Zalman GT1000 Computer Case Review
I very seldom find myself in awe of any product design these days, since most manufacturers are more willing to produce a good product that can be mass produced than a truly great product requiring extensive effort. It doesn't happen often, but I have recently discovered the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000, a beautiful black high-end gaming mid-tower ATX computer case that has refined itself to the point of prestige. Hardware enthusiasts and hardcore gamers will delight in this fine chassis, and Benchmark Reviews offers you something you are not likely to find again for some time: innovation.
Z-Machine Features:
-
High End Gaming PC Enclosure Constructed with Anodized Sturdy Aluminum Panels
-
Convenient Tool Free Installation of Disk Drives, Fan Controllers, and Expansion Cards
-
Accommodates up to 6 Hard Disk Drives (4 in the HDD Chassis, 2 on the Bottom Panel)
-
Hinged Side Panels for Convenient Installation and maintenance
-
Aerodynamic Design for Optimized Air flow and Quiet Operation
Zalman offers their GT1000 (SKU 40GT0100) in two colors: black, which is perfect for matching most components available; and titanium, which truly stands beside itself and has a look of premium high-class seldom seen in a mid-tower ATX case. Recently Benchmark Reviews has also seen many other manufacturers' attempts at creating high-end computer cases, and they have all fallen short of the mark. Among the top contenders were the Lian Li PC-B20A Aluminum Mid-Tower ATX Case and the Antec P182 Performance One ATX Case, but neither really took the crown as king of the hill (although the PC-B20A did receive our Golden Tachometer Award). Will it be any different this time? I'm sure Zalman would like this kind of news, but you will have to wait and see.
About the company: Zalman USA
Zalman Tech Co. is a Korean company that develops and provides aftermarket desktop computer products primarily for cooling enhancement. Zalman has done considerable product development since its 1999 founding, and now holds several patents focusing on both cooling and noise-reduction. Personal computer systems can generate significant heat and noise, the management of which is important for those wanting to modify brand-name computers, and also people wanting to personally assemble a system themselves.
Zalman products most notably include specialized heat sink and fan solutions for CPU's. In addition, Zalman also produces very quiet power supplies, computer water cooling systems, motherboard chipset coolers, graphics card heat sink and fan combos, laptop coolers, and hard disk cases that lower temperature and also reduce noise. Zalman was the first manufacturer of a completely fanless case; It used a fin based design to dissipate heat with heat generating components like the graphics card and motherboard transferring heat to the case body via a system of heat pipes and radiators.
Despite the fact that computers have become commonplace at home and at workplaces for a long time, true user-friendliness of the computers is still a long shot. At Zalman Tech, we strive to make that goal a closer reality through extensive research and development of our products. We were the world's first in reducing computer noise down to lower than 20dB, thus creating a more user-friendly computing environment. Now it is possible to use a computer without distracting noise and to form high fidelity audio system or home theatre system without ambient noise.
Zalman Tech will continue to make efforts at creating more enhanced levels of user-friendliness in computing; we believe that we have the ability and determination to achieve this goal. Your support and interest are greatly appreciated.
GT1000 Specifications
-
Enclosure Type: Tower Enclosure
-
Dimensions: 480mm X 220mm X 450mm (18.9"X 8.7" X 17.7" L x W x H)
-
Weight: 12.5kg (27.5 lbs)
-
Material: Aluminum 4~5T
-
Motherboard Compatibility: Standard ATX / microATX
-
PSU Compatibility: Standard ATX / ATX12V
-
PCI/AGP Card Compatibility: Full Size
-
Drive Bays (Tool Free Kit provided): 3.5" Bay x 7 5.25" Bay x 4
-
Cooling Components:
-
Expansion Card Slots: 7 Slots (Tool Free Bolts provided)
-
Front I/O Ports:
-
Color Options Titanium / Black
Closer Look: GT-1000 Exterior
Unlike most typical cases which only incorporate a thin aluminum facade over the front cover, the entire Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 Black High-End Gaming Mid-Tower ATX case incorporates firm (and equally heavy) 5mm thick anodized pure aluminum panels. This kind of heavy material prevents system vibration, reinforces system cooling by dissipating internal heat, and provides a high level of aesthetics.
There are a total of three silent fans included with the Zalman GT1000, and each is equipped with colored LED lights. As the fans RPM changes, the fan alters brightness, which adds to the special effect of the case. Zalman affixes a "Computer Noise Prevention System" (CNPS) badge to all components used for noiseless computers, and the fans inside the Z-Machine are part of this series.
The Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 Black High-End Gaming Mid-Tower ATX Case is designed to maintain internal temperatures at their most optimum level at all times. This is achieved by incorporating two 92mm LED fans at the Front Intake and a single 120mm Rear Exhaust Fan. Together these fans create high volume airflow through the system, even at low fan RPM, which yields high performance cooling while maintaining quiet operation.
Zalman has included the ZM-MC1, which is a multi-connector fan controller, with the Zalman GT1000. Simply connect it to the power supply's output connector and simply attach the fans to the 3-pin connectors at the other end.
All sides of the Zalman GT1000 are comprised of aluminum material of approximately 4~5mm thickness, and Zalman has given the Z-Machine white glove treatment by having each piece assembled by an engineer to provide a firm enclosure with noise and vibration preventions.
Each panel is bolted to the frame using Allen head screws. The good news is that the Z-Machine won't fall apart on you, and the Z-Machine comes with an Allen key wrench, should you need to mod...ify anything.
More good news is that you can remove all eight Allen head screws from the right panel to access the motherboard (remove all expansion cards first). While the motherboard panel is not on hinges, the ODD panel is. Remove two more screws and it swings open for access.
From the back view of the Zalman Z-Machine, it would seem as though the GT1000 came with a 140mm exhaust fan. This would have made good sense, considering the two 92mm fan in the front, but in reality the case is deceiving to the eye. A single 120mm exhaust fan is mounted to the rear of the Z-Machine, but what if you are interested in running a liquid-cooling system?
Zalman doesn't seem concerned about liquid cooling, as evidenced by the lack of holes for tubing. This is more than unusual in my opinion, especially considering their product line includes twenty such products. Go figure, I guess if you're a Zalman fan boy you are stuck with the Reserator; or drilling very large holes in 5mm aluminum alloy.
Detailed Exterior Features
Aside from the thick flat plates which make up the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000, this black high-end gaming chassis offers very little design imagination with the only exception being the front of the mid-tower ATX case. I really like the twin fan intake, and it seems to be fitting for the overall design. I know that shaping and forming 5mm alloy aluminum is very far from easy, but it would be nice to see something more done with the machining of the front.
The Zalman GT1000 features a special controller to manage noise and system cooling. The ZM-MC1 is provided with the GT1000, which allows the control of fan RPM according to the ambient environment (temperature, humidity, solar flares, etc). This ultimately means the user (a very fortunate user) can manually control the fan RPM, and therefore control the levels of noise and internal system cooling performance.
On the service entry side of the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 Black High-End Gaming Mid-Tower ATX Case, there is a transparent window. Zalman has included this feature on the side door (panels remove, doors have hinges) to boost the aesthetics as well as to allow the user to be able to view the fireworks coming from the components installed inside the system.
This is a feature especially intended for those users which are fanatics about their system tuning. Additionally, various LEDs can be used inside to create a unique look inside the system according to your special preferences.
I am not a huge fan of LED's on my internal components (video card, CPU cooler, etc), and find them to often be a distraction while playing video games with my infinite amount of spare time (it's the LED's, not my lack of l33t gaming skillz), so the Pink Floyd laser light show tours elsewhere.
Convenient front Input/Output (I/O) Ports include sockets for speakers or headphones, a microphone (since headsets are practically required equipment for gaming), 2 USB 2.0 device ports, and a IEEE-1394 (Firewire-B) device for convenient system access. Because Zalman includes the wiring connections to accommodate Azalia and AC'97 specifications, the audio sockets support HD Audio.
All connecting bolts and the expansion card holder on the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 are plated or colored to provide an elegant image as well as to provide semi-permanent corrosion prevention - even though aluminum alloy will not rust.
I think manufacturers are in a holding pattern trying to decide on the next big plan to introduce improvements for chassis feet. I'm very thankful the industry has evolved away from push-in plastic feet, which were as slick on top of a desk or table as some gaming mice are on special mouse pads. Zalman's Z-Machine offers a "home-theater" finish to each of the four feet located at the corners of the GT1000, but only a small center square of rubber makes the contact to the surface.
This would be a good time to introduce my own idea, although more functional than fashionable. If manufacturers really wanted to get high-tech with the isolation of vibration, they would do what audiophiles have done with their highest-end equipment: use the sharp cone and plate technique. Instead of an ugly looking round foot, which everyone has done, use a brass/bronze/aluminum alloy or other hard metal with some flash appeal to extend from the bottom about an inch like the tip of a pencil. These "sharp" cones would then rest in the center pit of a small (usually circular) piece of similar metal which has a soft silicon rubber (or foam rubber) underside. That's high-end, and it would certainly do the best job possible.
