Thermaltake Level 10 GT Review - PAGE 5

Thermaltake set the bar pretty high when they first released the Level 10, making it all that much harder for any follow up offering to have the same appeal as the original. However, with the Level 10 GT, Thermaltake has managed to be not just create a worthy successor, but by adding multiple new features such as improved cooling, better cable management and acoustics, the Level 10 GT in many ways manages to actually surpass the Level 10.

Our initial reaction to the Level 10 GT was that it did not have the same awe inspiring design as the original, and this led us to believe the case might ultimately be just a generic version of the Level 10. After we started looking deeper though, we found a product that included more features than most cases currently available on the market. The Level 10 GT includes top-of-the-line features such as six hot-swappable drive bays, support for up to six SSDs, room for even the longest graphics cards, easy installation, and excellent cable management. On top of this, the Level 10 GT was also an exceptionally quiet case that has an overall acoustic level below that of other cases we tested. So, while the aesthetics are not quite at the same level as the original, it includes more than enough features to make up for its slight cosmetic downgrade.

For the most part we found installing components inside the Level 10 GT to be a positive experience, mainly due to the ample internal room and the use of a hinged door. This gave quick access to the installation area and allowed us to easily install even the largest components, including a E-ATX motherboard and an HD 6990. However, we would have liked an easier means to access the SATA data connectors for the hot-swap bays. As it is now, the second side panel has to be removed prior to connecting a new data cable, which in our opinion is more work than necessary just to add a hard drive.

There were also a few other aspects of the case that we would have like to seen improved. Even though we like the idea of the headset stand, we did not like the included mount. It felt cheaply made and since it connects to the case via two small plastic clips it could easily break, rendering one of the case's selling points moot. We were also irked that the user defined LED settings would revert to default each time the system was turned off. We feel Thermaltake could have easily addressed this, even if it is not all that hard to get the LEDs back to your preferred position.

The Thermaltake Level 10 GT manages to surpasses the original in just about every aspect aside from the outward appearance. This actually makes its $269 price tag very reasonable, due to the fact that the Level 10 GT offers practically all the high-end features found in cases such as the Corsair 800D or SILVERSTONE Raven 2.