Xigmatek Nebula Review
Category : Cases
Published by Luca Rocchi on 23.02.15
The Nebula is a cube case from Xigmatek with very small dimensions. It allows the installation of mini-ITX motherboards in combination with ATX power supplies. In addition there is enough space in order to create a small HTPC or file server. You could even build a staggering looking little office PC.
Today we're having a look at another mini tower case,
the Xigmatek Nebula. Apparently, Xigmatek has designed the Nebula to be most suitable for office PCs, HTPCs and media servers.
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Preview
Specifications
| Model |
Nebula |
| Case Type |
Cube case / HTPC |
| Dimensions |
260mm (H) x 260mm (W) x 305mm (D) |
| Material |
ABS, SECC |
| Color |
White |
| 5.25'' drive
bay |
0 |
| 3.5'' drive bay |
1 |
| 2.5'' drive bay |
1 |
| Expansion
slots |
2 |
| Form factors |
Mini-ITX |
| Cooling |
1x 120mm
|
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Bundle
Overview |
|
The Xigmatek Nebula bundle is
simple and pretty straight-forward. The actual box is made out of cardboard with all the basic information printed on it. Inside, we found the
Xigmatek Nebula case tightly wrapped up in a plastic bag, and safely placed inside two big pieces of styrofoam, so that even the roughest shipping
would not hurt the actual case inside. Along with the case itself, the bundle also includes an instruction manual, which is always helpful, and a few other things
including a plastic bag with screws needed for assembly as well as some zip-ties.
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[pagebreak]
Product overview
Overview |
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The Xigmatek Nebula is a very stylish
mini tower PC case made of ABS plastic and SECC steel. This case is to
be used with
Mini-ITX
motherboards. Almost all surfaces of the case, including front and top
as well as both side panels are smooth. Apart from that there is a small
backlit power button, that has been integrated into the front. The side panels are
clean and simple. There are only the I/O connectors and the Xigmatek
label other than the smooth surfaces. To be a bit more precise on the
connectors, there are two USB 3.0 ports and the classic 3.5mm audio jacks. As noted above,
even the top panel is smooth as well as elegant
and in line with the style of the rest of the case. Despite its small
from factor,
the interior of the Xigmatek Nebula is easily accessible from every side,
which is due to the fact that the panels are completely removable
thanks to a tool-less locking system.
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Installation
Overview |
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| As
we already mentioned the Xigmatek Nebula is compatible with
Mini-ITX form-factor motherboards, which is placed horizontally and
hidden below the power supply unit. We recommend the use of stock or low-profile heatsinks but there
should also
be enough space for a small tower cooler, due to the fact that there is about 80mm of clearance. The space for the power supply
unit is adequate and even allows the installation of large, non-modular units,
although this case is not designed for assembling a gaming
system. In our case, we used
the BitFenix Fury PSU without any issues. The Xigmatek Nebula offers
space to one 3.5" HDD and one 2.5" HDD/SSD in a cage located in the
upper part of the case. For our system we chose to use the Gigabyte H81N
motherboard with a stock heatsink. After placing the motherboard where
is belongs, we
did not encounter any problems
with space or wiring. Nevertheless if you want to plug in a powerful
graphics card, keep in mind you're limited to installing models that
measure 230 millimeter in length.
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Ventilation options
Overview |
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| From the cooling
point of view, the Xigmatek Nebula does not offer many options. Mostly
due to
its shape and size, the Nebula only allows the installation of one 120mm fan in the rear part of the case.
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[pagebreak]
Conclusion
| General |
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+ |
- |
| The Xigmatek Nebula is a mini
cube case designed for
those who are looking for an elegant and classic design. Contrary to what you might think,
the Nebula is not an inaccessible case or difficult to assemble because of
its small size. Internal as well as external build quality is good as well as the external steel since
all the parts are solid and heavy. The interior space is
adequate and you will be able to use one standard HDDs and one 2.5-inch SSD/HDD. |
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- Design
- Internal space
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| Manufacturing quality / Ergonomics |
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+ |
- |
The Xigmatek Nebula is made of black SECC
steel and black ABS plastic, internally as well as externally. The sidepanels are pretty heavy despite their small size,
and we couldn't find any sharp edges or bad finish. The mounting process was easy and very simple, we have
not found anything to report and, paradoxically, we had more
assembly problems with a few other ATX cases. Despite the small size of the case,
it offers space for one 3.5" HDD and one 2.5" HDDs/SSDs. In addition, there is enough space for a
small tower cooler and a
standard ATX PSU. |
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- ATX PSU
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| Design / Layout |
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+ |
- |
The design is clean and simple
and the Xigmatek Nebula leaves a timeless and classy impression. There
is even enough space on the inside, which is nothing that's self-evident
with great looking products. Regarding the cooling, there is no much to
say since there is only one slot for a 120mm fan included in the bundle. Since this case is mostly designed for an HTPC/Media Server, we would
have liked to see a 5.25" slot or a place for a slot-in optical drive.
Unlike the C Nebula, which we've already reviewed, this version freatures a grey
base plate, that doesn't just look nice, but also adds to better
airflow. |
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- Design
- Internal space
- Lower base
|
- 5.25"Slot |
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| Recommendation |
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+ |
- |
| If you are looking for a small
PC case with a very clean and elegant design and, at the same time, a good quality, then Xigmatek Nebula is definitely
worth considering. Nebula could be a very good solution for
HTPC or a media server. At Caseking, the Nebula is listed at 69 euro. |
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Office
- HTPC
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| Rating |
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The Xigmatek Nebula gets good
4 out of 5 stars. |
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