BeQuiet! Shadow Base 800 (DX/FX)
BeQuiet! is introducing a fourth line of cases – Shadow Base to the current trio (Dark Base, Silent Base and Pure Base). The first models in the 800 series are smaller than the Dark Base Pro 901, but with more emphasis on cooling efficiency than the Silent Pure Base. BeQuiet! is building the main key points on this too, and there is something to it. If only for the fact that they used fans that have a higher efficiency compared to older models.
Common features of the first Shadow Base 800 (DX/FX) series are a heavily perforated front panel and fans with a more efficient geometry, similar to the Pure Base 500. Here, however, the Shadow Base 800 adds even more extensive support for liquid coolers, which has to do with the fact that these are larger cases after all. But they still stand their ground in the midi-tower category with dimensions of 550 × 247 × 522 mm (including the stand), even though they are already at the upper limit.
Motherboards up to E-ATX format are supported. BeQuiet! doesn’t specify width restrictions, but from the illustration with the ATX board, a quick proportional calculation suggests that the widest 330-millimeter ones could already interfere with the protruding cable cover and also already overlap the grommets. We’ll check the details around this with BeQuiet!, and if we get clear information with the limits on the width of the E-ATX boards, you’ll find it added in the note at the end of this article.
Shadow Base 800 cases otherwise have seven PCI Express card slots, while the graphics card can theoretically be up to 430 mm in length. This is also alongside a liquid cooler installed vertically behind the front panel.
The interior design is divided into two chambers – top (for motherboard and PCIe cards) and bottom (power supply, drawers for 3.5/2.5″ internal storage). A noteworthy part of the bottom tunnel ceiling design is the grille with slats facing the graphics card.
The supplied fans are 140mm. The ARGB variants have the most of them, four. You know these by the designation “FX” Black/White. The Light Wings fans are in a 3 (intake) to 1 (exhaust) ratio, so there’s positive pressure in these cases. In the DX variants, however, it’s the opposite, negative pressure. There are only three fans, but two of them are on the exhaust (in the rear and top positions). Although the DX variants also have ARGB elements (within the shell, on the mask), the fans themselves are no longer lighted. These are Pure Wings 3, which are not yet sold separately. Design-wise, however, they are probably based on the Light Wings models, with the difference that they don’t have an LED light guide in the frame.
We haven’t tested the 140mm Light Wings/Pure Wings 3 fans with short blades yet, but due to their design features, they are guaranteed to have a higher airflow than the 120mm Pure Wings 2 fans in the Pure Base and Silent Base cases at comparable noise levels. The most simple Shadow Base 800 Black variant without any lighting but still with tempered glass has three Pure Wings 3 fans pre-installed as well. All Shadow Base 800 (DX/FX) cases have tempered glass as well as a fan hub.
Suggested prices start at 149.90 EUR for the Shadow Base 800 Black and reach 209.90 EUR for the Shadow Base 800 FX White (the black variant is 10 EUR cheaper). For the Shadow Base 800 DX Black/White variants, there should be no difference in price, with both being 169.90 EUR. The sale of BeQuiet! Shadow Base 800 cases starts on September 5.
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš
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- BeQuiet! Shadow Base 800 (DX/FX)
