Raijintek Metis Classic Computer Case Review

By Meng Vang

Manufacturer: Raijintek Company Ltd.
Product Name: METIS CLASSIC
Model Number: 0R200015
UPC: 4715109920468
Price As Tested: $49.99 (NCIX | Amazon)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Raijintek.

Mini computer cases are a crucial part for a media center PC and even small compact gaming PC’s. With the Raijintek Metis Classic computer case, system builders can now build even smaller and more compact media center or gaming PC’s. This lightweight aluminum case supports mini-ITX motherboards and even a full size ATX power supply. The Metis comes in a variety of colors to choose from. These colors include red, black, silver, blue, green and gold. Benchmark Reviews has been given this gold sample for this review. With the right hardware components, the Metis can be turned into the perfect computer for the living room and even a high-performance gaming machine in a small form factor.

Features & Specifications

Features

• Aluminum color hair-silk anodized appearance design
• Entirely black coated MB Tray and rear panel
• Compatible with Standard ATX POWER SUPPLY
• Compatible with 170mm VGA card’s
• Supports up to 160mm height CPU cooler
• 2×USB3.0 ports
• Anti-vibration rubber for hard drive / SSD installation
• Supports 2×2.5″hard drive’s / SSD’s & 1×3.5″hard drive
• 120 mm performing fan pre-installed at rear
• Large zone of Ventilation holes for the airflow on the side panel

Specifications

• Dimensions: 190x277x254 mm
• Weight: 2.8 kg [N.W.] 3.2 kg [G.W.]
• Expansion slots: PCI Slots [Tool-Free] *2
• Material: Aluminum 1.5mm [Surface]; SPCC 0.5mm [Interior]
• Color: Black / Red / Silver / Blue / Green / Gold
• Motherboard Compatibility: Mini-ITX
• Drive Bay: Internal 3.5″ hard drive*1, 2.5″ hard drive*2
• Expansion Slots: PCI Slots [Tool-Free] *2
• Power Supply: PS/2 [Internal Bottom-mount]
• Cooling: Rear Fan: 120mm*1pcs [pre-installed]
• CPU Cooler Height: 160mm [Max.]
• Graphics Card Length: 170mm [Max.]
• Side Panel Style: Window / Flat [Vent]

Raijintek Metis Classic Case Overview

On the front of the Metis, we have a single power button with a built in white power LED. The hard drive activity light is also integrated into the power button and glows red when the storage device is in use. At the bottom is the Raijintek logo all on a nice golden brush aluminum finish.

On the back side, there is a pre-installed 120mm fan along with two PCI expansion slots. There is also the back I/O cutout for the motherboard as well as a power connector at the top-left of the case. A power cable within the case runs this connector to the power supply. The power supply is installed inside towards the front of the chassis.

On the main side panel, there is a large plastic window that allows us to see our components when they are all installed into the Metis. Four black screws are also present at the corners and must be screwed off in order to take off the side panel.

The opposing side has ventilation for the internal components. With the windowed version, this is the only ventilation the Metis has. Again we see the four black screws around the four corners of the side panel.

The top is fairly simple with a smooth brushed aluminum finish. Here we can see there are two USB 3.0 ports as well as standard headphone and microphone jacks.

The bottom consists of the four rubber feet around the corners and the SDD mounts. Using the anti-vibration rubber grommets, two 2.5″ SSDs may be mounted here. At the bottom is the exhaust for the power supply.

Now that we have seen the exterior of the case, let’s go ahead and look at the features the Metis has to offer.

Raijintek Metis Classic Detailed Features

Removing the side panel requires the removal of four black screws around the corners of the side panel. You will need a screw driver for this procedure as thumbscrews are not present for removing the side panels. Since the screws are black, it may not look aesthetically pleasing to some consumers.

After removing the side panel, this gives us access to the interior. The side panels are not the only removable parts to the Metis. We will go into more details about this later.

