If you’re a common reader of KitGuru you’ll know that we normally deliver you evaluations and showcases of a number of the newest high-end {hardware}. But not everybody needs the costliest, premium elements so there are occasions that we dial it again a bit and have a look at some extra inexpensive and finances gear. Today’s evaluate is of a kind of cheaper bits of {hardware}, It’s a case that prices below 80 Euros, it comes with 4 ARGB followers and helps some high-end {hardware}. But is the Chieftec Hunter 2 actually good worth for cash? Let’s discover out.
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:51 Pricing and availability
02:06 Features
02:57 Front I/O & RGB lighting
03:58 Changes between V1 and V2
04:23 A more in-depth look – stripping it down
06:19 The Fans
06:36 Dimensions / radiator help
09:11 PSU space / cable administration
10:25 Motherboard tray / area
10:51 Rear and flip aspect of case
11:57 Power provide shroud storage
13:15 Floor of the case
14:29 Test System
15:50 Thermal Performance
16:50 Accessories
17:45 James ideas on the case
20:38 Overall high quality dialogue
The Chieftec Hunter 2 is an up to date model of the unique Hunter that includes some delicate adjustments and additions. The entrance panel has been reworked to incorporate a bigger centre mesh part with added brushed aluminium panels on both aspect. One of the entrance panel USB Type-A ports has been sacrificed for USB Type-C and the PSU shroud window cut-out has been changed with a full cowl PSU shroud. These all sound like worthwhile adjustments and additions.
Some options stay the identical within the Hunter 2 that had been within the authentic, such because the ARGB followers, there are 4 120mm ARGB followers included with the case, and they’re branded as Chieftec SF1225RGB-C1. Also included with the Hunter 2 is a five-port ARGB hub which has two further LED strip ports, an Aura Sync port, 5 fan energy ports and is powered by a SATA energy connection. It’s a compact mid-tower that helps an honest array of {hardware} corresponding to graphics playing cards as much as 320mm lengthy, CPU coolers as much as 170mm tall and motherboards as much as ATX format.
Chieftec Hunter 2 Features:
- The Hunter 2 comes geared up with 4 rainbow ARGB followers, three pre-installed within the entrance panel and one within the rear exhaust mount.
- A full-length mesh panel protecting the centre of the entrance panel with brushed aluminium aspect trim accents.
- The tempered glass aspect panel is hinged for simple entry and requires no instruments to open or take away utterly.
- Included is an ARGB fan Hub with 5 ARGB Ports, two RGB strip connections, one Aura Sync port and fan pace through voltage management with 5 ports.
- USB Type-C entrance panel connectivity has been added as an improve from the unique Hunter which had two USB Type-A ports solely.
Specifications:
- Case Type: Compact Mid-Tower
- Dimensions: 408mm x 210mm x 464mm
- Material: 0.5mm SPCC and tempered glass panel (aspect)
- Motherboard Support: ATX, mATX, Mini ITX
- Expansion Slots: 7
- Storage Bays: 2x 3.5” (or 1x 2.5” , 1x 3.5”) and 2x 2.5”
- Max GPU Length: 170mm
- Max CPU Cooler Height:
- Max PSU Length: 320mm
- Fan Support: 2x 140mm or 3x 120mm (Front), 2x 140mm or 2x 120mm (Top), 1 x 120mm (Rear)
- Pre-installed followers: (Front): 3x 120mm A-RGB rainbow, (Rear) 1x 120mm A-RGB Chieftec SF1225RGB-C1
- Radiator Support: as much as 360mm / 280mm (Front)
- Dust Filters: Top, Bottom
- Font I/O: 1x Type-C, 1x USB3.1 Gen 1, Audio-out (AZALIA / HD-Audio), Mic-In, RGB Brightness Button, RGB Modes Button
Thermal Performance Testing
To simulate thermal demand we run the Cinebench R23 multi-thread benchmark and 3DMark Speed Way stress check concurrently in a loop for 60 minutes to totally load the system. This offers the CPU and GPU sufficient time to achieve fixed steady-state temperature. With this information, we are able to evaluate how the system handles the thermal demand and measure peak noise ranges.
Thermal efficiency is measured with the case in numerous configurations, such because the default, with the tempered glass left-hand aspect panel eliminated and with the entrance panel eliminated to see how these configurations have an effect on the CPU and GPU temperature. During testing, solely inventory case followers are used until in any other case specified. All water pumps are set to most RPM and followers are set to a customized RPM curve by the Motherboard software program/BIOS.
All temperature measurements are offered as Deltas – which means the ambient temperature has been deducted from the CPU temperature giving us a Delta. Data proven within the charts signify the common element temperature over the size of the check as measured by HWiNFO after which the final quarter-hour of the info are calculated to get the common. The ambient temperature throughout thermal checks is between 19-21⁰C.
