For quite a lot of users out there, the way in which their computer looks is almost equally important as the way in which it operates. And for this reason, the Antec company has launched the Skeleton case, which has an extremely unusual design, allowing users to check out what's going on within their computers at all times.

And no, we're not talking about Plexiglas sides (which are fairly common), but about a total lack of “walls”, so to say. The case is completely see through, and is manufactured from a 0.8mm cold rolled steel for durability with reinforced plastic frame. Furthermore, it features rack mount-quality side rails for greater durability, while the layered tray design allows for greater system integration flexibility.

And since we're on the subject of system integration, it's worth mentioning that the Skeleton case features 4 drivebays, namely 2 x 5.25-inch external ones and 2 x 3.5-inch internal ones. However, should these 4 bays prove to be insufficient, users can always go for the additional (available optionally) 4 x 3.5-inch side panel mounted drive trays. Moreover, the device offers enough room even for those behemoths of a graphics card available on the market nowadays, some of which exceed 11 inches.

The cooling system is generally one of the most important selling points of any such device, but the Skeleton goes one step further than most cases. Thus, the Antec Skeleton features an unique design that allows for unprecedented airflow, a front 92mm fan, and a top three speed 250mm fan with multicolor LED customization.

The case is compatible with standard ATX motherboards and also incorporates several useful connectors, namely USB 2.0, FireWire, eSATA and audio (AC97 and HDA compatible) In and Out.

Even if the Skeleton case is quite an attractive product, it also has one downside, namely its size. As you can imagine, this thing is not exactly small, measuring 31.75 cm x 37.6 cm x 41.9 cm cm, at a weight of around 7.02 kg. However, the cool factor is quite high in this case, especially for those users who can't help but flaunt their computers.

Now that main gift giving time is over this holiday you might find yourself a little closer to that home theater you've been dreaming of the past few months. The vast majority of people will stuff that new home stereo equipment into an existing TV stand and never give heat much thought. With receivers and high-definition cable boxes the norm these days, things can get pretty toasty in a TV stand. Add in a Home Theater PC (HTPC) and maybe a CD changer or your Blu-Ray/DVD player and you'll find out rather quickly that all of the components are getting a little too hot.
For those of you that have a TV stand like the one pictured below, Antec designed an A/V cooler that was designed to remove the hot air from the electronics and look good while doing it. Since the Antec A/V cooler is nothing more than a box with a pair of fans in it for cooling, theA/V cooler will work on any and all of your home audio/video equipment.It wouldn't hurt to update that TV stand while you are at it as in situations like the one pictured above there is no space left to add anything!Once you open the retail box you will find the Antec A/V Cooler, AC power adapter and the installation instructions. The instructions are very straight forward on this one as you just need to plug it in and set it between some hot stereo components and set the fan to either high or low.

The Antec A/V Cooler Specifications:

Air flow: 5.5 CFM on Low, 8.0 CFM on High
RPM: 1200 on Low, 1600 on High
dBA: 22.5 on Low, 28.7 on High
Input power: 3.6W on Low, 5.04W on High
Weight: 4.4lbs.
Dimensions: 1.8" x 16.9" x 14.2"

An Antec case could be considered the gold standard for a case that can take a beating. When an enthusiast hears the Antec name they tend to think heavy and built like a tank. Well, the newest offering from Antec, the Skeleton, is not your normal Antec case. In fact it is nothing like what we are used to seeing from Antec; it more closely resembles a test bench with a little flair than a traditional case. With the open air design the Skeleton is a complete 180 degree turn from what one would consider to be a case for a “daily driver” system. We first saw theAntec Skeleton in person at NVISION 08, so if you have seen it on the site in the past you are not going crazy. Before I get too far let's take a look at the specifications and features for the Skeleton.

Specifications

* 4 Drive Bays
o External 2 x 5.25”
o Internal 2 x 3.5”
o Optional 4 x 3.5” side panel mounted drive trays
* Layered tray design for greater system integration flexibility
* 8 Expansion Slots with room for 11” graphics cards and multiple graphic card solutions, including NVIDIA 3-way SLI®
* Cooling System:
o 1 top 250mm TriCool 3-speed multi color customizable LED Fan
o 1 front 92mm HD cooling fan
* Motherboard: Supports StandardATX, MicroATX and Mini-ITX motherboards
* Front ports: 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x FireWire (IEEE1394), 1 x eSATA, Audio (AC97’ and HDA compatible) In and Out
* Rack mount quality side rails for greater durability
* 0.8mm cold rolled steel component tray and high density ABS frame reinforced with 0.8mm cold rolled steel for durability
* No Power Supply included: To optimize performance of your Skeleton, your choice of power supply is crucial. Antec strongly recommends choosing from Signature or TruePower series.
* Unit Dimensions:
o 13”(H) x 14.8”(W) x 16.5”(D)
o 33 cm(H) x 37.6 cm(W) x 41.9 cm(D)
* Packaging Dimensions:
o 15.74"(H) x 18.11"(W) x 18.89"(D)
o 40 cm(H) x 46 cm(W) x 48 cm(D)
* Net Weight: 15.5 lb / 7.02 kg
* Gross Weight: 21.4 lb / 9.7 kg