iON EC-2 Aluminum ATX Media Center/HTPC Desktop Case Review

Cases & PSU/Cases by SidneyWong @ 2007-08-20

If you have not heard of the name iON before, I am with you. iON is a brand under MGE, a manufacturer of PC products from Taiwan. This all aluminum Media Center HPTC case has an elegant look and will fit full size ATX board; it is marketed by Eagle Tech in the U.S.

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Software, temperature test

Software Installation:

Requirements:

1) MS.Net Framework 1.1
2) Parallel Port Driver
3) Front View For MCE.MSI

MS Framework 1.1 is part of Windows XP, an update will take care of it if not already installed.

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Parallel Port Driver, PRT95NT.exe is available for download at iON .

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The rest of the setup is straight forward.


System Setup:
Temperature:

Two instances of Prime95, ambient temp ~25°C, two 60mm + one 80mm case fans at default voltage.

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Ambient temp 25°C


50°C can't be considered high for HPTC case specially when overclocked, you also have to remember that the onboard graphic runs much cooler than entry to mid level graphic card which will add more heat for sure.

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Comment from Sidney @ 2007/08/20
$100 rebate is still on.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...scription=ec-2
Comment from jmke @ 2007/08/20
The 450W edition doesn't have the rebate
Comment from Sidney @ 2007/10/22
The case has absolutely no air flow going thru; finally got time over the weekend to do a minor mod by opening up 4 round holes at the right places on the cover.

Good result with no additional fan required; 7600GT dropped 8°C, CPU temp dropped 6°C. Load temp 7600GT 70°C, CPU 50°C (E4400 1.38V 3.0 GHz stock alum HSF) at 23°C ambient using SpeedFan 4.33.

Load temp from OCCT for CPU and playing UT3 for 45 minutes for GPU.

The case in reality is divided into 2 zones once a full height GPU is installed. With PSU being at the front of the case, the PSU intake will act as exhaust going thru the long tunnel routed to the rear of the case. The two holes near the top of the GPU will become intake.

On the right side, the two holes will act as intake for cooler air straight down the to memory modules and pulled by the exhaust fan at the rear. I use alum screen hot glued from the inside and "Sharpie" to blacken the the screen. The holes aren't noticeable from the front viewing angle.
Comment from jmke @ 2007/10/23
did the same mods with the first Antec HTPC case their later revisions included my extra air in/out-take paths

 

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