Rosewill Line-M Case Review: Wherefore Art Thou Micro-ATX?
by Dustin Sklavos on February 26, 2013 12:01 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- MicroATX
- Rosewill
Introducing the Rosewill Line-M
Vendors are always very quick to send us their biggest, best, and brightest. Rosewill's own top-selling Blackhawk Ultra has been with us for a little while, but while we rework our testbed for high end cases, we thought it might be worth looking at one of the workhorses in Rosewill's stable. Looking at enthusiast kit is fun, but it's interesting to see what's floating around in the budget sector, too, as many of us are often on the hook to build and maintain desktops for family and friends. With that in mind, we requested the micro-ATX Rosewill Line M.
While the Line M is worth checking out in its own right as a compact, $55 case with USB 3.0 connectivity, it also highlights a disparity in the current industry: Micro-ATX motherboards are still incredibly common, but case designs are stratifying within two extremes. Full ATX and larger cases are going stronger than ever, but the smaller case designs have largely been usurped by Mini-ITX. There's still a place in the world for a good Micro-ATX client, though, and we think the Line-M might just help deliver it.
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It's only fitting that just as I'd tweaked the case testbed to handle Micro-ATX and ATX cases with a single bed, Micro-ATX cases started to vanish from the market. That's a shame, because I'm not really convinced there isn't a place for Micro-ATX in the current market. It's true that for many builds even Mini-ITX will be adequate, but that form factor precludes multi-GPU or ever adding any expansion cards (I have a personal, persisting need for FireWire.) I'm a prime candidate for Micro-ATX, but there just aren't very many compelling cases out there in the form factor.
That's part of why I wanted to check out the Line-M. This is pretty clearly a workhorse enclosure, but as a long time proponent of some of Cooler Master's Elite chassis I have a continuing interest in good budget enclosures. The Line-M was kind of quietly tucked away in Rosewill's suite at CES 2013, but I felt like its older style ATX design might still have plenty to recommend it. As it turns out, I was right.
| Rosewill Line-M Specifications | ||
| Motherboard Form Factor | Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX | |
| Drive Bays | External | 2x 5.25", 1x 3.5" |
| Internal | 1x 2.5", 2x 3.5" | |
| Cooling | Front | 1x 120mm blue LED intake fan |
| Rear | 1x 120mm exhaust fan | |
| Top | - | |
| Side | 2x 120mm/92mm fan mount | |
| Bottom | - | |
| Expansion Slots | 5 | |
| I/O Port | 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, 1x Headphone, 1x Mic | |
| Power Supply Size | ATX | |
| Clearances | HSF | 160mm |
| PSU | 160mm | |
| GPU | 300mm | |
| Dimensions |
7.29" x 14.37" x 15.74" 185mm x 365mm x 400mm |
|
| Weight | 8.82 lbs / 4 kg | |
| Special Features | USB 3.0 via internal header | |
| Price | $55 | |
You can see from the spec table that the Rosewill Line-M is pretty spare. This is most definitely, most definitely a budget enclosure. Construction is fairly thin SECC steel with a plastic fascia and the whole thing is as barebones as it gets. But realistically, basic users aren't going to need more than what Rosewill has on offer here, and they at least made an allowance for an SSD mount.
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paulshardware - Tuesday, February 26, 2013 - link
"...there's really no way to not do a messy job with this case, though, so keep that in mind."I beg to differ!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H51pFVZ0M14
;)
- Paul
Dustin Sklavos - Tuesday, February 26, 2013 - link
It's a little shady to promote your own reviews on someone else's review.beemeup - Tuesday, February 26, 2013 - link
I think he was just trying to make a point that even small enclosures can look tidy with modest effort. Though I suppose posting a picture would've sufficed all the same.I still prefer video reviews though. They help you get a better "feel" for the case in a way that pictures alone just don't do.
CeriseCogburn - Tuesday, February 26, 2013 - link
Anyone notice there's a giant gaping cutout for the motherboard ? (in the video vs in the review the whine there is not hole for cpu hs mounting)No of course not, you're all too busy complaining and moaning.
I started reading the review and though what a spoiled brat bad mouther of a review it is.
So if it is the same case, expect either a cutout or not. I will say I've seen this type of thing occur, as you don't always get what you order.
God forbid one would have to use screws to mount 5.25 bay items...
I mean this case is no where near barebones, nor as barebones as it gets.
SPOILED WHINING BRATS - that's what I see and hear.
uditrana - Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - link
Calm Down.I doubt anyone will respond but what Corsair PSU were you referring to. I would like to get it but m confused in the sea of PSU's
WeaselITB - Tuesday, February 26, 2013 - link
I don't really see it as that much neater, anyway. He routed the 12v line a little different and doesn't have a graphics card with two power plugs hanging out in the middle of the case, which makes a big difference in terms of appearance.-Weasel
CeriseCogburn - Tuesday, February 26, 2013 - link
Why the blue case fan the review whines....Because all the little crazy PC brainwashed idiots on every website in the world squeal it must be BLACK and any leds are preferred BLUE.
That's why, we have a populace of lemmings and parrots who think they are in with cool as their personal tastes are declared completely in line with the "popular cool" line of total frikkin BS for no reason pop culture stupidity.
Black makes it very difficult to see and assemble, and with all the assembling WHINES in every freaking direction, one would think the idiot masses could choose another color more in line iwth correcting their constant complaints.
But no, BLACK is "cool" no matter what, and BLUE must be the LED color.
There you have it, the RETARDS of the world on fire for their proclaimed "personal preference" which is nothing more than an absolutely thoughtless regurgitation of the pop culture.
That's why "amd fanboyism" has been and is the scourge it is as well, too.
Ricadan - Sunday, March 3, 2013 - link
Why do you have to be such a damn supremacist? Just because some people may think blue LEDs on what is clearly an office-style case is ridiculous, that makes them a mindless sheep? Just because your opinions are different than what is popular, doesn't give you the right to feel superior. People have different opinions, deal with it.Also, why would you use the Fan LEDs to light the case up while assembling rather than just working in a well lit area?
Ilias78 - Friday, March 1, 2013 - link
He did a 10x times better cable management on that little case than you will ever do. Instead of criticizing the man, how about getting better at your work?ilihijan - Sunday, March 3, 2013 - link
I just got paid $6784 working on my laptop using these simple steps leaked on this web page. Make up to $85 per hour doing simple tasks that are so easy to do that you won't forgive yourself if you don't check it out! Weekly payments! Here is what I've been doing Epic2.c(om)