Frederik S
10-11-2007, 06:44 PM
[page=Introduction & Specifications]
Introduction
First of all I would like to thank NOX XTREME for supplying the case for review.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/logo.jpg
NOX XTREME is a relatively new brand that focuses on producing premodded cases that aren't overly expensive. The NOX XTREME case that I will be taking a look at today is an all aluminum design. The Moonlight is a standard ATX case that sports three 120mm fans along with plenty drive bays. This NOX XTREME chassis is aimed at gamers looking for an affordable LAN box to put their hardware in.
One of the things that make the Moonlight case so special is the sleek black paint job. Besides a decent paint job the Moonlight's exterior is very detailed and has a lot of small pieces that makes it look quite unique. It's clear that NOX has put a lot of effort into producing a great looking case, but is its internal construction as neat as the exterior?
Specifications
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable" width="450"><br />
<tr>
<th scope="row">Color</th>
<td scope="row">Silver / Black</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Drive Bays </th>
<td scope="row">5 x exposed 5.25 inch,<br />
2 x exposed 3.5, 3 x internal 3.5 inch</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Material</th>
<td scope="row">Chassis: Aluminum</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Form Factor </th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">ATX / Micro ATX</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Expansion Slots</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">7 standard slots </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Case Fans </th>
<td valign="top" scope="row"><b>Front:</b> One 120 mm silent fan equipped,<br />
<b>Rear:</b> One blue 120 mm side panel fan, and one 120 mm rear exhaust fan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Dimensions</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">200 x 450 x 430mm (W x H x D)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Weight</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">8.5kg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Front I/O</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Two USB 2.0 / One IEEE 1394 / HD audio</td>
</tr>
</table><br />
<br />
[page=The Package]
The Package
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/the_package_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/the_package.jpg)
The NOX XTREME Moonlight case ships in a standard cardboard box. In it the case is cushioned by two pieces of Styrofoam. The NOX case comes with all of basic stuff one might need to successfully install all of your components inside the chassis. You get a lot of screws in various forms and a lot of brass motherboard standoffs.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/case_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/case_1.jpg)
The case comes equipped with an acrylic side panel. The acrylic window is covered with a plastic overlay to prevent it from being scratched during transportation. Also covered with a plastic film are the polished aluminum triangles that accentuate the side panel window. All of the screws and stuff you need for installation are placed in the cardboard box installed in the lower 3.5" internal drive bay.
When it comes to size the Moonlight is a standard medium tower case in terms of number of internal and external drive bays. The positioning of the drive bays in the chassis is really good. The five internal 3.5" drive bays are positioned right in front of a 120 mm fan blowing cold air over hard drives installed. Another thing worth noticing is that this chassis comes with a total of three 120 mm fans which is really nice since with most other new cases you have to buy the fans separately. The fans located on the front and the back of the chassis are some standard black fans, however, the fan mounted on the clear acrylic side is a blue LED fan which lights up the case pretty good.
If you are looking for a case with a nice paint job and a decent bundle the Moonlight will be a good choice. And the fact that it's made from aluminum makes it really light weight for easy transportation.
[page=Closer Examination: Exterior]
Exterior
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_1.jpg)
From the front this case looks menacing. Located on the center of the doors is the power on LED, this is of course blue. One of the things you notice the second you pull this chassis out of the box is the fact that the finish of the front door and the rest of the metal plate work on the chassis differ quite a bit. The front door is made of what seems to be brushed aluminum whereas the rest of the case is plain aluminum painted black. Some would argue that this is a very odd choice and I have to admit that I thought the same first, but after a little while I began to appreciate the rather different looking paint job.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/back_of_case_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/back_of_case.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/psu_area_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/psu_area.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rear_120_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rear_120.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rohs_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rohs.jpg)
The back of the case looks pretty much like that of any case on the market today. The only thing that sets this back apart from any other is the easy PCI card mounting system. Towards the bottom of the case the back is perforated allowing air to pass by into the case. This is a good idea especially in this case due to its imbalanced airflow (two fans pulling cold air in and only one pulling hot air out). This case is environmental friendly according to the sticker on the back of the case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_switch_area_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_switch_area.jpg)
With the front door open you gain access to all of the drive bays and the on/off switch along with a restart button. Besides that this chassis features front USB 2.0 ports and the usual audio in and out plugs. The fact that these plugs are covered by the door makes them less usable. It would have been so much better if the USB 2.0 connectors had been located on the outside of the door for easier access like on the Antec P180/P182/P190.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_led_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_led.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_led_cable_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_led_cable.jpg)
Because the power LED is located on the door there is a visible cable on the inside of the door. Depending on how clumsy you are this could turn out to be a problem since the LED is only held in place by some epoxy. Also if you have the door open it doesn't look as clean because you have a power cable dangling around.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/paint_job_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/paint_job.jpg)
As I mentioned earlier the paint job on this case is quite good compared to most cases on the market today. The piano black finish makes this case look like a million bucks. My only problem with the paint job is that it seems to be a bit flakey and will probably crack if you drop the case or bump it with a hard object. One of the things that I find a bit annoying is that the case isn't painted on the inside, the paint stops right where the side panel begins.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/clear_120mm_fan_2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/clear_120mm_fan_2.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/clear_120mm_fan_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/clear_120mm_fan.jpg)
The clear 120 mm fan mounted on the side panel of the case is lit up by four high brightness LEDs. When the side is attached to the case the 120 mm fan sits directly above the CPU socket on most normal ATX motherboards. This is really neat if you have a hot processor or are fond of overclocking like me. The fan is mounted on the side with four screws. I like the way the outside of the hole looks, a black edge with a round mesh plate to prevent curious fingers from getting slammed by a fan blade. Overall the 120 mm fan is a nice addition to the cooling performance of the case and the positioning couldn't be better.
[page=Closer Examination: Interior]
Interior
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/inside_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/inside.jpg)
The basic internal layout of the Moonlight is pretty simple. You have the hard drive bay located in front of a 120 mm intake fan and two 3.5" external bays on top of that. The external 3.5" bays can also be used to mount some hard drives in, but that isn't recommended since the airflow over that part of the front is close to zero.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_2.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_3.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/internal_drive_bays_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/internal_drive_bays.jpg)
The lock mechanism has three different settings. 1: Pull tab away from fixed position, 2: Pull up pin mechanism from drive bay, 3: Insert drive and push down pin mechanism and lock the tab in place. This system is one of the best I have ever seen in a case. It's easy to use and makes it fairly easy to get drives in and out of the case. Compared to the system employed by GIGABYTE this is a real treat and is definitely one of the best drive lock mechanisms on the market today. All of the drive bays in this chassis feature the same ingenious mounting system.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/side_logo_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/side_logo.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rough_finish_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rough_finish_1.jpg)
The side of the case features a NOX XTREME logo. The finish of this particular case isn't that good compared to offerings in the same class by GIGABYTE or Antec for that matter. As you can see on the right picture the screws that fix the acrylic window in place have been over tightened from the factory cracking the acrylic plate. These cracks are likely to spread out through the acrylic plate messing up the window. A major production flaw like that is something you wouldn't expect on an 80€ case like the Moonlight.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/external_drive_bays_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/external_drive_bays.jpg)
All of the external drive bays use the same lock mechanism for easy installation of both 3.5" and 5.25" drives.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/otherside_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/otherside.jpg)
This case actually has a removable motherboard tray, but it isn't that much of a time saver because the PCI bracket is fixed to the case and not to the motherboard tray. The quickest way to mount all of your hardware inside this case is probably to assemble the motherboard with all the connectors outside the case and then fix the motherboard in place. After you are done with that you can easily hook up all of the drives due to the spacious interior.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/case_feet_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/case_feet.jpg)
What surprised me a bit was that the Moonlight has some very tall case feet. They are approximately 2 cm high and raise the case above the floor so much that it's easily noticeable. When placing this case on my desk you can actually see the grey feet from quite a distance away.
