WiNDy cases to start selling in NA/EU

They were desirable a few years ago lol like 2002 but these days they can keep em.
I don't see anything good about their cases over silverstone and lian li.Quite frankly their latest range is distinctly average to say the least.

Quality of the product is a good start to why people choose WiNDy over > *. I've got both SS and LL. The Silverstone quality is above the Lian Li, but it relates to the models for each that I have. But we're not going to turn this into a war. WiNDy has some very creative ideas, quality builds, and I for one love the FX2000 R4.
 
I've wanted one of their flagship Alcadia cases for about a year now since I first saw their website, but didn't become very interested in buying one until they launched the latest Alcadia model in December. When they (out of the blue) revealed they were going to rebrand their cases as "ALEXER" I wasn't feeling that move. So I ended up ordering one through their Japanese site using my go-to deputy service last month -- which is what I guess I wanted to do all along anyway despite the January announcement, since I had a sneaky suspicion (justified or not) they were going to "alter" the case somehow for the international market.

Using the Windy May Fair campaign last month, I purchased a Black Knight FX 2000 R4 Japan Version for 34,650 yen at S Grade. I would have also paid the same price for an outlet model grade so I'm very excstatic about this deal personally. It includes additional bells and whistles such as the special silencer that goes on the back, bay leafs, some case feet (to my dismay, not the S-Limited version), SSD holders, some addtional screws, and so on. Of course, as anyone who follows their site knows, they like to re-issue/extend these campaign sales, and so you can purchase one for a similar price right now as well.

I still have a ways to go before I get the case. It isn't even scheduled to ship until the end of this month or early July, apparently due to some production delay from what I am told by my deputy service (and I placed the order sometime in May). I believe it was supposed to ship a week ago. I think this was the best move for me personally. I was getting tired of checking their website daily to see when they would start their sales back in March and never seeing anything updated (I see they finally changed it from April to July a few days ago). Good luck to all those who are still waiting for them to start selling internationally. Hopefully they won't delay it any further for you guys.
 
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I've wanted one of their flagship Alcadia cases for about a year now since I first saw their website, but didn't become very interested in buying one until they launched the latest Alcadia model in December. When they (out of the blue) revealed they were going to rebrand their cases as "ALEXER" I wasn't feeling that move. So I ended up ordering one through their Japanese site using my go-to deputy service last month -- which is what I guess I wanted to do all along anyway despite the January announcement, since I had a sneaky suspicion (justified or not) they were going to "alter" the case somehow for the international market.

Using the Windy May Fair campaign last month, I purchased a Black Knight FX 2000 R4 Japan Version for 34,650 yen at S Grade. I would have also paid the same price for an outlet model grade so I'm very excstatic about this deal personally. It includes additional bells and whistles such as the special silencer that goes on the back, bay leafs, some case feet (to my dismay, not the S-Limited version), SSD holders, some addtional screws, and so on. Of course, as anyone who follows their site knows, they like to re-issue/extend these campaign sales, and so you can purchase one for a similar price right now as well.

I still have a ways to go before I get the case. It isn't even scheduled to ship until the end of this month or early July, apparently due to some production delay from what I am told by my deputy service (and I placed the order sometime in May). I believe it was supposed to ship a week ago. I think this was the best move for me personally. I was getting tired of checking their website daily to see when they would start their sales back in March and never seeing anything updated (I see they finally changed it from April to July a few days ago). Good luck to all those who are still waiting for them to start selling internationally. Hopefully they won't delay it any further for you guys.

You ordered my dream case. Post pics up when you get it plz!
 
You ordered my dream case. Post pics up when you get it plz!

MB, just curious what color do you think you will choose for your Alcadia case if you end up getting one?
I'll post a little unboxing/build thread later in July.. in the mean time I've been drooling over cyber druid's thread of an older Alcadia model (also BK color) over here:http://www.overclock.net/computer-cases/235021-soldam-windy-xr-1-black-knight.html

I found something out about the International model compared to the Japan Version that I didn't realize until a little while ago (I apologize if this is old news). They revamped the cooling system for the international version. In the original Japan Version, the specs state there are 2 120mm fans and 4 92mm fans. But in the upcoming International Version there are 4 120mm fans and 2 92mm fans. So instead of having dual 92mm and dual 120mm fans on the front (Japan version), you have two sets of dual 120mm fans on the front (International version). Normally I'd think WTF this is a typo in the specs listing, but if you look at the pictures closely of the two models, they appear to have removed the bay at the bottom of the front in order to accomodate this, so it all makes sense.
 
