BitFenix Shinobi XL Full Tower Case Review

BitFenix Shinobi XL Full Tower

As a company BitFenix is the new kid on the block, but they have put out some very nice cases. One of those is a midtower by the name of Shinobi. BitFenix has now taken the original design of the Shinobi expanded and tweaked it into a full tower called the Shinobi XL.

The Shinobi XL has five external 5.25″ bays, seven 3.5″ drive bays, nine expansion slots, and can hold XL-ATX motherboards like the GIGABYTE G1.Assassin. The Shinobi XL can aslo handle video cards up to 334mm in length with HDD cage in place, or up to 487mm with the hard drive cage removed. The Shinobi XL also has a massive 182.1mm or 7.1″ of head room for CPU air coolers. Most current high-end super coolers stand only 6.2″ tall.

For air cooling the Shinobi XL comes with a BitFenix Spectre 230mm front intake, BitFenix Spectre 230mm top exhaust, and BitFenix Spectre 120mm rear exhuast. The top 230mm can be expanded to two, or switched out for three 120mm fans. The front 230mm can be switched out for trippled 120mm fans as well. The rear 120mm can be switched out for a 140mm fan. There is even space in the bottom for another pair of 120mm fans.

If water cooling is how you roll then the Shinobi XL can handle 3×120 radiator up top up to 80mm thick with fans. It can hold another 3×120 in the front up to 84mm thick with fans or a 2×120 in the bottom, all out of the box with no cutting or hacking on your nice new case.

On the front of the Shinobi XL the front panel has four Super Speed USB3.0 ports, and one of BitFenixs Super Charge ports. The Super Charge port provides up to 2.5A of current for charging your mobile gear.

Features of the BitFenix Shinobi XL

• Classic BitFenix Shinobi Styling: The lineage is undeniable – Shinobi XL comes with same ventilated mesh fan vents and brushed aluminum logo of the original Shinobi for a clean modern look. The understated yet bold BitFenix design shines through with Shinobi XL, offering a bold chassis that shows you mean business.
• Superior Water Cooling Support: The stealthiest warriors need to have ice running through their veins. Designed with water cooling in mind, Shinobi XL delivers the flexibility to outfit it with a large variety of watercooling setups. It supports a triple radiator on top, a triple radiator in front, or a dual radiator on the bottom out of the box, making it an ideal chassis for the watercooling enthusiast.
• XL-ATX Compatibility: The bigger they are, the harder they hit. Sporting plenty of room and nine PCI slots, Shinobi XL accommodates even XL-ATX motherboards with ease perfect for building a monster rig that obliterates anything in its path.
• BitFenix SuperCharge Port: Quickness is the key to survival, which is why Shinobi XL comes with a BitFenix SuperCharge Port. This latest innovation from the BitFenix Labs supplies up to 2.5A of current for charging your mobile devices, including phones, portable consoles, and even tablets – up to 5 times that of USB 2.0. With BitFenix SuperCharge, your mobile gear is always charged and ready.
• Four SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Ports: Pioneered on the BitFenix Raider, Shinobi XL also comes with four SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, delivering blazing fast file transfers and plenty of connectivity for your SuperSpeed devices. And if your motherboard doesnt have two internal USB 3.0 headers, these ports can also be used as USB 2.0 with the included 9-pin headers.
• BitFenix FlexCage Hard Disk Rack: Shinobi XL is equipped with the new BitFenix FlexCage. This hard disk rack can be rotated for a parallel hard disk configuration, or removed entirely to make room for water cooling equipment. Whether youre looking for increased airflow or space for extreme liquid cooling, Shinobi XL adapts.
• BitFenix Spectre Cooling: Shinobi XL comes loaded with three BitFenix Spectre fans. Two 230mm Spectres adorn the top and front, and a 120mm Spectre provides exhaust in the back. With Shinobi XL, you get premium cooling right out of the box.
• BitFenix SofTouch Surface Treatment: Shinobi XL also comes coated with signature BitFenix SofTouch Surface Treatment, which lends a premium matte finish and a luxurious soft feel. Resistant to fingerprints and scratches, SofTouch keeps your Shinobi XL looking great.
• Hassle-Free Installation: Rubber grommeted cable holes and over 3cm of space behind the motherboard tray offer superb cable management, while the tool-free drive locking mechanisms help you get your rig up and running quickly. Add to that dust filtered air intakes, a 5.25″ drive bay adapter for additional hard disks or card readers, and a large CPU cooler cutout, and Shinobi XL could be the easiest, most pain-free build you’ve ever experienced.

Specifications of the BitFenix Shinobi XL:

• Materials: Steel, Plastic
• Color (Int/Ext): Black/Black
• Dimensions (HxWxD): 570 x 245 x 557mm (ATX Full Tower)
• Motherboard Sizes: Mini-ITX, mATX, ATX, XL-ATX
• Drive Bays:

• 5.25: 5
• 3.5: 7
• 2.5: 8 (using 3.5″ drive bays and 5.25″ adapter)

Cooling:

• Front: 1 x 230mm (included), or 3 x 120mm (optional)
• Rear: 1 x 120mm (included), or 1 x 140mm (optional)
• Top: 2 x 230mm (x 1 included), or 3 x 120mm (optional)
• Bottom: 2 x 120mm (optional)

PCI Slots: 9

Front I/O: 1 x SuperCharge, 4 x USB 3.0, HD Audio

Power Supply: PS2 ATX (bottom, multi direction)

Maximum CPU Cooler Height: 181.1mm

Maximum Expansion Card Length: 334mm (with HDD cage) / 487mm (with HDD cage removed)

Maximum MB Tray Clearance (rear): 32.5mm

MSRP

• No Side Window: $149
• Side Window: $159