Introduction and Specification
Thermaltake claims the Level 10 GT is targeted for "High Performance Gaming" and "Super Airflow Chassis" applications, which would seem rather fitting. There are three mammoth 200mm fans in this case, as well as a 140mm rear exhaust fan and the option for a bottom 120mm intake fan. If you're looking for increased airflow, the Level 10 GT should offer up more than just a cool breeze. Two of those 200mm fans are also covered by removable, washable air filters, thankfully. More on this later. You'll also notice in the spec list above, that the case only weighs about 28lbs. With the handle on the top of this chassis, for a full tower, it's actually fairly easy to move around. Finally, if you thought the original Level 10 GT wasn't bold enough, as you can see, our Snow Edition model here pretty much jumps out at you. We call it the "Storm Trooper" around the lab. Contrasted in flat black and white, this chassis would easily blend into the set of the George Lucas classic.
Exterior Design, Materials and Worksmanship
The Level 10 GT Snow Edition is all about contrast, from its straight-up black and white color scheme to the carved compartments that mark each of the major component areas. And yeah, the original Level 10 and Level 10 GT black version chassis stood out a bit but, as you can see, the Level 10 GT Snow Edition is a major league head-turner.
The 5.25-inch drive bays are of a toolless design that allow you to snap optical drives into place with a locking mechanism. This is a quality design approach that makes the installation process that much easier and plenty robust. The Level 10 GT's 3.5-inch hard drive bays are a hot-swap style setup that allow you to release a drive sled with the push of a button. The sleds also have 2.5-inch mounting holes to afford you the ability to install SSDs or any 2.5" form-factor drive for that matter. The only small complaint we have with these sleds are that they're made of an all-plastic construction and they feel flimsy. Also, for whatever reason, the drive rack doesn't do a good job of dampening noisy hard drive head access during operation, unfortunately. On the up-side, the entire rack is setup with a 5-plug SATA power cable that connects each bay nicely. Just plug a single 4-pin molex connector into your power supply, connect your SATA data cables and you're done. This is a really nice feature, because it always seems that cable management for SATA power cables is a challenge. More on cable management inside the Level 10 GT, later.
Count 'em up; that's four USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA port and two USB 3.0 ports, as well as headphone and microphone jacks, all setup for front and top panel access. Nice. You also get a fan speed switch which allows for control of those huge 200mm fans in the case. On high, you can pump a ton of fresh air into this thing, for not a whole lot more noise. On low, the chassis is whisper quiet. You also are provided the luxury of removable, washable fan filters for the side intake fan and in the bottom of the chassis, where an optional 120mm fan can reside, next to your power supply and its intake fan.
Finally, on the top control panel of the Level 10 GT there is also a Fan LED control switch that allows you to set lighting color for each of the three 200mm fans inside the chassis. You can choose between blue, red, green, a cycle of all three or no lighting at all. You want glam and bling, this classy chassis has it.
Interior Design and Layout
When it comes to the interior design and layout, the Level 10 GT, no matter which color you choose, is a lesson in design and build simplicity. From its clean cable management features to ample and proper spacing between component areas, the Level 10 GT sets up easier than just about any full-sized case we've monkeyed with to date. Incidentally, the Level 10 GT also supports Extended ATX motherboards, if you're a sucker for punishment in that regard.
The side panel door of the Level 10 GT is actually hinged and is easily removable just by lifting it off its hinge. Thermaltake also designed a simple contact connector between the door and the main chassis, that connects the side intake fan to a power source, without the fuss or muss of a cable run. Again, it's the little things like this that make all the difference. The side intake fan also has a set of louvers behind it that can be positioned with a small lever on the exterior of the case. With this, you can direct airflow from this fan, inside the case.
Rubber grommet-lined cable pass-throughs in various strategic areas inside the case and out the back panel, serve for both interior cable management and flow tubing for water cooling. Again, setting up this case for impeccable, clean cable management and uninhibited airflow and cooling, couldn't be any easier.
Even backside cable management behind the motherboard tray is easily accommodated by the back panel design. It's a slide-off panel type but Thermaltake left plenty of room behind the motherboard tray, to stuff that 24-pin ATX power cable and anything else you want in there and out of site. Also, take note of the motherboard socket area cutout in the motherboard tray. This allows for a bit more air flow around the backside of the motherboard socket area. Once again, we're impressed with the forethought that went into this design.
Final Thoughts
The Thermaltake Level 10 GT Snow Edition performance PC case is definitely not for those that like a subdued, minimalistic look. Its over-the-top appearance may put off some, but for the enthusiast DIY set, this case definitely makes a statement with its cool-factor alone. The good news is, the Level 10 GT Snow Edition isn't just a cool looking case. It's also well-built for the most part and definitely well thought-out in terms of its design. Ease of system build, great airflow and clean cable management were clearly a priority when Thermaltake went to the drawing board with this chassis. At this price, the Level 10 GT Snow Edition is definitely a premium case, but if you're looking to build a killer gaming rig and aren't shy of taking a walk on the wild side, this case definitely has the chops.
| Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 2 |
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