| Apevia X-Jupiter Jr G Mid Tower ATX Case |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Cases | |
| Written by Kevin Young - Edited by Olin Coles | |
| Wednesday, 17 October 2007 | |
Apevia X-Jupiter Jr G Computer CaseThe Apevia X-Jupiter JR G may not be the king of mid range, mid-tower cases, but is it truly a prince? Read on to find out just what we thought of the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G. The X-JUPITER JR is a mid tower that shares the same look and some functions of the X-JUPITER Full Tower but with a much more affordable price. For those who like the style of X-JUPITER case but has the space and budget concern, this is the one. Sturdy construction with tool free design and ample space make your installation easy. Besides the top connections for USB 2.0, firewire and audio, this case also comes with a LCD showing the temperature of whatever the sensor attached to, and a fan speed controller to balance the noise and cooling. The G type has a side window with a 120 mm fan and a 120mm rear fan for excellent airflow. Four colors are available at your choice-Black, Silver, Blue and Metallic Grey. Today we'll look at the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G in Black.
About the company: ApeviaApevia has been around for a good many years as a well known company that has made quality cases for quite some time, but not with the Apevia brand name. Apevia is formerly Aspire. It seems that there was some confusion once the Acer Aspire series came out, and Aspire did not want their products associated with Acer in any way whatsoever, so they changed their name. This quote from Aspire's website tells the story. "In order to avoid any confusion and also to distinguish Aspire cases from Acer's Aspire product lines, ASPIRE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION has changed its name to APEVIA CORPORATION effective June 1, 2006. Aspire Europe has also changed its name to APEVIA EUROPE. During this transition period, you may find our products in both ASPIRE and APEVIA brands. Eventually, all Aspire products including chassis, power supplies, fans, keyboards, mice and other accessories will be changed to APEVIA. APEVIA will be running business under the same ownership, management, quality and service. By changing to APEVIA, we hope to better serve our customers with more quality products." Apevia has two headquarters, one in California, and one in Sweden. They not only make computer cases, but also make accessories and Peripherals such as Case Fans, Power Supplies and Matching Color Keyboard/Mouse/Speaker Kits. Features & SpecificationsX-jupiter Features:
Apevia Specifications:
Closer Look: X-Jupiter ExteriorApevia is a well known name with the enthusiast community, formerly under the name Aspire. While they are not well known for their high end cases, they have always built well constructed mid-range cases with attention to detail. From the glossy exterior finish to the tool free drive bays, the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G was built with ease of use in mind.
The Apevia X-Jupiter JR G packaging is a rather appealing box complete with all the pertinent specs clearly printed on the outside.
Once pulled from the box, we can see that the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G has been packed well with your typical Styrofoam end caps to prevent damage when shipping.
Once the Styrofoam and outside plastic bag were removed, we found the front and side encased in sticky plastic sheets to further prevent any type of scratches from occurring during the unpacking process, which is not something you see on every case. Personally I found this extra bit of packing a comfort, knowing that the case would be free of scratches to the finish and window.
The front of the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G feature dual LCD temperature monitors to read case temperature, and cpu temperature, or whatever else you decide to monitor. It all depends where you place the thermal sensors. It also has a fan controller knob on the front to help balance noise and cooling, giving the user full control of both. The front also features a bezel door giving easy access to your CD/DVD drives. One of the biggest complaints about cases is a flimsy front door, which the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G does not have. The door has a sturdy and well built feel to it, giving the user the confidence that it will not break off with the first opening or haphazard bump. As you can see from the photo, the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G has a very high gloss, black finish to it.
The see-through side window with led 120mm fan gives the appearance of a typical gaming case with a stylish yet somewhat understated fan grill. There's nothing worse than a case with a cheesy skull or radioactive symbol grill on the side, and the fan grill on the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G leaves you with a humble yet classy look.
The top of the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G features two USB ports, one 1394 Firewire port, audio out, and audio in. If I have but one complaint about this case, it's the placement of these ports. They are on the right side of the top of the case and placed half-way to the back, making access somewhat awkward if the case is placed under a desk or in any other place that has no easy access.
The rear of the case is very typical of any one of a thousand different cases with no distinguishing characteristics. You'll see the 120mm exhaust fan, giving this case ample exhaust capabilities. You'll also notice the tool free PCI slot design, something I'm not fond of, but you're seeing more and more of in cases today (we'll touch a bit more on this when we discuss the interior). The side of the case comes off with ease by the use of two thumb screws. Detailed Exterior FeaturesTypical of most front bezel door cases, the power and reset buttons are located behind the door. Personally this does not constitute ease of use, especially if the case is placed in an inaccessible location.
As you can see, the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G has four exterior 5.25" drive bays. While not many OEMs are building computers with 3.5" floppy drives, and personally I see no need for one, Apevia has seen fit to include two exterior 3.5" drive bays for the end user that still has the need. As I stated previously the door, while being plastic, has the feel of being sturdy and durable. The wires for the LED readouts in the front door are routed through mid way on the hinge. They have a somewhat thick rubber sheath covering them to offer protection from being cut, pulled or otherwise destroyed during the normal opening and closing operation of the bezel door. At the bottom front of the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G is a grill for the front 120mm intake fan (not included), should you feel the need for extra hard drive cooling and intake air circulation. . I've had a few cases that have had the main power button fail after only a few months of use, and one of them from one of the largest high end computer case manufacturers. The power and reset buttons on the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G do not have the cheap feel that you see in quite a few of these mid range cases. They are solid, and give the feel that they will last the duration of the life of the case.
