After removing the packing foam and bag from the Xaser VI, we find there is also some plastic sheeting used on the window and other trim to protect it from scratching. In addition, the front panel door has been taped up to prevent it from moving around during shipping. Unfortunately this decorative "spoiler" piece at the top of the rear of the case did not make it through unscathed. It appears that the back edge of the top panel has been dented and the plastic stressed/cracked. You'll also want to take special note of the "Not a handle" warning label.



With the last of the shipping tape removed, we finally get a good look at the Xaser VI. At 24" tall by 10" wide and 26" deep, this thing is a monster. It's bigger than the Cooler Master Cosmos, the previous size king, and heavier at nearly 45 pounds. The only aluminum used on the Xaser VI is for the door panel; the rest is 1mm thick steel. Most of the case is painted a deep gloss black with some metallic flake in it that is only visible under the right light. The accent mesh panels are done in a bright red which definitely make this case stand out. Additionally there is some plastic trim at the front and rear top corners, along the back edge and base.


The front I/O panel is hidden behind this pop-up cover and includes four USB ports, two eSATA, one Firewire and audio jacks. The "X" logo is the power switch and doubles as the indicator LED as well. There is also a button for reset and a LED for hard drive activity.


Unlike some recent case designs which have started to put the power supply at the bottom, the Xaser VI houses the PSU at the traditional top location. The rest of the back panel appears deceptively normal until you count the riser slots and realize there are ten of them, providing enough room to run quad SLI. A 120mm exhaust fan is installed in the usual spot above the motherboard I/O cutout. You can also see where the rear "spoiler" piece is bent up at the one corner.


The front door panel has two metal tabs that are held closed by magnets built into the bezel. Behind the door we find a total of 11 5¼" mesh bay covers, with two missing from the center which were later found loose inside the case. These are easily taken in and out by folding out the hinged center section and then pulling forward. Each mesh cover is backed by an open cell foam insert to provide filtration for incoming air.

Next let's take a look inside the Xaser VI.