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Once I get an order in, I'm going either Black or Black (SOJ). I'll probably get matching leafs with either a red, silver, or black lined. I do plan on order SSD trays, feet, and the works pretty much. I'm not even a big fan of silver or red cases, but the silver looks stunning and the fireball is sick as well. Hmm. So 4x 120mm fans uh ? Wonder what the air-flow increase will be? Man, I seriously cannot wait until I can get my case in my hands - hurry it up already WiNDy! :D:p
 
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Once I get an order in, I'm going either Black or Black (SOJ). I'll probably get matching leafs with either a red, silver, or black lined. I do plan on order SSD trays, feet, and the works pretty much. I'm not even a big fan of silver or red cases, but the silver looks stunning and the fireball is sick as well. Hmm. So 4x 120mm fans uh ? Wonder what the air-flow increase will be? Man, I seriously cannot wait until I can get my case in my hands - hurry it up already WiNDy! :D:p

Wait till you see the 'Mirage' ones in person. They're unlike any other case in existence. (I know because my 'Silver Fox' is a 'Mirage') :D

The exterior is basically a mirror.

They're releasing a limited number of World Cup 2010 limited editions right now :

mirage.jpg


blue.jpg


http://windy-online.com/case/limited/fsr1000_trigger_mirage/

http://windy-online.com/case/limited/mc3_trigger_mirage/
 
Received my WiNDy MC3 FX Mediterranean yesteday after watiing for over 2 months (it was worth it in the end) :

SoldamMC3FXMediterraneanpic1.jpg


CubeEnergyMC3FXMediterranean-Carton.jpg


CubeEnergyMC3FXMediterranean-Access.jpg

Came with 1 big load of accessories

CubeEnergyMC3FXMediterranean-Front.jpg

Fully assembled. My personal hobby site will be updated with all the pics within the next couple of days :

http://www.freewebs.com/elpibe10/
 
and how much did that cost?

while I goto Japan pretty often, I don't think a case is something that'd be easy to bring back
 
elpibe10, the mediterranean color is just sick and is always breathtaking to see in actual photos.

it took 48 days (lol) from the date of the order request, but my deputy service finally received the case yesterday. i hope to have it shipped shortly from japan as soon as they invoice me and figure out the shipping. i'm most likely going to do a unboxing/build thread somewhere else, so i'll try to remember to come back and post the link (or, if i'm not allowed due to [H] rules, i.. umm... won't).

i hope they start off with a really good sale for international customers.

edit, just wanted to add that international sales seem to be dated finally for July 21st (this was updated maybe 12 or so hours ago on the website). I wouldn't hold my breath only because this is the second time they're doing the continental crossing sale to mark the occasion. Back in spring, they never came through and the whole thing seemed to be in lingo. But I do think this time they will... I am really curious about what type of shipping options they're going to have. The fact that the yen is just so darn strong against the dollar these past few years really bites.
 
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worldwide shipping 07/21/2010
http://www-online.jp/

heh yeah but as i said before you posted that, i wouldn't hold my breath on that happening 100% due to past delays. but i think they'll finally come through this time (even though the timing is really bad from a price vantage point due to the yen's strength).

the cases will vary in price significantly...depends on what you want and if you buy it on sale during one of their campaigns, it's basically 1/2 off or more than their regular price or even lower if you buy an outlet model . my alcadia fx 2000r4 jv bk at full option with some other accessories cost 34000 yen, and that was basically half off during one of their sales, divide that by 84 (the current rate minus 2) and that's about how much it cost me in usd (not counting other fees i had to pay). the reality is the yen is just so strong right now against the usd... some people won't realize that, just look at the price tag and write them off and blame them anyway for something they can't control.

edit: i forgot to add that i obviously have NO IDEA how they'll be running their worldwide sales site, so please do not take my posts as conjecture for their pricing for international customers. all my information is simply based on their japanese (domestic) site. outlet models, sales/campaigns, and other specials that have been available on the domestic site may not be applicable for the international site. they may very well not even take into account the exchange rate when they set pricing (assuming they convert prices in other currencies).
 
