Enlight is one of those companies whose name inevitably pops up whenever you start talking about cases. You will find OEM's of all sizes, as well as the hardcore tweaker using Enlight cases in their systems. Their popularity is largely due to the ability to meet the custom requirements of large OEM's while still providing cost effective solutions for smaller groups, not to mention the fact that they have been around for a relatively long time.

Many people actually do not spend much time pondering a case purchase, but anyone who works on computers day in and day out will tell you that it is in fact one of the most important components. The most important factors to consider are expansion room, build quality, ease of access, cooling features, power supply quality, and (some will say) styling. Starting with one of the best AT cases ever built, their EN-6680 series, Enlight has always carefully addressed each of these areas.

With the advent of microATX, a form factor with inherent expansion capabilities, a slightly different set of design goals arose. As the name implies, the microATX form factor is designed for low cost and with small sized systems in mind. Expansion is definitely not a top concern on the motherboard and this is reflected in case designs as well. But it certainly is nice to have a tiny computer when space is limited.

Following Enlight tradition, there are cases to fit just about any OEM's or user's needs, including those looking to put together either a low cost or compact system by using the microATX form factor. Providing a compromise between minuscule size and some expansion options is the Enlight EN-7305 series. The EN-7308 is the first available in that series, with others in the series varying only in terms of the front bezel design.

Specifications

With any microATX case, you get a small case that can fit anywhere, but sacrifice some expansion possibilities. While the two 5.25" and two 3.5" bays of the Enlight EN-7308 seem pretty limiting, it is necessary to remember that only a few drive bays are available in any microATX case and the EN-7308 is not abnormal at all. In fact, it's probably pretty much average in terms of expansion.

The power supply also seems somewhat weak, but it is again necessary to note the compromises that are made with microATX. One of the biggest cost saving measures is in the power supply, which is normally 150W or less for microATX. Of course, with only a few drive bays and four expansion slots, the 145W power supply Enlight provides is more than sufficient in this case. MicroATX is simply not designed for the high end market with 10,000 RPM hard drives, 15 fans, and other such devices with high power requirements.

Design

The theme of cost savings continues as Enlight has strayed from their typical screwless cases to a pretty standard screw based design. Enlight's regular ATX and even AT cases, for the most part, feature a screwless case design that allows access without a screwdriver at all. The EN-7308 is a more standard four screws on the back of the case. Then, the three sided cover slides to the back and up for removal. The front panel is held in place by three tabs on each side and two screws at the top. At this point, complete access to the inside of the case is available.

Installing a 5.25" device is simple enough - just slide it in from the front of the case and screw it in from the side. It is not as convenient as the rail system Enlight generally uses in their larger cases, but it is not that bad. The two 3.5" bays are contained in a metal frame rotates out at the touch of a button (as shown at right), allowing easy installation of 3.5" devices outside of the case. The removal of this small frame also affords easy access to motherboard components.

Again, unlike most larger Enlight cases, the motherboard tray is non-removable in the EN-7308. Fortunately, the motherboard area is easy to access with nothing obstructing it. Unfortunately, Enlight has also chosen to permanently affix the motherboard stand-offs to the motherboard tray. This could be a major pain if any motherboards are released that do not use the same mounting holes, but a quick look around showed that current motherboards will work fine.

MicroATX uses the same I/O shields that regular ATX cases use and the pretty standard double decker configuration ATX I/O shield is included with the case. Since it is a standard cut out, any motherboard with a different port configuration should include an I/O shield that should fit fine.

Cooling is not a prime concern with microATX systems, because again, high powered heat producing devices are generally not used. As such, the only cooling in the EN-7308 is an exhaust fan in the power supply. There are no mounts for additional fans. The front of the case has enough open area to allow more than sufficient air flow through the case though for the majority of systems out there. Crazy overclockers and users with 10,000 RPM hard drives probably need not apply - microATX is simply not intended to be the arena for such endeavors.

Fortunately, Enlight has not cut down on their quality in order to save a few bucks. All edges are carefully rounded so there is virtually no risk of cutting yourself while working on this case. The sheet metal is thick and does not flex easily. The plastic used in the bezel is solid and will not break easily.

It must also be noted here that the power supply is not the standard SFX power supply form factor that most microATX cases uses, but it is not a regular ATX power supply form factor either. Instead, it appears to be a half sized ATX power supply that Enlight has dubbed PS/3. Who knows if this is or ever will be a standard. This only becomes an issue if the power supply ever fails and needs to be replaced. A nice touch by Enlight is the inclusion of a physical power switch on the back of the power supply that can be used when ATX soft power is not responding.

Miscellaneous Considerations

It is interesting that Enlight has chosen to not include a speaker or reset button with the EN-7308. There is a mount at the bottom of the case for a speaker should you want to add one. On the front of the case, there is only a power button, power LED, and HD LED. The lack of a hard reset button could become a pain - if your system ever locks up and requires a hard reset, you'll have to power the system off and back on.

Conclusion

In the interest of cost savings, Enlight has taken out a lot of the features that made their cases unique. Fortunately, quality construction has not been sacrificed at all to keep those costs. As such, you will be hard pressed to find a higher quality case near this price. However, beyond that, there is very little that distinguishes this case, but the majority of microATX cases do not feature side panels, extra fan mounts, etc. anyway in the interest of cost savings, so this is no surprise. The Enlight EN-7308 accomplishes its goals - a low cost microATX case that does not sacrifice construction quality. If that is what you need, the EN-7308 may well be the case for you.