Thermaltake Level 10 GT Chassis

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If you are in the market for a new case, make sure you check out OCIA's Thermaltake Level 10 GT review. If you like the Tt Level 10 but you don't have the budget for it, the Level 10 GT might be for you.

The Thermaltake Level 10 GT is yet another case that I had the opportunity to preview at CES 2011. The Level 10 GT is a follow-up to the original Level 10 that garnered a ton of press from CES 2010. The goal with this new version is to bring the style of the original Level 10 case to a much more reasonable price point. The original had an asking price around $800 - more than some users spend on an entire system!
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I admit i didn't like the Level 10 design at first, but it grew on me. I even sort of want one now.
 
It takes all the good points about the Level 10 (of which they're aren't many to start with) and jettisons them one by one in the name of lowering the price till you're left with something that feels like a cheap steel and plastic knock-off of itself that's still severely overpriced. It's a box with bumps on it. A $270 box. No thanks.
 
i wish they make a updated model of the first type.

with usb 3.0 and stuff for the front panel. also make it more of a mid tower size.
 
forum lag, double post :/

If only gt wasnt made with mostly plastic
 
silent-circuit said:
It takes all the good points about the Level 10 (of which they're aren't many to start with) and jettisons them one by one in the name of lowering the price till you're left with something that feels like a cheap steel and plastic knock-off of itself that's still severely overpriced. It's a box with bumps on it. A $270 box. No thanks.
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As a Level 10 GT owner, I think you are just seeing a box with bumps, and not seeing the functionality the case provides.

Those bumps are more then just bumps...on one side, the extra width of the case provides room for clean cable routing. On the other side, the extended width allows the 200mm fan to be mounted in such a fashion that it doesn't obstruct anything installed in the expansion slot area. To the front of the case, the hot swap bay design is very intelligent, allowing for easy-removal of the drives without extensive effort, the way a hot-swap bay should be.

Airflow throughout the case is excellent, and all air intakes, even the optional one, are filtered. The headset hook is a very simple, but welcome addition, and keeps my G35s off my desk. The front panel connectivity is excellent, with intelligent placement of the USB ports and USB 3.0 support. The handle is sturdy enough to carry the case fully loaded with components, and the case feels strong despite the usage of plastics in multiple areas. The case also has a damn near perfect side door mechanism, allowing for easy opening, removal, and the ability to route power to the side fan without adding cable clutter.

Is the case perfect? No. It is somewhat bulky in a needless fashion, and they missed some opportunities for the case...the drive mounting mechanism should be easier, focused on a tool-less design. The area behind the drive cages could easily accomidate two 120mm fans, or a 240mm radiator if the mounts were made available. The built in fan controller should be beefed up, letting you put more fans on it, with more settings for speed and remembering the LED color of choice.

Overall however, it's an excellent choice. A case can last you through multiple builds if you chose a good one. Therefore, the price should be seen as an obstacle...you should see it as paying a bit more to get a case that will last longer.
 
How many times are we going to see this case posted, and ridiculed (this must be the fifth time I have seen a thread about this case)?

Looks better than the MK-1 anyway.
 
Konig-Wolf said:
Overall however, it's an excellent choice. A case can last you through multiple builds if you chose a good one. Therefore, the price should be seen as an obstacle...you should see it as paying a bit more to get a case that will last longer.
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I had a Lian Li V2000B Plus II that lasted through 3 builds, till I got tired of it. Now I have a PC-A05B, which has made it through several major hardware changes and likely won't be replaced for years. It cost $100. It's not plastic.
 
silent-circuit said:
I had a Lian Li V2000B Plus II that lasted through 3 builds, till I got tired of it. Now I have a PC-A05B, which has made it through several major hardware changes and likely won't be replaced for years. It cost $100. It's not plastic.
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Lian Li V2000B Plus II was $250 in it's heyday.

The PC-A05B is a mid-tower, which shouldn't be compared to a full-tower like the Level 10 GT.

I think your comparisons are a bit off.
 
Konig-Wolf said:
Lian Li V2000B Plus II was $250 in it's heyday.

The PC-A05B is a mid-tower, which shouldn't be compared to a full-tower like the Level 10 GT.

I think your comparisons are a bit off.
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The V2000B Plus II also supported E-ATX and was all aluminum.

The PC-A05B wasn't meant to be a direct comparison, I was simply showing that it's not at all unusual for a quality case to last several builds. As many as you want it to, really, given how long ATX spec has hung around. That aside, I got similar temps with a CrossfireX setup in th A05B as I did in the ATCS-840 before it, so don't let the mid-tower size confuse you. It's a very capable case.

I've owned quite a few cases and worked with many more. Nothing about the Level 10 GT comes anywhere near justifying its price. It's a cheap steel and plastic case, typical of Thermaltake. They made the Xaser series. I rest my case.
 
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