Fong Kai FK-320ATX Mid Tower ATX

Our first experience with a Fong Kai case was with their FK-603, which we found to be an excellent case overall. It was easy to work with, featured very efficient cooling, was quiet, and small - a very tough set of characteristics to put together in a single product, much less one that costs just $60. For that reason, the FK-603 was our case of choice for many of the system in the first edition of the AnandTech Buyer's Guide.

Fong Kai also realized that there is also a huge market for those that want more than just a mid tower. With increased size comes increased expansion and generally more room to work in. Along with not being so cramped comes the added benefit of slightly enhanced cooling simply due to the additional space alone.

Enter the FK-320ATX from Fong Kai, which is being pitched as a "workstation class / enterprise chassis" that can hold a dual Xeon setup. That's a big step up from the small FK-603. Let's see how Fong Kai fairs in this more competitive market where high quality construction and good cooling is the norm.

Design

The first thing Fong Kai had to do for the target market was make their case bigger, and they have by pushing the FK-320ATX to a little over 19 inches tall. That makes it about 2 inches taller than the FK-603, but it feels even bigger. A plastic cover slides over the external drive bays to provide a nice smooth look to the case. This cover pulls out and the slides under the top panel, producing a slight "hump" in the top panel.. Our evaluation unit featured a translucent blue/green plastic cover, but a variety of translucent colors are available. It should also be noted that the case itself is available in black in addition to the more traditional white.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Underneath the cover, you'll find 3 exposed 5.25" bays and the sole exposed 3.5" bay. Next to that 3.5" bay is a blue power button, with a slightly smaller white reset button beneath it. Both buttons are easy to press and have good tactile feedback. The lower half of the bezel features 2 LED's, one for power and one for HD activity. Each side of the bezel features some decent sized vents that should allow for good air flow through the front of the case.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

To get inside the FK-320ATX, simply slide two tabs on each side panel to the "unlocked" position and slide the panel back and off the case. A small metal loop slides through the side panel, allowing a lock to secure the case against unauthorized entry. If someone gets past the lock, the optional chassis intrusion switch, which lies under the left side panel, will let you know if used with a compatible motherboard - virtually every motherboard with hardware monitoring features an intrusion switch header. The plastic front bezel can also be removed by releasing three tabs on each side.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge