Custom PC UKの July 2016 の目次

_upthesaddlers Can confirm mug is noodle approved. AlexOGrady Help! I can’t find a decent Z170 Micro ATX motherboard with 2 Ethernet ports. 1 for Synology NAS, other for interwebs, options? Ben: These days, I’d just connect all of them to my router so that my other devices can all share the both the NAS and the Internet connection. Assuming you don’t have a router, though, your options are going to be pretty limited in the micro-ATX world (as you’ve found). You may well be better off just installing a 2x PCI-E network card to use in addition to the port on the board. QwertyDesignUK First 60 @CustomPCMag from back in October 2003 when AMD were the kings of the CPU. Ben: Very nice! AMD’s AMD64 architecture was fantastic against Intel’s…

The Omron switches provide precise and crisp feedback SUPPLIER www.overclockers.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Connection Wired, USB Sensor Optical Resolution 4,000dpi Cable Braided Material Plastic Extras None Many mouse manufacturers are currently locked in a feature race, adding more buttons, RGB lighting, higher resolutions and software-enhanced macro support to their mice. But a few companies, such as Zowie, SteelSeries and Swedish firm Xtrfy, are doubling down on quality. The latter’s XG-M2-NiP demonstrates this quality in a number of ways. Firstly, there are the materials. The soft-touch rubberised coating is very pleasant to hold, and the textured sides prevent the mouse body from being too slippery too. You also get a big pair of Teflon feet to keep gliding as smooth as possible, and the braided cable is fixed with a solid anchoring…

The 92mm cooling fan is practically inaudible for the most part SUPPLIER www.ebuyer.com Synology’s new DS216j makes a good first impression by costing £13 less than the launch price of the DS215j, and it upgrades some of the latter’s specs too. The CPU has been changed from an 800MHz Marvell Armada 375 dual-core CPU to a 1GHz Armada 385, although the 512MB of DDR3 memory remains unchanged. To cater for the latest hard disks, the base specification now supports up to 8TB drives as well – up from 6TB with the DS215j – bringing the total supported storage to 16TB, if you opt for a basic or JBOD RAID array. The two USB ports at the rear are now both of the USB 3 variety too – good for…

Explaining complicated concepts simply isn’t easy, but Randal Munroe (of XKCD fame) has nailed it. Limiting himself to the 1,000 most commonly used English words, Thing Explainer dissects and explains the workings of everything from a Saturn V rocket through to a laptop, all in an adorably whimsical child-like tone. A CPU becomes a ‘thinking box’ for example, while a plane becomes a ‘sky boat’. All the explanations are accompanied by large exploded diagrams, each with a wealth of detail. It’s ideal for kids into science, but many of our office’s big kids also appreciated Munroe’s subtle wit and beautiful illustrations. SUPPLIER www.amazon.co.uk…

SUPPLIER www.overclockers.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 220 x 523 x 484 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black Weight 8kg Front panel 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, headphone, mic Drive bays 2 x 5.25in, 7 x 3.5in/2.5in Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 2 x 140mm/120mm front fan mounts (1 x 120mm fan included), 1 x 120mm rear fan mount (fan included), 2 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts CPU cooler clearance 170mm Maximum graphics card length 317mm Extras Removable dust filters, internal fan control switches The Antec P100 has been around for a few years now. It carries signature styling for a low-noise case, with its plain, minimalist panels clad in black. Build quality on the whole is very good, but a few…

SUPPLIER www.ebuyer.com /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 230 x 502 x 507 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black, black and white, black and green Weight 8.9kg Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, headphone, mic Drive bays 3 x 5.25in, 7 x 3.5in/2.5in, 3 x 2.5in Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX Cooling 1 x 200mm/180mm or 2 x 140mm/120mm front fan mounts (200mm fan included), 1 x 120mm rear fan mount (fan included), 1 x 200mm or 2 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts, 1 x 120mm bottom fan mount, 1 x 120mm internal HDD cage mount CPU cooler clearance 171mm Maximum graphics card length 423mm Extras Removable dust filters The CM 690 III is dominated by mesh at the front and top,…

SUPPLIER www.box.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 210 x 473 x 440 (W x D x H) Material Steel, tempered glass Available colours Black and red, white and black Weight 5.9kg Front panel Power, reset, 1 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, headphone, mic Drive bays 3 x 5.25in, 4 x 3.5in/2.5in, 2 x 2.5in Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 2 x 120mm front fan mounts (1 x 120mm fan included), 1 x 120mm rear fan mount (fan included), 1 x 120mm bottom fan mount CPU cooler clearance 200mm Maximum graphics card length 408mm Extras Removable dust filters, fan controller The standout feature of the In Win 503 is its tempered glass front panel. This material is practically never seen at this price point, and it certainly adds some…

SUPPLIER www.overclockers.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 210 x 470 x 465 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black, gunmetal grey, white Weight 7kg Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, headphone, mic Drive bays 2 x 3.5in/2.5in, 2 x 2.5in (4 x 3.5in/2.5in available via optional brackets) Form factor(s) E-ATX, ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm front fan mounts (1 x 120mm fan included), 1 x 120mm rear fan mount (120mm fan included), 2 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts CPU cooler clearance 170mm Maximum graphics card length 395mm Extras Removable dust filters, fan controller For a £55 case, the P400S is surprisingly weighty and sturdy. It has an all-metal exterior, with the roof and front panels, which are plastic at…

SUPPLIER www.box.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS CPU 4GHz Intel Core i7-6700K overclocked to 4.7GHz Motherboard Asus Maximus VIII Hero Memory 32GB Corsair Vengeance LPX 3000MHz DDR4 Graphics Asus GeForce GTX 980 4GB Storage 256GB Samsung 950 Pro M.2 SSD, 2TB Seagate hybrid hard disk Case Corsair Graphite 760T V2 Cooling CPU: Corsair Hydro H110i with 2 x 140mm fans; GPU: 2 x 90mm fans; front: 2 x 140mm fans; rear: 1 x 140mm fan PSU Corsair HX750i 750W Ports Front: 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, 2 x audio; rear: 2 x USB 3, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 4 x USB 2, 1 x PS/2, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x optical S/PDIF, 5 x audio Operating system Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit Warranty…

DEVELOPER From Software / PUBLISHER Namco Bandai / WEBSITE www.darksouls3.com Dark Souls has slowly gathered a reputation as one of the best games ever made. Its emphasis on learning, discovery and interpretation broke the mould in an industry terrified of ambiguity and challenge. Dark Souls arrests the player’s attention with its uncompromising difficulty, forcing players to rewire their gaming brains. Through this altered perspective, the game reveals a new approach to storytelling, environmental puzzling, combat and multiplayer gaming that’s integrated into a seamless whole. If Dark Souls was the gaming equivalent of Keats’ Grecian Urn, however, then Dark Souls II was an urn that had been dropped and hastily glued back together. While resembling the elegance and form of the original, and exhibiting some refinements on the initial design, it…

DEVELOPER IO Interactive /PUBLISHER Square Enix /WEBSITE www.hitman.com After three Hitman games best described as ‘good, but not great’, the series hit a high with Blood Money, one of the best sandbox games ever. Hitman: Absolution came a few years later, but it was decidedly mediocre third-person action game that forgot nearly all the lessons learned from Blood Money. This latest game, simply titled Hitman, promises a return to the open design and creative play that made Blood Money such a landmark title, albeit via a peculiar episodic release format. Indeed, the first episode only contains one true Hitman mission, although it’s probably the best individual Hitman mission ever created. Hitman takes us back to the formative years of chrome-domed professional murderer Agent 47. It guides us through 47’s training…

TOOLS YOU’LL NEED Acrylic sheet / www.plasticsheets.com Primer, matt and gloss spray paint / Most hardware stores Dremel and attachments or jigsaw / Most hardware stores RGB LED strips or kit / www.scan.co.uk Frog tape / Most hardware stores While the world of PC modding partly stems from early PC enthusiasts tinkering with their cases to improve their layout, features or cooling, making them look good was also a big driver in what’s now a massive, international modding scene. Many of the original techniques, such as adding LED fans and lighting are still popular today, but there’s now a much wider range of techniques used, and off-the-shelf parts are now so popular and varied that they make up their own industry. Best of all is that, while some methods require…

Corsair graphite Series 230T case and RM 550w Modular power supply TOTAL VALUE £150 inc VAT / MANUFACTURER www.corsair.com Corsair believes that a great PC starts with a great case. The Corsair Graphite Series 230T is a compact expression of this core philosophy. With stylish looks and a choice of three different colours, it packs in a remarkable number of features to provide builders with tonnes of room for expansion and amazing cooling potential. Like all Corsair cases, it’s built using the finest materials and finished to the highest standards, so it will withstand several years of upgrades. Plus, to make sure it stand outs from the crowd, the 230T features Corsair’s new Air Series LED high-airflow fans, providing distinctive lighting with low-noise, high-airflow cooling. Just as a quality case…