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I'm not a big fan of all the screws and rivets and studs that stick out on the outside of the finshed case, often holding on acrylic panels. It screams 1999-2002 a little too much. Most other premium makers have moved onto clean edges and clean and modern case designs.
 
worldwide shipping 07/21/2010
http://www-online.jp/

I just found that link yesterday and was going to post it.

As you can see here origionally the shipping would start in March.

I've been waiting for a coupla years to buy one of these cases and I'm very grateful to the guys that "don't care for their looks". Stand back and let the guys who appreciate quality, classic design, and innovation get theirs first. :)

My LianLi A10-B will be out the door when Windy comes to town.

I do expect these cases to be 500.00 and up but it would be the last case I'd ever buy.....maybe....probably......least that's what I'm tellin' my wife. :D
 
These seem rather poorly air cooled, and don't seem to have any functionality for water cooling. They also look cramped with no meaningful cable routing. Can anyone with actual hands on experience with the Windys let me know if I'm mistaken on that?
 
it took 48 days (lol) from the date of the order request, but my deputy service finally received the case yesterday. i hope to have it shipped shortly from japan as soon as they invoice me and figure out the shipping. i'm most likely going to do a unboxing/build thread somewhere else, so i'll try to remember to come back and post the link (or, if i'm not allowed due to [H] rules, i.. umm... won't).
Please post the link....if not here, I'd appreciate a PM.

I'm going to buy one of these but the last time I tried a personal Japanese shopper he didn't make feel confident he could do the job and I dropped it.
 
Old, if you ever decide on what case and color you want, definitely fill us in. i have very little exp. with the better case manufacturers like LL and silverstone, so i won't be able to appreciate the difference in going to a WiNDy as much as someone like yourself.

And my mistake. i'll be posting a build thread here on [H] once one of the admins accommodates my request to close this account so i can use a new user name -- dont like this one anymore =P

my shipping bill wasn't pretty at all for this 17 pound behemoth of a case. $223 for EMS (could have paid for cheaper/slower shipping but i wanted it asap lol). this includes any other handling fees. i'm hopeful Hoshino Ing, the parent company of WiNDy, will find a way to get it done cheaper or offer slower/cheaper shipping options. someone mentioned the possibility of having local distributors down the line, which could help bring shipping down?

it has made its way across the pacific ocean and i'm hopeful it will be here soon.
Class: Express Mail International®
Status: Inbound International Arrival

Your item arrived in the United States in ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS) at 1:30 PM on July 17, 2010. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later.

Detailed Results:
Inbound International Arrival, July 17, 2010, 1:30 pm, ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)
Foreign International Dispatch, July 17, 2010, 5:47 am, TOKYO INT CONTAINER 1, JAPAN
Origin Post is Preparing Shipment
Foreign Acceptance, July 16, 2010, 4:23 pm, JAPAN
 
my shipping bill wasn't pretty at all for this 17 pound behemoth of a case. $223 for EMS
:eek:

I just can't/won't pay for that on top of a 500.00 case.....I consider 100-125.00 acceptable.

I'll just wait 'till I can see the whole ball of wax and go from there.

I'm definately looking forward to your thread.
 
$223 to ship a case? One that costs $500 on top of that? $700 for this? To each his own, but I don't understand the draw. If it didn't have all those rivets/bolts on the front, it might be okay.

sb.jpg


I don't get the airflow pattern in this case, it doesn't seem to be very well ventilated. There are tiny vents on the side but underneath them they are directly blocked by solid panels.

200bg2a.jpg


I don't think you can seriously expect to get any decent static pressure and airflow to get air through those tiny slits on the back end of the side panels, get the air to travel through the restrictive side space between the panels and the interior wall, and then take two 90° turns and then get sucked into the front and then out the back again. What's going to end up happening is that the side panels will heat up due to the heat in the back of the case and pass on that air through conduction to the cool air coming in the sides anyway. You'll end up with air that is already hot even before the 120mms in the front pull it into the system.

