Compared to our slew of previous case posts (Antec, Rosewill, Corsair), this is going to be some pretty quick coverage. We've got a big case round-up article pending publication, so you'll be able to get some excellent details there on both these cases.
Thermaltake's Core V71 on display.
Thermaltake's suite at CES had some new successors to the Big Water line (still under review), a bunch of peripherals, and a whole table full of cases. We're focusing on the Urban T81 enthusiast case specs and Core V71 case today.
Thermaltake Urban T81 & Core V71 Specs
These cases are nearly identical in terms of specs (and use the same underlying frame), but have different side panels and aesthetics. For that reason, we've got one chart:
| Form Factor | Full Tower - ATX, Extended ATX, Micro-ATX |
| Air Cooling (Pre-installed) | 2x200mm front intake (600~800RPM; 13~15dBA) 1x140mm rear exhaust (1000RPM, 16dBA) 1x200mm top exhaust (600~800RPM; 13~15dBA) |
| Fan Support | 2x200mm front |
| Radiator Support | Up to 420mm front Up to 420mm top 1x120mm rear Up to 280mm bottom (watch out for PSU size) |
| Clearance | CPU cooler height: 180mm VGA length: 360mm w/ HDD cage VGA length: 400mm w/o HDD cage |
| Dimensions | 585 x 235 x 602mm; 21.7lbs. |
| MSRP | $190 |
The Thermaltake Urban T81 is a cheaper competitor to Corsair's 900D -- and you'll be seeing that name a lot lately, given the large target Corsair put on its back last year at CES. It's smaller in height (fits under the desk), but still supports up to 420mm radiators in the front/top positions and 280mm radiators in the bottom. The case has a brushed aluminum outer appearance with a ton of I/O options on the top (2xUSB3.0, 4xUSB2.0, 1x3.5mm, fan speed controller).
Thermaltake's T81 has a 'suicide door' hinging left side panel, using a key to open both doors at once. The left split of the panel consists of a large window, the right split conceals the drive scaffolding with a steel sheet.
The unit ships with 3x200mm fans in the front and top positions.
As for the Core V71, it's mostly the same thing, except the exterior is riddled with a mesh (front/top) and it doesn't include a hinging front panel door. The Core V71 can mount a 3.5" HDD vertically (right side of the 5.25" bays), which is a pretty cool feature for concealment/cable management purposes. Other than that, the left side panel is one sheet (not hinged) and is primarily comprised of the window.
The Urban T81 is expected to retail at $190, the V71 at $160.
Editorial, Video Editing, Photography: Steve "Lelldorianx" Burke.
Supporting Photography: Jim "Neutron" Vincent.