On the motherboard tray, we can see there is a large CPU cutout. Next to the motherboard tray is where we can install the power supply. A standard ATX power supply can be mounted here. Since it will be installed close to the front of the chassis, this will make the front of the system heavier than the back in some circumstances.

On the backside of the motherboard tray, no cable management cutouts or tie down points are present. There is just too little room between the side panel and the motherboard tray to fit cables, but this is understandable for such a small and compact case.

Like what was mentioned earlier, the side panels are not the only parts that come off to this case. Because this case is mounted together by standard screws that can be easily removed using a four head screwdriver, we can easily take this entire chassis apart.

Being able to take apart the entire case adds greater flexibility to installing components as space is limited. Let’s go ahead and do a short tear down of the Metis Classis.

Raijintek Metis Classic More Detailed Features

To remove the top panel, both side panels must be removed prior to removing the top. A few screws around the four corners hold the top portion of the chassis in place.

On the top panel, there is a 3.5″ hard drive cage for one 3.5″ hard drive. This cage can be removed by unscrewing a few screws. What I would have liked to see here was a tool-less drive cage instead.

Removing the bottom panel is the same procedure as removing the top panel. Installing the power supply unit can be done easier if the bottom panel is screwed out.

The rear portion can then be removed after the top and bottom panels are removed. This is great if you are installing a thick 120mm water cooling radiator.

Installing a motherboard into the Metis can be tricky as room and space is limited. But after taking off the top, bottom, and rear panels, the motherboard tray can be removed to install a motherboard.

With everything removed, we are left with just the front panel. The cables for the front panel ports can be easily tied together and managed.

Being able to take apart the entire case will give system builders greater flexibility. Now that we have basically teared down the Metis Classic, let’s go ahead and build a compact PC with it.

System Building with Metis Classic

Because the Metis is perfect for a small compact media center PC, our build will be geared towards a very low power and quiet PC for the living room. Using the AMD Sempron 3850 APU, the four processing cores provide plenty of power for 1080p videos while using just 25 watts of power. For video, a passively cooled ASUS GeForce GT 720 will be used to provide enough power to play 1080p content while maintaining total silence during operation. To improve airflow and add a little more eye candy, a Rosewill RFA-120-WL 120mm white LED fan was installed to add a little bit of style. Let’s go ahead and see how this build looks like.

Test System

• Motherboard: AsRock AM1H-ITX
• System Memory: 4GB Kingston Fury 1600MHz DDR3
• Processor: AMD Sempron 3850 1.3GHz
• Audio: Realtek ALC662
• Video: ASUS GeForce GT 720
• Disk Drive: Seagate Barracuda 250GB SATA hard drive
• Enclosure: Raijintek Metis Classic
• PSU: Corsair 430W Modular
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional 64-Bit

Results

Here is the finished product. With everything installed, there is still enough room in the center for even a large CPU cooler if we ever decide to swap out the motherboard and APU for something higher-end. A modular power supply is necessary because cables cannot be routed behind the motherboard. This Corsair CX430M power supply does the job as the cables are tied together at the top.

During the installation, removal of the top panel made installation of the power supply and hard drive easier. Cable management was also easier to perform as long as the panels were removed. The removal of the side panel alone did not provide enough room to work in such a tight space.

Installing the hard drive was a simple process. The only thing I would have liked to see was a tool-less hard drive bay. Only a single 3.5″ hard drive can be mounted here, but two SSD mounts are still available at the bottom of the case.

The ASUS GeForce GT 720 is a dual slot graphics card. It did not come close to touching the hard drive cage even in this tight space.

The Metis is a very tiny ITX case. The Bitfenix Prodigy is also a small ITX case, but it can still be as big as some mid-tower chassis. When put next to the popular Bitfenix Prodigy, the Metis is actually much smaller and easier to move around.

