Today we are taking a look at the Chieftec “Matrix” (model: MX-01BLD-S) in blue and silver with a clear side panel.

Let me start by saying that this is a visually stunning case.  We really like the overall design.  It is very stylish and eye catching.  Blue is a great color for a computer case.  It is somewhat unique, since most cases are Ivory, Black, or Gray/Silver.  The Silver highlight on the front is a nice optional touch, as well.  The clear side panel is a great touch that the person too lazy to case-mod (like myself) can appreciate.

Now, as far as features go, this case has some really nice ones.  The easy access side panel latch is one of the coolest features to show up in case design in recent years.  I highly recommend getting a case that has it if you like to tinker.  This case also has a lockable front panel to prevent unwanted access to drives (Don't want the wife installing crap on your PC, do you?).  That is a really handy feature, especially if you live in a household with prying hands (read: little children).  The drive bays are also a nice well-designed feature here.  For starters, we have four 5-¼ inch bays (all externally accessible).  These come with drive rails to make installing or removing 5-¼ inch drives a snap.  There are also a total of six 3-½ inch drive bays (4 internal and 2 accessible externally).  These have very nice and well-designed removable cages that hold three each.

Easy access to drives is a beautiful thing.

Another great thing about this case is that there is no shortage of case fan mounts.  There are two on the back one on the front and a spot for a hard drive fan.

All of the metal is bent so as to prevent cuts and scrapes while working on the PC.  This is a very nice feature that has surfaced on a good many cases these days.  If you have had to work with a lot of different cases then you know why.

The case came with the usual mounting hardware like screws, but it also included a Chieftec logo badge for the front panel. 

Now as far as what I don’t like about this case…  Well, there isn't much.  In fact, the few things that I can say that I don’t like, pretty much all boil down to a lack of features that we are starting to see on some of the newer cases.  For example, I am pretty disappointed that this case doesn't sport some sort of front USB.  I think that is becoming common enough that it should be a standard feature on a case as nice as this.  It really even would be nice to see firewire and maybe some other snazzy additions without having to buy a separate kit that would require a front bay.  It would also be nice to see the LCD readouts with temperature info and other goodies become standard fare on these high-end cases.

We found TigerDirect selling these cases from $79.99, which is a pretty good deal for one of these (although, let it be known that we are not in any way affiliated with that site and cannot endorse them or their business practices as we have no experience with them).  I don’t know how much they charge for shipping, but if you want one of these there is a place to start. 

Verdict
Everything said and done, the Chieftec Matrix is a great case at a very affordable price. It is easy on the eyes and easy to work with. Plus, the security of being able to lock access to drives is something often only seen on server cases, so that was nice here, as well. In conclusion, on a ten point scale, I would give this case a nine (The ONLY drawback being the lack of front USB). All in all, it is a very nice computer case, and I would definitely recommend it.

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