Hardware Canucks Gets Thermaltake's Side Of The Story

[Steve N. Mavronis]

This is a big deal about nothing when the dust settles. No one has a patent on or exclusive rights to using the rectangle. Every chassis company "rip offs" the original IBM PC and is historically a variant of the design concept so 'nuff said.

 

 

P.S. I did a search and didn't see this posted yet.

[Jerakl]

Fractal took the design of the Define R series from Antec. Don't see why it's such a big deal.

 

At the same time, I'm ok with it because it happens all the time and Caselabs might have acted a bit childish. But at the same time they're such blatant comments that I feel TT should get some crap.

[Altecice]

Nice to see both sides of the story ....

 

 

Off-topic: If you are wondering what that amazing music in in the background, its this song - 

 

https://open.spotify.com/track/5qULtA0nM2WFZKwhBfyvWe (higher quality original length)

[Aniallation]

All cars of a certain segment look very similar now, nobody's complaining. 

[Steve N. Mavronis]

After I thought about this controversy and how silly it was, it made me go back and take a second look at TT for a small but roomy mATX case like their V21.

[Homicidium]

Although I agree, that overall some case manufactures do copy some features from another, I think we have to see the whole scale of the rip-off Thermaltake has commited here, which isn't just these two cases, but SEVERAL other products. 

 

Considering how many people are in the case business nowadays, it's almost certain that there is going to be some kind of "copy-and-pasting" going on, always has been, always will be, but personally if I have to mention the different quality in the panels and a different cable management holes as a feature that is different from the competitor, cleary there has to be something wrong. 

[SImoHayha]

Oh my goodness who cares ? Jeez what is next RAM companies selling each other because they sell basically the same thing (Aka RAM) Its a bloody darn case. It doesn't even matter some people like TT and some people like others its mostly dependent on your needs and budget.

[pk-man]

Let's face it. Everybody copies from each other. Caselabs might've reacted a bit childishly, but Thermaltake weren't even trying to hide the fact they "burrowed" the design. I mean, at least don't make it 99% identical to the one you are "paying homage to"....

[The Benjamins]

I am not too bothered by the "stolen design".

I also feel thermaltake feels cheep so  I would not buy there cases.

[peanutsrevenge]

Wow do I have little respect for the opinion of someone that says this:

TNo one has a patent on or exclusive rights to using the rectangle. 

 

<insert all of the sighs and head shakes>

[TroubleKlef]

It's one thing to look similar than it does to look the same. Cars all look similar, Lots of them have windshields, 4 wheels, 2 little mirrors sticking out on the sides but they do not look the SAME. (of course there will be exceptions to this, just like there are exceptions to this entire caselabs thing). Which is a PROBLEM.

[GoodBytes]

While one can argue that everyone copies each other. They are many things that Thermaltake could have done to add originality to it.

Heck when Microsoft copies Apple, or Apple copies Microsoft, or either copies Linux based OS, it isn't a direct copy. They all add their own "twist", there own thing which they think makes it better, and not a direct photocopy.

I can only speak for the Define R5 rip off, as I am familiar with it.

Here are just some idea off the top of my head, that the company could have done, to look different while taking a lot of ideas from:

-> Door that can positioned on both sides.

-> Make the top entire case panel replaceable with full covered with sound damping material, or like what they have now. Like this, if you want cooling or you want quietness, your case will look like it was designed form day 1 to be that way. Adding ugly covers like Fractal design did, doesn't look good, especially that plastic black color is not perfectly matching the case metal. A common problem.

-> Make the inside, when you open the door much nicer. It's already not very nice from the Fractal Design side, they can make it nicer.

