It is actually not always convenient, I should say: in order to remove the very top cover and install an optical drive, I had to remove the top hinge of the front panel first, as it was in the way.

The metal blank covers are also fastened with screws, which is very reliable and practical:

To the right of the front panel there is a lock with three basic positions:

1. the access to the front panel is locked;
2. you can open the front panel door and access the buttons and drives;
3. you can open the front panel door and a plastic panel behind it.

In the latter case, once you open the plastic panel behind the front door, you will see a special grid separating the fan from the front panel. This grid is fastened with clips, so you can easily remove it for cleaning if necessary.

The second lock serves to prevent unauthorized access inside the system. It is situated on the side panel. You will not be able to remove the side panel if it is locked.

A standard set of connectors, such as two USB ports, one IEEE1394 port and two connectors for headphones and a microphone, are located not on the front panel but on the top of the case behind a small push-to-open cover: if you are planning to put your system case under the desk, it might be pretty hard to reach for these connectors, but other than that this location seems to be pretty convenient: you don’t have to open the front panel door every time you need to plug in the headphones or a flash drive.

At the bottom of the case there are special stands, which can be rotated in order to ensure maximum stability of the case on any surface:

Now let’s take a closer look at what can be found inside.