Gigabyte 3D Mercury Water Cooled Case

Examination:

The case is just as huge as its box. It's even taller than the massive Cooler Master Cosmos that we reviewed a few months ago. However, it is also surprisingly light because of its all-aluminum construction. According to the specifications from Gigabyte, the 3D Mercury weighs in at around 12kg. When liquid cooling system is filled, this number should rise to about 15-16kg. The exterior of this particular version has a very nice black brushed anodized aluminum finish.

Looking from the front, we see that the 3D Mercury has four 5.25" drive bays and two 3.5" drive bays. Each of these bays is covered with steel mesh. On the left side of the front panel, we find the power button, the reset button, and a knob for controlling the speed of the fans attached to the 120mm radiator. In the center is a nicely integrated flow meter, which gives a quick indication of the status of the system. The right side of the front panel consists of a collection of ports. There are four USB 2.0 ports, two audio ports (one line out and one mic), and one Firewire port. These always come in handy when plugging in devices. Unfortunately, there are no eSATA ports on Gigabyte's 3D Mercury.

On the top of the case, we find a silvery cap for the reservoir. Removing the cap allows for direct access to the reservoir. The left side of a case features a door with an acrylic window (or steel mesh window if preferred). The steel mesh window is also included in the 3D Mercury box.