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  6 out of 6 members found this review helpful

  Hardware Busters

  2021-05-24Expert user

  Verified purchase

  Model Type: Elite Shark CA300H (an improved version of the Cougar DarkBlader: four RGB fans and ARGB controller. Larger openings on the front cover and I/O panel with USB Type-C)
  Colors: Black, White
  Type: Midi-Tower
  Material: SGCC Steel, Tempered Glass
  Side Panels: Two Tempered Glass Side Panels
  Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX
  Weight: 14.7 Kg
  Price: 150 euros
  Warranty: 2 years
  External Design: Aesthetically pleasing. Only the front panel bothers me.
  I/O Panel: USB 3.1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.0, Audio combo jack
  Expansion Slots (PCIe): 8+2
  Pre-installed fans: Front: 3x 120mm ARGB, Rear: 1x 120mm ARGB
  Fan Support: Front: 3x 120mm, Top: 2x 120mm (2x 140mm), Rear: 1x 120mm
  Fan Type: Sharkoon TC1225L9RGB (1050 RPM), 50.42 CFM, 28 dBA, Rifle Bearing
  Fan/RGB controller: Yes
  AIO Cooler Support: Front: 420/360mm, Top: 360/280mm, Rear: 120mm
  Storage Support: 4x 3.5" toolless, 7x 2.5"
  Dust Filters: 3x (Top, Front, Bottom)
  CPU Cooler Height (Maximum): 165mm
  GPU Length (Maximum): 400mm and 425mm without front fans
  PSU Length (Maximum): 240mm
  PSU Support: ATX, Bottom Mount
  Cable Management Support: Yes
  System Installation Ease: Easy due to the spacious interior and ample depth at the back of the motherboard
  Noise Damping:
  Quite good. https://www.cybenetics.com/index.php?option=cases&manfID=127
  Thermal Performance:
  CPU: Very good. Only loses to the Phanteks Eclipse P500A by 1.3C and achieves similar performance to the be quiet! Pure Base 500DX.
  GPU: Good temperatures, but the difference with the P500A is significant at 3.7C
  VRMs: Falls behind the P500A and the Pure Base 500DX with a small difference. The NZXT H510 achieves the lowest temperature here.
  NVMe: The Sharkoon shark achieves the lowest temperature.
  HDD: Average performance. The Phanteks Eclipse P500A is in the top position.
  System: Third place, after the Corsair 4000D and the Eclipse P500A.
  Rear Fan Exhaust Temperature: It is among the lowest.

  Conclusion
  It is an interesting computer case, which could be much better if Sharkoon made some additional improvements. Let's start with the advantages first. Everything is metallic, so they will last forever. You won't find cheap trays for hard drives or SSDs, as in other cases. There is also support mechanism for large and heavy graphics cards. Additionally, besides horizontal, you can also place the graphics card vertically. However, you need to purchase the optional mounting kit, which includes the appropriate bracket and a PCIe riser. Good luck finding this kit somewhere, I couldn't manage to, so I don't know its price.

  The two glass panels are nice, and the large metal covers for cable management will help perfectionists build their dream system. The RGB controller is also a useful addition, but I would prefer a PWM controller and compatible fans instead of RGB lighting. PWM fans are easier to control, allowing you to create the ideal speed profile.
  Another advantage of this case is its huge internal space and the large depth of the empty space behind the motherboard tray, so system installation and cable management will be easy.

  The I/O panel has several ports, such as Type-C, two USB 3.0, and the classic audio jacks. There is a power switch and one for controlling the RGB lighting, but there is no reset switch, which is useful with Windows.

  The problems I found. It is difficult to remove the front cover, you have to put it with six screws, and this is time-consuming and tiring, considering that you have to clean the built-in dust filter frequently. However, the airflow is good because the fans are installed away from the front cover and the openings in the latter are quite large.

  If you install fans or a liquid cooler on the top side, the magnetic dust filter will not fit perfectly in place. However, this is not so important, as the filter is covered by a metal cover so you won't see it and it won't bother you. But for a perfectionist, this may be an issue as they will know that the magnetic filters do not fit perfectly.

  The hard drive cages have rubber shock absorbers, but only at the points where they come into contact with the frame. There should be similar shock absorbers between the hard drive and the cage itself to avoid any noise from vibrations. Sharkoon provides some plastic washers in the accessories for use on the screws securing the drives, but the elastic shock absorbers would do a much better job. Fortunately, the installation process for hard drives and SSDs is easy, although not toolless (yes, I know I'm asking for a lot).

  There are no ventilation holes on the top cover of the power supply, which means that passive cooling power supplies are not supported. Additionally, you should not install semi-passive PSUs with their fans facing upwards, as the warm air will be trapped inside the PSU compartment. Another problem here is the length of the PSU shroud, which leaves only a small opening at the front, so it will be difficult to install a 420mm cooler.

  Positives
  • Good value for what it offers
  • Good performance under increased thermal loads
  • High build quality
  • Colorful instruction manual with glossy pages
  • Two glass side panels
  • Three dust filters (top, front, and bottom). The top one is magnetic
  • Comes with a mechanism for supporting the graphics card
  • Elastic shock absorbers on the bases of the drive cages
  • Four ARGB fans (not PWM though)
  • Metal covers for cable management
  • Large depth behind the motherboard tray (29-30mm)
  • USB 3.1 Gen Type-C port. 2 and two USB 3.0
  • Removable HDD and SSD bays
  • Removable base for liquid cooling pump (which can also accommodate an SSD if the pump is not installed)
  • Support for large power supplies and large coolers as well as graphics cards
  • Rifle bearing fans

  Cons
  • The small opening left by the power supply cover will create a problem when installing a cooler in the front
  • It is not so easy to install a 420mm cooler in the front
  • The power supply cover does not have ventilation holes, so this case is not compatible with passive cooling power supplies
  • It is not easy to remove the front panel, whose design is not so modern
  • It does not have a PWM controller for the fans, only an RGB Hub
  • If you place fans or a cooler on the top of the case, the magnetic filter will not sit well in its place.
  • Increased weight

  Translated from Greek · Show original

  • Space
  • Cable management
  • Construction quality
  • Silent
  • Dust filtering
  • Air flow

  • Value for money

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