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[nextpage title=”Introduction”]

The L-1200 V.REX is an upgraded version of the L-600 V.REX Jr. mid-tower case from the South-Korean 3R System. Let’s see what is new.

In Figures 1 and 2, you have an overall look at the L-1200.

Figure 1: 3R System L-1200 V.REX case

Figure 2: 3R System L-1200 V.REX case

The right-side panel of this case has a bump, which allows you to route cables behind the motherboard tray, feature not available on the L-600. The left-side panel has a big dark transparent window, feature not available on the L-600. The L-600, however, has a mesh on its left panel, where you can install two fans.

Figure 3: Left panel

[nextpage title=”The Front Panel”]The front panel of the L-1200 can be seen in Figure 4, and it is identical to the front panel of the L-600. This case has three 5.25” bays and one external 3.5” bay. The 5.25” bay covers are meshed featuring air filters. At the bottom part of the front panel the L-1200 comes with a 120 mm fan, which glows blue when turned on and also having an air filter. No technical details about this fan were provided.

Figure 4: Front panel

Figure 5: Front fan

Between the 5.25” and the 3.5” bay the L-1200 has four USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port, and the traditional audio jacks (see Figure 6). And on the plastic part attached to the top panel, the L-1200 has two USB 3.0 ports and three fan controllers, for the front, rear, and top fans. Each controller has three positions: off, low, and high. Here the L-1200 is also identical to the L-600.

Figure 6: Buttons and connectors

Figure 7: USB 3.0 ports and fan controllers

[nextpage title=”The Top, Bottom and Rear Panels”]

The top panel of the L-1200, which is identical to the top panel of the L-600, can be seen in Figure 8. It features two 120 mm fans. No technical details about them were provided.

Figure 8: Top panel

The bottom panel, which is also identical to the bottom panel of the L-600, features two removable air filters, one for the power supply fan and one for the air intake available below the hard disk drive cage.

Figure 9: Bottom panel

In Figure 10, you can see the rear panel of the L-1200. Here there is one important difference between the L-1200 and the L-600: while the L-600 uses an 80 mm fan on its rear panel, the L-1200 comes with a 120 mm fan. A minor difference is that the L-600 comes with five slot covers that need to be broken and tossed away to allow the use of the corresponding slot, while on the L-1200 all slot covers are reusable. The rest, however, is identical.

The two blue cables are connected to the USB 3.0 ports, and must be installed on the USB 3.0 ports available on the rear panel of the motherboard. The power supply is installed at the bottom of the case, and the rear panel and the interior of the case are painted black. The L-1200 has seven expansion slots, but the slot covers aren’t vented. The case also features a tab for installing a pad lock or a warranty seal to prevent unauthorized people from opening the case.

Figure 10: Rear panel

Let’s now take a look inside the L-1200 V.REX

[nextpage title=”Inside the L-1200 V.REX”]

Both panels are attached to the chassis using black thumbscrews – on the L-600 only the left panel uses thumscrews. The motherboard tray has a huge hole around the area where the CPU is installed, so you can replace the backplate of the CPU cooler without the need to remove your motherboard. Because of the bump on the right-side panel, the L-1200 allows you to route cables behind the motherboard tray, which has several holes and clips for you to fasten cables using ties. This feature is not available on the L-600.

Figure 11: Overall look

Figure 12: A view behind the motherboard tray

Another feature that is new with the L-1200 is the presence of a 120 mm (which glows blue when turned on) that comes attached to a slot cover, allowing you to move it to the “best” place for cooling your system (the L-600 comes with the bracket to install this fan, but the fan is not included). This fan is not connected to the included fan controller, and it uses a regular peripheral power connector, so you can’t monitor its speed. Expansion cards are fastened to the chassis using regular black screws.

The L-1200 supports video cards up to 11” (280 mm) long.

Figure 13: Overall look

In the L-1200 you can install the power supply with its bottom fan facing up or facing down, so you will have to decide if you want the power supply to be pulling cool air from outside the case (fan facing down) or hot air from inside the case (fan facing up). The case comes with a removable air filter for the power supply fan on its bottom panel, as shown before. There is an air mesh below the hard drive cage, but you can’t install a fan on it.

Figure 14: Power supply compartment

[nextpage title=”The Disk Drive Bays”]

The L-1200 comes with three 5.25” external bays, one external 3.5” bay, and three internal 3.5” bays. The external 3.5” bay can be used by a hard drive, so you can have up to four hard drives if you don’t have an external 3.5” device. The only difference between the L-1200 and the L-600 is the presence of two tool-less installation mechanisms for 5.25” devices on the L-1200.

Figure 15: Disk drive bays

The hard disk drive bays feature a unique suspension mechanism, and the cage is removable, see Figure 16.

Figure 16: Hard drive cage

The case comes with a “multi bracket” adapter, which was hard to figure out its use, since the product doesn’t come with a manual and the manufacturer website doesn’t provide much information about it (even if it had, it is hard to understand the broken English used by 3R System). After a while figuring it out, we came to the conclusion that this adapter can be installed in the 5.25” bays for you to either install an extra 120 mm fan, a 3.5” or a 2.5” drive, such an SSD unit. However, since 3.5” hard drives are quite heavy, we don’t recommend using this bracket to install this kind of device.

Figure 17: Adapter

[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]

The main specs for the 3R System L-1200 V.REX case include:

• Style: Mid-tower
• Application: ATX and smaller form factors derived from this one
• Power supply: Doesn’t come with the product
• Available colors: Black
• Material: Steel
• Side panel: Dark transparent window
• Dimensions: 18.2 x 8.7 x 19.9 inches (463 x 220 x 505 mm) (H x W x D)
• Net weight: 16.5 lbs (7.6 kg)
• Gross weight: 19 lbs (8.8 kg)
• Bays: Three external 5.25” bays, one external 3.5” bay, three internal 3.5” bays, and one extra 3.5” or 2.5” space if the included adapter is used
• Expansion slots: Seven
• Maximum video card length: 11” (280 mm)
• Maximum CPU cooler height: NA
• Fans: One 120 mm fan on the front panel, two 120 mm fans on the top panel, one 120 mm fan on the rear panel, and one 120 mm fan installed on an expansion slot
• Optional fans: One 120 mm fan inside the 5.25” bays using the included adapter
• Extra features: Fan speed controllers for the top, rear and front fans
• More Information: https://www.3rsys.com
• MSRP: NA

[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]

The 3R System L-1200 V.REX is clearly targeted to users on budget that want a nice-looking case with lots of options usually only seen on more expensive models. The L-1200 is a no-brainer if you fall in this category – and can find it for sale in your country (unfortunately this case is not sold in North America).

Strong Points

• Air filter for the front fan
• Air filter for the power supply
• Meshed 5.25” bay covers with air filters
• Supports 2.5” hard drives or SSDs (if the included bracket is used)
• A huge hole in the motherboard tray for accessing the backplate of the CPU cooler
• Holes allowing you to route cables behind the motherboard tray
• Two USB 3.0 ports
• eSATA port
• Individual speed controllers for the top, rear, and front fans
• Removable hard drive cage
• Suspension mechanism for the hard drives
• No sharp edges where you could cut yourself while building your computer

Weak Points

• No tool-less installation mechanisms for expansion cards
• Tool-less installation mechanisms available only on two 5.25” bays