Thermaltake's recently launched Chaser MK-1 has received a companion today with the arrival of a new e-Sports-branded chassis, the Spacecraft VF-I. Aimed at gamers with a soft spot for harsh edges and flashy lights, the mid-tower enclosure is slated to launch sometime this month for about €53 (roughly equal to $75). That figure isn't indactive of a true US retail price, but you can certainly expect the enclosure to be much cheaper than the $160 MK-1.
Considering that price point, it seems fair to assume the Spacecraft VF-I is intended to compete with entry-level chassis such as Cooler Master's HAF 912 and Antec's Three Hundred. As such, you should expect comparable specifications, including a steel and plastic construction along with enough elbow room for high-end desktop components, a respectable cable management system, a relatively tool-free installation process, and a solid cooling system.
All of the above are true. The Spacecraft VF-I can house up to four 5.25-inch devices, six 3.5-inch drives, one 2.5-inch drive, a 12.5-inch graphics card (enough space for the GTX 590 or HD 6990), 24cm liquid cooling radiators, and a plethora of optional fans along the top, bottom, front, rear, and side. That cooling capacity sounds great on paper, but so did the Chaser MK-1's and we were generally unimpressed with its thermal performance in our roundup.
Other noteworthy features include dust filters for the fans, a CPU hole cutout in the motherboard tray for simplified rear access, pre-drilled holes for liquid cooling tubes, and support for CPU coolers measuring up to 168mm tall. Front panel connectivity will vary based on the specific SKU. One model has dual USB 2.0 ports and will be marginally cheaper, while a pricier unit has one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 port. Both have begun surfacing on EU e-tailers.