A German company has designed a passively-cooled midi-tower ATX case which, it claims, can cope with chips with up to 95W thermal design profile (TDP) thanks to an integrated heatsink.
First spotted by silent cooling specialist FanlessTech, the eponymous Haxx case measures 180mm x 420mm x 420mm and is constructed of 3mm aluminium panels finished in anodised silver. The boxy design of the case comes, the company claims, from a desire to use nothing but industry-standard parts - making the chassis easy to modify, repair and maintain even in the event of the company closing some time in the future - while its skeletal appearance is enhanced through numerous vents for the on-board cooling system.
Designed for use with processors running at a thermal design profile of up to 95W - although the company does warn that, in combination with other high-temperature components, an 80W maximum should be observed - Haxx claims that the case is completely passive thanks to an oversized integrated heatsink. Extending along the entire depth of the case and almost half the height, the passive heatsink is one of the largest we've ever seen - and is provided with hexagonal mesh cooling windows on the top and side of the case to help the heat escape.
Despite the gigantic heatsink, there's plenty of room for additional components. Unlike most passive cases, which opt for small form factor layouts, the midi-tower ATX design of the Haxx case offers room for extra-long graphics cards - although fitting such a beast with an active heatsink would defeat the whole 'passive case' purpose somewhat - along with two 5.25" drive bays and five 3.5" bays with 2.5" mounts for solid state drives.
The company has also announced optional accessories for the case, with the normal rubber feet able to be swapped out for castors or matching carry handles fitted to the top. The design of the case also includes eyelets for wall mounting, for those who really want to make a statement with their next PC build.
All these features don't come cheap, however: Haxx is planning to launch the case in September at a price of €333 (around £287) - although it is quick to point out that the case's ATX compatibility means that it should last the user through numerous upgrades, and can be retrofitted with a traditional water cooling or forced-convection cooling system if required for higher TDP chips.
More details and images are available on the company's official website.
First spotted by silent cooling specialist FanlessTech, the eponymous Haxx case measures 180mm x 420mm x 420mm and is constructed of 3mm aluminium panels finished in anodised silver. The boxy design of the case comes, the company claims, from a desire to use nothing but industry-standard parts - making the chassis easy to modify, repair and maintain even in the event of the company closing some time in the future - while its skeletal appearance is enhanced through numerous vents for the on-board cooling system.
Designed for use with processors running at a thermal design profile of up to 95W - although the company does warn that, in combination with other high-temperature components, an 80W maximum should be observed - Haxx claims that the case is completely passive thanks to an oversized integrated heatsink. Extending along the entire depth of the case and almost half the height, the passive heatsink is one of the largest we've ever seen - and is provided with hexagonal mesh cooling windows on the top and side of the case to help the heat escape.
Despite the gigantic heatsink, there's plenty of room for additional components. Unlike most passive cases, which opt for small form factor layouts, the midi-tower ATX design of the Haxx case offers room for extra-long graphics cards - although fitting such a beast with an active heatsink would defeat the whole 'passive case' purpose somewhat - along with two 5.25" drive bays and five 3.5" bays with 2.5" mounts for solid state drives.
The company has also announced optional accessories for the case, with the normal rubber feet able to be swapped out for castors or matching carry handles fitted to the top. The design of the case also includes eyelets for wall mounting, for those who really want to make a statement with their next PC build.
All these features don't come cheap, however: Haxx is planning to launch the case in September at a price of €333 (around £287) - although it is quick to point out that the case's ATX compatibility means that it should last the user through numerous upgrades, and can be retrofitted with a traditional water cooling or forced-convection cooling system if required for higher TDP chips.
More details and images are available on the company's official website.
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