Thermaltake Xray Case Lighter / Cup Holder

To work in some small measure of safety, Thermaltake has put an inline fuse in place.  You certainly don't want the lighter to heat wildly out of control if it should get stuck for any reason.  Speaking of safety, I do want to point something out.  The Xray is a fantastic conversation piece but be wary.  If you keep your case on the floor and have small children, little hands could all too easily push the lighter in, heating it up, then end up burning themselves or worse still start a fire that could burn your house down.  Safety first always.

Below is my current LAN box.  With only one free 5.25" bay, out came the carbon fiber bay cover and in went the Xray.  Installation was about as difficult as mounting a CD-ROM.  Once installed, it really does blend end and look at home.

  

Testing things out we found no problems with the unit.  It will hold the weight of any beverage and its container that will seat into the tray.  Another concern to remember is that cold beverages "sweat."  The condensation that may accumulate in the tray if you have the insert removed could possibly get on your machine's components should you shut the tray hard with your system on. 

  

The lighter didn't cause any problems with our test system that runs a DVD combo drive, a CD-ROM, an ATi 9800 XT, an Athlon 64 processor, three LED case fans three Laser LED lights and two SATA drives in a RAID 0 set up.  We were running off a 410w PSU and didn't detect any fluctuations.

Conclusion

The Xray can add a lot to your LAN box whether it is for just comical conversation or if you plan on using it for exactly what its designed for.  The problems with the unit are not specific to Thermaltake but inherent to anyone making this type of device.  These being the slight chance of excess condensation getting on a mainboard or something if the cup holder is wet and slammed shut as well as the dangers of having a lighter low to the ground and accessible to children.  Both of these concerns are mitigated by being careful and smart.  With that said, the Thermaltake Xray is a very hip add on toy that will be great fun to put into any box.  XP Cases has these units in stock for all you guys who are interested.

Pros

• VERY clean lines

• A novelty item that will be a hit at any LAN.

• Possesses some true utility value

Cons

• Having 12 oz of fluid and smoke this close to the front bezel could spell disaster for the clumsy. 

• Dangerous if you have small children.

• Condensation accumulating in the cup holder could be a potential problem.

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