AMK TKO 2003 Case Review - PAGE 1

Price as tested: $162.00 US / $245.00 CDN

When I was asked to review AMK Computers' TKO-2003 computer case, I was very excited at the opportunity to see just how their offering differed from your typical corner-computer-store's OEM cases. In the PC arena there are many benchmarks for determining the best product in a category - CPU's, video cards, and memory. Some users will opt for the best that money can buy in each category. One often-overlooked component in a system is the enclosure or case. When building a top-notch system, you'll also want top-notch protection and a high-quality cooled operating environment for your hot 'n' fragile little bits and pieces inside. But what defines quality in a category such as this, and how would you justify spending as much on a case as you would on a processor? To answer these questions, AMK Computers was generous enough to send us one of their TKO-2003 cases to review.

At first glance, the case seemed to challenge me, "C'mon, I can take whatever you throw in me." Standing tall at its full tower height of 24", beautifully crafted from 1mm thick sheet metal, armed with an array of fans on the back, front, and sides, and weighing in at 32.5 lbs., the TKO-2003 was definitely a case to drool at. The design is modest and unassumingly simplistic, hiding its superior qualities under a smooth and blended exterior.

Specifications:

Tower:	24" In Win Q500N
Dimensions:	17.83"(D)x7.87"(W)x23.66"(H)
Board Size:	ATX/AT/microATX/Extended ATX
Drive Bays:	5.25"x5/0, 3.5"x1/6 (external/internal)
Power Supply:	300W PowerMan ATX (CSA, AMD, UL approved)
Fans:	2x120 mm fans 104 CFM @ 42.8 dB (Side) 2x80 mm fans 50 CFM @ 41 dB (Back plate) 1x80 fan 50 CFM @ 41 dB (Intake)
Total air flow:	358 CFM
Net Weight:	32.5 lbs.

Getting into this case was no problem; although this case does not have a screw-less design, no more than 2 screws need to be removed to get at the case's insides. Thumbscrews are also available upon request from AMK. The removable motherboard tray allowed quick and easy installation of the motherboard. The tray is secured by two screws and a locking mechanism which requires you to lift and pull in order to get the tray out - an excellent safety measure. One small problem that I noticed when sliding the tray is that if you have a Slot-1 CPU, it must be inserted only when the motherboard tray is inside because one of the rear fans gets in the way of the CPU. When you pop open the side panel, you’ll notice that the space inside the case is more than enough to work with allowing easy installation of PCI cards and drives. Because the case is so spacious being a full tower, you may need longer IDE cables to extend to the motherboard if you decide to install your CD-ROMs in the top drive bays.

Always looking to inflict some sort of damage on myself when putting together a PC, as is the case in most of my OEM case experiences, I went searching for sharp edges in all the inside areas, thoroughly enough to make the case blush. Yes, we are not proud here, but seek only to give you the best reviews by doing all the nasty work for you :). Anyways, my findings show that most of the edges inside the case are rounded off, allowing you to recklessly insert and remove drives and components as you please. There are some edges that are not rounded around the 3.5" drive bays, but the chances of cutting yourself there are remote. That, and the fact that it's very hard to cut yourself on 1mm thick metal - it's something like trying to cut yourself with a butter knife; you'd have to put some serious effort into doing so. I did, however, discover some sharp edges on the metal snap-off covers behind the plastic 5.25" drive bay covers, to the disappointment of my nicked finger. So, with an unbroken track record for injuring myself on cases, I guess you can't win them all, but overall, this case is well crafted on the inside. After installing everything in the case, its weight rose to over 50lbs - a figure that, when combined with the case's bulk, does not put my back in the best of moods. AMK Computers does come to the rescue by providing a carry handle upgrade for the case for $13, and for added stability, the case also sports a pair of retractable feet.

The TKO-2003 was obviously designed with two things in mind - enough space for every device you will ever need, and excellent cooling for those devices. The five fans (not including the power supply fan), are at the core of the design of this case. The two 120 mm fans are positioned on the side of the case, and suck air directly from the expansion cards and CPU out of the case. The two 80 mm fans at the back also blow hotter air that has risen to the top out of the case. The single intake fan at the bottom end of the front of the case takes in cool air. The fan setup follows an optimal air-flow design - cool air comes in the front of the case and flows through and out the back of the case, where the bulk of the heat is generated and dissipated. The effect of these fans keeps the case at a very cool temperature - more than sufficient for over-clocking and similarly demanding setups. However, all this cooling power does not come without a cost (apart from the price tag). The fans generate a combined noise level of 48.8 dB, which is comparable to the sound of a room air conditioner. The noise is certainly quite loud to start with, but the noise soon blends into the background.

So how does this case stand up to similar cases on the market? AMK compares their TKO-2003 to 3DCool's similar offering of their Tornado 2003. AMK boasts an additional 92 CFM of air displacement over its competitor for a 30% reduction in cost. Sounds like a good deal to me if I ever heard one. Although this case doesn't provide much in the way of all the little bells and whistles you may find on other cases such as hydraulic covers, screw-less entry design, and cup-holders (in other words, who cares?), if you're looking for an amazingly solid case with the best cooling you can get, then you’ll want to check out the TKO-2003.

Overall Score: 80%