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Conclusion
Even though a certain euphoria might have been noticeable when reading the review, which already arose when unpacking the enclosure and aroused the desire to set up a permanent system in this enclosure, I want to keep the conclusion neutral and objective. Since the overall conclusion is somewhat more comprehensive, I will divide it into several sections.
Price
First, let’s talk about the price. Big tower cases are expensive, especially if they are insulated. And even if the price is still in the middle range compared to the competition, 320€ is a lot of money for a computer case. Can a case cost that much? Is the price justified or is the case really worth the price? I can’t answer that question, because everyone has to decide for themselves. What I can say, however, is that I have never seen such a well-equipped and flexible case. In terms of quality, the Dark Base Pro 901 leaves no doubt that it is a premium product.
Features
When it comes to features and equipment, you can tell that a lot of brainpower went into the development of the enclosure. Cable routing is child’s play thanks to the many channels, and the fan control with contact connectors saves a lot of tangled cables and makes installation easier. The completely inverted installation is only interesting for people who have their PC on the left side of the desk, but the possibility of removing the mainboard tray alone is great – I haven’t seen that in a long time. Also exciting are the countless application possibilities that the case offers: Large custom loops are no problem, data collectors can mount several hard drives and silent freaks can block almost all openings with insulated panels.
Airflow and noise
Which brings us to the topic of airflow and volume. I’m certainly not a silent freak, but I am quite sensitive to the volume of the PC. In particular, the whirring of poorly decoupled water pumps, mechanical hard disks and uneven or high-frequency fan speeds drive me crazy. I don’t even want to think about the clattering noise of poorly manufactured fans. The pre-assembled Silent Wings 4 fans are still quiet enough at level 1 of the integrated fan control (400rpm) to meet my requirements for a silent system. To my sensibilities, this is quiet enough that I can see no reason to smother the fans behind the front and lid panels with the closed (insulated) covers. Although the fans – as with the predecessor – could still blow out or suck in air through the perforated transitions on the lid and front, the airflow has a much easier time without this resistance. With the open covers and slowly rotating fans, very good temperatures can be achieved at a low noise level. Thanks to the stable construction, the large rubberised feet and the absence of loose/rattling parts, the transmission of vibrations should also be kept to a minimum – the main reason why I did not put my hardware back into the 7000D after the test.
Optics, personal conclusion and minor points of criticism
The point “optics” cannot be evaluated objectively in and of itself, which is why I have moved it to the personal conclusion. I have to admit that I have seldom liked the looks of BeQuiet! cases so far. Either they were “too closed” for me, had a strange design language, colour accents that couldn’t be changed or features that didn’t make enough sense to me to have to make any compromises. When I first saw the Dark Base Pro 901 in pictures, it was no exception.
The assessment only changed when I saw Igor’s Computex video. And now that I’ve seen it in the flesh and it’s sitting on my desk, I have to admit that it’s actually a real visual treat – something that doesn’t come across at all in the pictures. I really like the feet, the discreet ARGB accent stripe is quite something and the illuminated front I/O is not only eye-catching but also quite practical in a dark room. All in all, the Dark Base Pro 901 not only convinced me visually and haptically, it also made me change my mind functionally and therefore replaced the Corsair 7000D Airflow (at least for the time being).
The fact that there is no such thing as the perfect case is also shown by a few small things that annoy me about the Dark Base Pro 901. I’m used to the large Corsair and Thermaltake cases having hinges on the side panels, which allows quick maintenance or a small handle inside without fumbling – with the 901 I first have to remove two thumbscrews and then fumble again until the side panel sits correctly in the guides. Then, from my point of view, there are discrepancies regarding the proportions. The case is so deep that I can only place it crosswise on my desk. This is probably mainly due to the hard drive cages, which – and this is just a personal assessment – probably only a fraction of buyers will use to such an extent anyway, as they should take up so much space. For me, it would have made more sense to take away some depth from the case and instead give it 2-3cm more height, so that you could also use three 140mm fans (ideally even a 420 radiator) AND the 5.25″ drive in the front. As it is, you can unfortunately only use 2x 140 or 3x 120mm fans in the front in conjunction with the ODD bay.
The case was provided by BeQuiet! for this test. The only condition was compliance with the blocking period, no influence or compensation was given.
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