Galactic colonisation is the core objective of Cosmic Encounter, with players racing to set up colonies outside their starting system. These colonies can be founded via cosy, mutually beneficial alliances, or by raining down fire and brimstone on an unsuspecting planet until you receive compliance. It’s your choice. The real texture of the game appears in the alien races that you play, however. There are 50 different sides, each with unique rules, some of which wildly alter the core mechanics. Play with the full five players (which is best in our experience) and no two games will ever quite be the same. Add in the fact that alliance building (and breaking) is encouraged, and that part of a player’s strength is hidden in their hand cards, and you end up…

PROCESSORS We judge CPUs on whether they offer sufficient speed for the price. Part of a CPU’s speed score comes from how overclockable it is. Every type of CPU is tested in the same PC, so all results are directly comparable. INTEL LGA1151 INTEL LGA2011 V3 AMD FM2+ COMMON COMPONENTS TESTS: We use Custom PC RealBench 2015, Cinebench R11.5 and a variety of games. We also test the power draw of the test PC with the CPU installed. These tests reveal a broad range of performance characteristics, from image editing to gaming and video encoding to 3D rendering. We run all tests at stock speed and again when overclocked to its highest frequency. *Please note: We test AMD FM2+ APUs using the on-board graphics, not the AMD Radeon R9 390X…

SUPPLIER www.scan.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 230 x 495 x 493 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic, nylon Available colours Black, black and orange, black and silver Weight 8kg Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, headphone, mic Drive bays 3 x 5.25in, 3 x 3.5in, 3 x 2.5in Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 2 x 140mm/120mm front fan mounts (1 x 140mm fan included), 1 x 120mm rear fan mount (fan included), 2 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts, 1 x 140mm/120mm bottom fan mount CPU cooler clearance 167mm Maximum graphics card length 290mm (400mm without hard drive cage) Extras Removable dust filters, fan controller The Silent Base 600 is one of the more expensive cases in our Labs, but the build…

SUPPLIER www.scan.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 215 x 425 x 464 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black, white Weight 8.2kg Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, headphone, mic Drive bays 2 x 3.5in/2.5in, 3 x 2.5in Form factor(s) E-ATX, ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm front fan mounts (140mm fan included), 1 x 120mm rear fan mount (fan included), 2 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts CPU cooler clearance 170mm Maximum graphics card length 370mm Extras Removable dust filters, PSU cover The 400C impresses as soon as you lay eyes and hands on it. While some plastic is used, the external surfaces are all steel, except for the large windowed side panel. It’s sturdy and solid on the outside,…

SUPPLIER www.quietpc.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 200 x 475 x 430 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black Weight 9.9kg Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, 1 x USB 2, headphone, mic Drive bays 2 x 5.25in, 2 x 3.5in/2.5in, 2 x 3.5in, 6 x 2.5in Form factor(s) XL-ATX, ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 2 x 140mm/120mm front fan mounts (2 x 140mm fans included), 1 x 140mm/120mm rear fan mount (140mm fan included), 3 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts, 1 x 140mm/120mm bottom fan mount, 2 x 140mm/120mm internal fan mounts CPU cooler clearance 185mm Maximum graphics card length 430mm Extras Removable dust filters, fan controller, front LEDs The brand-new CoolForce 2 from Nanoxia impresses at first, thanks to its rugged steel exterior and…

CPC: What custom Parvum cases have you made that aren’t currently available off the shelf? Parvum: We’ve produced several game-themed cases for Nvidia’s ‘share every win’ giveaways, and for modders and customers around the world. Not all themed cases are inspired by games; some have been designed in response to PC hardware releases, films, sports teams or notable brands. Modders have typically received not only aesthetically revised cases, but also new layouts and designs, such as jameswalt1’s vertically orientated ITX Parvum Warfare case, and MunneY’s double wide mATX eNVy, which has a reservoir integrated into the midwall. CPC: What customisations have you made to your cases for customers? Parvum: The most common modifications are the additions of clan names or logos in the form of window etchings and inlays, inverted…

