Bitfenix is a new company in the case market, but they are certainly making their mark. Their latest product is the Survivor series, a ruggedized mid-tower ATX case that manages not to look silly.
The Bitfenix Survivor is quite obviously a gamer’s case, and it’s not shy about it. The exterior of the case is covered with soft-touch material, which Bitfenix says will protect the case from scratches and “stains”, however I’m not entirely sure what would be staining your case. There’s also a folding handle, and a brightly lit LED Bitfenix logo on the front. The top of the case has two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports, as well as fan and light controls. Inside the case, you can mount seven 3.5″ or nine 2.5″ drives, and two 200mm fans. The Survivor case has an MSRP of $109, and should be available by mid-November.
From the press release:
Ruggedized mid-tower ATX gaming chassis features forward-looking design and superior specs
(BitFenix Design Lab, September 30, 2010) – Today, BitFenix is pleased to launch Survivor – a mid-tower ATX gaming chassis that combines elegant styling with ruggedized features engineered for the mobile digital warrior.
“We wanted to design a PC chassis that had ruggedized features, but didn’t necessarily look like a tractor,” says David Jarlestedt, BitFenix Product Manager. “Will you be able to throw it in front of a moving bus or down the stairs? No, but you won’t have to worry about damaged hardware while driving to your friend’s house or LAN party”.
The unique curved design of Survivor isn’t simply aesthetic. Extending past the side panels, this design helps to protect Survivor and the hardware inside during transport. The front, top and bottom of Survivor is coated with proprietary BitFenix SofTouch™ surface treatment, which helps protect these surfaces from stains and scratches, all while looking great. On the very front above the ODD bays is an LED-lit BitFenix logo, which users can turn on and off at a press of a button.
On top, Survivor sports a concealable I/O panel which helps maintain its clean modern design. Sliding the panel open reveals the light on/off controls, audio jacks, power and reset buttons, two USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA port, and two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports. Survivor also has the ability to turn BitFenix Spectre™ LED fan lights on and off at a touch of a button – it’s like having a BitFenix Hydra™ Fan LED Controller built in! Above the I/O panel is a smartly-designed hideaway carry handle. Simply lift and lock the handle in place when you need to move Survivor around, and snap it back when not in use to maintain Survivor’s clean looks.
Once at the LAN party, Survivor helps to maximize your gaming experience. Survivor comes equipped with a modular hard drive cage that can be removed in order to accommodate extra-long graphics cards. With the entire cage intact, Survivor can be outfitted with up to nine 2.5” SSD drives or seven 3.5” hard disks. And to keep all your hardware running cool while you are fragging the competition, Survivor can be outfitted with up to two 200mm fans or three 120mm fans.
Have to leave your seat for a while and wonder if your mouse, keyboard and headset will be there when you return? Not a problem with Survivor. Bundled with Survivor is the BitFenix S2™– an innovative peripheral security and cable management device. Simply install S2, insert your peripheral cables, and lock it to the chassis security loop using a padlock of your choice. With S2, would-be thieves will have to think twice before trying to steal your gaming gear. Also bundled with Survivor is the BitFenix Lockdown™, a hardware stabilizer that helps prevent accidental damage to graphics cards due to excessive vibrations during system transport.
Survivor also includes a variety of features to make assembly and maintenance quick and painless. The CPU cooler cutout on the motherboard tray makes changing coolers a breeze, and specially-designed motherboard standoffs, internal cable management, and an almost tool-free design are a godsend for PC do-it-yourselfers. Finally, the included dust filters on all air intakes help keep Survivor clean on the inside.
In addition to Survivor, BitFenix is also releasing a more basic version of Survivor dubbed Survivor Core. This more affordable variant retains the unique styling of Survivor and grants users more freedom in terms of cooling options.
Both Survivor and Survivor Core will be available on retail shelves mid November.