Gigabyte 3D Aurora 570 GZ-FA1CA-ASB

Hello to you all...

I have been building computers for over a decade now and know exactly what my requirements are. So when it came to upgrade time I needed to get a new chassis to house all the new toys i had purchased. Im an avid overclocker and enjoy extracting the maximum from my components. But to do this I need to have a chassis with very good airflow. Which means I need space. And this is something Aurora 570 is NOT short of. ...
...Specifications:
Dimensions: 571.5mm (L) x 542.9mm (H) x 206.3mm (W)
Weight: 9kg
Construction: Aluminum
Offered colors: Silver/Black
Drive Bays: (5) 5.25" External
(2) 3.5" External
(5) 3.5" Internal
Included Fans: (3) 120mm
(2) Rear
(1) Front
Mesh/Windowed Side Panel
Expansion Slots: 7
Expansion Slots designed for lengthy Graphics cards(up ... more

Hello to you all...

I have been building computers for over a decade now and know exactly what my requirements are. So when it came to upgrade time I needed to get a new chassis to house all the new toys i had purchased. Im an avid overclocker and enjoy extracting the maximum from my components. But to do this I need to have a chassis with very good airflow. Which means I need space. And this is something Aurora 570 is NOT short of. Lets take a look at some specifications...

Specifications:
Dimensions: 571.5mm (L) x 542.9mm (H) x 206.3mm (W)
Weight: 9kg
Construction: Aluminum
Offered colors: Silver/Black
Drive Bays: (5) 5.25" External
(2) 3.5" External
(5) 3.5" Internal
Included Fans: (3) 120mm
(2) Rear
(1) Front
Mesh/Windowed Side Panel
Expansion Slots: 7
Expansion Slots designed for lengthy Graphics cards(up to 32cm)
Motherboards: E-ATX / ATX / microATX
Tool free drive bays
Locking side and front panels
Liquid cooling support with dual tube outlets
"Patent Pending Customized Light Beam Projector"
Cable management
Front access ports: (2) USB 2.0, (1) FireWire, HD-AC97 audio
perspex and mesh side panel included

The chassis also has a few more extra features but i have covered the most important ones here. lets take a look at it in more detail.

*packaging*

The 570 is packaged extremely well..there will be very little chance of this chassis arriving to you in a damaged state unless it was dropped from the top of a 10th floor building. That being said the packaging isnt irritating or a chore to try and open either. One thing you will notice almost immediately is the sheer size of the box the 570 arrives in. Its huge! And actually begins to whet your appetite about what is about to follow. Upon getting the chassis out I noticed that there was a very good reason why the box was as large as it was...the chassis itself is a titan. I got mine in black which makes for a very imposing machine particularly when its switched on and its LED's glow with that futuristic soft blue...Internally everything you need for the chassis was sealed away in a box at the bottom of the hard drive array. including its keys. A manual and quick start guide are also bundled. the chassis comes with the mesh panel installed by default but this is easily changed to the high quality perpex side panel that is included with the chassis.

*installation*

Anyone who build computers regularly will agree with what I about to say...there is nothing worse than assembling a machine that has a cramped interior particularly if you have large hands! They will come out sore, bruised and possibly bleeding after a build...not so with the 570. The internal structure of this chassis is very well thought out and there is enough space to park a mini van in there, get some hippies, start a fire and sing Kumbaya...that being said it easily accomodates any motherboard right up to server class E-ATX boards. I used it with an Asus Maximus board and there was ample room for both it, my 8800 graphics cards, and my Thermaltake big typhoon (which stands over 130mm tall and weighs almost 1kg!) It swallowed everything i was putting in this machine with pleanty of room for further upgrades when required. What I did notice however is that although the chassis is water cooling ready it is only fully compatible with gigabytes liquid cooling solutions. Any other water cooling system will require modification to function in this chassis unless the kit is fully approved by gigabyte. I found that installing my Swiftech apex ultra 120 would require me to modify the chassis. This being an extensive job I decided to leave it alone and use air cooling instead.

All your drives are easily accomodated here and since this is a tool-less-install chassis all the drive rails were located in that box i mentioned earlier which also has a set of keys for both the front and side panels so that you can ensure your precious pc stays secure when you arent around it. You really only need a screw driver and screws to install the motherboard itself. Everything else wont need any tools. But as a side note if you have a large psu you will need to unscrew the strut that braces the top part of the chassis to install it. this strut also acts as a rail for the psu to sit on and it provides support.

*looks and usability*

The 570 is a handsome chassis. particularly on a floor with its foldable feet deployed. It has an awesome presence and in black it really looks meanacing. In silver im sure it would take on a classy air of sophistication. It has a projection feature on the front of the chassis which displays the words "3D Aurora" in blue directly onto the floor. this is customizable meaning you can create your own projection stencils (gigabyte have a how to guide online and in the manual) so you can trully personalize your machine. a blank stencil is included with the chassis so you can start immediately. The 120mm fans here are all linked to one power connector and the chassis employs circuitry and various sensors on it which when connected to your motherboard they are very quiet. In fact. The 570 is so quiet you'll probably hear your own breathing more unless you have installed a loud cpu fan. The fans glow blue and give the 570 an air of mystique and power. It really does look pretty. It has excellent ventelation as a result and whilst I was on enhanced air cooling I was able to take an intel quad core Q6600 to 4.2ghz and still keep temperatures well within reason. When you have everything in your 570 installed...be warned. This is one heavy chassis. Taking it to a LAN will be an exercise in military planning and i hope you know a good chiropractor to deal with the results afterwards.

Its bulk whilst making for awesome looks makes it a real chore to move for a gamer who is interested in computer LAN's. A smaller chassis would be recommended if you enjoy LAN get togethers. But...if you are of strong physical constitution then you wont mind at all.

Everything about this chassis is well thought out and put together. Unlike other chassis types this front panel on the is made of Aluminum like the rest of the 570 and is solidly attatched to the rest of the chassis. This thing is built to last and last you it will.

It is prone to scratching though so you need to be careful with sharp objects around the 570 lest you ruin its finish and make it look like it walked through a rose bush backwards...Dust is also a problem. its a magnet for it and it shows really easily on the black model. The silver edition would suffer less from this problem. You need to keep this chassis clean regularly.

If you stay in an area near the coast please note that you should be concerned about rust. But the 570 seems to have been treated for this and it should stand the test of time and corrosive air well.

It has front firewire, front USB and front HD sound inputs as well meaning its convenient for those who game with headphones. Overall. It has everything you could require. Even cable management to help the inside of your chassis look a little neater.

*conclusion*

The Aurora 570 is a beast of a chassis and built for those who really want a good looking chassis with presence and massive functionality. When fully loaded its weight counts against it but if not moving around much you will appreciate its looks, features and silence. If you are looking for the best in hardware and you want to extract the best from your components and keep them cool. the 570 is waiting to receive your attention. its a titan that will serve well. 

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