Chassis interior and initial thoughts
Another advantage to the Level 10's compartmentalised design is that individual components can be accessed independently. Alternatively, you can crack it all open for a good ol' look at the chassis' innards.
The motherboard, power supply and optical drive compartments all swing sideways, and the latter can also be completely removed to aid with installation. The six hard drive bays pull out individually and overall, the compartments are easily opened, providing quick access to all the system's components.
A closer look inside and we see that our sample's motherboard tray suggests compatibility with a number of form factors - including server boards. However, Thermaltake's documentation officially states support for the ATX and micro-ATX form factors only. Will we see other form factors supported in the final product? It's possible.
There are eight expansion slots, but none are tool-less and users should also be aware of a few space constraints - CPU coolers can't exceed 150mm in height, whilst graphics cards and power supplies can't exceed 310mm and 210mm in length, respectively.
What's useful inside is that Level 10's motherboard tray features cutouts to aid with CPU cooler installation and cable management. With the opposite side panel removed, you can see all the way through the chassis. Of course, with Level 10 unable to lie on its side, motherboard installation could still prove to be tricky - hence the inclusion of a removable tray.
Thermaltake's solution requires the user to undo four thumb screws, after which the motherboard tray can be pulled out completely. Very useful.
A look at the opposite side with the lockable panel removed.
Initial thoughts
Looking past the unusual and entirely stupefying design, Thermaltake's Level 10 chassis isn't quite revolutionary in terms of features. Dividing system components into four separate chambers should, in theory, aid thermal performance, but will the chassis' cooling performance be able to match its awe-inspiring design? The jury's still out on that one, but we'll have the verdict in a forthcoming review.
For now, Level 10 has the ingredients and the imagination to make it one of the most iconic chassis of the 21st century. It's beautiful to look at, and comes bundled with seemingly-limitless bragging rights. Trouble is, such a bold design carries a significant premium - we're expecting Level 10 to launch as a limited run product with a suggested price tag of around $750 (roughly £470).
Stay tuned as we'll be bringing you more Level 10 coverage in the coming days - including an exclusive video preview!
*Update* HEXUS.tv's exclusive video preview can be viewed here.
*Update 2* Want to know how well the Level 10 chassis cools? We've added thermal performance results on the next page.
