Thermaltake VD4000BWS Kandalf Case with Build in Liquid Cooling Kit and Window

List Price: $364.69 Discount Price: $267.73

Features:

• USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 FireWire full tower PC case ideal for water-cooling gaming workstations and server rigs
• Compatible with ATX, Micro ATX, Extend ATX, and BTX; 11 flexible drive bays and 7 expansion slots
• Radiator features triple 120-millimeter cooling fans to boost air flow; silent liquid pump
• Includes copper acrylic capped CPU waterblock, 3/8-inch transparent UV tube and industrial-grade rubber tube, front-accessible drive bay, and aluminum front panel
• 3-year limited warranty

Customer Reviews:

Bertha!  [Posted on 2008-03-11]
That's what I had to name this colossus. She wasn't necessarily easy to work with though. For one thing, the Ultra X3 1000 watt power supply would not fit initially. I had to remove the 3 1/2" cage from the rear of the case and do some additional minor mods to get the PS in. But overall, this case was very easy to work with. Another minor note if your planning on building a screamer, which is what I would expect if your buying a water cooler equiped case. I would highly recommend using the water cooling for an SLI arrangement (or whatever flavor of dual VGA) and use a TEC (Thermal Electric Cooling) for the CPU. The built in water cooling equipment will do the job either way but a little much for just the CPU. And even though they do hint that the system could handle both the CPU and Dual VGA, I wouldn't recommend it if you plan on OC'ing. The TEC cooler will give you sub room temps, and the H2O system will keep the twins in check. Good Luck!

Best LCS Case on the market [Posted on 2008-04-14]
This case rocks! With the radiator at the front of the case the heat from the computer is not passing over it like the cases with the radiator mounted on the top. Nice clean system.

This is a Monster [Posted on 2008-07-06]
Delivery was quick. As reviewed by others, this is a huge case, which is what I was looking for. The ad about needing no tools is not quite right, you will. Read the manual thoroughly so you understand how to put your components inside, ie: plan it out, it'll go much smoother, and take your time, don't rush it. I've had heat issues and needed more space to cool my system. Add water cooling to the mix, and it's a great setup. I took the advice of a friend and used a TEC for the CPU as opposed to the water cooling, I'll use the water cooling aspect for other components. Even without the water cooling, the TEC took 12 degrees C off CPU temp at startup, and never looked back. I've dealt with this manufacturer years ago and have been pleased with their products, and this is no exception. If you have the money to spend and have need of a good case, by all means, buy this one. Beware that all put together, this does weigh a lot, so have a cart or something to move it to it's final location where you intend to use it. Don't hurt yourself carrying this.

Good, but with minor flaws. [Posted on 2008-07-10]
Pros:
1/ Lots of space
2/ Good cost for having both LCS and Case (instead of purchasing separately)
3/ Very adequate air circulation
4/ Screwless assembly
5/ Almost quiet operation

Cons:
1/ Heavy
2/ Screwless assembly is not always true(I have a USB PCI card that won't clip, my Creative X-fi controls on the drive bay won't clip as well)
3/ Difficulty clipping my 8800 GTX card. I have to slice a portion of the clip in order for it lock)
4/ It is difficult to install the power supply, specially the bigger ones like mine.
5/ The top fan won't lock since my power supply is long.

*The best thing about this product is better heat control and big space - this two compensated for all the bad stuff.

Hardcore gamers and enthusiasts only [Posted on 2008-07-13]
This case has a lot of nice features, in actuality it's a stroke of genius. First off, it's a TANK, made primarily of 3mm rolled steel with aluminum doors on the front chassis. The doors are held closed with small magnets and both of them open, making the installation of drives a breeze. The radiator being mounted on the doors both cools the water loop and increases airflow inside the case itself.

The size makes working inside this case very easy and it has enough room and expansion slots to handle all your upgrading needs for years to come. The seven expansion bays have removable honeycomb-grilled covers with foam inserts to keep dust out; if you've ever had to clean a computer once a month you can definitely appreciate this feature. The side panel is easily removed by depressing the two latches (lockable to keep little hands out, w/ 2 keys included) and swinging the panel outward. No more having to muscle and pull side panels off from the rear. The two removable HDD cages (one forward, one rear) are a nice touch, just load 'em up and slide it in. Inside there are also pre-drilled screw holes on the bottom panel, enabling the installation of almost anything you can conceive.

The watercooling components appear to be well made, if somewhat 'average'. This isn't bad mind you, but if you're a hardcore enthusiast or overclocker you'll want a more high-end water block and pump, such as the D-TEK Fuzion and Swiftech MCP655 respectively. On that note, the tubing is 3/8", adapters will be required for 1/2" loops. For a LC novice however, this setup will be more than sufficient.

Now for the not-so-good: This case is heavy, clocking in at a whopping 51 pounds. Even its all-aluminum twin, the VD4000SWA, comes in at 32 pounds. Plus with the feet installed it's 20 1/2" tall, so it may not fit under all desks. With that, the main USB and Firewire ports are mounted on top, so they will be inaccessible if your desk (or keyboard tray) barely clears the top of the case. The fastening tabs for the PCI expansion slots are nonstandard, possessing opposable prongs instead of straight tabs, so intelligent use of screws is necessary to secure most graphic and sound cards, USB cards, etc. Finally, due I suspect to precision machining, the installation of larger power supplies is trying to say the least, I had to lubricate the rails with isopropyl alcohol to get my 750W Thermaltake Toughpower in.

With the exception of the size and weight, these are mostly minor annoyances which are simple enough to overcome, but those possessing less brawn and smaller desks will definitely want to look elsewhere.

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