When installing components into a new case, ideally you want the whole process to be quick and easy. Aside from the quickness of installing your kit inside, compatibility is also paramount. If components don’t fit, it renders the case pretty much useless.
Below is a list of the components going into the IN WIN Griffin.
System Components
Intel Core 2 Duo 2160
ASUS P5KC
2GB OCZ Platinum DDR2
XFX 7900GT 256MB
Samsung Spinpoint 500GB SATA-II
Silverstone Strider 560W
As with all builds, I usually start with the PSU installation first – to route cables in and establish how much space there is to play with. Next, the motherboard. This became problematic right from the word go due to the CPU cooler and PSU touching, preventing the motherboard from lining up. So to resolve this, I re-mounted the Noctua NH-U12P which was installed on the CPU to a different orientation. So with this now sorted, I took a look at how much space there was between the CPU cooler and side panel. Bad news, the heatpipes stuck out. So if you have a tower-style CPU cooler you may have difficulty installing the system inside. As I said previously, making the case just an inch wider would allow a 120mm fan to be installed as a rear exhaust and fix the problem with tall CPU coolers. But as it stands, the width of this case causes conflict with the components featured.
Installing the DVD-RW and HDDs is a very easy task, just slot the drives in and pop the tool-less device into the screw holes and turn the key. Fair enough, it does position both devices but by no means does it hold them stable. Pressing on the DVD-RW's eject button causes the drive to move backwards on that side because the tool-less device only secures the one side – the side opposite to where the button is typically placed. “Very well then, put a screw in the other side” might be the obvious statement, but why should that have to be done? The Griffin claims to be tool-less, if you then have to put a screw in the other side of the device to securely fasten it into place, give me another couple of screws and bin the tool-less design! Unfortunately, the HDD suffers the same neglect, and due to the sensitive nature of the HDD I’d want this to be secure, but again it is positioned via the tool-less device but then the other side moves around. Not good news at all.
But the worst is yet to come. With all components in place and screws tightened, I cast my eyes to the bottom of the case and discover something quite alarming. One of the rear feet on the Griffin is touching the motherboard. Taking a look at the actual foot concerned and the motherboard is forcing it outwards – see the picture, there is a gap between the bottom of the outside of the case and the plastic foot. It’s quite worrying that this is touching the motherboard.
Standing the Griffin on its feet, highlights my concerns, with pressure underneath it this offending foot now pushes against the motherboard with greater force warping one of the IDE sockets. Why this is even occurring I do not know, there obviously hasn’t been enough testing to ensure the Griffin keeps to ATX standards.
All of the above issues discourage me, there is certainly no way I would leave that board installed under those conditions for a sustained amount of time.
Based on the fact I could not fit the side cover on the Griffin and the feet causing possible damage to my motherboard thermal performance was not performed.