-> Make the USB port invisible. I mean dye the cashing black, make sure that the USB port cutout is exact size of the USB port. USB ports are at the top, they are very visible, it looks ugly when you see the casing. Small detail, but so far, no case manufacture not even Lian-Li does it. Yet look how Apple, Microsoft Surface, and Razer systems looks so nice because they do this. Small details, but adds a lot

-> Use real aluminum

-> Here is an idea. What is the biggest problem with cases, that is common to all? The holes on motherboard tray for connecting power and SATA cable are not properly aligned, with nearly all motherboard, because every motherboard is different. Well here is an idea. How about, you simply make a large, high quality, plastic or metal peace, that is large enough that goes under the motherboard and under the hard drive cage area, so that if you have a window, with an ATX board, you don't see that it is a panel. And that panel can be moved up and down by several centimeter to help increase motherboard compatibility, so it looks nicer. Heck even in the video above, you can see that the motherboard they picked, doesn't match perfectly the holes made.

Not sure these to be the best idea in the world, but they are ideas, enough to differentiate themselves, and not photocopy.

So far, all I see from Thermaltake is how to take current idea, and make them cheaper.

[iludez]

Look basically yes cases take each others designs and make their own chassis.But this isnt the same thing.Thermaltake have basically copy and pasted fractal and case labs.Theres no innovation here its just a blatant rip off.Shannon (lel girls name) even said this is what people want.Yes they want a fractal or a caselabs so tt decided lets make those cases

[kpreg]

Here's what I have to say: If someone does something you do better (cheaper in this case), the consumer will choose the better choice.

 

Be better, Caselabs.

[GoodBytes]

Here's what I have to say: If someone does something you do better (cheaper in this case), the consumer will choose the better choice.

 

Be better, Caselabs.

For those who doesn't know quality, or have low standards think that way. Speaking in general.

Not to be insulting you in any way, but it is true. I am very guilty of this, many ages ago.

I used to literally go and think: "A PSU is a PSU, they are all the same, let's get that one with a case for 30$ together. Oh motherboard 50$!", and so on. This was before I knew much about computers, I was much young and innocent, and Internet forum like this, didn't' really exists, I must say. I never ended up enjoying my purchases. Always had problems. I changed drastically when I had enough of problems and bough high quality product. They are night and day, and now refuse to go cheap budget route. Since I always enjoyed my purchases. Problem free experience, smooth install, does its role amazingly well, which is the same experience that most people here have with their fine system, I am sure.

[Bouzoo]

Here's what I have to say: If someone does something you do better (cheaper in this case), the consumer will choose the better choice.

 

Be better, Caselabs.

Cheaper isn't always better mate, many people appreciate quality over price.

[iludez]

Here's what I have to say: If someone does something you do better (cheaper in this case), the consumer will choose the better choice.

 

Be better, Caselabs.

With that logic then oh look a knock off 770 from aliexpress is $50 buy it!!

[Guest]

Some of the guys here just don't get it. Taking the car analogy for example, all sedans have 4 wheels, 4 doors, 2 side view mirrors, a trunk etc. In those regards, they are near identical. If someone were to argue with the same "there are so many ways to make a rectangle" argument in this case, then he would say there are so many ways to make a sedan with 4 wheels, 4 doors etc. However, you don't see a sedan that has the EXACT same outer chassis as some other company with a cheaper price tag just because they "ran out of ideas."

In short, Thermaltake didn't even try.

[gcubed]

Nobody seems upset that CaseLabs has stolen the 'a' in Thermaltake, not just once, but twice.

[Agent181]

well one thing for sure dimitri in the video himself said is that the quality of that case was flimsy, and could break, also going off that like everything today, if you want the best thing that's going to last then case labs is always there that comes with a premium but if you want the cheap knock off then well there's case labs for you.  It's just like cherry is the top best and has been considered the best mechanical switches and the rest of the new "switches that have come," some get the cherry and others well go with the other knock offs or different switches that are made for a different reason like topre.  

 

Also I have seen some of their water cooling stuff and I STRONGLY ADVISE to choose wisely for what you get, its a shame if so many parts will go to waste from a company taking corners to get more products out there and cheaper.

 

At first I was on the hate train but then I started thinking about it, there is so many ways you can do something unless you do complete redesign that can be really controversial or just the next thing, cough cough corsiar bulldog or every other cool inwin case .