Closer Look: GT-1000 Interior
Now we shall start to take our close look of the interior; a section of the Z-Machine which Zalman decided to give special attention. The GT1000 Black High-End Gaming Mid-Tower ATX Case may not seem like much from the outside, and this is loosely the truth, but we have only just begun the journey.
Those aren't Heavens pearly gates you see above, no, those are the bolt holes securing the doors of the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 High-End Gaming case closed. As I mentioned in a previous section, even though thumbscrews secure the service side doors at the top and bottom, it wouldn't hurt anything if the screws are removed. They aren't exactly necessary, since there are magnetic connections behind the doors, and they can be a hassle if you are constantly getting inside the case to change components.
The image above is the motherboard-side doors to the case. Although I personally think that four screws would have worked perfectly with the 5mm panel, Zalman uses eight to keep you from your motherboard.
On a side note, I suppose that you could always replace the collection of exterior Allen head screws with chrome versions, which would really pronounce the feature and trick-out the appearance to a notable degree.
The Zalman GT1000 features a one-touch opening door "side panel" system. Zalman likes to call it a side panel, but I insist it is a door. We shall agree that the door is a panel of aluminum alloy. At any rate...
The door system is designed to be opened with a single touch, but only if you remove the heavy-duty Allen head screws and know the secret spy handshake. The side doors can then be opened without the use of any special tools, which makes it convenient for anyone who will have frequent component changes; like a hardware review analyst for example.
Something else that's new to the scene and makes it's debut in the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000, is the slick tool-free hard disk drive installation. This new system utilizes anchored spinning bars with cylindrical rubber wheels to allow the user to easily install and remove the HDD, simply by rolling it in and out of the chassis (and without having to use any tools). Furthermore, there is sufficient space in the lower section of the enclosure where two more HDD's can be installed in a different (tool-free) manner.
Tool-free 5.25" device installation for the larger components use thumb screws (which Zalman calls "hand bolts") which are fixed onto the sides pf the 5.25" drive bay at all times. Tool-free Expansion Card installation also utilizes thumb screws (not standard bolts), and are used for installing and removing the expansion cards. Now let's dig even deeper into this project...
Detailed Interior Features
The image below gives an excellent view of the interior working space of the GT1000. The Zalman Z-Machine may not have a slick motherboard tray system, but it certainly has room inside to move about without bumping into a delicate connection (such as the SATA connectors on hard disk drives).
Utilizing a unique design, the Zalman GT1000 HDD (Hard Disk Drive) mounting cage is made of rubber rollers and dampers, which serves to absorb the vibration and noise from escaping the Z-Machine.
Since the GT1000 has permanently affixed thumbscrews in the drive bays, the installation is very straight-forward, as explained below.
5.25" & 3.5" Drive Installation:
-
Remove the Bay Covers of the 5.25" Optical Disc Drive (ODD) and 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive (FDD) bays.
-
Insert the ODD into a bay, and fix it in place with the Tool Free Bolts.
-
ODD Slots No. 3 & 4 and the FDD Slot are designed for using the Fixing Bolts (Bolt, M3x5).
The Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 is designed for the latest high performance hard disk drives, which are playing their part to generate plenty of heat due to high RPM. The two 92mm LED front intake fans draw in cool air from outside the system and push it into the HDD cage. Since the hard drives are the first component to be cooled by this cool air, the drive life expectancy is extended and the occurrence of data errors caused by high heat are minimized.
There are four 5.25" drive bays and one single 3.5" bay exposed to the outside of the Z-Machine. Additionally, the installation of six 3.5" HDD's is possible with four in the HDD cage and two more on the floor of the GT1000. The newfangled rollers may confuse some old-school types, so I have included their instruction below (because there is more to it than simply pushing a drive in and calling it good).
Hard Disk Drive Installation into Roller Racks:
-
Open (raise) the HDD Lock Bar of the HDD Chassis Bay where the HDD will be installed.
-
Slide in the HDD into the Bay and close (lower) the HDD Lock Bar behind the HDD.
-
To remove the HDD, open (roll up) the HDD Lock Bar above the HDD.
I am uncertain whether any case needs additional hard drive mounting space on the floor of the case, but the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 offers just exactly that. This area doesn't have enough clearance to mount reservoirs for a liquid cooling unit (not that the GT1000 could accommodate the tubes anyway), so if you absolutely must mount a fifth and sixth hard drive, the space is just barely there. Here are the instructions for utilizing this tool-free design.
