We’ve reviewed a lot of cases here over the years.  Some of them are very expensive, and boast gigiantic towers full of fans, hidden panels and high-end power supplies.  But, invariably when someone comes into the office and looks around at our current hardware stockpiles, they are always drawn to the cases from ColorCases.  No matter the SOHO file servers humming in the corner, and forget about the aluminum Lian-Li tucked under the desk.  It’s the flashy colors and shiny buttons that gets their attention.  Everytime.

The latest case from ColorCases is the Web ATX, and like the other cases we have reviewed, this enclosure has enough eye-candy to draw a crowd at the next LAN party.  And the best part?  You don’t even have to pick up a Dremel.

The case comes standard with dark grey paint, accented by a blue tinted panels on the front bezel.  Simulated chrome rivets give the bezel a nice industrial look.  Tucked under the front edge of the bezel are two USB ports, always a nice addition with the plethora of USB peripherals on the market.  The power and reset buttons are set in a simulated chrome accent piece, just below the 3.5″ drive slot.  Four 5.25″ external drive bays are visible, and each bay includes a cover to match the front bezel, making stealth drive mods possible without the need to fabricate any additional covers.  Both side panels are removable, and include thumbscrews for easy access to the case interior.  The top panel is riveted in place, but could be removed with a simple drill.  The front bezel panel is held in place by four plastic clips, and snaps off fairly easily.  Moving to the rear of the case, we see two fan grills, one 80mm and the other 60mm.  The swirl design of the stamped fan guards probably provides better airflow than the standard hole-pattern, but serious cooling freaks would want to remove the metal obstructions for maximum efficiency.  Removing the front bezel reveals two 80mm intake fan positions, with the same grill pattern as the rear fan position.  As with the rear grills, I would recommend removing the grill metal to aid in airflow.  The bottom edge of the bezel is cutaway to allow air to enter the front fans, but this opening is partially blocked by the USB connetion PCB.

The Web Case gets it’s name from the side panel window, designed in the shape of a web.  The center of the web cut-out features an 80mm fan grill, and a pair of eyes that look oddly familiar.  The side panels are held in place by two thumbscrews, and attach to the enclosure with small tabs along the perimeter of the   Opening the side panel reveals a very simple interior.  All of the metal edges are rolled for safety, always a good thing, especially in a case this size.  The case itself is on the small side, measuring 7.75 [w] x 17.25 [h] x 18 [d] inches, although there is ample room to do routine installtion and maintenance.  Like many of the cases we have seen recently, the Web case does not have a removable motherboard tray.  If you are the type to constantly make major upgrades to your system, this may prove to be an inconvienience, but for the average user this is of little concern.  The Web case has four external 5.25″ drive bays, one 3.5″ external bay, and six internal 3.5″ bays, more than enough for any system you or I are likely to build.  Unlike the Stealth case we reviewed last month, the Web uses traditional screw mounts for the drives, rather than the trick quick-release mechanism.  A small package of hardware is included with the case, containing a small system speaker, plastic motherboard stand-offs, and self-tapping screws.

Despite the small size, the case feels sturdy.  Not quite the vault-like build of the Antec cases, but better than the flimsy sheetmetal found in some budget cases in this price range.  The drive cage assembly extends from top to bottom of the interior, giving the case additional structural integrity and support.

Overall, the Web case would make a fine box for a pre-mod LAN case, or even a second rig on the home network.  For users that spend a great deal of time inside the case making hardware changes and adjustments, the small size may be a limiting factor.  The web design of the side panel is a nice eye catching detail, and garnered rave reviews from people that stopped by the office.  For those of us with limited Dremel skills, this case is an easy way to get that custom look without a trip to the doctor.  Expansion room on the inside of the case is ample, providing more than enough drive bays for a case this size.  Cooling options are good, although some slight modifications would greatly improve the efficiency of the airflow through the case.  I liked the looks of this case, and that alone is often enough to sell a product.  The Web case doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses, and stands as a fairly average enclosure when it comes to pure functionality.  But, this case is not sold as a massive SOHO tower, rather it is geared towards the user wanting an out-of-the-box case modding experience, and the spider theme is a sure way to attract attention at the next LAN.  The price on this case is $49, without a power supply or optional cooling fans.  Not a bad deal, considering the web detail on the window.  If you have ever done any case cutting, you will see the value in this.  Trust me, sitting for hours with a dremel and tin snips sucks.