Price: $69.99



Thermaltake Urban S21 Introduction:

Thermaltake has always been in the business of cooling. I first heard of the company around 2003 after buying a large clunky aftermarket cooler (remember those?). After reading a bit, I found out I was scammed because I bought a cheap brand while Thermaltake had the good ones. Anyways even though they were around a few years before that, this was when Thermaltake became a well-known company for adequate cooling products. This time around they have released a new Case product line called the Urban Series, ranging from the lowest number S21 (Mid-Tower) to S71 (Full-Tower). Each case has features distinguishing itself from the others.

Today I will be looking at the Thermaltake Urban S21 mainstream mid-tower. At the time of writing this review, the case has yet to be released, but both Newegg and Thermaltake's own website have it listed for next week. At $69.99, this case is looking to fit right in the middle of the group. You will find other quality big name brand computer cases like the Cooler Master HAF 912, NZXT Tempest 410, and Corsair Carbide 200R all within a $10 difference. That group is a large competitive market, and OCC has not reviewed many of them. Let's see how Thermaltake's new Urban case stands up to the competition.

Thermaltake Urban S21 Closer Look:

Did I ever tell you about the mysterious UPS man? No? Well let me make this brief. It seems my door is haunted or something because I constantly find a note on my door left from UPS claiming to have stopped by to deliver a package. Mind you, my computer desk and I are right next to the window. They even list times that defy time itself. I call them the "UPS Time Traveling Squad" or UPSTTS for short. They leave a note saying "Stop by 7-9am" with the note being placed on my door between 1 and 2pm. This time when someone knocked on my door, I was surprised to find a man holding a box for me. Maybe my note saying, "Please knock UPS man" had an impact , or it could be a new guy.

Enough stories, lets get to the box! Coming from a graphic design background I can honestly say I appreciate the simple, yet informative box. On both sides it says the name "Thermaltake Urban S21 - Simple, Yet Elegant" and below that "Internal USB 3.0". Personally I care more about what inside the box and how it's packaged than big letters on the side. However, to some the presentation matters just as much. If this was sitting on a store shelf I would know exactly what I'm buying with even more helpful information listed on the sides describing dimensions.

After opening the box, it seems to be packaged using the standard method, or maybe even a bit of extra material. Being a very snug fit, it took a bit of work to pull it out of the box. I consider this a win in my book. Most stores slap a shipping label on the side and off it goes, so knowing that nothing is going to move in this box is a relief. The Styrofoam gives enough space so the case is not right against the box. This is a very good sign of care being put into the product.