[page=Installation & Finished Looks]
Installation & Finished Looks
Installing all of my hardware inside this case was really easy compared to most standard ATX cases. There is plenty of space around the socket for easy CPU cooler mounting and everything fits together nicely. The well thought out drive bay lock system means that you can install any type of drive without much hassle. I only encountered some minor problems while installing my hardware and that was the fact that this case has a lot of sharp edges. Another minor issue with this case is that the power LED uses a single connector this means that you can't hook it up to an old type motherboard where the pin headers on the motherboard use two pins side by side for the power LED. This isn't that much of a problem with the Moonlight because it features a blue power-on LED on the front that is hooked up via a standard molex cable.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_in_action_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_in_action.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_in_action_2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_in_action_2.jpg)
On the front you can clearly see the blue LED which indicates that the PC is on. Inside the door you can see the red hard drive activity LED in action. The two LEDs inside the door are green and red where the red one is the hard drive activity LED.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/pc_running_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/pc_running.jpg)
This case looks really nice from the side. The four LED 120 mm fan does a good job at illuminating the insides of the case.
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value & Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The NOX XTREME Moonlight sells for about 79.90€</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Looks nice
Well thought out drive bay and PCI lock system
Good paint job
Extravagant design
Three 120 mm fans included with one being a blue LED fan
Internal layout
Cooling capabilities
Aluminum
Removable motherboard tray (except PCI bracket)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Plate work isn't all that good
Base construction isn't totally firm
Build quality
Pricey!
</td></tr>
<tr><th>8.0</th>
<td>The NOX XTREME Moonlight case is a bit of an awkward case to be honest. Some aspects of its design are way ahead of most of the competition, however, it lacks finesse and build quality makes it less competitive. The most remarkable features of the Moonlight are the fact that it features one of the best drive bay slot mechanisms and PCI card fixing system.
The major downside to the Moonlight case is by far the poor build quality and plate work. The aluminum plates that this case is built of are very thin which makes it quite fragile. The combination of poor build quality and weak basic construction makes this case way less durable than other competing cases.
Overall the Moonlight case works well with a few flaws as I have already pointed out. The fact that its very light weight makes it ideal for avid LAN goers or people that move their case around a lot. The tall case feet is definitely a nice touch because it raises the case from the floor it's standing on preventing dust entering the case from the floor.
When it comes to cooling the Moonlight is very well equipped with three 120 mm fans. The fans are quiet enough most people, but will probably need replacing if you are a silent PC buff.
</td></tr><tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/recommended.gif</td></tr>
</table>
Introduction
First of all I would like to thank NOX XTREME for supplying the case for review.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/logo.jpg
NOX XTREME is a relatively new brand that focuses on producing premodded cases that aren't overly expensive. The NOX XTREME case that I will be taking a look at today is an all aluminum design. The Moonlight is a standard ATX case that sports three 120mm fans along with plenty drive bays. This NOX XTREME chassis is aimed at gamers looking for an affordable LAN box to put their hardware in.
One of the things that make the Moonlight case so special is the sleek black paint job. Besides a decent paint job the Moonlight's exterior is very detailed and has a lot of small pieces that makes it look quite unique. It's clear that NOX has put a lot of effort into producing a great looking case, but is its internal construction as neat as the exterior?
Specifications
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="ramtable" width="450"><br />
<tr>
<th scope="row">Color</th>
<td scope="row">Silver / Black</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Drive Bays </th>
<td scope="row">5 x exposed 5.25 inch,<br />
2 x exposed 3.5, 3 x internal 3.5 inch</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Material</th>
<td scope="row">Chassis: Aluminum</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Form Factor </th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">ATX / Micro ATX</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Expansion Slots</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">7 standard slots </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Case Fans </th>
<td valign="top" scope="row"><b>Front:</b> One 120 mm silent fan equipped,<br />
<b>Rear:</b> One blue 120 mm side panel fan, and one 120 mm rear exhaust fan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Dimensions</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">200 x 450 x 430mm (W x H x D)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Weight</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">8.5kg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th valign="top" scope="row">Front I/O</th>
<td valign="top" scope="row">Two USB 2.0 / One IEEE 1394 / HD audio</td>
</tr>
</table><br />
<br />
[page=The Package]
The Package
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/the_package_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/the_package.jpg)
The NOX XTREME Moonlight case ships in a standard cardboard box. In it the case is cushioned by two pieces of Styrofoam. The NOX case comes with all of basic stuff one might need to successfully install all of your components inside the chassis. You get a lot of screws in various forms and a lot of brass motherboard standoffs.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/case_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/case_1.jpg)
The case comes equipped with an acrylic side panel. The acrylic window is covered with a plastic overlay to prevent it from being scratched during transportation. Also covered with a plastic film are the polished aluminum triangles that accentuate the side panel window. All of the screws and stuff you need for installation are placed in the cardboard box installed in the lower 3.5" internal drive bay.
