[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
The L-900 V.REX F8 (“F8” means that the case supports eight fans) is the latest addition to 3R System’s V.REX series of mid-tower cases. It is a basic entry-level case, with a very basic look. This is the first model from this brand that we’ve reviewed that doesn’t come with a plastic piece on its top panel featuring fans, fan controllers, and USB ports.
Figure 1: 3R System L-900 V.REX F8 case
Figure 2: 3R System L-900 V.REX F8 case
The right-side panel of this case has a bump, which allows you to route cables behind the motherboard tray. The left-side panel has a big mesh, allowing you to install one 180 mm fan or four 120 mm fans. Unfortunately, this mesh doesn’t come with an air filter.
[nextpage title=”The Front Panel”]
The front panel of the L-900, seen in Figure 4, is identical to the front panel used on the other cases from the V.REX series, such as the L-600 and L-1200. This case has three 5.25” bays and one external 3.5” bay. The 5.25” bay covers are meshed featuring air filters. At the bottom part of the front panel the L-900 comes with a 120 mm fan, which glows blue when turned on and also has an air filter. No technical specifications about this fan were provided. This fan uses a standard peripheral power connector, so you can’t monitor its speed.
Figure 4: Front panel
Figure 5: Front fan
Between the 5.25” bay and the 3.5” bay, the L-900 has four USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port, and the traditional audio jacks.
Figure 6: Buttons and connectors
[nextpage title=”The Bottom and Rear Panels”]
As already mentioned, unlike other cases from this brand, there are no extra features on the top panel of the L-900. The bottom panel, seen in Figure 7, is identical to the bottom panel of the L-600 and L-1200, featuring two removable air filters, one for the power supply fan and one for the air intake available below the hard disk drive cage.
In Figure 8, you can see the rear panel of the L-900. The rear panel and the interior of this case are painted black, giving it a very professional look. The power supply is installed at the bottom part of the case.
There is one 120 mm fan (3R System Omega C90F-738H) at the rear panel, using a standard peripheral power connector, so you can’t monitor its speed.
The L-900 has seven expansion slots that come with solid covers, but at least they are reusable, meaning that you don’t need to break anything to open a slot.
The L-900 comes with a tab for you to install a padlock or a warranty seal in order to prevent people from opening the computer.
Figure 9: Tab for padlock or warranty seal
Let’s now take a look inside the L-900 V.REX F8.
[nextpage title=”Inside the L-900 V.REX F8″]
Both panels are attached to the chassis using black thumbscrews, which is nice to see on an entry-level product. The motherboard tray has a huge hole around the area where the CPU is installed, so you can replace the backplate of the CPU cooler without the need to remove your motherboard. Because of the bump on the right-side panel, the L-900 allows you to route cables behind the motherboard tray, which has several holes and metallic clips for you to fasten cables using ties.
Figure 11: A view behind the motherboard tray
Expansion cards are fastened to the case using regular screws, but at least they are black. The L-900 comes with a bracket installed on one of its expansion slots for you to install a 120 mm fan to cool down the interior of the case.
The L-900 supports video cards up to 11” (280 mm) long.
In the L-900 you can install the power supply with its bottom fan facing up or facing down, so you will have to decide if you want the power supply to be pulling cool air from outside the case (fan facing down) or hot air from inside the case (fan facing up). The case comes with a removable air filter for the power supply fan on its bottom panel, as shown previously. There is an air mesh below the hard drive cage, but you can’t install a fan on it.
Figure 13: Power supply compartment
[nextpage title=”The Disk Drive Bays”]
The L-900 comes with three 5.25” external bays, one external 3.5” bay, and three internal 3.5” bays. The external 3.5” bay can be used by a hard drive, so you can have up to four hard drives if you don’t have an external 3.5” device. Only the top two 5.25” bays come with tool-less installation mechanisms.
The hard disk drive bays feature a unique suspension mechanism, and the cage is removable. See Figure 15.
Like other members of the V.REX series, the L-900 comes with a “multi bracket” adapter, which was hard to figure out its use, since the product doesn’t come with a manual and the manufacturer website doesn’t provide much information about it (even if it had, it is hard to understand the broken English used by 3R System). After a while figuring it out, we came to the conclusion that this adapter can be installed in the 5.25” bays for you to either install an extra 120 mm fan, a 3.5” or a 2.5” drive, such as an SSD unit. However, since 3.5” hard drives are quite heavy, we don’t recommend using this bracket to install this kind of device.
[nextpage title=”Main Features”]
The main specifications for the 3R System L-900 V.REX F8 case include:
- Style: Mid-tower
- Application: ATX and smaller form factors derived from this one
- Power supply: Doesn’t come with the product
- Available colors: Black
- Material: Steel
- Side panel: Meshed
- Dimensions: 16.5 x 7.9 x 17.7 inches (420 x 200 x 450 mm) (H x W x D)
- Net weight: 18 lbs (7 kg)
- Gross weight: 15.5 lbs (8 kg)
- Bays: Three external 5.25” bays, one external 3.5” bay, three internal 3.5” bays, and one extra 3.5” or 2.5” space if the included adapter is used
- Expansion slots: Seven
- Maximum video card length: 11” (280 mm)
- Maximum CPU cooler height: NA
- Fans: One 120 mm fan on the front panel and one 120 mm fan on the rear panel
- Optional fans: One 180 mm or four 120 mm fans on the left panel, one 120 mm fan on the bracket that comes installed on an expansion slot, and one 120 mm fan inside the 5.25” bays using the included adapter
- Extra features: Tab for padlock or warranty seal
- More Information: https://www.3rsys.com
- MSRP: NA
[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]
The 3R System L-900 V.REX F8 is an entry-level case that may satisfy users looking for an inexpensive case with a better overall quality. If you fall into this category, the L-900 will please you if the price is right and you can find this case in your country (it is not sold in the US).
Strong Points
- Air filter for the front fan
- Air filter for the power supply
- Meshed 5.25” bay covers with air filters
- Supports 2.5” hard drives or SSDs (if the included bracket is used)
- A huge hole in the motherboard tray for accessing the backplate of the CPU cooler
- Holes allowing you to route cables behind the motherboard tray
- eSATA port
- Removable hard drive cage
- Suspension mechanism for the hard drives
- No sharp edges where you could cut yourself while building your computer
Weak Points
- No tool-less installation mechanisms for expansion cards
- Tool-less installation mechanisms available only on two 5.25” bays
- No air filter on the left panel
- Limited availability
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