iBUYPOWER Erebus GT Gaming System Review
Water Cooling and Case
The centerpiece of the Erebus GT is the Koolance custom water cooling system, which keeps both the CPU and GPU chilled out. iBUYPOWER offers a few different options for water cooling configuration, but ours consists of a mammoth triple radiator (3 x 140mm) that spans the entire top of the case with a 140mm radiator on the back panel; electric-blue coolant; and tubing wrapped in anti-kink coils.
The refill port is easily accessible on the top of the case, and all the fittings throughout the system feel rock-solid. The interior of the case feels spacious even with a large CPU cooler inside, so the extra cubic inches afforded by the low-profile water cooler make dissipating heat that much easier; it also enables the pump to remain tucked away near the bottom of the case, completely out of the way.
The steel, matte-black case itself is a fine specimen; it shares quite a bit of DNA with the terrific NZXT Switch 810, and indeed, iBUYPOWER and NZXT collaborated on the chassis design for the Erebus GT. Some of the elements are shared with the Switch 810, such as the rear LED lighting and switches, while others are unique to this chassis, including the custom top.
The top part of the frame is more substantial than the Switch 810 to better house the radiators, and it also sports a special tinted fan design that directs airflow up and to the back of the case. Speaking of airflow, the chassis has four fans (one each per 140mm radiator) in addition to two front-mounted intake fans.
Like the Switch 810, the Erebus GT’s front I/O panel features a pair each of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, as well as a card reader, headphone and mic jacks, reset button, and an on/off switch that controls the LEDs. (The power button is mounted just to the side of the panel.)
In keeping with the stock white LEDs, the Erebus GT has a string of white lights rimming the interior edge of the chassis that frames the components quite nicely. Way down on the lowest expansion slot is a small controller with an on/off switch and a brightness selector for those interior lights.
The custom case and water cooling setup are sharp-looking and complement one another well. The overall effect is tasteful, with plenty of zing without being gaudy.
One downside to the solid steel case and all the aforementioned trimmings is that the Erebus GT weighs a lot--65 pounds. Even though the weight is worth it for what you get as a result, do yourself a favor and don’t move this thing very often.
;)
;)
;)
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The refill port is easily accessible on the top of the case, and all the fittings throughout the system feel rock-solid. The interior of the case feels spacious even with a large CPU cooler inside, so the extra cubic inches afforded by the low-profile water cooler make dissipating heat that much easier; it also enables the pump to remain tucked away near the bottom of the case, completely out of the way.
;)
;)
;)
The steel, matte-black case itself is a fine specimen; it shares quite a bit of DNA with the terrific NZXT Switch 810, and indeed, iBUYPOWER and NZXT collaborated on the chassis design for the Erebus GT. Some of the elements are shared with the Switch 810, such as the rear LED lighting and switches, while others are unique to this chassis, including the custom top.
;)
;)
Like the Switch 810, the Erebus GT’s front I/O panel features a pair each of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, as well as a card reader, headphone and mic jacks, reset button, and an on/off switch that controls the LEDs. (The power button is mounted just to the side of the panel.)
In keeping with the stock white LEDs, the Erebus GT has a string of white lights rimming the interior edge of the chassis that frames the components quite nicely. Way down on the lowest expansion slot is a small controller with an on/off switch and a brightness selector for those interior lights.
;)
;)
;)
The custom case and water cooling setup are sharp-looking and complement one another well. The overall effect is tasteful, with plenty of zing without being gaudy.
One downside to the solid steel case and all the aforementioned trimmings is that the Erebus GT weighs a lot--65 pounds. Even though the weight is worth it for what you get as a result, do yourself a favor and don’t move this thing very often.
