Bargain real estate: Aywun A1-X01 PC case review

Bennett Ring
03 March 2011, 8:00 AM


For the budget-conscious builder, this is one of the cheapest mid-tower cases on the market, but it's still a more-than-capable housing for your next system.


Whether it's building a budget PC for your little brother, or a secondary media machine to go into your data closet, sometimes you don't want to spend $400 on a brushed aluminium case crafted by the Porsche Design group. You just want a cheap, simple case with plenty of room for components, which does the job with a minimum of fuss. If that's the case, we present the Aywun A1-X01 for your consideration.

At ninety bucks, this is one of the cheapest mid-tower cases on the market. Obviously there's no PSU at this price, but if you're like us you've undoubtedly got a small mountain of old PSUs gathering dust in the corner of your PC cupboard. It's a surprisingly spacious case, with room for five external 5.25in bays, five internal 3.5in bays and a single external 3.5in bay. Amazingly, they're all tool-less, though the flimsy plastic used for the internal 3.5in bays looks a little too brittle for our liking.



To our surprise, the motherboard tray also has a removable plate under the CPU position, allowing for easy HSF swaps, a feature usually found in cases twice the price. It's even got a small Perspex window on one side, as well as a couple of 120mm fans that light up with a subtle blue LED. Water cooler owners will appreciate the inclusion of a couple of water pipe holes, allowing for an external radiator system. The ports on the top of the case are par for the course: four USB 2.0, one FireWire, one eSATA, and the usual headphone and microphone jacks.

The entire frame is built from a combination of plastic and 0.7mm SECC. It doesn't scratch easily or soak up your oily thumbprints, though the plastic edging won't handle getting knocked about without chipping.

Considering the Black & Gold pricing, the inclusion of many higher-end features is quite an accomplishment. It might not appeal to graphic designers, Mac users or artists, but, for the rest of us, this case is a very solid basis for a budget system.

Available from Aywun, retailing for $89.
APC rating: 8/10 (Highly Recommended)


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todd_h86 (New user):

I prefer the Antech Three Hundred for the cheaper end of case design, much better design, better cooling, and its Antec!
http://store.antec.com/Product/enclosure-gear_for_gamers/three-hundred/0-761345-15300-3.aspx

Can be found for around $55 online as well

03 March 2011, 8:58 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

ss-rotel (User):

Was that photo taken from by APC? is it me, or does that the Fit and Finish of the case, (look @ the top panel and how it doesn't line up with the front panel, or is the front panel not on properly), a little lack laster?

There are alot of "budget" cases out there by antec and Thermaltake that sub $100.

And todd, there is a huge difference between RRP listed above, and the "Street" pricing. i'm sure this case lists @ most places for the $50-60 mark

03 March 2011, 10:36 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Rea9er (New user):

@todd_h66, Antec is a great brand however the three hundred is overpriced for what it is.

Shot for shot the A1-X01 wins hands down; it has far more for far less. The closest Antec case with even some of the features of the A1-X01 is the DF-10 which in itself is a great case but very plastic in look and feel and costs over a lot more.

All in all I was really happy with the first A1-X01 case I got for a budget gaming system build. I thought it would be crap as it was cheap (for what it has included), it’s made by Aywun who, let’s face it is not known for quality cases, in fact most people wouldn’t know of them at all really. The biggest issue I have with the A-X01 is that it wasn’t (and still isn’t) listed on the Aywun site as a product so I couldn’t (and still can’t) get any information on it other than what my supplier has.

I am glad I tried it as it looks and feels like I high end gaming case but doesn’t have the price tag; pair it with a nice PSU with cable management and you will have a really nice base to build your budget gaming system.


03 March 2011, 11:02 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Rea9er (New user):

@ss-rotel, hi again… sorry I haven’t replied to the OC posts yet, been a bit busy, but I will get around to it. Btw, you’re right, the site has some issues that really need to be fixed like editing posts...

The photo looks like every other photo out there of the case so I would guess that APC “borrowed” it. The finish of the case is not too bad given the price range, the photo doesn’t really do it justice.

The front and top covers are held by plastic clips only which could be an issue with continued removal as it would be more likely to break with over use (although I haven’t had an issue to date) and they do line up sort of. The front cover has “filtering” and by filtering I mean a blackish fine foam/ fish tank filter type thing that is in every bit of the front cover including the removable drive bay covers. It is cut to size and preinstalled which I must say it’s not a bad touch for a cheap case.

I did learn with the first system build with this case not to complete the cable management until you have installed any top fans (even when they are an afterthought) as the front I/O panel is connected to the top panel and the wires are really tight if you tidy it all up first… lesson learnt.

The internal cable clips are crap and don’t hold the cables if there is any pressure on them at all; using zip ties with them works well but you could just remove the clips and zip tie the cables to the same location. The screwless fixtures in the case are not too bad but as mentioned above they seem brittle although I haven’t broken one yet. Again given the cost, it’s not too bad.

I must point out now that I don’t work for Awyun in any way shape or form. I use their cases for my budget systems and must say that you really do get good bang for your buck. As always though, you do get what you pay for; if you want a high end case, spend the money and get a Silverstone, Corsair or Ikonik case (there are heaps more out there, just listing some of my favs.) If you want a budget case with some high end features this is a beauty for the price.


03 March 2011, 11:50 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

ss-rotel (User):

i can't see how $55 is over priced, were the Aywun A1-X01 is at least $20 more expensive, (going by shopbot listing).

For the $$$ the ThermalTake V5 is great @ the same sort of pricing.

i hate screwless fittings in cases, plastic or otherwise, they either don't hold the gear right, are flimsy, or just dont make life any easy anyway. Waste of money. better with a fist full of screws at the end of the day

meh, for me personally a "cheap" case is a coolermaster CM690.



03 March 2011, 10:45 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Rea9er (New user):

What I said was it (the Antec case) is over priced for what it is which is, a basic boring case with no stand out features.

As mentioned I am simply providing my feedback as I have used this case and for the money you get some nice features not normally seen in the budget end cases. (Happy to stand corrected though)

It doesn't really matter if you like screwless fittings or not, some do and some don't, each to there own I say; you fiddle with your fist full of screws, I'll do the same job with a scotch and dry in one hand and not worry about dropping the fiddly little buggers with the other.

I note you like the coolermaster CM690... unless I am mistaken this case is very similar to the A1-X01 and it has screwless fixtures too??? Both have a bottom mounted PSU, side mounted HDD and well they really are basically the same case just the CM690 is a little more expensive although not much more and it doesn't have a side window unless of course you opt for that feature which is a little more pricey. In saying that the CM690 is likely to have a nicer finish but having never used one myself I can't really comment on that.

03 March 2011, 11:17 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Rea9er (New user):

Sorry, I misread. The Thermaltake V5 you liked (for the $$$). Looks decent too from the quick look I had over the TT product page. How sturdy is the handle? (Not a fan of the handle myself, but there are lots of people that are)

03 March 2011, 11:27 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

ss-rotel (User):

bit solid bit of plastic. If you can find it, the V4, it pretty much the same thing, without the handle, (read a touch cheaper too)

honestly, anything Sub $80 is going to be a bit plasticy

07 March 2011, 10:11 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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