Exterior Design and Functionality

The box with the Anubis proved to be unexpectedly heavy for an aluminum case. The reason was revealed when I looked at the product: the case is made from thick (3mm) aluminum and has a total weight of over 10kg. This generosity makes the Anubis very robust – there is not a hint of flimsiness typical of many other products. According to the manufacturer, this system case can withstand a load up to 100kg, not only due to thick panels and also due to good welding. Indeed, you can just sit down on it without fearing to crush it!

The exterior design is a subjective thing, of course. I am personally fond of the technological brutality and the laconism of lines of the Anubis. It looks monumental. The implementation is not perfect, however. If you choose this system case for your PC, you should be ready to put up with certain drawbacks and inconveniencies.

The black anodized surface of the case is top class but needs regular cleaning.

The bays for optical and hard drives are hidden behind a massive aluminum door that has a magnet lock. The lack any handle is somewhat inconvenient as the lock is rather strong and your fingers just slide on the edge of the door. A loud clang of metal on metal can be heard when you close the door: there is no noise insulation although a simple rubber pad would have solved the problem.

The front fan receives enough of cool air through the grid with a stamped Hiper logo at the bottom part of the door. This is the good news. The bad news is that this $250 system case comes without the front fan – you have to buy one separately and install into the HDD cage. By the way, the cage can accommodate four HDDs installed vertically.

Power and Reset buttons, LED indicators, two USB ports and three audio connectors (input, output, and line input) are placed on the top panel of the case. This is the most optimal solution ergonomically when the system case has a full-height front door. Moreover, this makes it easier to work with the PC if the system case stands on the floor (the Anubis is rather too large to be placed on a desk; hiding it into the niche of a PC desk is no good, either, as beautiful things must be shown off). I think FireWire and eSATA connectors would make a good addition to the available ones. Although not as popular as USB and audio, they are important for some users.

An eye-catching feature of this system case is its ribbed top panel. The total heat dissipation area of this improvised heatsink is very large. Aluminum is a good conductor of heat and the hot air inside the case is always rising up, so this solution surely lowers the temperature inside the case. The preinstalled 120mm exhaust fan improves the cooling even more.

Another innovation is the fastening mechanism of the side panels. As you know, even thumbscrews, let alone ordinary screws, require some time to be unfastened, and you often have to access the rear panel to do that. The traditional system of grooves and juts at the top and bottom of the side panel employed in many system cases is not perfect. Hiper’s engineers took a completely different approach: two locks at the top and two spring-loaded clips at the bottom. The fastening mechanism is even more reliable than usual, and the system case can now be opened in a moment. You only have to use both your hands as there are two locks on each side of the case.

The acryl side window has a meshed grid like in the top and front panels. This helped Hiper achieve the required level of EMI screening to pass the certification. The user can remove the grid or the acryl from the window but lose the warranty.

Three things are noteworthy at the back. First, there are holes for the pipes of a liquid cooling system closed with rubber plugs. This first appeared in the Gigabyte Aurora as far I know, but other manufacturers haven’t taken to the idea with enthusiasm. With such holes it is much easier to install the radiator of your liquid cooling system outside the PC case.

Second, there is a seat for a system fan. You can install an 80, 92 or 120mm fan but you don’t get one with the system case. So the Anubis offers three fan seats but comes with only one fan, the top one, preinstalled.

Third, there is a small plaque with the engraved ID number of the case. That’s quite a rare thing for IT products. The included trinket bears the same number.