INTRODUCTION

   Even though I’ve been reviewing PC cases for slightly over 15 years now i can honestly count on one hand the number of times a really stylish/elegant model reached the lab. Yes, there are many good looking PC cases out there some of which sport impressive build quality and can be used by casual users, gamers and even professionals alike but it takes a special kind to easily blend in everywhere. Personally, even though over the years I’ve learned to value every type of PC case out there (each person has different needs after all) i always place interior space and looks above all else. Still there are many who prefer relatively compact cases and although it's not easy to find a compact ATX compatible one that's also stylish/elegant and is made out of high quality materials Abee with their SMART EM30 Mid-Tower aims to deliver just that.

   Abee was founded in 2004 in Japan and uses all-aluminum materials and multiple precision processes for each product it designs, produces, and launches. Furthermore, abee products are renowned on the market for its exquisite product design, which is derived from Japanese craftsmanship. During this process, abee continuously strives for perfection, from sourcing high-quality aluminum materials, creating minimalist and aesthetic designs, and following strict manufacturing and quality control, that leads to the launch of a world-class product. 2021 is new start for abee with a renewed focus on the global market. By employing artwork in life with the concept of computer functions, abee redefines itself as a high-end computer accessory and peripheral brand. Using aluminum as the primary material, we expect that this will bring consumers an entirely new and unique DIY experience when assembling computers.

   The SMART EM30 is currently available in black and silver colors and it's six-piece compact body is almost entirely made out of laser cut brushed aluminum (CNC machined aluminum for the top) measuring 1.2-1.5mm in thickness for the interior parts and 3.0mm in thickness for the exterior panels. According to Abee each SMART EM30 case requires a total of 120 hours to manufacture something which i have no reason to doubt since you can pretty much tell just by looking at it. Now even though the SMART EM30 is a compact desktop PC case it still has enough room inside for up to ATX sized motherboards, 3 drives (2x2.5" and 1x3.5" or 3x2.5"), four 120mm fans and/or a single 240mm radiator, 158mm tall CPU coolers, 358mm long graphics cards and 160mm power supply units. Aside the lack of pre-installed fans the SMART EM30 by Abee looks promising so let's get close and personal with it.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The SMART EM30 gets shipped inside a plain cardboard box that just has the model line printed on the front and rear.

Abee actually uses the plain cardboard box purely for protection purposes, the main box is white with black.

A sticker located at the front of the box has the product specifications printed on it.

The case is placed between two thick foam spacers whereas the entire bundle is placed in two small cardboard boxes.

Along with the SMART EM30 case inside the box you'll also find two aluminum feet, pair of cloth gloves, 4 double-sided pieces of tape, 3 cable holders, cleaning cloth, 2 cable ties, Torqx screwdriver, bag with screws and standoffs, thank you note and the user manual.

THE SMART EM30 EXTERIOR

The brushed aluminum body of the SMART EM30 measures 446mm in height, 467mm in length and 207mm in width.

Worth pointing out is that you can use it with and without the 2 bundled aluminum feet.

An PC case without a side panel made out of tempered glass nowadays does seem weird but an aluminum panel is still preferred by many people.

There are 7 horizontal cut-outs at the front all of which allow air to reach the interior of the EM30.

As usual the I/O is located at the top and includes the power on/off button and LED, USB-C port, USB 3.1 port and a 3.5mm headphones port.

The top is made out of CNC machined aluminum and features a total of 25 cut-outs.

Moving at the rear we find the power port, 120mm fan area and the 7 PCI expansion slots.

The entire base of the EM30 is perforated to allow for even better airflow.

THE SMART EM30 INTERIOR

In order to access the interior of the SMART EM30 you'll need to remove the rear and top parts as seen above (almost all parts of the EM30 are attached via push latches so they are very easy to remove).

As expected, interior space is not vast but more than enough for such a case.

At the front we find the PSU area (top) and room for an 120mm fan on the lower end behind the fascia.

Abee has placed two removable 2.5" drive trays at the base of the SMART EM30.

Another 120mm fan can be mounted at the rear of the case.

As mentioned earlier most parts are attached to the EM30 via push latches and that applies for both side panels as well.

On the other side of the EM30 we find a single 2.5/3.5" drive tray positioned vertically.

BUILDING THE SYSTEM

As always, the purpose of this section is not to build a functional system but rather to showcase what you can expect from the case at hand in terms of interior space.

Starting with the PSU you'll need to mount it vertically and attach the power cable as seen above.

Mounting an ATX sized motherboard doesn't leave much free space but this is to be expected.

With enough room for 158mm tall CPU coolers the SMART EM30 stands out compared to most similar cases.

The same applies for the 240mm radiator at the top which although not very large it still should be sufficient for most builds.

Even though Abee packs an Torqx screwdriver with the SMART EM30 i found it strange that they used such screws for the expansion slots.

For such a compact space to have enough room for 358mm long graphics cards (the one used is 295mm) is certainly not something we see a lot.

CONCLUSION

   Like i said in the beginning of this review i can probably count on one hand the number of PC cases which I’ve reviewed to date and are similar to the SMART EM30. As a matter of fact, for me 3 things make the SMART EM30 unique, quality of materials, design and size and yes, these up until recently were actually very hard to come by (that gap is what allowed manufacturers like Abee, Streacom and others to enter the market after all). Interior space is also very good, for such a compact PC case. Being able to add a 358mm long graphics card and even an 160mm long PSU (not to mention an 240mm radiator) are clearly things we don’t see with most similar cases. Still even though the SMART EM30 is a very elegant/stylish PC case with a good amount of interior space the lack of pre-installed fans (even a single one) is noticeable as is the lack of a bottom air filter. These of course are not game breakers but what about price?

   With a current price tag set at USD449 inside the USA (Newegg.com) and at around 500Euros inside the EU the SMART EM30 Mid-Tower by Abee is clearly not what the vast majority of people would ever consider as affordable. This is obviously the most significant drawback of the SMART EM30 especially since it narrows down its target audience considerably. The team over at Abee obviously has its reasons for this (my guess is not a large enough production – would also explain the limited availability) but no matter how I see it there’s no way I could ever justify such cost and I’m sure the same goes for most people. That being said however for consumers who care not about cost but looks, build quality and size the SMART EM30 could be the one and to you I say go check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

PROS

- Build Quality (Brushed / CNC Machined Aluminum)
- Compact Size
- Interior Space (158mm Tall CPU Coolers, 358mm Long Graphics Cards & 160mm Long Power Supply Units)
- Room For Four 120mm Fans (Or 2 Fans & 240mm Radiator)
- Almost Tool Less Design (Push Latches)
- Detachable Feet
- Available In Black & Silver Colors

CONS

- Price
- Overall Availability
- No Preinstalled Fans