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We have collected 8 reviews of the Thermaltake Level 10 GT. Experts rate Thermaltake Level 10 GT 7.8/10. Reviewsor.com helps you find reviews, best prices, user reviews of the Thermaltake Level 10 GT and Thermaltake Computer cases.
Contest: We're giving away a Thermaltake Level 10 GT chassis! Entering is easy, check out our contest post! Oh, the glamorous life of a hardware reviewer. The parties, the girls, the booze... well, I haven't actually been to a sponsored party yet and the only girls I've seen are in pictures of the booth babes after the trade shows, but I have the booze part covered! That's right, we live in the lap of luxury alright, and as such have access to some of the craziest gear out there. It doesn't get any crazier than Thermaltake's 2009 launch of the Level 10 full-tower case. Designed in conjunction with German automotive heavyweight, BMW, it was a radical departure from typical cases by featuring a unique compartmentalized layout where nearly each component was separated from the rest. But what made it stand out the most for many of us in the tech world was the price; $800! Luckily, Thermaltake has released the Level 10 GT, a case that shares the name and overall outward appearance of the original but gives us more features that we, as computer enthusiasts want and need, at a more affordable price. To start off, the Level 10 GT comes in a black cloth bag with the brand, model and slogans for each silkscreened onto it.
We admit it: We were downright impressed by the Level 10, the ultra-chic and thoroughly original PC case Thermaltake crafted with BMW Designworks - though we didn't love the suborbital price (nearly $800!) that branded it as the plaything of art-installation PC builders. Apparently, we were not alone. Thermaltake's scaled-down version, called the Level 10 GT, offers most of the same amenities but "only" costs $279.99 (list), and is a bit more friendly to compulsive upgraders. This case compares nicely with other full-tower enthusiast models but, no, it doesn't have its predecessor's personality or depth of functionality. The basic look, at least, has been retained. Though this case is smaller, measuring 23 by 11.1 by 23.2 inches (HWD), the all-black coloring, the handle (complete with integrated red LED light strip), the vertically oriented front-panel ports, and the notion of isolating every component type are all familiar. You'll even find two locks (with keys included) for preventing unauthorized access to your system's interior and plenty space for hiding cables. In almost every way, you get the gist of life with a Level 10. What you don't get are the details.
Thermaltake’s original Level 10 chassis was a remarkable collaboration with BMW DesignWorks in which the companies fundamentally restructured the PC chassis into a series of isolated compartments suspended from a central load-bearing wall. It was stunning, cost $800, and wasn’t actually that practical to use. With the Level 10 GT, Thermaltake has taken the basic look of the Level 10, slapped it onto a more standard full-tower frame, and slashed $500 from the asking price. The end result isn’t quite as sleek as its progenitor from an aesthetic perspective, but far outstrips the original in ease of use and practicality, and is not without a certain sci-fi flair of its own. At 11.1 inches wide by 23 inches high and 23.2 inches deep, and weighing 28 pounds empty, the Level 10 GT is a hefty case. The case’s frame and right-side panel are made of black-painted steel, and the right side has a ridge with a handle cribbed directly from the Level 10, although it’s not part of the central pillar as on the Level 10. The front panel is made of plastic and contains four mesh 5.25-inch optical bezels and one 3.5-inch external-drive bay. The optical drive bays are toolless, with the latching mechanisms on the right side of the bays.
The Thermaltake Level 10 GT is rubbish. Hard as it is to insult a product the manufacturer so whole-heartedly believes in, say it we must. And straight away, before anyone even thinks about letting so many pounds loose into the wild in exchange for one. Ignoring price, it's a hard case to recommend. Factoring in the price makes it risible. Chassis are relatively simple bits of kit in comparison to other PC components, so it's a big ask to get people to spend so much money on a PC part that won't affect a PC's performance beyond actually being able to fit the components inside it and provide adequate cooling to those components. Herein lies the Level 10 GT's crucial failings. Not only does it not justify itself as a luxury consumer item with decadent extras, it doesn't even get the fundamentals right. It's a nasty, two-headed serpent of failings. For starters, the GT has done away with the visually arresting, it's-the-futurecome-early modular design of the original Level 10. Most likely because the airflow was terrible. The more traditional structure of the GT has undoubtedly improved this issue, but the visual appeal suffers as a result – it looks like any other case now, albeit a case full of huge neon fans.
I got my first look at Thermaltake's revolutionary Level 10 chassis at CES in 2009. With a totally new and innovative design and some cutting edge features, the Level 10 was a milestone in the redefinition of what a computer chassis could do. It was also huge, extremely heavy and exorbitantly expensive. This year, Thermaltake has taken the Level 10, downsized it, streamlined it and released the Level 10 GT. While the GT is less bulky, much lighter and still retains most of the unique design elements of the original, it does lose some of the more elegant design elements. The GT also loses a significant portion of the asking price, putting within the budgetary reach of many more PC enthusiasts. It's also a little more compact and much, much lighter then the original Level 10. We've got an example of the Level 10 GT in the lab for evaluation, and I'm eager to get a look at it. Follow along as we examine this innovative chassis in more detail. The Company We live in a world where most things seem to move at the speed of light. At Thermaltake, we feel the same way and that is exactly how Thermaltake conducts itself to deliver innovative, reliable and customer-centric solutions to the worldwide market.
