Akasa Max S Passive Cooled Max S NUC Chassis Review

Final Thoughts

Pricing

The Akasa Max S Fanless Case for Intel NUC is priced at £95.78, which seems a little expensive, but given the overall build quality, features and, of course, the passive cooling design, this is really excellent value for money.

Overview

The latest NUC chassis from Akasa has a lot to offer to a wide range of markets. Intel pushed their NUC hardware as the next-generation of compact systems and they certainly delivered on that promise, with a range of motherboards offering everything from low-power efficient systems, right up to powerful Core i7 solutions that are versatile enough for demanding applications such as video rendering. The Akasa Max S ticks all the right boxes for so many applications and I can see it appealing to home AV users who want a HTPC/Smart TV setup, as much as it could be used in placed like hotels, retail, offices and industrial spaces.

The inclusion of two front panels, giving you added support for both slot loading or slim tray loading optical drives is most welcome, as it’s easier to find a drive that better suits your requirements when the chassis supports both types. The inclusion of two back panels is a huge bonus, as it means that the chassis supports more motherboards and features, without the need to go shopping around for more than one variant of the same chassis.

The build quality is as good as it gets. The main bulk of the chassis is milled from premium quality aluminium, which naturally looks stunning, but it’s also a damn fine material to act as a heat sink for the passive cooling features. Being able to run your system constantly without the whine of a fan is a welcome bonus, especially so for HTPC users, as any ambient noises from a system can be quite distracting while watching a movie, even more so in industrial scenarios where noise sensitive equipment is being used.

It seems then, that the Max S, much like the other Akasa chassis’ we’ve reviewed, has done everything right, making this another incredible asset to the NUC systems market.

Pros

• Exceptional build quality
• Passive cooling design
• Dual front and rear panels for expanded compatibility
• 2.5″ drive support
• Easy to use/install
• VESA mountable
• Competitive price
• Support for slot/slim ODD drives

Cons

• None

“If you’re looking for a passive cooled NUC chassis with a broad range of features, you would be crazy not to check out the Akasa range. The Max S is one of the best looking, performing and most feature packed NUC chassis you’ll find on the market!”

Thank you Akasa for providing us with this sample.