A lot has changed with PC trends over the years. There was a time when cases were measured (literally) on whether or not they could fit all the parts. Those days, however, have mostly gone the way of the trackball mouse. Gaming cases have become as much about fashion as they are function. In a world full where new cases launch every week, it can be tough to navigate through the onslaught of options.
The good folks over at XPG have been hard at work trying to find a balanced approach to case design. They were gracious enough to send over their new Invader case, a mid-Tower PC chassis, for me to take for a spin. So, after pulling my components from my old 34 dollar cheapie, I spent some time building in XPG’s slick new chassis. Just how does the Invader fair in a world of shiny lights and sometimes overwhelming designs? Let’s find out.
Specifications
- Current Price: $79.99
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 470 x 296 x 482mm
- Colour: Black or White
- Material: SPCC
- Side Panel (left Side): 4mm Tempered Glass
- Form Factor: Mini ITX, Micro ATX, ATX
- 3.5" HDD/HDD tray: 2
- 2.5" HDD/SSD tray: 2+2 (Combo 3.5”/2.5”)
- I/O Port: USB 3.0 x 2 , Audio x 1, HD Audio ( Mic & SW ) x 1 , LED Control x 1
- Fan Included: Front: 1 x 120mm Fan (1200 rpm): Rear: 1 x 120mm Fan (1200 rpm)
- Fan Support:
- Front: 3 x 120mm, 2 x 140mm
- Top: 2 x 120mm
- Rear: 1 x 120mm
- Bottom: 1 x 120mm
- Right Side: 2 x 120mm
- Clearance:
- CPU Cooler Height Limit: 170mm
- GPU Length Height Limit: 400mm
- PSU Height Limit: 225mm
- Radiator Support:
- Front: 360/240mm
- Top: 240mm
- Right Side: 1 x 240mm
- Rear: 120mm
Fashionable Impressions
The XPG Invader is a beautiful case to look at. Its clean, minimalist aesthetic communicates one thing: less is more. Every aspect of the case aesthetic leans heavily into this concept. For example, the front panel is a simple white bevel edged panel. No fancy edges, lights or doodads to distract you. Instead, your attention is drawn to the one standout feature, the red XPG logo which pops against the otherwise white case. In fact, every part of this case from its minimal buttons, to a single RGB under-light points back to that central theme of less being more.
This lack of contrastingly sharp lines, funky air ducts and over the top looks is actually the Invader’s greatest aesthetic strength: the case works as a blank canvas to display your rig. Indeed, more than any other case I’ve worked with before, the Invader had me excited to focus on things like lighting, component placement and cable management.
That’s the real beauty of the case, it gives you the room to express the look and feel you want within it. Whereas other cases can look aesthetically amazing, they frequently overwhelm the look of the build. The design begs you to be creative.
Form Factor
Speaking of design, this is where XPG’s Invader really shines. This case is exceptionally well-crafted. The SPCC metal feels durable, while the tempered glass has heft and feels reliably solid when in place. The main compartment felt great to work in, leaving lots of space for my bear paw-like hands to work.
Everything from the placement of the motherboard mounts to the cable entry points allows for easy access and cable management. On the underside of the backplane, XPG has done a great job of leaving lots of clip points for tying down cables. Even after tying down the majority of the power and comms wiring, I still had lots of room for a few last-minute RBG fans that I decided to add to accent the exterior under light.
XPG was intentional about leaving lots of room for expansion as well. The top panel as a great space for a double rad air cooler while still allowing for a full AIO board mounted to the backplane if you so desired. This case feels smart and designed with a purpose. Even the front cover panel, which is typically held in place by plastic clips, uses magnets instead. This allows for quick access when swapping fans in the front of the chassis. A process I personally experienced when adding the new RGB fans after I had already finished the build.
There are several hard drive bays tucked away under the PSU cover as well as additional amounts for 2.5-inch drives on both the backplane and the top of the aforementioned cover. The PSU area actually leaves a little more room than usual for tucking away any access cable that isn’t needed. The backplane even leaves room for a full AIO board and when that isn’t needed works great as a place for my Cayde-6 action figure to hang out. Overall the whole build allows for some serious customizing and excellent cable management for PC builders.
As mentioned, the chassis does come with one under light that can be managed with an onboard lighting switch. It includes 12 different preset modes to meet your customization needs. It’s simple, clean, and once again emphasizes everything this case is about.
Final Thoughts
I personally loved the Invader. It offers some exceptional build freedom, is easy to work with and has some great quality of life design features. It’s not going to be the most RGB-lit case on the market but that’s not the point of the Invader. Instead, you’ll get a chassis that allows for easy building and one that complements the components that are placed within it without becoming a light show. These features coupled with quality parts make the Invader a great contender in the world of PC gaming cases.
The product discussed in this review was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
