The conclusion? It’s great to see cases increase in diversity, and each case will certainly appeal to someone based on style, features, or price.

Before we go any further, we’d like to mention that we were indeed paying attention to the packaging of all of these cases. Because it’s a roundup, we didn’t have the space to show pictures of everything, but each and every case was very well packaged with Styrofoam braces and plastic to protect the finish.

There were a few outstanding models in our roundup that deserve a special mention. First, the 3R System R240 Grace was something that we didn’t think too much about at first glance, but we were really won over by its nifty HTPC features, light weight, style, and especially its near-silent case fans.

The NZXT Tempest was another case of special note, offering attractive angular styling paired with an impressive number of fans to deliver tons of airflow, and in a surprisingly quiet fashion. We liked the Tempest so much that, at its low price, it will be included as one of the recommended cases in our June 2008 system builder marathon.

Silverstone’s Kublai KL-03 might not have tickled our fancy in the looks department, but style is subjective and this case has it where it counts: it offers a lot of space, innovative features, quiet operation, and all-metal construction at a very reasonable price.

Finally, while Cooler Master’s Cosmos S case might not have hit home runs in every category, it’s still a pleasure to work with due to its massive frame. And at the risk of admitting how shallow we are, this case looks really awesome. It’s the Lamborghini of computer enclosures: it looks great, and while it might not make for the most practical buying decision. people still buy Lamborghinis, and we’re sure people will buy the Cosmos S as well.