14 DAY TRIAL // Phobya has just released a desktop PC enclosure that more or less gives a kick in the rear to all those conventions that define such things. There's nothing normal about the Black Owl, save for the vaguely rectangular shape.
Desktop cases are usually box-like constructs that like to cover up as much of every free space as possible, to say the least.
Air intake and exhaust areas are covered in mesh most of the time, whether or not a fan is there, and even the PCI expansion slots have covers that only get taken off when an add-in card of some sort needs access to the outside.
Sure, some people like to have a clear view of the inside of the case, but that problem is commonly solved by a side window.
That's why the new Black Owl case from Phobya is so strange: it has more gaps in its side, front and top panels than several regular ones put together.
And we cannot overlook the metal section that divides the bottom compartment of the chassis in half. It basically screams “put your biggest cooler here.”
Then again, cooling is the whole point. In fact, the Black Owl was made specifically with water cooling in mind.
A quad radiator can be installed at the top, of up to four 120 mm fans, and the vertical bracket on the bottom can hold a triple radiator of its own, with 120 mm or 140 mm fans. They can be set and tightened on both sides really.
Then, there's the concave area at the back (which can hold a 120 mm radiator or fan), and the routing holes for water cooling tubes next to the eighth slot bezel. That there is enough space for two PSUs below that expansion slot area cannot be overlooked either.
Add to that the cover that allows a pump/reservoir to be installed in place of the second PSU, and there's a lot of water flowing through your system.
All in all, Phobya Black Owl measures 665 x 625 x 235 millimeters / 26.18 x 24.60 x 9.25 inches and weighs under 7 kilos / 15.43 pounds. It has three 5.25-inch bays, three 3.5-inch HDD bays, four 2.5-inch HDD/SSD bays and a price of €470 / $470. It lacks pre-installed power and reset buttons though. Buyers will have to choose from Phobya's “vandalism-proof push-buttons.”
