Cubitek Tattoo Pro Case

A Closer Look

As you might expect from a sub-$100 case, the packaging is not flashy. No visible damage was done to the box during shipping, which is a good sign.

Those of you who have been with us a while will recognize this setup: the case is wrapped in a plastic bag, and then stuffed into a pair of styrofoam bookends. There isn’t much space for padding around the case, so if you get one with a dent in the box, check for damage.

When I got the case free of its packaging, two of the front panel covers were detached and stuffed inside the front bezel. The covers snapped into place easily enough, however. Should you wish to detach any, the covers come off when the angled tabs to either side are pressed back.

The large window on the left side was clear and free of defects, however its position is a bit too far forward to show off the motherboard properly. The D-shaped dent beside the window serves in lieu of a handle for removing the door.

This case has exactly one more thing to notice about its right side than most; the tattoo design for which it is named. Curiously, the design is rather small and tucked away in the lower right corner of the panel. Considering the utter blankness of the panel, it wouldn’t have hurt to put a larger, more elaborate design there.

Nothing unusual here, though the grommeted holes provided for an external water cooling are inconveniently placed for a top-mounted radiator.

Aside from the 140mm top fan, the main feature to note is the recess near the front. The USB cable you see there hooks up directly to a motherboard header, and can connect to a mini-USB or, with an adapter, micro-USB port. This cable, along with the two normal USB ports farther forward, provide USB 2.0 connectivity. Also included on the I/O panel are Power and Reset buttons, headphone and microphone jacks, an eSATA port, and a toggle switch for the red LED lights in the front and top fans.

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