Test System Specification:
Thermal Performance Overview
The Chieftec Hunter 2 does an OK job of holding high-end elements cool. The Core i7-12700K sits fortunately at round 50-55°C common delta below heavy load with the case in numerous configurations. It’s inferior to a number of the instances that now we have examined with this CPU, however contemplating it is solely a 240mm AIO cooling the CPU it is high-quality.
GPU temperature is appropriate with the case in its default configuration, nonetheless, eradicating the tempered glass aspect panel permits for extra GPU airflow which signifies that GPU runs cooler and quieter. Adding followers to the PSU shroud additionally gives a big enchancment in GPU core temperature however general, the Hunter 2 does an honest job of cooling the high-end system that we used.
Closing Thoughts
Priced at round 70 – 80 Euros the Chieftec Hunter 2 simply squeezes into the finances PC case market however it’s priced on the excessive finish of the finances vary. There are instances less expensive than this, they might not all include as many followers and an ARGB fan hub that’s as succesful because the one discovered within the Hunter 2 however that is the Hunter 2’s competitors. I’ve checked out a number of finances instances over time and I wasn’t overly impressed with the construct high quality and formally supported specs of the Hunter 2 in contrast with alternate options which are on the market.
The construct high quality of the Hunter 2 isn’t nice, the sheet metal that the chassis body and aspect panels are manufactured from is sort of skinny at simply 0.5mm. This means that there’s a lot of flex within the chassis body and the metal aspect panel. The tempered glass aspect panel is hinged and requires no instruments to open or take away utterly which is sweet nevertheless it has an affordable really feel to it. The glass thickness is roughly 2-2.5mm and the magnetic catch mechanism is sort of weak. If you shut it a little bit too briskly it bounces again and doesn’t maintain on to the magnets.
When we obtained the evaluate pattern of the Hunter 2, the official specs sheet listed solely as much as 280mm entrance radiator help and no prime radiator help. After testing a number of 360mm AIO radiators within the entrance of the case I discovered that all of them match high-quality with out inflicting any interference with different elements, so it appears odd that 360mm radiator help was not formally listed. I reached out to Chieftec about this, they investigated it internally and have since up to date the official specs on their web site to incorporate 360mm entrance radiator help.
To add to that, I additionally discovered that putting in a 240mm AIO within the roof of the case is feasible however could depend upon the AIO, motherboard and reminiscence configuration. Connecting EPS energy and different cables to the highest of the motherboard have to be accomplished earlier than putting in a prime AIO, nevertheless it does match fairly comfortably and causes no interference with different elements. Also lacking from the official specs is help for PSU-mounted 120mm followers, there are fairly clearly two 120mm fan mountings on prime of the PSU nevertheless it’s not listed within the official spec or on the Chieftec web site wherever.
But with these negatives apart the Hunter 2 does supply some good factors corresponding to respectable thermal efficiency, 4 included RGB followers and the ARGB/Fan management hub. However, the followers are solely 3-pin voltage pace management, not PWM, the collection of totally different RGB lighting results from the hub is sweet however the implementation of the RGB within the followers is one of the best, there’s a number of gentle bleed and you’ll see the construction of the fan blade hub too so it doesn’t look nice. So there’s nonetheless heaps to enhance on in a possible Hunter 3 for Chieftec.
The Chieftec Hunter 2 is not out there within the UK proper now, however it may be picked up throughout Europe for round 70-80 Euros. You can discover one of the best value HERE.
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Pros:
- Comes with 4 ARGB followers and a five-port ARGB and fan management hub.
- Supports extra options than what’s listed within the official specs.
Cons:
- Cut out on the prime proper is small – troublesome to get two EPS cables via.
- Build high quality is poor – very skinny metal means there’s a number of flex within the chassis and exterior panels.
- Tempered glass panel is skinny – approx 2-2.5mm, swings closed very abruptly and does not maintain properly on the magnetic catches.
- Alignment of motherboard standoffs is just not good.
- Side cable lower out small – solely simply capable of push the 24-pin cable connector via.
- Price is excessive for the standard.
- Important options lacking from the spec sheet however are potential – corresponding to 360mm entrance radiators and prime AIO set up.
- Motherboard standoff interferes with the ARGB hub.
KitGuru says: I might not take into account the Chieftec Hunter 2 as a real fanatic case with the problems, construct high quality and lack of official {hardware}/cooling help however it might be one which we see used typically by system integrators as it’d supply higher worth to them with the included equipment such because the followers and RGB hub, nevertheless it’s not one which I might take into account shopping for in its present state.
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