When loaded with hardware, the entire system was still very light in weight and could be picked up with little to no effort. The Metis measures in at just 190x277x254 mm. At these dimensions, this case could be easily tucked away into small areas where other mini-ITX cases would not usually fit, but the elegant simply looks with the brushed aluminum finish is just asking to be shown off.

Let’s finish this review with my final thoughts and conclusion.

Mini-ITX Case Final Thoughts

The Metis Classic is a great case for a small media center or gaming PC. When we think about gaming PC’s, we think about full tower cases with ridiculous amounts of lights, gadgets, and loud fans. But with today’s modern technological improvements, users can build small computers that can still perform just as well if not better than even some of the traditional style gaming PC’s. The hardware is all the same just that it is crammed into a small compact form factor to save space while leaving room on the desk for other things. The Metis Classic is a great alternative if other mini-ITX cases are too big for your needs.

Raijintek Metis Classic Conclusion

When looking at the Metis from a casual standpoint, it does well with maintaining cool temperatures to the internal components. The 120mm rear exhaust fan can be swapped out for even a 120mm water cooler for better flexibility. A low power computer can still be kept cool even in such tight space. From a gamer’s perspective, the limited space and ventilation holes can cause internal components to run warmer. It is recommended to use a graphics card with a blower-style fan and a water cooler at the rear 120mm fan mount to draw the hot air directly out the back instead of circulating it back in the case. With the non-window version, the side panel provides extra ventilation.

The simple and elegant design is just stunning. Finishing it off with a brushed aluminum finish throughout the entire unit makes it look aesthetically classy. If you are willing to sacrifice additional ventilation for a beautiful side window, the choice is yours if aesthetics comes first. There is nothing too dramatically overdone throughout the exterior of the case keeping it to a minimal. The only thing I would have liked to see were thumbscrews to remove the side panels instead of having to screw off four black screws at the corners of both side panels.

Even though it is not a high-end case, the aluminum panels that make up the case holds tightly together and does not bend easily with medium force. Because of its small size, the cables from the power supply can touch the graphics card but this can be taken care of with a modular power supply. I would have liked to see cable management cutouts on the motherboard tray right behind where the power supply would mount. The power supply can be mounted just a few millimeters further to the main side panel giving it a bit of room for cables between the power supply and motherboard tray, ultimately saving space for a graphics card. I would have liked to see a tool-less hard drive cage instead since it would make system building and future upgrades easier.

The Metis does everything a mini-ITX case should. Because of its great aesthetics, this case is just asking to be put on display. It looks great having it sit on a desk or next to the HDTV with its modern elegant design. It is perfect for a media center PC and can also house high-end components for a gaming PC. The only thing I would suggest in terms of functionality is since this case is geared towards a media center PC, more 3.5″ hard drive bays would have been nice. Also do not think about putting a 240mm water cooling radiator into this case as it does not support it.

As of February 2015, the Metis sells for $49.99 (NCIX | Amazon). This is a great price for a mini-ITX case considering what you can do with a case like this. It is not too expensive while offering features only found in more expensive mini-ITX cases. The Raijintek Metis Classic computer case is an affordable option and a great alternative if you do not want to spend a lot of money on something that will look good on the desk or in the living room.

Pros:

+ Looks great as a media center or gaming PC
+ Elegant and simple exterior design
+ Entire case can be taken apart for installation
+ Much smaller than most ITX gaming cases
+ Comes in red, black, silver, blue, green, and gold units
+ Small and compact making it easy to store
+ Supports standard ATX power supply units

Cons:

– Hard drive cage is not tool-less
– No thumbscrews for side panel removal
– Black screws on side panels may not be aesthetically pleasing

Ratings:

• Performance: 9.00
• Appearance: 9.50
• Construction: 8.00
• Functionality: 9.00
• Value: 9.50

Final Score: 9.00 out of 10.0.

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.

COMMENT QUESTION: What do you like/dislike about the Raijintek Metis Classic computer case?