X-bit labs

Foxconn System Cases Roundup (page 5)

Category: Other

by Yury Vayukin

[ 03/28/2005 | 09:50 AM ]

Foxconn TS-05

This is a black case with a silvery insertion on the front panel. There are three open 5.25” bays and two open 3.5” bays here. Devices of silvery and black colors alike are going to look nice in this system case.

On the front panel, to the right of the 3.5” bays, there are headphones and microphone connectors and two USB ports. Five cables that end with one-wire or single-row plugs trail from these connectors into the inside of the case. The Reset and Power-On buttons are situated in the center of the panel.

There are three horizontal slits in the front panel. That’s aesthetically appealing, but also functional – air comes through these slits into the case.

The case is opened up by removing the left side (the right side is riveted to the case, so you cannot take it off), which holds on two thumbscrews. The screws have a hole for a hex-headed screwdriver.

There’s a loop on the chassis of the case for a lock that would prevent unauthorized access to the inside of the computer.

There’s a hole in the left panel of the case through which air comes from outside to cool the CPU. A plastic funnel is installed against this hole on the inside of the panel. Between the funnel and the panel there is a filter, but I don’t think this filter is going to prevent dust from getting into the case – the holes in the filter are too big. You have to manually regulate the distance between the funnel and the CPU cooler by unfastening the cone of the funnel along the threading. It can take several tries to find the necessary distance, that’s why I think the self-regulating corrugating pipe employed in the competitor models is a better solution.

To put 5.25” and 3.5” devices into the “open” bays, you have to remove the face panel first. It is held by metal rivets which can theoretically sustain many such remove/install procedures.

The open bays are initially covered with metal brackets; once out, these brackets cannot be put back.