When it comes to size the Moonlight is a standard medium tower case in terms of number of internal and external drive bays. The positioning of the drive bays in the chassis is really good. The five internal 3.5" drive bays are positioned right in front of a 120 mm fan blowing cold air over hard drives installed. Another thing worth noticing is that this chassis comes with a total of three 120 mm fans which is really nice since with most other new cases you have to buy the fans separately. The fans located on the front and the back of the chassis are some standard black fans, however, the fan mounted on the clear acrylic side is a blue LED fan which lights up the case pretty good.
If you are looking for a case with a nice paint job and a decent bundle the Moonlight will be a good choice. And the fact that it's made from aluminum makes it really light weight for easy transportation.
[page=Closer Examination: Exterior]
Exterior
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_1.jpg)
From the front this case looks menacing. Located on the center of the doors is the power on LED, this is of course blue. One of the things you notice the second you pull this chassis out of the box is the fact that the finish of the front door and the rest of the metal plate work on the chassis differ quite a bit. The front door is made of what seems to be brushed aluminum whereas the rest of the case is plain aluminum painted black. Some would argue that this is a very odd choice and I have to admit that I thought the same first, but after a little while I began to appreciate the rather different looking paint job.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/back_of_case_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/back_of_case.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/psu_area_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/psu_area.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rear_120_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rear_120.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rohs_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rohs.jpg)
The back of the case looks pretty much like that of any case on the market today. The only thing that sets this back apart from any other is the easy PCI card mounting system. Towards the bottom of the case the back is perforated allowing air to pass by into the case. This is a good idea especially in this case due to its imbalanced airflow (two fans pulling cold air in and only one pulling hot air out). This case is environmental friendly according to the sticker on the back of the case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_switch_area_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_switch_area.jpg)
With the front door open you gain access to all of the drive bays and the on/off switch along with a restart button. Besides that this chassis features front USB 2.0 ports and the usual audio in and out plugs. The fact that these plugs are covered by the door makes them less usable. It would have been so much better if the USB 2.0 connectors had been located on the outside of the door for easier access like on the Antec P180/P182/P190.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_led_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_led.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_led_cable_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/power_led_cable.jpg)
Because the power LED is located on the door there is a visible cable on the inside of the door. Depending on how clumsy you are this could turn out to be a problem since the LED is only held in place by some epoxy. Also if you have the door open it doesn't look as clean because you have a power cable dangling around.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/paint_job_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/paint_job.jpg)
As I mentioned earlier the paint job on this case is quite good compared to most cases on the market today. The piano black finish makes this case look like a million bucks. My only problem with the paint job is that it seems to be a bit flakey and will probably crack if you drop the case or bump it with a hard object. One of the things that I find a bit annoying is that the case isn't painted on the inside, the paint stops right where the side panel begins.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/clear_120mm_fan_2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/clear_120mm_fan_2.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/clear_120mm_fan_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/clear_120mm_fan.jpg)
The clear 120 mm fan mounted on the side panel of the case is lit up by four high brightness LEDs. When the side is attached to the case the 120 mm fan sits directly above the CPU socket on most normal ATX motherboards. This is really neat if you have a hot processor or are fond of overclocking like me. The fan is mounted on the side with four screws. I like the way the outside of the hole looks, a black edge with a round mesh plate to prevent curious fingers from getting slammed by a fan blade. Overall the 120 mm fan is a nice addition to the cooling performance of the case and the positioning couldn't be better.
