14 DAY TRIAL // A new desktop case has been revealed, one that isn't much larger than most standard enclosures in the world but still looks different enough to stand out. As long as you don't try to compare it to truly weird things, like the case of the Alienware Area 51 for instance.
The chassis we're going to talk about is called Z11 Neo and is the newest PC enclosure to make it out of the laboratories of Zalman.
The newcomer has all the necessities covered, as well as some features that qualify it as a gaming-grade piece of equipment.
Sure, it's not the fanciest case in the world, but it does have a less than ordinary front design and a complete paint job, among other things.
The Zalman Z11 Neo gaming desktop chassis
First off, the newcomer measures 205 x 465 x 515 mm / 8.07 x 18.30 x 20.27 inches, meaning that it isn't any larger than other mid-towers.
That doesn't prevent it from having enough room for even the biggest graphics cards on the market though. The top length supported is 400 mm / 15.75 inches.
That's more than any video card will ever require, and is owed to the possibility to detach the middle drive bay. It will rob you of three 3.5-inch / 2.5-inch HDD/SSD bays, but you'd still be left with another three in the cage below.
If you don't want to remove the HDD/SSD cage, you'll have to limit your graphics card purchases to models no longer than 270 mm / 10.62 inches.
That said, there is a single 5.25-inch drive bay, for an optical drive of whatever sort. There are two more 5.25-inch concealed ones, but they're more likely intended for a liquid cooling water tank or something.
Either way, the brushed faux-metal front will conceal most things from view under a nice, aesthetically understated veneer. On that note, a sliding shutter lies over the 5.25-inch ODD bay.
Other features include an 8-pin EPS extension cable, a motherboard tray with cutouts, a pair of 120 mm fans at the top, dust filters on the intake vents (120-mm fan on the bottom). Finally, the main framework is made of SECC steel but the covers are of ABS plastic.
Availability and pricing
Unfortunately, Zalman did not reveal either in its press release. Kind of a shame, but we suppose we'll have to live with the disappointment.
