X-QPack – the new rapper

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You’ll receive the X-QPack 2 in a very green box with people looking like they have just won the lottery dotted all over it. The strap line is ‘simplify your life’ which seems a little too deep for a mATX PC case but I’ll run with it.

The sides of the box proclaim the features of the case in the usual bullet point manner while the front of the box shows you the blue windowed version of the case. In the way that the iPod has recently been launched with all sorts of different colours, the X-QPack 2 comes in a whole wardrobe of palettes to suit your style (and of course simplify your life). You can get it in black, blue, silver, green, red, gold (yellow). These are all the windowed versions, and you can get black and silver in the non-window form. The only difference in these colours is the front panel which is anodized to your selected shade.

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Once you’ve released the X-QPack 2 from its polystyrene coffin, you’ll first notice the weight. As the case is made entirely of aluminium the weight is a mere 11lb (or 5kg), which is perfect for someone wanting to carry around the case around.

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Click to enlarge

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The front of the case has changed slightly from the original X-QPack and now features an X shaped aluminium front with two side grills, a couple of 5.25” bays, a FDD bay, front I/O and switches and temperature display. The aluminium X is brushed aluminium which is quite thin and easily bent out of shape. If you were to be carrying this case and hit an edge of desk then you’ll end up with a nice big dent in the front. Speaking of carrying the case, you can do this by using the spring loaded steel handle on the front. This can be pulled out by an inch or so to allow your chubby hands to grip it.

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Below the handle, there is the usual compliment of twin USB, a single FireWire and audio in and out ports. To the right of these you’ll see the power and HDD LED’s with the recessed reset button and large power switch by the side.

The temperature display sits on the left-hand side of the FDD bay which is unlikely to be used by a floppy disc drive unless you feel the need to install your RAID drivers all the time.