DEVELOPER LucasArts / Double Fine/ PUBLISHER Double Fine/ WEBSITE http://dott.doublefine.com Monkey Island may be LucasArts’ most critically acclaimed adventure game, but Day of the Tentacle is probably the studio’s finest point-and-click work. The sequel to the groundbreaking Maniac Mansion, Day of the Tentacle continues its madcap story of crackpot scientists and sentient arthropod limbs with an even zanier premise and brilliantly bamboozling puzzles. Double Fine’s update of the 1993 classic provides a visual overhaul of the original pixel art, a remastered soundtrack and orchestral score, and a modernised UI that makes interactions faster and simpler without compromising the hallmark humorous red herrings. It’s a decent update, although not a spectacular one. The art looks a little rushed in places, while the sharper images starkly contrast with the spartan animations that…

By far the most effective way to revolutionise your PC’s appearance is to grab a few spray cans. However, there are several distinct ways you can spray your PC and numerous bits of hardware you can paint too. We’ll be looking at six of these that don’t require masses of space as well as covering the paints you should use, and also looking at custom services that mean you can get your case or components sprayed by a third party. PAINTING FANS Most fans are black, which means you don’t necessarily have to paint them if you’re colour-matching all the different details of your case, but painting the blades can look especially good when they’re rotating. Ideally, you want to remove the blades from the chassis, if possible. You can…

TOTAL PROJECT TIME / 6 HOURS The ultimate realism when it comes to flight sims is creating a cockpit, and while most of us don’t have the room for a full-sized cockpit, it’s possible to use Saitek’s gear to create a control panel that makes flying a range of planes in many games much more realistic. Of course, many sims render fully working instruments, but there are also real USB instruments available, covering all sorts of gear, from artificial horizons to radio stacks and autopilots, enabling you to create replicas of many popular aircraft instrument panels. Basically, instead of fiddling around on-screen, you can use these replica panels, making for an easier, more immersive experience. In this guide, we look at a range of gear that suits a variety of…

A single piece of aluminium wraps around the entire outer edge SUPPLIER www.scan.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 231 x 575 x540(WxDxH) Material Aluminium, glass Available colours Black, silver Weight 17kg Front panel Power, 3 x USB 3, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, stereo, mic Drive bays 6 x 2.5in, 4 x 3.5in/2.5in Form factor(s) ATX, E-ATX, Micro-ATX Cooling 2 x 120mm/140mm front fan mounts (fans not included), 1 x 120mm mid fan mounts (fans not included), 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm rear fan mount (fans not included), 2 x 120/140mm bottom fan mounts (fans not included) CPU cooler clearance 175mm Maximum graphics card length 320mm If we told you five years ago that In Win would be making some of the most desirable, premium PC cases on the market, you…

EXTREME ULTRA Some products are gloriously over the top. These items of excellent overkill earn our Extreme Ultra award. PREMIUM GRADE Premium Grade products are utterly desirable – we’d eat nothing but beans until we could afford them. PROFESSIONAL Products worthy of the Professional award make you and your business appear even more awesome. APPROVED Approved products are those that do a great job for the money; they’re the canny purchase for a great PC. CUSTOM KIT For those gadgets and gizmos that really impress us, or that we can’t live without, there’s the Custom Kit award.…

SUPPLIER www.overclockers.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 288 x 380 x 380 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black, white Weight 6.35kg Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, headphone, mic Drive bays 1 x 5.25in, 4 x 3.5in/2.5in, 1 x 2.5in Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 1 x 200mm or 2 x 140mm or 4 x 120mm front fan mounts (4 x 120mm fans included), 1 x 120mm and 1 x 92mm rear fan mounts (120mm fan included), 2 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts, 1 x 120mm bottom fan mount CPU cooler clearance 174mm Maximum graphics card length 348mm Extras Removable dust filters, fan controller The AI-07BW is unique in this Labs for its dual chamber design, whereby the motherboard…

SUPPLIER www.overclockers.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 205 x 490 x 460 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black, white Weight 5.9kg Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, headphone, mic Drive bays 3 x 5.25in, 1 x 3.5in/2.5in, 8 x 3.5in Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 2 x 120mm front fan mounts, 1 x 120mm/92mm rear fan mount (120mm fan included), 2 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts, 1 x 120mm bottom fan mount CPU cooler clearance 161mm Maximum graphics card length 320mm Extras Removable dust filters The Shinobi is a bit of a veteran in BitFenix’s line-up, but it’s still readily available and has been given a few minor upgrades for the modern age. One such upgrade is the addition…