2rp927r.jpg
 
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The cases I'm sure are made out of nice material, but I don't see why everyone is freaking out over these designs. From what I've seen through the website, it's nothing to spend 500 dollars over. But that's just my opinion. Glad to see them making their way to the states, whether or not I like the things out now. I'm sure a new culture market means new types of case designs. Excited for that
 
My only complaint is the relative size of the case to the form factor. These things look huge for uATX or mITX. Hopefully they become further established in the States so we can cut down these stupid shipping costs. :p
 
All right, sorry about the misunderstanding. i forgot to clarify that the $223 price was NOT just for shipping of the case lol. this order is so old, i also forgot i ordered a 3-4 pound accessory from the WiNDy store, unrelated to the case which adds to the package weight. in addition, my deputy service uses a lower rate (-4 of the current) to calculate fees to help recoup paypal fees and i also believe they might have tacked on $12 for a double box i kind of hinted i wanted (i see "box 1000 [yen]" in the shipping invoice lol). the EMS shipping label can be a bear to get off without ruining the packaging you see =(

I looked at the EMS website, IMHO, if ordered directly from the WiNDy store website, you will only have to actually pay around $150 (175 tops if they also use a lower rate to do currency conversion) for shipping of the FX 2000 R4, and that's with EMS... one of the best of the best at 1-3 days from japan to the usa, with our current rate the way it is now, and it has to get better soon. and if you're in the USA, so long as your item is not valued over $1000, you shouldn't have to worry about paying any customs fees

it will be here tomorrow lol

Class: Express Mail International®
Status: Processed through Sort Facility

Your item was processed through and left our DULLES, VA 20101 facility on July 18, 2010. The item is currently in transit to the destination. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later.

Detailed Results:

Processed through Sort Facility, July 18, 2010, 9:59 am, DULLES, VA 20101
Processed through Sort Facility, July 18, 2010, 4:57 am, DULLES, VA 20102
Inbound International Arrival, July 17, 2010, 1:30 pm, ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)
Foreign International Dispatch, July 17, 2010, 5:47 am, TOKYO INT CONTAINER 1, JAPAN
Origin Post is Preparing Shipment
Foreign Acceptance, July 16, 2010, 4:23 pm, JAPAN

7/19 edit:
k she's arrived today.

img0039ty.jpg


This is truly as far as i've gotten, just got it out of the double box they did. (boring right, not even done with the unboxing part lol), so no pics of the case itself yet =(. See, need to hurry up and get that blue painter's tape off quick now and hurry on to the next section of the wall. Unfortunately, (to all two of you who cared lol) i will now be posting that WiNDy unboxing/build thread elsewhere after all >_> sorry, so this will be my last post in this thread for a while! I am really crossing my fingers HOSHiNO iNG will get the shipping right and all will be well in the world.
 
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All right, sorry about the misunderstanding. i forgot to clarify that the $223 price was NOT just for shipping of the case lol. this order is so old, i also forgot i ordered a 3-4 pound accessory from the WiNDy store, unrelated to the case which adds to the package weight. in addition, my deputy service uses a lower rate (-4 of the current) to calculate fees to help recoup paypal fees and i also believe they might have tacked on $12 for a double box i kind of hinted i wanted (i see "box 1000 [yen]" in the shipping invoice lol). the EMS shipping label can be a bear to get off without ruining the packaging you see =(

I looked at the EMS website, IMHO, if ordered directly from the WiNDy store website, you will only have to actually pay around $150 (175 tops if they also use a lower rate to do currency conversion) for shipping of the FX 2000 R4, and that's with EMS... one of the best of the best at 1-3 days from japan to the usa, with our current rate the way it is now, and it has to get better soon. and if you're in the USA, so long as your item is not valued over $1000, you shouldn't have to worry about paying any customs fees

it will be here tomorrow lol



7/19 edit:
k she's arrived today.

img0039ty.jpg


This is truly as far as i've gotten, just got it out of the double box they did. (boring right, not even done with the unboxing part lol), so no pics of the case itself yet =(. See, need to hurry up and get that blue painter's tape off quick now and hurry on to the next section of the wall. Unfortunately, (to all two of you who cared lol) i will now be posting that WiNDy unboxing/build thread elsewhere after all >_> sorry, so this will be my last post in this thread for a while! I am really crossing my fingers HOSHiNO iNG will get the shipping right and all will be well in the world.