[Misanthrope]

Oh my goodness who cares ? Jeez what is next RAM companies selling each other because they sell basically the same thing (Aka RAM) Its a bloody darn case. It doesn't even matter some people like TT and some people like others its mostly dependent on your needs and budget.

 

Actually there's like 3 people manufacturing ram and a comparatively small manufacturing ssds, most of the products are flatout rebrands all around.

[Misanthrope]

While one can argue that everyone copies each other. They are many things that Thermal take could have done to add originality to it.

Heck when Microsoft copies Apple, or Apple copies Microsoft, or either copies Linux based OS, it isn't a direct copy. They all add their own "twist", they own thing which they think makes it better, and not a direct photocopy.

I can only speak for the Define R5 rip off, as I am familiar with it.

Here are just some idea off the top of my head, that the company could have done, to look different while taking a lot of ideas from:

-> Door that can positioned on both sides.

-> Make the top entire case panel replaceable with full covered with sound damping material, or like what they have now. Like this, if you want cooling or you want quietness, your case will look like it was designed form day 1 to be that way. Adding ugly covers like Fractal design did, doesn't look good, especially that plastic black color is not perfectly matching the case metal. A common problem.

-> Make the inside, when you open the door much nicer. It's already not very nice from the Fractal Design side, they can make it nicer.

-> Make the USB port invisible. I mean dye the cashing black, make sure that the USB port cutout is exact size of the USB port. USB ports are at the top, they are very visible, it looks ugly when you see the casing. Small detail, but so far, no case manufacture not even Lian-Li does it. Yet look how Apple, Microsoft Surface, and Razer systems looks so nice because they do this. Small details, but adds a lot

-> Use real aluminum

-> Here is an idea. What is the biggest problem with cases, that is common to all? The holes on motherboard tray for connecting power and SATA cable are not properly aligned, with nearly all motherboard, because every motherboard is different. Well here is an idea. How about, you simply make a large, high quality, plastic or metal peace, that is large enough that goes under the motherboard and under the hard drive cage area, so that if you have a window, with an ATX board, you don't see that it is a panel. And that panel can be moved up and down by several centimeter to help increase motherboard compatibility, so it looks nicer. Heck even in the video above, you can see that the motherboard they picked, doesn't match perfectly the holes made.

And I can go on, and I am sure I can even go even longer if I had the Fractal design case.

So far, all I see from Thermaltake is how to take current idea, and make them cheaper.

When you see Apple, Microsoft, and Linux based OSs copy each other.. at least they TRY to add their own take on it, and try and make it better,

 

Actually TT would be on the level of players like Oppo and Xiaomi which are further down the line vs Apple and Samsung and such when it comes to originality and such.

[shirokado]

Cheaper isn't always better mate, many people appreciate quality over price.

And then there's people who buy corsair obsidian cases.... Expensive but cheaply built.

[Misanthrope]

And then there's people who buy corsair obsidian cases.... Expensive but cheaply built.

 

And readily available worldwide which is another important point for people like Corsair or TT: I'd love a phanteks or fractal if I could fucking buy one locally, alas I rarely can.

[GoodBytes]

Actually there's like 3 people manufacturing ram and a comparatively small manufacturing ssds, most of the products are flatout rebrands all around.

No. They manufacture the CHIPS. Corsair, G.Skill, etc. take those chips, build the board (so proper process is needed), configures them them, defined the X.M.P profile, and put the heatsink (if needed) on them.

What Thermaltake is doing, is like if say, Kingston releases RAM that are identical in everyway to the Corsair Dominator Platnium and just put their name on it. They could have made their own design, their own look, heck similar design but with their own twist to it. But nope. They went with exact replica, but the aluminum for the heat sink is super thin, and paint job is poor (in the RAM example)

That is the problem. They applied no real improvements, they just take what exists now, and make it cheaper. That is all.

One could argue that Fractal Design R series is like Antec P180 series back then. Sure. But if you put them side by side, The Fractal Design is visually different, and have it's own set of improvements (which were substantial in their case)