Freshtech Solutions Project 7 GTX 1080 Gaming PC Review

A Closer Look

The Aerocool Project 7 doesn’t follow a conventional design strategy and is bound to capture people’s attention. For example, the stabilising bars which protrude outwards from the main chassis is quite a novel idea although it tends to make the chassis wobble slightly. The case is full of ventilation grilles which enhance airflow and create a rather stylish appearance due to the dynamic cut-outs. Another great feature is the power supply cover which hides any excess cabling and contributes towards a remarkably tidy build. Despite being a budget chassis, there are two SSD mounts in the front and this can be useful to proudly display the decal on your favourite SSD. To be clear, the Aerocool Project 7’s plastic construction feels quite basic and gives the impression that the case requires the end-user to handle it in a delicate manner. However, when you take into account the price point and solid internal layout, it’s a suitable choice for this particular system. If you’d like to learn more about the Aerocool Project 7, feel free to check out the full review here.

Sadly, it’s quite difficult to capture the chassis’ extravagant lighting on camera but rest assured, it looks amazing whichever colour you select.

Freshtech Solutions appear to have settled on a red and black colour scheme for the internal section which complements the chassis’ white exterior. Additionally, the small white elements on the motherboard’s heatsink act as a reminder of the Aerocool Project 7 chassis and maintain a high level of synergy throughout the build. Saying that, the graphics card’s backplate contains a yellow hazard print which looks slightly out of place. I can forgive this though because the product’s gunmetal grey styling is fantastic and a real treat to look at.

On another note, the Corsair Vengeance LPX 3000MHz memory has a simplistic yet elegant design and doesn’t overawe the entire build. Also, the Corsair H110i GT is superb and features a sophisticated block supporting RGB illumination. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to mount the radiator in the roof due to the case’s restriction. This slight annoyance was dealt with really well and I’m glad to see the tubing was positioned on the top side to allow for a more attractive cabling run.

Originally, closed-loop coolers revolved around ugly FEP tubing or a standard rubber coating. While this can be described as serviceable, it doesn’t evoke a premium feel in the same way as custom loop solutions. Thankfully, the situation has improved and Corsair’s latest offering is based around tubing with a soft, braided finish. As you can see, this looks absolutely fantastic and creates the impression that the cooler isn’t produced on a mass scale.

The graphics card’s cabling is completed to a high standard and the strong zip-tie mount conceals any excess wiring extremely well. Not only that, the connectors easily slot into place without the cabling run feeling overly tight. Therefore, there shouldn’t be any undue pressure applied to the connectors and I doubt the fitting will come loose over time.

From this angle, we can see the USB 3.0 header, front audio and 8-pin EPS cable have been attached in a neat, logical cable run. Additionally, the SATA cables are difficult to see unless you inspect the system closely. This is due to the cable management plate which hides the majority of the cable length. Even the Corsair Link data cable is routed through the case properly and managed in a professional manner. On another note, I’m glad to see the GPU doesn’t bend downwards in an ugly fashion and remains relatively straight.

The system’s non-modular power supply and limited room around the rear chamber complicate the cable management process by a considerable degree. Despite this, Freshtech Solutions managed to couple the essential cables using a generous supply of zip-ties and the integrated cable routeing zone. Even though the cabling area is large enough to hide a good amount of the cabling, I’d prefer the chassis to opt for rubber grommets instead. When you consider the limitations imposed by the system’s parts, I think the end-result is pretty solid. Interestingly, Freshtech Solutions decided to disregard the PWM hub and hook up the fans directly to the motherboard or via y-splitters.

Towards the storage area, we can see the larger cables have been securely held down with a number of strong zip-ties. It’s important to note that the zip-ties aren’t going to buckle under pressure because the width is kept to a sensible figure. Also, the SSD is mounted at the lowest position to easily connect the appropriate cables without extra wiring being on display. The mechanical drive slides into the HDD caddy and has a good amount of space to route the cables properly.

In the centre, Freshtech Solutions opted to connect two Molex cables and store the remaining Molex ends. While this doesn’t look particularly neat, it’s a sensible move and the cables tend to stay in position extraordinarily well. As a result, the side panel is easy to close and doesn’t brush against the Molex cables. The large CPU cut-out is quite handy and Freshtech Solutions ensured this area could be accessed easily. The cooler’s backplate is installed perfectly and aligned in a flush way.

As expected, the non-modular power supply design is difficult to contend with and results in a huge number of cables surrounding the PSU. Unfortunately, this cannot be avoided and a characteristic of the cheaper non-modular format. Nevertheless, the extra SATA, Molex and PCI-E connectors are hidden really nicely within the PSU cover. This makes the decision to use a non-modular power supply less egregious.