Thermaltake is one of the biggest names in computer cases and cooling and for good reason. For years they have continued to create impressive looking, affordable products and today that range is massive. Taking into account the countless case designs, there is one recent model that stands head and shoulders above the rest. First shown as a prototype at CeBIT 2009, the Thermaltake Level 10 chassis immediately captured everybody's attention, if not for BMW Designworks' involvement, then for its radical looks and proposed design of individual compartments for the different components. It took them some time after that to deliver, and last year we were happy to receive a unit for reviewing on TechSpot. It was abundantly clear that the Level 10 was not intended to be a mainstream product, far from it with a suggested retail price of $699. That kind of money will buy most gamers the guts for a decent gaming rig or alternatively a dual-GPU monster like the Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 590. Speaking of unnecessary luxuries, for the price, we ultimately found the Thermaltake Level 10 was best described as a luxury sports car in that it's not very functional but certainly far more exciting than the average mainstream offerings.
Thermaltake surprised everyone when they announced the Level 10 case. It was something that we had never seen before and was really a design marvel. While the case was truly amazing the price tag was not, not many people have $800 to drop on a case. Thermaltake knew this, but still loved the design of the Level 10 so they have released the Level 10 GT, which keeps some of the same styling of the original Level 10, but drops the price considerably. This case features 5 hot-swappable hard drive bays, USB 3.0 connectivity, three 200mm fans, and some cool lighting effects. Let’s check it out and see if Thermaltake has another winner. Special thanks to Thermaltake for providing us with the Level 10 GT Case to review. The Level 10 GT comes in Thermaltake’s typical retail packaging. On the front of the box there is a picture of the case and the large USB 3.0 logo. The back is the same as the front, but on the side of the box you have a list of features. Opening the box up the case is well protected with large pieces of styrofoam and a cloth cover. I really do prefer cloth covers to the plastic ones.
You may remember from back in 2009 when Thermaltake first showed off their Level 10 case. The first Level 10 was a rather pricey yet functional work of art. Thermaltake plans to wow us again however with the expertly designed Level 10 GT. In brief, there are many things that set the Level 10 GT apart from the original Level 10 including USB 3.0, a redesigned look and a smaller platform than the original. What also sets the Level 10 GT apart from the original is affordability. The original Level 10 (let's face it) was out of reach for many who wouldn't be willing to put down $800 on a case. So, the new Level 10 is not only smaller and redesigned but it has been re-marketed to a much larger group of enthusiasts than the previous level 10. The Level 10 GT now only boasts a $269 price tag and is packed with many more features (that quite honestly) aren't available on many cases. The Level 10 GT features a hinged side panel door and comes with a total of four fans. All of which are 140mm or larger. So just how well does the new and affordable Level 10 GT stack up with the competition? Does it make a clean sweep and come out on top not only with performance and features but with great looks too? We're about to find out!
| Retailer | Information | Prices | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT VN10001W2N No PS Full Tower Case(Black) | $239.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake VN10001W2N Level 10 GT Full Tower Gaming Case - ATX, Micro ATX, Extendedn ATX, 4x 5.25, 1x Ext 3.5, 5x Int 3.5, 3x 200mm Fans, 1x 140mm Fan, 3x USB 3.0, 4x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA Front Ports | $249.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT VN10001W2N No PS Full Tower Case(Black) | $249.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT Chassis - Full-tower - Black - Steel, Plastic - 10 x Bay - 4 x Fan | $267.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT Snow Edition Super Gaming Modular Tower Case - VN10006W2N | $268.29 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT Case | $273.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT Super Gaming Modular Tower Case | $280.94 | See it |
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Thermaltake Thermaltake Level 10 GT Super Gaming Modular Tower Case | $280.94 | See it |
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Thermaltake VN10001W2N Level 10 GT Super Gaming Modular Full Tower Retail High Quality | $286.69 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT Snow Edition - Full Tower Computer Case | $286.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT Snow Edition Super Gaming Modular Tower Case - VN10006W2N | $289.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake VN10006W2N Level 10 GT Snow Edition Full Tower Case - ATX, M-ATX, Ext ATX, 4x Ext 5.25, 1x Ext 3.5, 5x Int 3.5, 140mm Fan, 3x 200mm Fans, 2x USB 3.0, 4x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA Front Ports | $289.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT LCS Super Gaming Modular Tower Case Built-in Bay Drive Liquid Cooling System with 24cm Radiator - VN10031W2N | $296.72 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT LCS System Cabinet - Full-tower - Black - Steel - 8 x Bay - 3 x Fan | $309.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT LCS Super Gaming Modular Tower Case Built-in Bay Drive Liquid Cooling System with 24cm Radiator - VN10031W2N | $329.38 | See it |
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Thermaltake Level 10 LCS Case | $352.99 | See it |
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Thermaltake VN10031W2N Case Level 10 GT LCS Modular Tower Retail | $421.2 | See it |