EVGA DG-87 Gaming Chassis Review

I was a bit awestruck when I first unboxed the EVGA DG-87.  The case is quite large and quite awkward to handle due to its size and weight but has an amazing curb appeal.  The overall styling strikes me a successful OEM style case design similar to what you would find from Alienware or Voodoo PC where the company wants a custom chassis to help sell their product.  Considering that EVGA is a manufacturer of everything needed to build a modern PC that may not be far from the truth.

Early in this review I mentioned how EVGA redefined the modern computer chassis by making the front of the case what would traditionally be the left side.  Doing this creates an interesting situation that would impact “where” you put your case.  For instance I have always preferred to have my case on the floor next to my desk.  While I can still reach the controls to operate the DG-87 I am no longer able to use any of the USB 3.x functionality.  Likewise having the case on the right side of my desk puts the cables exiting the wrong side of the chassis to reach the top of my desk. (That is assuming I have the window facing outwards.)

The same situation exists having the case on my desk with the added stress of knowing my desk may collapse at any moment.  On the positive having the case up off the floor allows me access to the lower front panel controls and is really how EVGA intended for the case to be used. 

Maybe one of the coolest features of the EVGA DG-87 is the flexibility.  There are currently four models available each with having a progressively richer feature set and much like buying a car you will want to purchase the one that best meets your needs.  The DG-87 comes with support for 12 storage drives with six being mounted directly to the back of the motherboard tray and the other six located in the basement.  The lower drive racks can also support stand alone pumps while an internal mounting bracket supports a watercooling reservoir.  Of course none of this matters if you are not into watercooling in which case the six included 140mm fans will take care of any excess heat that may be inside the case.

In terms of aesthetics I really liked the removable black plastic panel inside the case.  It not only hides whatever watercooling gear you have installed (or the lack there of) but is also edge lit with a white LED strip to highlight the EVGA logo.  The panel itself does feel a little out of place but really sets the design off when viewed at night.

Modding has always been a huge part of the PC Enthusiast world and many of the mods I would suggest have already been done.  Some obvious exceptions would be custom paint and adding a panel to separate the motherboard section from the basement.  Not only is the lower section virtually inaccessible from the front of the case but having a physical separation can go a long ways in terms of aesthetics.

Unique Case Configuration
Clean Symmetrical Design
Lots of Support for Watercoling
Ample Room for Cable Routing
Excellent Air Cooling Setup
Included Fan and Temperature Controls
Lots of Drive Support

Would like to see a full panel completely covering the basement
A big case is difficult to move around
Watercooling support favors EK gear