Conclusions
The Zalman HD160 HTPC enclosure exhibits excellent build quality, features clean styling and offers very good case cooling (especially when using the Zalman CPU and GPU coolers). It can easily accommodate a full size motherboard and power supply and has enough room inside to work comfortably and route/conceal cables. And the beautiful brushed aluminum finish will blend right in with the rest of your AV gear.
My one minor complaint is with the removable HDD cage. Removing and reinstalling the four small screws at the base of the cage (particularly the two in the front) was a test of patience. The drive cage could easily be redesigned to overcome this weakness.
The ZM460B-APS power supply that Zalman sent along with the HD160 was also a pleasure to use. The PSU produced solid outputs, with good efficiency, and was very quiet, even while operating under a moderately heavy load. Universal AC Input, active PFC, sleeved cables, and EZ grip connectors are all pluses in my book.
The current street prices (September 2006) for the Zalman HD160 HTPC enclosure and ZM460B-APS power supply are $289.95 and $90.95 USD respectively.
Strengths HD160:
· Clean lines, elegant audiophile styling
· Excellent build quality — aluminum construction
· Very good ventilation and cooling
· Quiet operation with included fans
· Vibration isolation mounts (HDDs, fans, PSU)
· Front mounted controls and I/O connectors
· Bundled VFD, card reader, and MCE remote control
Strengths ZM460B-APS PSU
· Solid, stable outputs
· Above average efficiency
· Very quiet
Weaknesses:
· HDD cage not very user friendly
The Zalman HD160 HTPC enclosure and ZM460B-APS power supply are a winning combination, which earns the PC Perspective Gold Award for excellent features, performance, and style!
Zalman HD160 HTPC enclosure and ZM460B-APS PSU combo
I would like to thank Zalman for sending us the HD160 enclosure and 460W PSU to review — thank you! All of the Zalman products discussed in this review are available from our friends at SharkaComputers.com or you can use our price checking engine to find additional resellers and the best prices for anything else you may want to buy!
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