BitFenix Neos Chassis Review

The front I/O panel of the Neos takes a very minimalist approach with its layout.  It maintains a very neat appearance, all while providing some modern necessities, such as the front USB 3.0 port and HD audio jacks.  Everything up front blends cleanly into the chassis without making it look cramped, out of place, or cluttered.

Turning it on it's end, we spot a nifty feature seen more on higher end flagship case designs.  BitFenix has included a slide out mesh filter that covers the power supply intake vent.  What you won't see is any excess mesh venting. just four legs and a floor.

Spinning it around to the back we get a good look at the layout for the cards and cooling.  With real estate at a premium on this chassis to preserve it's compact stature, some compromise had to be struck after they carved out room for the motherboard and PSU slots.  That came at the cost to the expansion slots and rear exhaust fan.  There are only seven expansion slots in the back.  While this shouldn't be an issue for single GPU card users, this will limit the more extreme multi-card builds. 

However, in a case this size, two cards is probably pushing the boundaries of what you would even want to fit comfortably.  The expansion slots are of the punch-out variety with no thumbscrews to hold them in place.   So, once they are broken away there is no putting them back should you ever downsize your build. 

The compact size does limit the cooling options as well only allowing a single 120mm rear exhaust slot with no room or holes to upgrade it to a 140mm.  There are a pair of rubber grommets along the top, so if you do choose to liquid cool you have the option to run an external radiator.  Just be mindful that there is nowhere on top of the chassis to secure the radiator, so it will be sitting loose.

Completing the full 360 on the outside of the case, both side panels are held by Phillips head screws capped with plastic curl knobs, so you won’t want to go more than finger tight on these to avoid cracking the knobs.  There is doesn't appear to be any added aesthetic to the side panels, having no embossments (though there is a version of the Neos available with a acrylic window) or designs to mention.