Legit Case Reviews

IN-WIN Maelstrom Full Tower Case Review

Manufacturer: IN-WIN Development Inc.
Product: IN-WIN Maelstrom Full Tower Case
Date: Wed, Oct 07, 2009 - 12:00 AM
Written By: Joe Evans -
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Maelstrom - Operation, Final Thoughts & Conclusions

Once running, the case is rather quiet. Using a fan controller, noise is abated even further although I wouldn’t bother using a controller on the 220mm fan because it's nearly silent. That fan also has another nice feature in the form of four blue LED’s arranged in a pattern where they surround the fan in a diamond formation.

Maelstrom Case – LED of Side Fan

This is very attractive but if it bugs you, simply flick the switch on the panel and they go off. Magic!

Maelstrom Case – LED Switch

Overall, I really like the case design. It has some very nice features such as the wide array of I/O panel ports, built-in rail mount storage, the ability to add up to ten fans, and the acoustic absorbing material. All of this adds a great deal of value to the product. Minor stuff such as the adjustable stands, fan adapters, motherboard cutout, and finished interior round out the package nicely.

Maelstrom Case - Top Exhaust Fan

In my eyes, the Maelstrom has a few minor issues that are easily remedied. First, the size and alignment of the motherboard tray cutout needs to be altered for maximum compatibility. Nothing a Dremel tool can't fix. Second, the drive bay rails and front bezel could use a little tweaking for shallow depth devices which may occupy multiple bays. Again, a Dremel tool comes in handy here, if needed. Lastly, I’d love to see a removable motherboard tray but for $109.99 shipped I think the Maelstrom is a good value as is so I could live without this feature.

Maelstrom Case – Left Side Full Build

Legit Bottom Line: The IN-WIN Maelstrom has a long list of features, a quality build, and the capacity to hold a crazy number of fans. Add an attractive design and, for an extreme user chassis, I don't think there's a long list of cases available that offer more for the price.

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Review Index
Page 1 - IN-WIN Maelstrom - Unboxing & Specs
Page 2 - Maelstrom - External Impressions
Page 3 - Maelstrom - Internal Impressions
Page 4 - Maelstrom - Build & Observations
Page 5 - Maelstrom - Operation, Final Thoughts & Conclusions