BitFenix Outlaw: When Inexpensive Doesn't Mean Cheap
by Dustin Sklavos on December 23, 2011 5:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- mid-tower
- bitfenix
Conclusion: Only What You Need
It's probably pretty evident from the preceding pages that I came away from my experiences with the BitFenix Outlaw as a fan. I've made mention in previous reviews of BitFenix as a hungry company: they're still small, their enclosures aren't available on NewEgg (yet) so you'll have to order them from MicroCenter or work some of that sweet Google Shopping voodoo, but their designs are worth actively seeking out. I still love the Shinobi, but BitFenix has outclassed their own Merc Alpha with the Outlaw. At just $10 more, it's totally worth the expense, even if you're on an extreme budget.
BitFenix's engineers have done some intelligent design and essentially culled everything that wasn't absolutely necessary in order to hit the $49 price point, and what we're left with is a small midtower with exactly enough space to produce a clean and modest build. The complaints I have are few. I would've moved the fan from the back to the front, and I would put the power supply in the top of the enclosure, inverted. It's hard to argue with the results SilverStone obtained with their Temjin TJ08-E, and the same principles could be applied easily enough to the Outlaw.
As things are, as an end user I'd probably add two fans: an intake at the top or side and an intake in the front of the case. Depending on whether or not your motherboard has good fan control, you should be able to find a decent 
deal on a pair of 120mm fans...when you're ready. The Outlaw is quite capable on its own, but there's definitely room for an end user to spruce it up.
It's hard not to recommend the BitFenix Outlaw as an extreme budget enclosure. For a stock or mostly stock build, it's going to be one of the coolest and quietest enclosures you can find. Cable organization is remarkably clean, with BitFenix successfully executing what Rosewill only attempted in the Ranger, and doing so at $20 cheaper. With so few complaints and so much upshot for modest builds, it's easy to see why the Outlaw earns our Editor's Choice Bronze Award.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
23 Comments
View All Comments
Sgt. Stinger - Friday, December 23, 2011 - link
BitFenix is definitley an interesting company. They seem to be a very small operation, and thats probably why they get to these amazing price points.BTW, what happened to this review earlier today? Saw it at work, but when i tried to continue to the next page, the review was down... Puzzled me a bit :)
JarredWalton - Friday, December 23, 2011 - link
Someone changed the post time to later in the day, probably to give another article time at the top.Andrew Rockefeller - Friday, December 23, 2011 - link
I'm a fan of the left-handed mount arrangement. TBH, I've thought that everyone has been doing it wrong all these years. The next step is to abandon multiple 5.25" bays in mid-towers.know of fence - Saturday, December 24, 2011 - link
Current case designs may very well be outdated in a year or two.Abandon the ugly, stupid drive bays (in favor of external drives), ditch ALL front interfaces and move USB, audio and the power switch to the top of the desk (like a docking bay). It's a no-brainer.
Andrew Rockefeller - Saturday, December 24, 2011 - link
For my own needs, I couldn't agree more. I do however accept that would make it just a little too niche right now. 2 years, absolutely.Strangely, I actually sketched up an external front panel remote a few years back. Glad to hear that there are others out there thinking along the same lines.
...which makes me think. What if someone designed a case with an external slimline optical enclosure which included the standard front panel functions?? We might finally get rid of gaudy plastic fascias altogether. The external enclosure could even be a standalone product connecting back to a PCI bracket.
StevePeters - Friday, December 23, 2011 - link
Am I seeing the photos correctly - it looks like there is no space at all between the tray and side cover (and none is needed)? I am starting to think that the guys at BitFenix must actually use they cases themselves - they sure look like they know what works!JonnyDough - Friday, December 23, 2011 - link
"BitFenix has opted for a negative pressure design instead of a positive pressure one, with the exhaust fan pulling air out of the back of the case instead of placing a fan in the front and letting the fan in the heatsink do the rest of the work."Preferable. Reason? Noise.
jwcalla - Friday, December 23, 2011 - link
Do people still buy cases this big?colmiak - Saturday, December 24, 2011 - link
this is kind of an unimportant detail but i'll ask anyway.. ;pis the logo seen on the bottom of the case on microcenter's site removable?
i dont see it on your review case and it looks much nicer like that!
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results....
Dustin Sklavos - Saturday, December 24, 2011 - link
It's not removable; it's not affixed to begin with. ;)