Thermaltake Level 10 GT Snow Edition (VN10006W2N) Case Review

 

Today cases are evolving every day in look, functionality, and practicality.  Most cases offer a great solution but obvious flaws in one of these fields.  With that we have found the Holy Grail: The Level 10 GT from Thermaltake.  We have seen and reviewed the “normal” version of the Level 10 GT but today we have the Snow Edition: A White rendition of the already popular case.

 

 

Thermaltake’s version of the remade case is as follows:

Don’t let the good look fool you. Level 10 GT – Snow Edition is a streamlined computer case engineered to accelerate cooling and offers full suite of technical features that redefines the definition of performance PC. Three oversized 200mm ColorShift fans and one 140mm TurboFan ensure your high-end graphic cards, CPU and hard drives are all quietly cooled. The keyword is “quietly”. All intake fans come with built-in filter that can be easily cleaned without the use of any type of tools. Plug&Play side panel fan, 240mm high-efficiency water cooling radiator support and much more.

At first glance, it looks like not much has changed from the standard Level 10 GT besides the White theme.  Lets delve a little deeper…

 

 

Case Material	SECC Aluminum
Front Bezel Material	Plastic
Color	White and black exterior; Black Interior
Side Panel	Window
Supported Motherboards	Micro ATX, ATX, Extended ATX
5.25 Bays	4
3.5/2.5 Bays	5
Front I/O	2x USB 3.0; 4x USB 2.0; 1x eSata; 1x HD Audio
Cooling	3x 200mm fans (2 intake, 1 exhaust); 1x 140mm fan (exhaust); Optional 1x 120mm Fan
Liquid Cooling	Capable, not included (supports 120 and 240mm radiators internally)
Dimensions (H x W x D)	584mm x 282mm x 590
Weight	28.0 lbs
Security	2x included key locks (1 for front Hot-Swap HDD, 1 for side door); 1x cable lock for peripherals
Max Graphic Card Length	360mm

Whats in the box

• Thermaltake Level 10 GT Snow Edition
• Headset Holder
• Cable Management ties
• Screws (including standoffs and fan screws)
• Motherboard Speaker
• CPU power cable extender
• Keys for case locks

Cable Management

Cable management is an essential part to a clean looking case as well as proper airflow.  Thermaltake has done their best to give us plenty of options for cable routing behind and through the motherboard plate.  8 Cut-outs around the perimeter of the motherboard give easy routing and Thermaltake has already routed and tied down all cables related to case operation.  We also see that all cables are covered with black sleeves to match the white/black theme.

Fans

Thermaltake has included 4 fans with this case to maximize airflow but they didn’t stop there: 3 of these fans are 200mm meaning they are dead silent.  Our 2 input fans are 1x 200mm on the front cooling our HDDs first then onto the motherboard itself and 1x 200mm side fan with directional control with fins on the inside of the door.  This control allows you to direct the airflow directionally onto the video card itself or up through the CPU cooler.  Our 2 exhaust fans are 1x 200mm on the top (since hot air rises) and 1x 140mm fan on the back.  All of our 200mm are what Thermaltake call  ‘Colorshift’.  This means that via the top control panel (seen on in the page about the exterior) you can control the base color or color pattern to match gaming mood or case theme.  This means that whatever LED’s/colors/lights you already own can match this versatile case.  Options include Blue, Red, Greed, A couple combinations of rotating blue/green/red, and off.

HDD Bays and Docks

Thermaltake has done something really unique and innovative with their hard drive bays and cages.  Instead of forcing you to get inside of the case and do another round of cable routing to install a hard drive you are able to just screw the hard drive onto a tray and slide it back into the case.  The tray acts as a dock and plugs the drive into power and communication which you’ve already plugged in.  This allows you to upgrade and remove hard drives at will without entering the case or re-cable routing.  The hard-drive trays are protected by a lock and key to keep sticky fingered LAN players honest.  The trays also boast rubber grommets around the screw holes to reduce vibration and noise.  One thing to keep in mind while installing and cable routing the first time is to use right-angled SATA cables in order to prevent breaking the plug when putting the right side panel back on.  Hardly something to fault Thermaltake on but definitely something to keep in mind.

 

Other Thoughts about the Interior

Some other quick notes to make before we move on to the exterior.  I love how Thermaltake has setup the inside of this case.  Often functionality and looks are something that you only get 1 of but not with this case.  The matte black and white interior are a sleek beginning to a sexy clean interior.  The large amount of holes for cable routing are covered by rubber flaps to keep the look uniform and black cable covers to top it off.  After I installed my micro-ATX board I was astonished at the amount of space I still had around the board and above the board.  Take a look for yourself:

 

Top and front Control Panel I/O

Thermaltake has given us 4x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0, 1x eSATA, HD Audio, fan speed control, and fan color control in 2 easily accessed areas.  Also right next to the top control panel is the headset holder: a small but handy addition to this case.

General Exterior

The external of our case offers some other features which put the Level 10 GT Snow Edition above the rest.  2 Locking devices protect the hard drive trays and the door to prevent theft.  The top of the case acts as a handle (although I’m not sure why someone would actively try to carry this beast).  Each 200mm fan (and vent under the power supply) offer a removable dust filter for easy cleaning and less dust inside.  This is feature only found on high-end cases and deserves points.   The door gives an easy and functional way to access the inside of the case without the use of thumbscrews or regular screws.  For someone constantly accessing the internal of my case this is a life saver.

With external functionality aside, I can’t decide how I feel about the overall look.  Part of me loves all the bells and whistles it comes with but part of me thinks the design looks random at best.  A side window lets me see inside the case but not one part of the front or left side is smooth.  Granted, I like it better than the standard box but it is quite the abstract look.  I think it will grow on me but it’s up to you to decide if it will grow on you.

Thermaltake describes this case as “Love at first sight” and with all of the bells, whistles, functionality, and abstract look I would agree.  Thermaltake left nothing on the To-Do list with the design of the Level 10 GT.  Period.  And with a mere $20 difference between the Standard and Snow editions I can’t see a reason why you would pick either other than pure color preference.  The Thermaltake Level 10 Gt Snow Edition is currently the holy grail of cases.  It is owns the trifecta of looks, functionality, and practicality.  I see no reason why this case doesn’t deserve our Editors Choice Award.