CONCLUSION

   I may not be into HTPC cases but i have to admit that the moment DeepCool announced the Steam Castle a while back i was very intrigued by its design. Now some say that a glossy exterior like the one of the Steam Castle looks cheap but i tend to disagree since although a rubber coat obviously adds to the quality of the case not everyone will like something like that so it's a good thing to have alternatives. Granted I’d like it more if Deepcool had every color both with and without a rubber matte coating but i guess that's way too much to ask especially for an entry-level mATX case like the Steam Castle. In terms of space the Steam Castle has quite a bit of room for long graphics cards, tall CPU Coolers and drives while the ability to add a full sized PSU and a top 280mm radiator are two things that will certainly not go unnoticed by potential buyers. If there's one thing we didn't like about the Steam Castle that was the fan controller since we think that placing it on the right side panel was a mistake mostly because that means you can't have that side facing the wall. Ontop of that the knob isn't the easiest to use and there's no way to know how fast you have the fans (there's no start/end position).

   One of the things we all like about DeepCool is that they do their best to keep their prices low and with a current price tag set at USD89.99 inside the USA (Newegg.com) and at around 80Euros inside the EU the Steam Castle is no exception. Of course you can find better mATX/mITX compatible cases in the market from other manufacturers (some of which we will have here soon) but the truth is that you can't find the looks of the Steam Castle even if you spend more. In the end choosing the right PC case for you always comes down to personal preference and to be completely honest with all of you if the PC-CK101 train themed mITX chassis by Lian-Li had a similar price tag attached on it I’d choose that instead (if i wanted to build an mITX system) but it costs almost 4 times as much and so unless money is of no concern i don't think it's even an valid option for most people. So if you want a feature-rich mATX/mITX compatible chassis with good interior space that looks like nothing else in the market currently then the Steam Castle by DeepCool is the obvious choice and that's why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Design
- mATX & mITX Compatible
- Spacious Interior (Fits 320mm Long Graphics Cards & 200mm Tall CPU Coolers)
- Top 280mm Radiator Area
- Full Sized PSU
- Built-In Fan Speed & LED Controller
- Available In 4 Colors
- Almost Inaudible
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Fan Controller Placement & Design
- Current Availability