BeanTech, ClearPC, SunBeam, and Logisys: Another Look at the Acrylic Arena

Introduction

A little over a year ago, we looked at 3 clear acrylic cases by ClearPC, C3, and BeanTech in our first clear PC case roundup. At the time, these so-called clear cases were just making an appearance and beginning to create a niche in the desktop case market. Manufacturers of these acrylics aim their products toward fanatics who have a taste for "modding" with customized parts from neon lighting to glow-in-the-dark data cables.

A year and some later, we have been privileged to take a look at 4 new clear acrylic cases by BeanTech, ClearPC, SunBeam, and Logisys. With time, these manufacturers have taken customers' opinions into consideration and improved upon their manufacturing processes as well as their designs.

The first case that we looked at is one from Logisys Computer, Inc. There are only 2 clear cases in Logisys' entire product line, but they are both worthy competitors. We had a chance to look at the CS888CL, which has a price tag of about $85. The CS888CL has many features that strengthen its construction as well as place in the line up.

The next case that we had a chance to work with is the Secret Agent from ClearPC. The design of this acrylic was unusual in that it was shaped like a briefcase with a handle to match. The Secret Agent was most likely designed to allow a LAN partyist to transport his gaming PC easily in a stylish, self-modded case. We will look at the positive and negative aspects of this briefcase style design.

Third in our round-up is the SunBeam LAC-UVT. This acrylic came disassembled and took about 2 hours to assemble due to some confusion with screw sizes and their correct locations. The instructions were somewhat detailed in where all of the included pieces were to be attached, but since SunBeam Technologies decided to use about 8 different types of screws to hold the case together, things became slightly complicated. In the end, we managed to complete the task and were pleased with the outcome.

Our final case in this clear case roundup is the BeanTech BT-85. This clear case was the only one out of all of these chassis that had a removable/sliding motherboard tray. The BT-85 was also the only chassis with rubber HDD mounts, which absorb any shock that could negatively affect mounted HDDs.