Phobya WaCoolT Benchtable review

Phobya WaCoolT Benchtable Review

Manufacturer: Phobya
UK Price (as reviewed): £111.72 (inc VAT)
US Price (as reviewed): $159.99 (ex Tax)

It's easy to dismiss benchtables as something only the overclocking elite are interested in owning. Even then, many of these kinds of enthusiasts - typically the ones who have liquid nitrogen with their cornflakes in the morning - often build their own, tailor made to their specific cooling setup.

However there are some pretty compelling reasons to own one. If, like us, you're a serial upgrader, tinkerer or modder, then to be able to get to your hardware to swap it out or strap waterblocks to it, quickly and easily, can be quite a boon. If you spend most of the time with the side panel off your case off, be it for cooling reasons or because you spend so much time tinkering it's not worth putting it back on, then a benchtable is definitely worth considering.


There are more available today than ever, and they range from air cooling-focused acrylic stands to dual radiator leviathans just begging to be water-cooled or even LN2-cooled. Phobya's WaCoolT Benchtable is a relatively new addition to the fray but despite its modest price tag of just over £100 (some are considerably more than this), it sits firmly in the crazy category.

It measures a substantial 50cm x 50cm and is over 20cm high. Due the fact it's made of steel, its size makes it feel like 40kg when carrying it rather than just 20kg and suggests that in a fight between it and the floor should you drop it, the floor would lose. Thankfully, this brute isn't just all metal and dimensions. It's made extremely well too, and the glossy finish proved pretty scratch-resistant as well as making look as attractive as a benchtable could.

The box is quite sparse for the simple reason the bench comes 95 per cent pre-assembled with just a couple of little additions to add while you install the rest of your hardware. Even the extended motherboard risers are installed. Needless to say, it offers plenty of space for even the largest desktop motherboard form factor, and the double-spaced cable routing shrouds tie in with this too.

Specifications

• Dimensions (mm) 500 x 500 x 225mm (W x D x H)
  
• Material Steel
  
• Available colours Black
  
• Weight 19.8 kg
  
• Front panel 2 x toggle switch mounts
  
• Drive bays 3 x external 5.25in, 3 x external 3.5in, 1 x internal 2.5in
  
• Form factor(s) XL-ATX, ATX, m-ATX, e-ATX
  
• Cooling 3 x 120mm fan mounts (fans not supplied), 2 x triple 120mm or 2 x dual 140mm radiator mounts.
  
• CPU cooler clearance unlimited
  
• Maximum graphics card length unlimited