Hex Gear R40 Micro-ATX Chassis Review

Final Thoughts

Pricing

The Hex Gear R40 is available in black or white directly from the Hex Gear store. The chassis will set you back £199.99, which isn’t cheap, but considering the quality and features on offer, I think it’s an absolute bargain. Of course, you also have a choice of inset colours and modded panels that you can add as extras to help the chassis suit your needs.

Overview

Considering the R40 is Hex Gears first entry to the chassis market, I’m simply blown away by the level of detail and quality that this chassis offers. From a modding perspective, it’s almost a blank canvas, ready for your water cooling gear and other high-end hardware. From a consumer perspective, it’s simply gorgeous as it is and while it will look stunning with a custom build inside it, it looks just as great with a set of off-the-shelf components too.

Build quality is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. If you held a gun to my head, I would compare it to Lian Li, but even then, the Hex Gear draws a clear lead in terms of durability and at 15KG (empty), it’s unlikely to suffer under the weight of your hardware anytime soon. if you kick this thing, you’re more likely to break your foot rather than the chassis; not that we would advise you to test this theory.

The complexity of the build is a challenge and possibly not something everyone is going to be comfortable with. It’s not impossible, but it’s not easy either. Of course, the end result is worth it and it’s the most rewarding chassis review I’ve ever done, as I had to build it and it feels like I’ve made it my own in the process. Of course, the tricky build is in stark contrast to the final product, as the chassis quickly transforms into an extremely practical and easy to work with product. When it comes to fitting your hardware, getting a tidy looking build and showing off your hardware, you’ll struggle to find anything easier!

If this is what Hex Gear can do with their first chassis, I’m eager to see what they can come up with next. With the custom chassis market growing steadily, with the likes of Case Labs, Parvum and more offering a welcome break from the mass-produced products we often see, I welcome the R40 to the market with open arms, it’s really a breath of fresh air.

Pros

• Exceptional build quality
• Room for the largest graphics cards available
• 120/240/360mm radiator support
• Tool free top, bottom and side panels
• Custom colour inserts available to customise the build
• Moddable mounting plate (with pre-modded panels available)
• Can be used regular or inverted
• Excellent cable management
• Loads of airflow
• Competitive price
• Easy to work with
• A lot of fun to build
• Very mod friendly

Cons

• Building the chassis may not be ideal for first-time system builders
• No support for 140mm wide fans/radiators
• No air filtering solutions (although there’s always scope to add your own)

“It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced modder or just someone who wants a great looking chassis, the Hex Gear R40 has a lot to offer in terms of features and design to satisfy you and your system build. It’s not cheap, but the aesthetics, build quality and customization options on offer make it worth every single penny.”

Thank you Hex Gear for providing us with this sample.