Conclusion

Here’s a quick rundown of the positive and negative features of the FireBird.

PRO
descriptive pictures on different parts of the case to help on use of certain functions
sturdy construction
good airflow by default with rear 120mm and top 80mm
cleanable dust filters in front 120mm and side 80mm
very roomy inside
easy access to hard-drive rack
beefy power supply able to power even the most demanding pc configurations
plug and play rail system for Cdrom/floppy and HDD’s
tool less installation of PCI/AGP add-on cards
inner side panel provides possibility to add 2x80mm or 2xHDD
plastic sliders to ensure fixation of large PCI cards
connectors at the top for sound/USB/IEE1334
Cdrom can be screwed tight for secure mounting
carrying handle (tested up to 80kg)
extra security can be added at the backside
cable management possible and easy

CON
power cables attached to HDD’s prevent side panel from being closed easily
extra side panel has 2 flaws:
1) The hinge is made out of plastic and after a couple of uses looks already worn out
2) Method used for closing the side panel is not easy and it takes several tries to get it closed the way it should be
holding compartment can be hard to manage, reseating used drive rails is far from easy
removing CD/DVD drives requires ample force
front panel door lock is not very effective as it can be easily broken
no manual provided, the stickers in the case do not explain everything.



My overall impression of this Case Master "Firebird" is very positive; the small amount of issues can hardly stand up against the multitude of positive aspects of this case. And we haven't mentioned one of the most important yet, the suggested retail price is €125, and I’ve seen it as low as €108.

I can recommend this FireBird for anyone who wants a roomy server case while keeping an eye on the budget!

I thank Gino from Case Masters for sending the case our way, check out their website for their complete product line-up, which is already quite impressive!



My suggestions to improve this case:

hidden wheels in case feet

(semi) removable motherboard tray

change the colour of the top fan/handle (please!)


Questions/Comments: Forum thread