HDD Installation and removal on the bottom panel
-
Remove the AVM (Anti Vibration Mount) installed on the Bottom Panel of the enclosure and install them on the left/right sides of the HDD.
-
Check for an available slot on the Bottom Panel, open the AVM Clamps, and insert the HDD by gently pushing it.
-
Once the HDD is completely lodged in place, close the lever to lock the HDD in place.
Final Thoughts: Zalman GT1000
Zalman certainly invested tremendous resources into the Z-Machine GT1000. There are a lot, nay, too many, black mid-tower ATX cases flooding the market every year. For once, the market can bear the weight of just one more, a High-End Gaming enclosure which offers the most durable finish known to the industry, and several convenience and performance features to keep any enthusiast happy. Unfortunately, happiness has a price, and that price is just under $400.
I suppose that if you are the gamer with a budget for a set of GeForce 8800 Ultra's in SLi, then perhaps your budget would allow for a premium enclosure of this caliber as well. I will confess that I have not found the level of detail present in the Zalman GT1000 anywhere else, ever before. I thought the machine work and construction in the NZXT Adamas Aluminum Mid-Tower ATX Case would never be rivaled, and I have just been proven wrong. The Z-Machine is every part a machine, as well as an engineering marvel.
Conclusion
Looking back at the glossy retail package the Z-Machine was boxed in, I have to think that Zalman could have gone a little overboard with the packaging as they did with the case. They did double box the Z-Machine (SKU 40GT0100), but the GT1000 is supposed to be "the very best of the best", so I don't think that using the same exact box as nearly every other manufacturer really pushes this point home. Actually, it might make a buyer question what is so different about this case compared to the other nice cases displayed on equally glossy finishes.
Appearance had its overall strong-points, but the GT1000 is not fashion heavy. Zalman did offer some very passive design features such as Allen head screws and beveled edges, and they added in a few LED fans to help color things up a bit. In the end, this black High-End Gaming mid-tower ATX case offered conservative looks with a prestige built from elegance.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is construction, which is really the highpoint of the entire Z-Machine. Corrosion-protected fasteners, perfectly engineered panels, and high-strength panels all come together and form one very solid GT1000. Zalman is proud of their work, and they should be, because this is another case which will easily outlive all the rest of us.
The functionality had many scalable features, but was not without its limits. Plenty of working room inside, especially after opening the service door "panels". Extremely easy drive and component installation thanks to the tool free design. But the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 defers the liquid-cooling crowd to a different product in the Zalman product line: the Reserator.
At the time of this writing, which is not long after the product release, the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 Black High-End Gaming Mid-Tower ATX Case is being sold at NewEgg.com for $399.99. This is the most expensive case Benchmark Reviews has ever seen, without question; but that should be held in the same context that the Lamborghini is the most expensive car I have ever driven. The GT1000 may not offer value, but for everything it lacks in this category it makes up for everywhere else - and then some.
In conclusion, I wouldn't expect each and every reader out there to see the same justification in the GT1000 that I do. This is the case because of two simple reasons: I have one and can clearly see the advantages, yet it costs too much for most shoppers. For those of you that can afford the finest quality products available to gamers and hardware enthusiasts, the Zalman Z-Machine is the premium chassis made just for you. The GT1000 is clearly at the very top of the hill, but the price tag has kept an otherwise extraordinary product from receiving the praise from the masses it deserves. Zalman just missed our Golden Tachometer Award, purely based on a low value score, but this case proved elite in every other regard. Expect a follow up when the price makes this product more obtainable.
Pros:
+ Extremely Expandable
+ Excellent Cooling Performance
+ Quiet Operation
+ Convenient Swing-out Doors
+ Roller-Cage Makes Changing Drive Easy
+ Very High-Quality Construction
+ Front-Panel Firewire IEEE-1394B I/O Port
+ Attractive Design & Appearance
Cons:
- Very expensive
- Heavyweight
- Plastic Hard Drive Rollers
- Lacks Liquid Cooling Holes
- No Power Supply Support
Ratings:
-
Presentation: 9.0
-
Appearance: 9.25
-
Construction: 10.0
-
Functionality: 9.0
-
Value: 7.25
Final Score: 8.9 out of 10.
Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award.
Questions? Comments? Benchmark Reviews really wants your feedback. We invite you to leave your remarks in our Discussion Forum.
Related Articles:
|
