Raijintek Metis Windowed Review
Category : Cases
Published by Luca Rocchi on 16.01.15
With the Metis, Raijintek has a new miniITX case in its portfolio, which is made from aluminium as well as steel. Apart from that this case is very compact but it still offers enough space so you can install mini gaming graphics cards as well as coolers that measure up to 160 millimeter in height. If you consider that you don't even have to pay 50 Euro for all this, then it starts to sound like a great deal.
Today,
we will be checking out the latest mini PC case from Raijintek, aimed to be
used with mini-ITX motherboards, the Metis.
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Preview
Specifications
| Model |
Metis |
| Case Type |
Cube case |
| Dimensions |
190 x 277 x 254 mm, 2.80 Kg |
| Material |
Aluminum |
| Color |
Blue |
| 5.25'' drive
bay |
0 |
| 3.5'' drive bay |
1 |
| 2.5" drive bay |
2 |
| Expansion
slots |
2 |
| Form factors |
Mini-ITX |
| Cooling |
Rear: 1x 120mm (included)
|
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Bundle
Overview |
|
| The Metis bundle is simple and pretty straight-forward. The actual box is made out of cardboard with all the basic information
regarding the case printed on it. Inside, we found the Metis wrapped up in a plastic bag, and safely placed
between two big pieces of styrofoam. This kind of packaging will most
likely be enough for the case to survive even the roughest shipping. Along with the case itself, the bundle also includes an instruction manual, which is always helpful, as
well as a few other things including a plastic bag with screws needed for assembly
and some zip-ties.
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Product overview
Overview |
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The Raijintek Metis is a small case designed for mini-ITX motherboard
and ultra compact systems. Unlike most PC cases, the Metis is completly smooth and without any openings, only on the left panel,
you can find a small mesh that helps to cool the internal components. On this model, all the connections are located
at the top and it includes two USB3.0 ports and the classic 3.5mm audio jacks. Despite the small size of the Metis, the case is able to accomodate an ATX power supply of a medium size as well as graphics cards with a maximum length of 170 mm. |
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Installation
Overview |
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| The Raijintek Metis is probably one of the smallest
and most compact cases we have tested so far. Given the size of offered interior space
it is not difficult to imagine how to insert the components inside the
Metis. The motherboard is placed vertically with the sockets facing down while the power supply is housed in the front part of the case. As far as the storage is concerned, you can equip the Metis with up to one 3.5" HDD and up to two 2.5" devices. All HDDs are positioned on slides which
can be attached at the bottom and the top of the case. Despite its very small dimensions of 190 x 277 x 254 mm, the Metis is able to accommodate a mid-range graphics card and medium-sized ATX power supplies. For our system, we used a fully modular and sleeved 550W ATX PSU, which was probably not the best solution but despite this we were able to make a
decent cable management job as well as have no trouble in assembling the entire system.
Due to the size of the case, it is not necessary to use a low profile CPU cooler since Metis is compatible with CPU cooler with a maximus height of 160mm. Given the particular characteristics of this model, we decided to perform different configurations with SFX power supplies and liquid cooling systems. The installation is not very easy like
with an ATX case but still on very good level since all the panels are just attached to the main chassis with screws and without rivets; in other words is very easy to reach even the most difficult areas.
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Ventilation options
Overview |
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| Having a closer look at the cooling options provided with this case, we found the slot
at the back of the case, which holds the pre-installed 120 millimeter fan. Regarding the CPU and GPU
cooling, the Raijintek Metis is compatible with mid-range CPU cooler up to 160mm
tall and GPU with a maximum length of 170mm. |
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[pagebreak]
Conclusion
| General |
|
+ |
- |
| The Raijintek Metis
really impressed us. Despite its small size and a rather low price, this
PC case is able to accommodate an entry-
to mid-range gaming systems which are equipped with either mini-ITX video cards such as the GTX 760 or the newer R9 285. In addition, the case is compatible with
medium sized ATX power supplies, which is always a bonus on such small
cases. The build quality is on a good level and we did not see any particular problems during the installation of the components. The bundle includes a 120mm fan on the only spot available on
the Metis. Last but not the least, is an ability to install an
AIO water cooling system with a 120mm radiator at the front of the case. |
|
-Price
- Internal space
- Build quality
- ATX PSU
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| Manufacturing quality / Ergonomics |
|
+ |
- |
| Metis is made of blue painted aluminum of very good quality and SPCC. The sidepanels are rather light but we not found any sharp edges or bad finish. The mounting process was easy and simple, so we have not found anything to report and there is also a lot of room to work with components since all the panels are removable. We particularly enjoyed the internal layout regarding the CPU cooler or the PSU since it is not necessary any low profile solution. |
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- High quality materials
- HDDs space
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| Design / Layout |
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+ |
- |
| The design is clean and simple, and the lines of the Metis are definitely timeless. Even the space inside is done in a very good manner. Regarding the cooling there is no much to say since the Metis offers
a single 120mm fan mount and it comes bundled with a 120mm fan. The Raijintek Metis is a small case that is able to accomodate
entry- to mid-range systems with an ATX PSU. This model is simple and almost without flaws, since there is space for a mid-range GPU.
We would also prefer to see some sort of mesh opening at the top of the
case which could significantly help with cooling. |
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- Design
- ATX PSU
- Space
for medium size GPU
- Available in few colors |
- No upper mesh |
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| Recommendation |
|
+ |
- |
| If you are looking for an ITX
compatible PC case with a very clean and elegant design and, at the same time, a very good quality, then
the Raijintek Metis is definitely
the case to consider. The Raijintek Metis allows you to get an HTPC systems and even install dedicated graphics card. The interior space is enough for mid-range
graphics cards and would be perfect for some recently launched mini-ITX
graphics cards. Currently, on Geizhals, the price of the Raijintek Metis is
at around 48 euro without shipping cost. |
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- HTPC
- Desktop
- Gaming
- Price
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| Rating |
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The Raijintek Metis gets
very good
4.5 out of 5 stars. |
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