In this review we present a new cabinet of the German brand Sharkoon, the T5 Value Edition, which differs from the T5 Economy for the presence of a side-window and two 120mm fans instead of the only fan installed in the cheaper version.

[VERSIONE ITALIANA]

Sharkoon offers a wide range of products: input devices, headsets, cabinets, docking stations, USB flash drives, card readers, fans, power supplies and many other products for managing and modding PCs.

The German company immediately entered the USB 3.0 market with products well appreciated in professional working environments. The case we're going to review today is equipped with a USB 3.0 port on the front panel.

The ATX cabinets in the T5 family are:

The product manual is available in the web site in English or German. The Pdf manual is very detailed with color images. This is a good choice from Sharkoon: a good manual that explains which the role of each part is, is always something pleasant. The manual is available here .

In these two images we can see how it is managed the airflow inside the case; the second image shows some characteristics of the T5 Value Edition.

Bundle and packaging

The new T5 is shipped in a white and black box. On the right there is an image that shows the cabinet in its front and side, while in the left side of the box there are explained 4 characteristics:

Inside the case there is a white box containing several accessories and mounting screws and a mask that acts as an adapter from the 5.25" bay to a 3.5" peripheral. In the cabinet you will found already installed two 120 mm fan with blue LEDs.

The front

The front of the Sharkoon T5 has a special design that makes it an interesting product for those users who want cabinets with attractive lines.

At the top of the front panel, on both sides, there are two status indicators: the HDD LED and the Power ON LED. Starting from the left, there are a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, microphone jack, headphone jack and 2 more USB 2.0 ports.

The USB 3.0 port on the front is very interesting, given the increasing popularity of devices with this interface. It is not easy to find them in cabinets that are placed in this low price range. Anyway, Sharkoon has always tried to meet the needs of the customer in each of its products.

In the central part of the cabinet, on both sides, there are two rectangular buttons that are used to power on and to reset the computer.

Removing the front mask with a light traction, we can better see the 5.25" bay covers in t at the bottom and 120mm fan. It’s worth noting that the dust filter of the fan is not placed in the structure of the case, but in the bulkhead removable. Similarly, all mesh covers come with internal dust filter.

The roof of the cabinet has no particular elements, is very simple and clean.

Side panels and base of the case

The left side of our T5 has a rectangular window near the end of the structure that allows us to see the inside hardware, but excluding the vision of 5.25" optical drives and 3.5" drives, which is, usually, the area aesthetically less tidy. In the Economy version we find a black side panel that allows the installation of 2 additional 120mm fans.

The right panel, instead, does not have any detail, as in most cases, and is also black.

The base of the case has four rubber feet that allow absolute stability on any surface. On the left side there is a ventilation mesh with a dust filter, which allows the power supply to take fresh air directly from outside, throwing out the hot air in the rear, without disturbing the air flow of the inside of the cabinet.

Back

The rear of the case presents an opening for the I/O motherboard mask and on the right a mesh grid with a 120mm fan which has the aim of expelling the hot air out of the case. Notice that the fan is installed with four anti-vibration rubber mounts instead of classic screws as in many other products that are placed on this price range. This is another good choice done by Sharkoon to minimize noise.

On the left side there are 7 PCI slots and two rubber openings for the installation of a liquid cooling system, which allows installing an external radiator or water station. These two openings are surrounded by another small ventilation mesh grid. In the picture we can see the extension cable which should be connected to a USB 3.0 port on the motherboard in order to use the respective port on the front panel of the case.

In the lower part we find the classic accommodation for the power supply, no longer located at the top as we could find in old generation cabinets.

In this image we can see that the screws for securing the panels to the structure are wrapped with rubber to grant a non-slip grip and to be screwed / unscrewed manually without any problems.

Inside of the cabinet

The Sharkoon T5 is a case of modest size, it measures 475 * 200 * 440mm (L * W * H), and is slightly smaller than the BitFenix ​​Shinobi reviewed here . Inside you can fit 30 cm long video cards, if installed in the first two PCI-E slots, and 27 cm long, if you install them in the other PCI-E slots. The case can also accommodate CPU coolers with a maximum height of 15 cm.

You can see the hole on the panel of the motherboard which allows installing large heatsinks with backplates, without removing the motherboard from the case. There are also a number of holes, which allow us to hide all the cables on the back, having a better cable management that will help improve the air flow inside the structure.

The 5.25" drives, as well as 3.5" ones, do not require screws and screwdrivers for assembly, thanks to the tool-free systems. The T5 Value has a weight of about only 6kg. The interior black paint is very interesting, which is not always present in cabinets in this price range. Additional slots for installation of other fans, in addition to the two provided, are unfortunately absent.

Conclusion

Performance:
Quality/price ratio:
Overall:

The new cabinet Sharkoon T5 is definitely a very interesting product, with a special design for those who also want a product aesthetically attractive. The idea to equip it with a USB 3.0 port, the rear 120mm fan with anti-vibration rubber mounts and the rubber screws that hold the panels make a case which is able to meet, in a comprehensive way, the needs of the average gaming user. The case has two anti-dust filters, which allow to minimize the entry of dust inside the cabinet. The possibility of installing long video cards size and CPU coolers with 15cm height make the Sharkoon T5 a great product. In Europe on-line shops you can buy the Sharkoon T5 Value at a price of about 45-50 € , which is really interesting for the features offered!

PROs

CONs

• Possibility to install only two fans (bundled)