Thermaltake offers a massive range of computer cases, from desktop cases to full towers. There are HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer) cases, BTX (Balanced Technology Extended), ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) and full server cases on offer. However, what I have come to realize is that Thermaltake do not offer any small, compact computer cases. There is not even a Micro-ATX case let alone a Mini-ITX case. I can understand them giving the latter a miss, since Mini-ITX boards are not hugely popular at the moment.

Nevertheless, while I am surprised to find no real small cases in the Thermaltake lineup, today’s review item is not going to change this situation in the slightest. Rather, today’s review item is right up at the top of the food chain as it is capable of stomping anything in its path. Labeled the Mozart Tx, this predator weighs 17kg in steel form and stands 72cm tall. Given a standard office desk it just 70cm off the ground, you begin to understand just how tall this computer case really is. With a 36cm by 36cm foot print the Mozart Tx does not consume all that much desktop space, but it’s still not small by any stretch of the imagination.

Before you even begin to wonder about the Mozart Tx there are a few questions you have to ask. Questions such as why and what is this case designed for? What does it do and why does it need to be so big to do it? Who really needs this case? These are the kind of questions I have noticed readers asking about the Mozart Tx and they are all very good questions. After all, this massive case comes at a price premium of $230 US, so you obviously need to know what its all about before even considering purchasing one. After playing with this case for a number of weeks now, all I can say is you are going to want one!

The Thermaltake Mozart Tx is primarily designed to be used as a HTPC case, which I have to say is probably the last thing I would ever use it for. This is because my idea of a home theater computer case involves a small elegant looking chassis that blends in with its surroundings, not a case that engulfs its surroundings. Of course this is just my opinion, you may love the idea of a 72cm HTPC. While I have hooked the Mozart Tx review sample up to an LCD TV, it is not being used as a HTPC but rather a gaming/work station. Ahh, yeah, you read that right a gaming … work station.

Work and play are generally not two things that go together, unless of course you are eating a Mars bar and then I guess “rest” would also come into it. But seriously, because of the unique ability the Mozart Tx possesses, which allows it to house two individual computer systems, you can actually work and play using the same system. The left hand side of the Mozart Tx allows for the installation of a full size ATX or BTX motherboard, while the right side can support a Mini-ITX system. Now that’s something you don’t see every day; actually that’s something that I have never actually seen before.

Given I like to game on a regular basis, or at least as much as I can, having an up-to-date gaming rig is a high priority. However, doing so without compromising all my sensitive work related data is an annoying job and often a little risky. Therefore, in the past I have often gone for quite some time between system upgrades simply because there is too much involved. Furthermore, while RAID0 setups are superb for my games, they are a little to flakey for my work related data. Of course there are ways to happily game on an office computer, but I would rather not do it if there was a choice.

For me, having two separate computer cases on my desk sharing my LCD is not an option, so the ability to house both in the same case is very attractive for me. Therefore, when I learnt that the Mozart Tx could house two individual computer systems I just had to try it out. However, after further research my dreams and hopes were shattered once I learnt the case was limited to the Mini-ITX form factor for the second system. This meant having to use an integrated VIA C3 processor and while this would cover my word processing and internet requirements, image editing would certainly create some speed related issues. Thankfully, some better options quickly presented themselves at the opportune moment...