Specifications

in the lab
78
JUL 2011 maximumpc.com
MAXIMUMPC
Sentey Arvina GS-6400
Big form factor, big value
SENTEY’S ARVINA GS-6400 has a lot of
things going for it, especially given its
$89 price tag. The question is whether a
bunch of fans and a ton of space are worth
the inclusion of some cheapo parts and a
somewhat tacky appearance.
Sentey calls the GS-6400 a “high
tower,” but we call it a mid-tower. The
Arvina has a steel frame and side panels,
with plastic trim and a mesh front panel.
The front panel is removable, exposing
a 14cm front intake fan and four optical
drive bays. Up top, you’ll fi nd the power
switch, four USB 2.0 ports, audio jacks,
and a set of four fan-control buttons.
Speaking of fans, Sentey says that
the Arvina is made for gamers, and it
packs plenty of cooling. Out of the box,
the GS-6400 comes with six LED fans—
two 8cm side intake fans, one 12cm rear
exhaust fan, two 12cm top exhaust fans,
and the aforementioned 14cm front fan.
That’s a lot of stock fans for a case, at
any price point.
The fi ve hard drive bays, seven PCI ex-
pansion slots, and four 5.25-inch bays all
feature plastic latching mechanisms that,
while tremendously easy to use (particu-
larly those for the hard drive bays), feel a
little cheap and fragile.
Inside, the GS-6400 is extremely
roomy for a mid-tower chassis, though at
8.4 inches wide, 20.5 inches high, 21.65
inches deep, and weighing more than 27
pounds, it’s a little big for its class. So
maybe there is something to this “high
tower” concept.
The space inside is much appreciated,
however—you can easily install a 12.2-
inch GPU without removing any hard drive
bays, and the extra room allows for more
airfl ow. The motherboard tray, which
supports ATX, microATX, and E-ATX
motherboards, also features fi ve cutouts
for cable management inside the case,
which made our test build easy and orga-
nized. There are two grommeted cutouts
in the back for liquid-cooling tubes.
We’re not sure how we feel about the
GS-6400’s looks. From a distance, with
the side panels on and the fan LEDs ac-
tive, we must admit that the Arvina looks
pretty beastly. The design of the trans-
lucent side-panel window is very unique,
and latches make removing the side
panels a snap. The case still looks sleek
upon closer inspection, but the large
swaths of glossy, fi ngerprint-catching
plastic on the top and front panels make
the case look cheap. We’re not thrilled,
either, that the toolless drive bay and
expansion slot brackets are all made of
fl imsy plastic.
We have a couple more minor prob-
lems with the Arvina. If you’re looking
for USB 3.0, you’re going to have to look
elsewhere, though we haven’t yet come
to expect USB 3.0 integration at this
price point. What we have been get-
ting used to, however, is the inclusion
of drop-down SATA docks, which are
becoming more and more commonplace
in this price range. The Arvina doesn’t
include this, though it does have a top
eSATA port and a full SATA data and
power pass-through that requires an
included cable. The case gives you an
integrated multiformat card reader.
For an MSRP of $89, you get a solid,
well-ventilated case that is quick and
easy to build into and looks decent—
albeit a little low rent. We’ve never
been huge fans of plastic components,
but we can’t help but be impressed by
what Sentey has put together for such a
low price. If your next build is a simple
one and you’re looking to cut costs, the
Arvina is worthy of your consideration.
—ALAN FACKLER
Sentey Arvina GS-6400
LEDs Lots of cooling; tons of
space; toolless bays.
IEDs Very heavy; no USB 3.0 support;
flimsy securing mechanisms; glossy trim.
$89, www.sentey.com
8
VERDICT
The Arvina has a lot of space for a mid-tower chassis, though we’re
curious if that’s worth its 28-pound heft.