case like this, with such attention to detail paid to just about every aspect, really is no place for damage due to a hasty assembly.
At this point you should be prepared for a high price tag based on all of the high end features included with this case. At just under $500 from Quiet PC USA, I would definitely say my expectations on the price were met. Shopping around won't get you a better deal, as this case isn't very widely available, and buying directly from Moneual will cost you $30 more. Considering that a good seven inch touchscreen might cost $200 or more, and the remote control will cost at least $50, the price of the case alone is definitely competitive when considering the quality, craftsmanship, and features.
The bottom line is that this is a high end case with a few bells and whistles above and beyond what you typically see. If you are looking for an upscale home for your HTPC components with a well integrated touchscreen and wireless remote, the Moneaul MonCaso 972S home theater PC case can definitely be considered "Highly Recommended".
Pros:
» Incredible appearance and overall high quality design
» Touchscreen serves a practical purpose, and is just really cool
» Remote control makes interacting with HTPC simple
» Plenty of ventilation and two quiet 80mm fans included
» Test system ran cool and quiet
» Fairly roomy, with space for larger graphics cards and up to four hard drives
» Aluminum optical drive bezel completes the look regardless of drive used
Cons:
» A case like this doesn't come cheap - Price tag around $500
» Hastily assembled - one stripped screw, one stripped screw head, and one cross-threaded screw
» Including a DVI to VGA adapter would be nice
» Hard drive vibration reducing mounts would be nice
Special thanks to Quiet PC USA for providing the Moneual MonCaso 972S Home Theater PC Case to Bigbruin.com for review!
Please drop by the Bigbruin.com Forum and feel free to post any comments or questions.
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