14 DAY TRIAL // There is little doubt that one, if not the, most eye-catching product that Thermaltake has in its lineup is the famed Level 10 chassis. The case was first previewed as far back as last year's CeBIT and was first unboxed in September 2009, after which it finally became available in December. Now that the Hanover, Germany expo has come again, the company is eagerly showcasing a special version of the top-end housing.
The first Level 10 model came in an all-black, aluminum chassis with no power supply and not only was its design unique and enthralling on the outside, but it also assisted in keeping things cool on the inside. The model currently on display in Hanover is mostly similar to the original, with the exception being the new theme, that of intense flames. This is a rather unique case where fire makes a product cooler than it was before.
As for the specifications, there are no visible changes. The case maintains the same, massive, ATX Super Full Tower form factor and, as such, can accommodate both micro-ATX and ATX motherboards.
The product boasts support for up to three 5.25-inch drives and six internal 3.5-inch storage units, whether hard disk drives or solid state drives. In addition, the Level 10 has eight expansion slots and a number of fans, namely a 120mm, red, LED fan and a 140mm, equally red spinner, as well as two 60mm Silent Fans. Combined with the chassis' shape and internal design, these fans enable an efficient cooling solution. As for I/O options, Thermaltake's casing boasts USB, audio and eSATA connectors on the front.
The original Thermaltake Level 10 all-black aluminum chassis has been available online since December, at a price of $850. As far as the new, fire-themed model is concerned, however, it is still unclear when it will arrive in stores and how much more it will cost.
Live report by Traian Teglet from CeBIT 2010 in Hanover, Germany.
