Thermaltake Core G21 TG Review

Manufacturer: Thermaltake
UK price (as reviewed): £59.99 (inc. VAT)
US price (as reviewed): $69.99 (exc. tax)

Practically every case in the bit-tech labs these days has at least one tempered glass side panel. We’re not complaining; it’s a great material and a vast improvement structurally and visually on bog standard acrylic windows. Another chassis to join the crowd is the Core 21 Tempered Glass Edition from Thermaltake, coming in at the attractive price of just £60. In fact, right now it is just £48 on Scan. but that's a special offer, so we can't be sure how long it will last. Needless to say, however, if you're in the market for a budget chassis, read on!

That price looks even better when you consider that 4mm-thick tempered glass is actually used for both side panels, and the Core G21 TG is a rather smart looking chassis as a result. However, we're not always convinced this dual-panel approach is the best idea, as unless you take the time to really neaten up the area behind your motherboard tray, the right side panel being see-through may not be a good thing, although it does at least have a tint to it. It also means Thermaltake will have had to have made sacrifices elsewhere to reach the admirable price point.

For example, the case feels very light once those two side panels are removed; the steel is definitely on the thin side. This isn't the only issue related to build quality either, as the soles of the case feet are made of foam instead of rubber, and the dust filters on the bottom and front are merely flimsy sheets of material that are fiddly to work with. Arguably, however, these are fairly minor issues that are to be expected given the cost – what's important is that the case still grips surfaces well (especially once hardware is installed) and is fully insulated against dust. Even the top fan mount has an optional magnetic filter included in the box, which is a nice touch.

The I/O panel is located on the roof and gets you what we'd now consider the bog standard set of USB and audio connections.

Although it is only equipped with a single 120mm fan by default (in the rear exhaust position), you can actually mount up to six in total thanks to the additional mounts in the roof, front, and bottom. The full-mesh front panel means that airflow from front-mounted fans will be particularly effective as well. This panel also comes away cleanly (i.e. without bringing any front I/O cables with it) with a single tug, giving you easy access to the full-height dust filter and the mounts themselves.

Specifications

• Dimensions (mm) 208 x 471 x 476 (W x D x H)
  
• Material Steel, plastic, tempered glass
  
• Available colours Black
  
• Weight 8.05kg
  
• Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3.0, headphone, microphone
  
• Drive bays 2 x 3.5"/2.5", 2 x 2.5"
  
• Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX
  
• Cooling 1 x 120mm rear fan mount (1 x 120mm fan included), 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm front fan mounts, 1 x 140mm/120mm top fan mount, 1 x 120mm bottom fan mount (fans not included)
  
• CPU cooler clearance 160mm
  
• Maximum graphics card length 410mm
  
• Extras Removable dust filters