Introduction
We kick things off today with a look at one of the latest chassis designs from Akasa. Akasa have established a solid reputation for themselves over the years as a cooling manufacturer, and while the Euler mini-ITX Thin chassis I’m reviewing today may not sound like their typical product range, its passive cooled design certainly does.
The HTPC market has great demand for silent and compact chassis designs that not only perform great, but also look great. Of course this being a small form factor chassis means that it’s a prime choice for HTPC loving consumers, but there will no doubt be interest from the digital signage market, or those who are simply limited on space in general.
There are two models of the Euler available right now, one with a 120w power adapter suitable for mini-ITX slim motherboards, and one without, for those who many have already gotten a PSU supplied with their motherboard. The model we have here today is the AK-ITX05-BK12, the model with the DC power pack included.
The small form factor design of this chassis warrants the use of a mini-ITX slim motherboard, the type that use SODIMM memory and other low profile components to reduce their overall height clearance, a full list of confirmed compatible items are detailed below.
The packaging is pretty straight forward, with a nice high contrast image on the front and the main features listed down the right side.
Around the back you’ll find a quick run down of the main specifications (see above).
In the box you’ll find a collections of screws and bolts, a VESA lock, SATA connector, some 3M rubber pads, SSD mounting bars and a packet of thermal grease.
