Not quite so popular that the TV networks are going to scrap the cricket in favour of broadcasting the latest State of Origin Counter-Strike finals, but it’s fashionable enough to have spawned its very own case – the LANBOY.
Community halls stacked to the brim with unwashed gamers battling it out on PCs over expensive networking gear is becoming a rather popular pastime. Not quite so popular that the TV networks are going to scrap the cricket in favour of broadcasting the latest State of Origin Counter-Strike finals, but it’s fashionable enough to have spawned its very own case – the LANBOY.
What makes a case LAN-tastical? Firstly, it has to be lightweight, and this case certainly fits the bill in this regard. Due to the entirely Aluminium construction, and its slightly smaller dimensions than a standard full-sized tower, the LANBOY weighs just over 4kg, making it light enough for even the most protein-starved gamer. It feels a little flimsy, but not so much that we’d worry about it falling apart. A nice touch is the included carry strap, which wraps snugly around the case, making it easy to cart around.
A LAN case also needs a lovely Perspex window to show off where your pimp dollars have gone for the last year, so it’s no surprise to see that the LANBOY has a large Perspex side window pre-fitted. There aren’t many mounts for extra cooling, with a single 80mm mount at the front and rear of the case, but this should be enough for all but the most superheated of systems.
The included 350W PSU has a variable-speed cooling fan that automatically ramps up in revs as the temperature within the PSU rises, and drops back down to whisper quiet levels when things are nice and cold. Nice. There is also a blue LED mounted within the power supply for those of you with a taste for disco PC cases.
Perhaps the most amazing feature of this case is its price. Show us another case made entirely from Aluminium with a window, carry strap and PSU that retails for less than $200 and we’ll show you a product that exists only in Never Never Land. Due to this exceptional value we can’t hesitate in recommending the LANBOY.
Issue: 133 | February, 2012