Most modern chassis are designed to make the installation process simple and straight-forward; mostly they succeed in this. Cleverly case engineers have taken hints from yesterday’s mods and created designs that enable the builder to fit most any part on the market with little to no hassle, no elbow grease needed. At the end some might even feel like they’ve created something worth unique even as a first time builder. Today we are not looking at one of those cases. The Phanteks Evolv Shift X immediately strikes you as a unique and beautiful work of steel and glass. It is incredibly aesthetically pleasing. Striking even. However, as we take a moment and ponder further we see that beauty, as it often does, comes at a cost. This chassis will accept only Mini ITX motherboards, it is small. The length or height (depending on orientation) hides the fact that this case is basically SFF and as such must be approached with care and tact. Follow along as we find out both what it takes to build in this nearly boutique work of art as well as whether or not you really want to.
Special Thanks to Phanteks for providing the Evolv Shift X for review!
Specifications
The Evolv Shift X combines premium finishes and distinctive design to stand tall amongst the crowd. From smart space utilization to innovative features, the Shift X delivers the ultimate level of powerful and slim configurations. Every aspect of the Shift X has been thoughtfully designed to be intuitive, clean and accessible. The interior is designed to meet the demand of water cooling enthusiasts. Due to its small footprint and versatile placement, the Shift X will look impressive anywhere in your home environment or office space.
Packaging
Like the other high end cases from Phanteks, the Shift X comes to us double boxed. The outer box is a plain brown box with just the product name printed in black ink. When we remove that box we find a full color printed box with an image of the Evolv Shift X large and centered over the black background. Both sides feature a photo of that specific side of the case. Rotating to the back of the box we find the Phanteks logo over a black background.
Opening the top of the box we find a small color printed instruction sheet specifically for removing the case from the packaging. The first step is to flip the box upside down with the open flaps sticking out. From there simply lift the box from the sides and let gravity pull the case out.
Both ends of the case are secured with heavy duty foam and cardboard caps. The case itself is entirely enclosed in a large plastic bag. Finally both large glass panels are protected by plastic sheets to protect them from small scratches. Phanteks has gone to great lengths to ensure that the Shift X will arrive in proper condition on your doorstep.
