Gaming Case Final Thoughts

The BitFenix Shogun makes a great computer case for a high-end air cooled or a custom water cooled system. It looks great with its curved aluminum panels and dual tempered glass side panels. It supports an E-ATX motherboard with the included E-ATX bracket for a server build, but installing the bracket means you would lose four drive slots and the three GPU support brackets. As for a dedicated gaming case, the Shogun serves this purpose well. Long graphics cards could use the GPU support brackets and there is a lot of potential for water cooling. I just wished it had a longer HD audio cable and an additional bracket for the front panel to allow up to three 120mm fans.

BitFenix Shogun Conclusion

In terms of performance, the Shogun does very well as there is enough room for large CPU coolers and water cooling accessories. The top does support a 360mm radiator, but I would have liked to see the same 360mm radiator support on the front as well. Perhaps an additional bracket would have made this possible, like on the Cooler Master MasterCase 5 series.

The case looks great with its dual tempered glass side panels and its smooth plastic and aluminum panels. Add in a few LED strips and the system really shines. One thing I did not like was the positioning of the LED’s on the SSD bracket. Although this is just my personal preference, a system looks much better when you see just the beam from the LED’s, not the LED’s themselves. Some computer manufactures would actually put the LED strip right on the power supply chamber. This method can most likely attract people who never owned a gaming computer before, but for an enthusiast, this looks almost horrifying.

When it comes to construction and build quality, the internal structure is very sturdy throughout. The tempered glass side panel is 3mm thick making it heavy and durable. The case does tend to wobble side to side with little force. This may be caused by the curved aluminum panel at the bottom of the case. Although it does wobble, it is not enough to tip the entire system over unless you do it on purpose.

The Shogun does well in terms of functionality. It works great as a dedicated gaming case, but does fall a bit short as a server case if you decide to go with an E-ATX motherboard. Of course, you will lose four 3.5″ drive bays and the three GPU support brackets, but you will still have two 3.5″ HDD and three SSD slots. Having that E-ATX support does allow for some interesting multi CPU builds.

As of March 2017, the BitFenix Shogun sells online for $139.99 (Amazon | Newegg). This is a great value considering it supports E-ATX motherboards along with the addition of dual tempered glass side panels. The Quick Custom Design allows for lots of customization options making the case ideal for future builds. Because it is a super mid-tower case, the Shogun has plenty of space for water cooling accessories and even a multi CPU system.

Pros:

+ Supports E-ATX motherboards
+ Dual tempered glass side panel
+ RGB capable LED lighting feature
+ Supports large 280mm and 360mm radiators
+ Adjustable GPU support brackets and HDD cages

Cons:

– Short HD audio cable
– Odd LED position on SSD side bracket

Ratings:

• Performance: 8.75
• Appearance: 9.25
• Construction: 9.25
• Functionality: 8.75
• Value: 9.25

Final Score: 9.05 out of 10.

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.