[page=Closer Examination: Interior]
Interior
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/inside_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/inside.jpg)
The basic internal layout of the Moonlight is pretty simple. You have the hard drive bay located in front of a 120 mm intake fan and two 3.5" external bays on top of that. The external 3.5" bays can also be used to mount some hard drives in, but that isn't recommended since the airflow over that part of the front is close to zero.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_2.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/lock_3.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/internal_drive_bays_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/internal_drive_bays.jpg)
The lock mechanism has three different settings. 1: Pull tab away from fixed position, 2: Pull up pin mechanism from drive bay, 3: Insert drive and push down pin mechanism and lock the tab in place. This system is one of the best I have ever seen in a case. It's easy to use and makes it fairly easy to get drives in and out of the case. Compared to the system employed by GIGABYTE this is a real treat and is definitely one of the best drive lock mechanisms on the market today. All of the drive bays in this chassis feature the same ingenious mounting system.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/side_logo_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/side_logo.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rough_finish_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/rough_finish_1.jpg)
The side of the case features a NOX XTREME logo. The finish of this particular case isn't that good compared to offerings in the same class by GIGABYTE or Antec for that matter. As you can see on the right picture the screws that fix the acrylic window in place have been over tightened from the factory cracking the acrylic plate. These cracks are likely to spread out through the acrylic plate messing up the window. A major production flaw like that is something you wouldn't expect on an 80€ case like the Moonlight.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/external_drive_bays_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/external_drive_bays.jpg)
All of the external drive bays use the same lock mechanism for easy installation of both 3.5" and 5.25" drives.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/otherside_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/otherside.jpg)
This case actually has a removable motherboard tray, but it isn't that much of a time saver because the PCI bracket is fixed to the case and not to the motherboard tray. The quickest way to mount all of your hardware inside this case is probably to assemble the motherboard with all the connectors outside the case and then fix the motherboard in place. After you are done with that you can easily hook up all of the drives due to the spacious interior.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/case_feet_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/case_feet.jpg)
What surprised me a bit was that the Moonlight has some very tall case feet. They are approximately 2 cm high and raise the case above the floor so much that it's easily noticeable. When placing this case on my desk you can actually see the grey feet from quite a distance away.
[page=Installation & Finished Looks]
Installation & Finished Looks
Installing all of my hardware inside this case was really easy compared to most standard ATX cases. There is plenty of space around the socket for easy CPU cooler mounting and everything fits together nicely. The well thought out drive bay lock system means that you can install any type of drive without much hassle. I only encountered some minor problems while installing my hardware and that was the fact that this case has a lot of sharp edges. Another minor issue with this case is that the power LED uses a single connector this means that you can't hook it up to an old type motherboard where the pin headers on the motherboard use two pins side by side for the power LED. This isn't that much of a problem with the Moonlight because it features a blue power-on LED on the front that is hooked up via a standard molex cable.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_in_action_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_in_action.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_in_action_2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/front_of_case_in_action_2.jpg)
On the front you can clearly see the blue LED which indicates that the PC is on. Inside the door you can see the red hard drive activity LED in action. The two LEDs inside the door are green and red where the red one is the hard drive activity LED.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/pc_running_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NOX/Moonlight/images/pc_running.jpg)
This case looks really nice from the side. The four LED 120 mm fan does a good job at illuminating the insides of the case.
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value & Conclusion
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The NOX XTREME Moonlight sells for about 79.90€</td>
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Looks nice
Well thought out drive bay and PCI lock system
Good paint job
Extravagant design
Three 120 mm fans included with one being a blue LED fan
Internal layout
Cooling capabilities
Aluminum
Removable motherboard tray (except PCI bracket)
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Plate work isn't all that good
Base construction isn't totally firm
Build quality
Pricey!
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<tr><th>8.0</th>
<td>The NOX XTREME Moonlight case is a bit of an awkward case to be honest. Some aspects of its design are way ahead of most of the competition, however, it lacks finesse and build quality makes it less competitive. The most remarkable features of the Moonlight are the fact that it features one of the best drive bay slot mechanisms and PCI card fixing system.
The major downside to the Moonlight case is by far the poor build quality and plate work. The aluminum plates that this case is built of are very thin which makes it quite fragile. The combination of poor build quality and weak basic construction makes this case way less durable than other competing cases.
Overall the Moonlight case works well with a few flaws as I have already pointed out. The fact that its very light weight makes it ideal for avid LAN goers or people that move their case around a lot. The tall case feet is definitely a nice touch because it raises the case from the floor it's standing on preventing dust entering the case from the floor.
When it comes to cooling the Moonlight is very well equipped with three 120 mm fans. The fans are quiet enough most people, but will probably need replacing if you are a silent PC buff.
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