Why You Can Trust CNET Spire Pininfarina review: Spire Pininfarina
Spire Pininfarina
Dan Ackerman Editorial Director / Computers and Gaming
Dan Ackerman leads CNET's coverage of computers and gaming hardware. A New York native and former radio DJ, he's also a regular TV talking head and the author of "The Tetris Effect" (Hachette/PublicAffairs), a non-fiction gaming and business history book that has earned rave reviews from the New York Times, Fortune, LA Review of Books, and many other publications.
"Upends the standard Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs/Mark Zuckerberg technology-creation myth... the story shines." -- The New York Times
Expertise I've been testing and reviewing computer and gaming hardware for over 20 years, covering every console launch since the Dreamcast and every MacBook...ever. Credentials
- Author of the award-winning, NY Times-reviewed nonfiction book The Tetris Effect; Longtime consumer technology expert for CBS Mornings
While most nontraditional midtower cases look like they were invented by neon-addicted LAN-party veterans, Spire had the aluminum curves of its new $99 Pininfarina case sculpted by the legendary car design company of the same name. Founded in 1930, Pininfarina has designed cars for Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, and Maserati. Its take on the PC case echoes the aerodynamic lines of a sports car, with a solid aluminum exterior marred only by a plastic front-panel door hinge that keeps the door from lining up perfectly.
Both of the side panels are made to either drop down flat or lift off completely, thanks to a unique tabbed design and easy-to-grip handles. The easy right-side access makes attaching a motherboard (micro, standard, or extended ATX) a breeze. Inside there's room for three 5.25-inch drives and two 3.5-inch drives, plus a four-slot hard drive cage. One welcome note is the illustrated instructional stickers throughout that explain how to install fans and optical drives. The turnkey drive rails; unique, rotating, removable hard drive cage; and a hidden compartment of screws and accessories are all noteworthy innovations but are sometimes slightly awkward to use in real-world situations.
Both of the side panels are made to either drop down flat or lift off completely, thanks to a unique tabbed design and easy-to-grip handles. The easy right-side access makes attaching a motherboard (micro, standard, or extended ATX) a breeze. Inside there's room for three 5.25-inch drives and two 3.5-inch drives, plus a four-slot hard drive cage. One welcome note is the illustrated instructional stickers throughout that explain how to install fans and optical drives. The turnkey drive rails; unique, rotating, removable hard drive cage; and a hidden compartment of screws and accessories are all noteworthy innovations but are sometimes slightly awkward to use in real-world situations.