Here we get a closer look at the LED readouts, fan controller knob, power led, and HDD led. The fan controller knob is quite solid, unlike the feel you get when turning a PCI slot fan controller knob. It glides easily, and there is no play in it whatsoever.
Here is a closer look at the side window. You get a clearer look at the side fan grill over the 120mm blue led fan.
Here we see the included documentation and accessories included with the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G. Both case fans come pre-installed, one at the rear exhaust, and one on the side window intake. While there are no specs given on these fans, further investigation suggests that these Apevia fans are 63.85 CFM maximum air flow at 29.67 max dba, which should give the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G plenty of good airflow and ventilation. The instructions for this case are complete and well written, so even the first time builder should have no problems figuring out everything from installing the motherboard, to the use of the tool free PCI slot covers. Also included are the motherboard standoffs and screws for mounting the motherboard. Closer Look: X-Jupiter InteriorAs we open up the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G, we can see just what this case is made of.
As you can see the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G is constructed of steel, and has no removable motherboard tray, nor does it slide. I wouldn't expect as much from a case in this price range, and the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G is no exception. Clearly stated are the tool free 5.25" exterior drive bays as well as the exterior 3.5" tool free drive bays. I found them to slide with ease, and once locked, there is no getting them to slide free, thus keeping your drives safely tucked within the case. While the case itself is fairly light, it does not give the feel of a cheaply made case.
Here is a closer look at the drive bays. At the bottom of the case you'll notice the cage with three internal 3.5" drive bays that sit directly in front of the optional 120mm intake fan placement. For those of you that are particular about keeping your drives cool, one only need purchase an extra 120mm fan to do so. The cage is easily removed simply by unscrewing two screws, and sliding the cage off its track.
Here's a closer look at the rear 120mm exhaust fan and tool free PCI slot installment. Most cases that have this tool free PCI design are a major pain to loosen, let alone to install and re-tighten. I can honestly say that these were the first set that were not only easy, but an actual pleasure to operate. They not only un-snapped easily, but when snapped back into place there is no doubt in your mind that your PCI cards are being held firmly in place. This operation is clearly documented in the included instruction booklet.
This is a closer look at the underside of the two USB, one Firewire, and both audio ports. The wires are sufficiently coated in a thick rubber sheathing, and the ends are clearly marked making them easy to simply plug right into the appropriate pins on your motherboard. There was no need to photograph the bottom of this case as it is your typical steel bottom with four rubber pads that are not simply glued on, but are firmly set with thick pins directly into the bottom of the case, giving the feeling that they'll not come free with the first slide of the case across carpet. Apevia Final ThoughtsQuite honestly when first given the project of reviewing the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G I wasn't expecting much. From the unpacking though the final inspection of the the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G I'll have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. For a case that will currently cost you $64.99 (after MIR), it's tough to say that it's money poorly spent. While this is not a high end "super case", it is an excellent, well built mid tower case in the moderate price range. The only drawbacks of this case are the buttons behind the bezel door, and the poorly placed external ports.
X-Jupiter Jr G ConclusionApevia has done a wonderful job packaging, marketing, and pricing the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G. A pleasantly designed package, with informative specs clearly posted on the box gives the consumer confidence in getting what he's paying for. The Apevia X-Jupiter JR G was well protected and Apevia even went a step further with the clear plastic protective sheets on the case front and side window. The appearance of the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G is very appealing, from the high gloss finish, and tool free design, to the led side window fan with attractive grill. The construction of the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G is not what you'd expect from a case in this price range. Clearly Apevia has given thought into the design of the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G, and it shows. The Apevia X-Jupiter JR G is solid, yet light without giving the appearance or feel of a cheaply built case. While this is clearly not a high end case, it is in fact a well designed, and built mid range mid-tower case. Clearly Apevia X-Jupiter JR G is a very functional case for one in its class. From the tool free design to the solid front bezel door, this case does everything you need it to. It even has LCD temperature readouts and a front mounted fan control knob, which is not something you normally receive in a case in this class, and at this price. The only drawback in its functionality is the top mounted ports which are placed too far back on the top of the case. If there is one thing I'd change about the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G, it would be to mount them at the front of the top of the case, giving much more ease of use. The Apevia X-Jupiter JR G priced at $64.99 (after $10.00 MIR at NewEgg) is clearly a good value. While it's not the king of mid-tower cases, it certainly is a prince, especially when one considers the cost. In conclusion, if you're looking a purchasing a case that won't cost you an arm and a leg, but want some of the functions and features of one that will, then the Apevia X-Jupiter JR G is one you won't regret purchasing. It does what it's supposed to, and then gives you a couple features that not many do at this price. Pros:
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