Full of features and great cooling potential, but questionable build quality and a striking design hold it back
Written By
Published on 7 March 2012
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1 / 2
Our rating
Reviewed price £96 inc VAT
Akasa’s VenomToxic case looks more like an ambitious mod project than a computer case that’s come straight out of the box. The bright yellow finish and bulbous roof shaped like a snake’s head may appeal to some, but it might put off others.First impressions can be deceiving, though, because this full tower case has plenty to offer. Indeed, an I/O panel filled with three USB ports, one eSATA, one USB3 and two 3.5mm audio jacks (as well as two fan controllers) can be found on the roof of the case, and six external 5.25in drive bays should be more than enough, even for a high-end system.
Cooling options are incredibly varied. In addition to the two 230mm intakes and the single 140mm exhaust fan included with the case, you can also add a further seven 120mm fans. Most of these mounts will also accept 140mm fans, and all can be controlled using the two fan controllers on the roof of the case.Building a PC inside the Venom should have been an easy task, thanks to its mammoth interior, in which there’s plenty of room to move around. However, the right side panel was so incredibly awkward to remove (due to a warped corner) that we almost resigned ourselves to abandoning cable management altogether.
Even with its huge feature list and expansive cooling options, it’s difficult to justify spending £96 on the VenomToxic because there are midi towers that have almost as much room for expansion, but also have better build quality and a more conventional appearance for a similar price. A more conventional choice would be the Corsair Carbide 500R.
Written by
Tom Morgan
Tom started writing about technology right after graduating from University, but has been a games and gadget fan for as long as he can remember. Beyond photography, music and home entertainment, he's also the first port of call for all reviews content on Expert Reviews.
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