The least that you could do is link us :)
 
MB, glad to see you are still getting one!! =D

Yes Spare, and it was evil to leave here without at least ONE picture of the case.

Other WiNDy case owners such as CyberDruid and elpibe10 have older versions of this puppy detailed and covered in agonizing detail from front to back in some crazy builds. I've decided I am not going to be making any thread until I am 100% finished with her, so at least until mid-late August and it will be on the EVGA website. What I am currently doing now is taking measurements inside to see what is, and what isn't, possible to do internally, and then get some parts ordered. What isn't helping is that I have all these DIY jobs to do around the house.
 
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Looks like the Windy site went live.

Also looks like I'll be saving my pennies awhile longer before I can afford what I want. :(

I'll be looking for your build over at Evga.
 
Does anyone know if they eventually plan on having their entire line-up of cases available for international purchase? I'm not interested in these behemoths, but would love an ITX or m-ATX case.
 
Other WiNDy case owners such as CyberDruid and elpibe10 have older versions of this puppy detailed and covered in agonizing detail from front to back in some crazy builds. I've decided I am not going to be making any thread until I am 100% finished with her, so at least until mid-late August and it will be on the EVGA website. What I am currently doing now is taking measurements inside to see what is, and what isn't, possible to do internally, and then get some parts ordered. What isn't helping is that I have all these DIY jobs to do around the house.

The case itself is a beaut, but as you are about to find out isn't an optimal match with the EVGA classified motherboard.

One major problem you are facing is a limited HSF selection due to the high CPU socket placement on the mobo and the case not allowing a tall tower heatsink to overhang the motherboard. That is if you want the CPU fan blowing in the optimal front to back direction instead of up the PSU intake.

Although you best measure yourself with the mobo test fitted in the case, I'd say you've got 14,5 cm (stated in their spec sheet as max HSF height) or maybe 15 cm (6") of height clearance before the fins overhanging the motherboard hit the downwards extended cross structure holding the door clips:

2rqgc92.jpg

Thermalright HR-01 on an EVGA 790i Ultra with approximately similar socket location

Most "12 cm" tower heatsinks are ~16 cm in height and would overhang... possible solutions? The HR-01 pictured above might work in front to back orientation since it's only 110 mm wide but you'd have to secure the fan using zip ties. The fan clips would most probably exceed the permissible width (overhanging the mobo) and even if not it'd be damn near impossible to disengage them once the whole setup is installed.

Zalman CNPS9900 NT or the upcoming CNPS9900 MAX will work too. Although they would slightly overhang the motherboard, since they're radial in shape the width apex is well within the clear zone. You'd just have to take a little care (un)installing the whole setup to not nick the fins on the case surface.

Xigmatek heatsinks use a different method of mounting the fan and are about as wide as the fan itself (~12 cm) so they also might work within the set boundaries.

Other options include "92 mm" tower coolers (Thermalright Ultima 90 if you can track one down) or top down ones like Noctua NH-C12P.

On the other hand you could also replace the motherboard if top cooling is paramount (don't sweat it though). Any Gigabyte, most ASUS (other than R3E, R3G, R2G) or Foxconn QF X58 mobos will expand the selection to include the majority of the "12 cm" towers. You do realize you are giving up one HDD bay by going above specified HS height restriction (~14,5 cm)?

I'd also suggest replacing this particular motherboard's stock chipset cooling solution since it sucks immensely. Slap an HR-05 on the northbridge (this is beginning to sound like a TR add right?:p) and another HR-05/HR-05 SLI on the southbridge depending on your expansion card setup. None of the other SB area components need to be cooled on the E760, the large stock heatsink is there mainly for looks. You could still slap some ramsinks on the bigger chips if you are paranoid about it, but really: most other motherboards (even server grade ones) cope just fine without similar overkill solutions.

