Thermaltake Element Q ITX Chassis

Product: Thermaltake Element Q ITX Chassis
Provided By: Thermaltake USA
Price: $79.99 MSRP

Introduction:

It wasn't very long ago that Shuttle was one of the few companies making and selling ITX-based systems to mainstream consumers - with any success.  Since the Atom and ION have been married, there have been a lot more ITX-based platforms hitting the market and today we are looking at a slick little case from Thermaltake that will provide a home for your favorite ITX hardware.  The Element Q is not a tiny case, but it is definitely geared for ITX-only but provides enough room for an optical drive and a couple of other 3.5" devices.  If you want a quiet little PC, this case could be the start of something beautiful.

Box Front

Box Back

I knew this case was going to be small because the box isn't much bigger than a shoe box.  The case is part of the "Element" series from Thermaltake and is geared for "Pros".  We'll find out shortly if this is true or just a little hype.

Accessories & First Look:

There really aren't a lot of accessories included in the little Element Q bundle.  In fact, the bundle consists of rubber feet, HDD rails, screws, a speaker, Power Cord and the quick install guide.  It's pretty basic, but with a case so small there really aren't a lot of different options and configurations that you can utilize.

Element Q - Bundle

While there isn't a lot included with the bundle, there are a few things to make mention of in regards to the design and layout of the Element Q.  Much of the Element series consists of Black chassis with red trim and the Q is no exception.  The front is pretty well laid out with concentric power and reset buttons positioned on each side of the 3.5" bay.  Below these buttons are power and HDD activity LEDs which continue to keep the design balanced.  Below the 3.5" bay is a door that opens to reveal front audio and USB2.0 ports.  This is pretty much standard fare for every case these days.

Front Close

Rear Empty

Due to the small size of the chassis, the rear is dominated by the I/O area.  You'll notice that there is a PCI slot available on the right side and ventilation on the left side.  This again keeps the unit centered and balanced aesthetically.  Thermaltake has included a 200W Power Supply that should be more than enough to power a modest ITX system and a single-slot graphics card.