Thermaltake Chaser A31 Review

Performance Analysis

With no fan control and a fixed lower drive cage, we could only test the A31 in a single configuration, with both of its fans connected to a molex adaptor to ensure they constantly ran at full speed. Noise levels emanating from the case were fairly low in this arrangement, likely helped by the lack of meshing on the side panels.


The CPU and GPU delta T results of 54°C and 51°C respectively achieved by the Chaser A31 are below average, although both are still a good few degrees off the worst we've ever seen. The case which it performs closest to is the disappointing (but £30 cheaper) Aerocool X-Predator X1, which has a similar cooling setup, and the relatively low airflow from the two fans helps explain these results. Also, the non-removable drive cage blocking the front fan's airflow and lack of a side panel fan means the GPU won't receive too much cool air.

Conclusion

As a go to chassis for LAN parties, Thermaltake's case has a lot going for it. The large window and blue trim makes it more eye catching than an eyesore, and the peripheral lock is arguably handy too. The lightweight design is also a bonus, but the lack of a handle means it would still be a bit of a pain to lug around. You'd probably want to keep an eye on your temperatures during long gaming sessions, but even so the Chaser A31 could still handle most modern hardware with modest overclocks.

In many ways the Chaser A31 is a success. Other than the lack of a fan controller, the Chaser's feature set doesn't feel too lacking thanks to USB 3, lots of dust filters and a removable drive cage. From a design perspective too, the A31 emerges favourably since it's easy to work with and mostly well built. However, overall it still struggles to stand out from its competition, just like the Overseer RX-1 before it. For example, both the Nanoxia Deep Silence 1 and Fractal Design Define R4 produce similar or better temperatures, have decent water-cooling support and also come with noise dampening materials and fan controllers.