Hope this helps a little and please, whatever you do, don't get discouraged on my account.:D
 
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Glad to see the the international site is finally live, good catch Old! I personally wouldn't order until they offered a sale. I'm sure they'll have one eventually, hopefully soon.

shubi, sorry but, as I am "about to find out"? I must say that I love your arrogant attitude and love for making assumptions. I did my research before hand, and I'm way ahead of where you think I am, which is why I also ordered a backup heatsink that should fit inside my case.

According to a personal Japanese blog review (Gosh, I wish I could find the link in my bookmarks, it's been months since I read it), it basically gives comparable/similar performance to the TRUE despite being shorter. But that and whether it actually fits inside or not matters very little to me lol. There isn't a single CPU heatsink I've seen that looks attractive enough and worthy enough to be put in my ALCADIA case (just my personal opinion). Though what you wrote should definitely be highlighted for people planning to aircool, as i don't believe some of our domestic heatsinks will fit in this -- this is obvious for anyone to see from the specs page.

Against your -- granted, good (from a practical standpoint) -- advice, I'm not going to be changing the stock cooling on my 759. I like the EVGA stock SB heatsink design too much to pop it off for WC'ing as well (I value aesthetics over performance too much what can I say), and a Scythe 40mm fan stuck on the NB is enough to keep me satisfied temps wise where I was getting under mid 50s in my last case, in addition to redoing the TIM on the board back when I first got it a year+ ago...before doing all that it was getting up there to the 90s+!... ok NOW I'm rambling and getting WAY ahead of myself. I'm sorry if I come off as rude, and I'm about to start a flame war (which I will no longer be here for), but I'm getting way too old to be arguing and explaining things to people I don't even know on Internet forums who like to stir things up and make assumptions about me and what I'm trying to accomplish with my build.

EDIT: But with all that said, could you please post some more pics of your case? I 'm sure more people would like to see your build, including myself =)
 
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shubi, sorry but, as I am "about to find out"? I must say that I love your arrogant attitude and love for making assumptions. I did my research before hand, and I'm way ahead of where you think I am, which is why I also ordered a backup heatsink that should fit inside my case.

Haha sorry man. I honestly didn't mean to sound conceited, merely working from this line of yours: "...What I am currently doing now is taking measurements inside to see what is, and what isn't, possible to do internally, and then get some parts ordered..."

Come to think of it, my opening line was pretty dickish towards someone who just spent 600$ on a case to go with his 450$ motherboard. Again I apologize.

Glad you did your research beforehand, just like I did the past summer when the FX2000R went on sale (slightly above 60000 yen from an unbelievable 120000+ for the full option kit :eek:) but ultimately decided against. Too much money back then to have to work around such limitations, but would've definitely bought for what you paid. I was looking at the FX2000R Mediterranean.

By the way, what deputy service did you use and how much was the customs duty, if you don't mind me asking?

EDIT: But with all that said, could you please post some more pics of your case? I 'm sure more people would like to see your build, including myself =)

Unfortunately the build isn't mine, but here's a link to the owners thread with photos and some Altium builds on the later pages: http://www.hkepc.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=1332699
 
AND what's this consumption tax?

You mean the Japanese consumption tax? It works like the European value added tax. It's 5% on all goods purchased no matter the prefecture it was bought from. Since the purchase in this case is made from a company that operates strictly from Japan (albeit now ship internationally) you have to pay it, no two ways about it.
 
You mean the Japanese consumption tax? It works like the European value added tax. It's 5% on all goods purchased no matter the prefecture it was bought from. Since the purchase in this case is made from a company that operates strictly from Japan (albeit now ship internationally) you have to pay it, no two ways about it.

Yes, Thank you!
 
Hopefully somebody's memory is better than mine.

When I go to the Windy site I get these red flashing "Price Down" buttons.

I've been having a "senior moment" for @ 5 years and don't remember if the prices actually changed from last week. :D

Anybody know?

PSSSS...I just wanted to add....I was just playing with the site trying to get a handle on shipping costs.....I added the case to my cart and it still wouldn't reflect the exact shipping cost so I removed the case from my cart.
It took about 30seconds for my CC company to call and ask if I had authorized over $950.00 to my card....the shipping is over 200.00 to the USA.......NO WAY!
 
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