Enlight EN-7308 microATX Mini Tower

Enlight is one of those companies whose name inevitably pops up whenever you start talking about cases. You will find OEM's of all sizes, as well as the hardcore tweaker using Enlight cases in their systems. Their popularity is largely due to the ability to meet the custom requirements of large OEM's while still providing cost effective solutions for smaller groups, not to mention the fact that they have been around for a relatively long time.

Many people actually do not spend much time pondering a case purchase, but anyone who works on computers day in and day out will tell you that it is in fact one of the most important components. The most important factors to consider are expansion room, build quality, ease of access, cooling features, power supply quality, and (some will say) styling. Starting with one of the best AT cases ever built, their EN-6680 series, Enlight has always carefully addressed each of these areas.

With the advent of microATX, a form factor with inherent expansion capabilities, a slightly different set of design goals arose. As the name implies, the microATX form factor is designed for low cost and with small sized systems in mind. Expansion is definitely not a top concern on the motherboard and this is reflected in case designs as well. But it certainly is nice to have a tiny computer when space is limited.

Following Enlight tradition, there are cases to fit just about any OEM's or user's needs, including those looking to put together either a low cost or compact system by using the microATX form factor. Providing a compromise between minuscule size and some expansion options is the Enlight EN-7305 series. The EN-7308 is the first available in that series, with others in the series varying only in terms of the front bezel design.

Specifications

With any microATX case, you get a small case that can fit anywhere, but sacrifice some expansion possibilities. While the two 5.25" and two 3.5" bays of the Enlight EN-7308 seem pretty limiting, it is necessary to remember that only a few drive bays are available in any microATX case and the EN-7308 is not abnormal at all. In fact, it's probably pretty much average in terms of expansion.

The power supply also seems somewhat weak, but it is again necessary to note the compromises that are made with microATX. One of the biggest cost saving measures is in the power supply, which is normally 150W or less for microATX. Of course, with only a few drive bays and four expansion slots, the 145W power supply Enlight provides is more than sufficient in this case. MicroATX is simply not designed for the high end market with 10,000 RPM hard drives, 15 fans, and other such devices with high power requirements.