SUPPLIER www.scan.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 233 x 533 x 465 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black Weight 8.5kg Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, headphone, mic Drive bays 3 x 3.5in/2.5in, 2 x 2.5in Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 3 x 140mm/120mm front fan mounts (1 x 140mm fan included), 1 x 140mm/120mm rear fan mount (140mm fan included), 3 x 140mm/120mm roof fan mounts, 1 x 140mm/120mm bottom fan mount CPU cooler clearance 180mm Maximum graphics card length 425mm Extras Removable dust filters, fan mount blanking plates Fractal’s Define S is rather plain-looking but its minimalism has a certain elegance. Plastic is used on the front and roof but, on the front at least, it has an attractive faux brushed-metal…

SUPPLIER www.overclockers.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 220 x 480 x 513 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black, white, black and red, black and blue Weight 10.16kg Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, headphone, mic Drive bays 6 x 3.5in/2.5in, 5 x 3.5in, 2 x 2.5in Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm front fan mounts (3 x 120mm fans included), 1 x 140mm/120mm rear fan mount (140mm fan included), 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm roof fan mounts CPU cooler clearance 180mm Maximum graphics card length 428mm Extras Removable dust filters, PWM fan hub, I/O panel LED, internal logo LED The H440 was renewed last year with a few minor upgrades. It’s…

SUPPLIER www.scan.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions (mm) 217 x 463 x 513 (W x D x H) Material Steel, plastic Available colours Black, white Weight 4.6kg Front panel Power, reset, 1 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, headphone, mic Drive bays 1 x 5.25in, 4 x 3.5in/2.5in, 1 x 2.5in Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX Cooling 2 x 120mm front fan mounts, 1 x 120mm rear fan mount (fan included), 2 x 120mm roof fan mounts CPU cooler clearance 160mm Maximum graphics card length 360mm Extras Removable dust filters Thermaltake’s Versa N21 will set you back just £35, making it the least expensive chassis on test. The construction quality, while not awful, is the least impressive of the bunch, though, with lots of glossy and reflective plastic used on the…

SUPPLIER www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk /SPECIFICATIONS CPU 3.5GHz Intel Core i5-6600K overclocked to 4.6GHz Motherboard MSI Z170A SLI Memory 8GB 2400MHz Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 Graphics XFX AMD Radeon R9 390 Storage 240GB Corsair Neutron XT SSD; 1TB hard disk Case Corsair Carbide 600C Cooling CPU: Corsair Hydro H55 with 1 x 120mm fan; GPU: 2 x 90mm fans; front: 2 x 140mm fans PSU Corsair VS650 650W Ports Front: 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, 2 x audio; rear: 2 x USB 3, 2 x USB 2, 2 x PS/2, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet, 6 x audio Operating system Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit Warranty Two years parts and labour, plus one year labour only. One month collect and return, then return to base…

Jalopy DEVELOPER Minskworks / RELEASE Out Now (Early Access) Perhaps the first road trip simulator, Jalopy involves navigating a dilapidated Laika 601 Deluxe through the crumbling remnants of the Soviet Union. Starting at a garage in East Germany, you navigate procedurally generated roads and countryside inspired by the Eastern-bloc countries of the early 1990s, maintaining and upgrading your car as you progress. It’s an ingenious concept that blends the freedom and wanderlust of walking simulators with detailed car simulation. Various aspects of your car must be monitored and maintained, including its fuel use, tyre condition and engine parts. Carburettors, batteries and fuel tanks can all be damaged, repaired and upgraded. Miss the opportunity to refuel and you could end up stranded at the roadside, faced with a long rainy walk…

As a general rule, I try to steer clear of crowd-funding sites such as Kickstarter. It isn’t solely because you’re often putting down real money on someone else’s dream with no guarantee they have what it takes to see the project through to completion, but also because I’m an absolute sucker for a gimmick and would burn through all my money in a matter of moments backing various esoteric products. A fine example being this set of vintage computing Top Trumps cards. Neither created nor endorsed by Dubreq, Waddingtons, Winning Moves UK or any other company with a right to the Top Trumps trademark, these cards from one-man startup 8bitkick will nevertheless be familiar to fans of the game. Each card is adorned with a full colour image along with…

/MEET THY MAKER Name Alain Simpels Age 32 Location Antwerp, Belgium Occupation I work in the port of Antwerp Main uses for PC Gaming, multimedia and showcasing my mod Likes Game of Thrones, motorcycles pasta and PC modding Dislikes Politics, red traffic lights and hardware failures CPC: What originally inspired you to build Tristellar Whetstone? Alain: When I was contacted by Deepcool about building the mod, I originally had no idea what I would make of it. After a few sketches, I found the direction in which I wanted to go. I wanted easy access to the hardware and to add an extra wow factor when you opened the side panels. Making this mod look different from the original design would also require new front grilles, and here I was…