Thermaltake CTE E600 MX – World Exclusive Review

Thermaltake has launched a new case named CTE E600 MX that supports multiple radiators up to 420mm in size. As the name suggests this new model uses their CTE form factor, which stands for Centralized Thermal Efficiency and means the motherboard is rotated to allow an updraught heat path. The big news for KitGuru is that we have a world exclusive review of this case so you won't see it anywhere else in January 2024.

Time stamps

00:00 Introduction
00:55 Some details
02:17 A closer look / stripped down
05:01 What is CTE Form factor?
05:16 Accessories pack and system install
11:24 Installing an AIO and fans – cooling support
15:34 System is built – leos thoughts so far
19:02 Thermal and Noise testing
20:21 Is it worth buying? – Leos conclusion

Main features

• CTE Form Factor (Centralized Thermal Efficiency) Designed by Thermaltake
• Mid-Tower with dual chambers design
• Includes mounting bracket and a riser cable for three ways of GPU installation
• Dual front panels: tempered glass and perforated metal mesh (tool-free)
• Supports up to 14x 120mm or 12x 140mm fans
• Supports 420mm radiators at the front, rear, bottom and the motherboard side
• Three colour options: Black, Snow and Hydrangea Blue

Specification:

• Motherboard support: E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX.
• Power supply support: ATX.
• Expansion slots: 7.
• Included fans: None.
• Fan mounts: 3x 120mm/140mm front, 2x 120mm roof, 3x 120mm/140mm motherboard side, 3x 120mm/140mm rear, 3x 120mm/140mm floor.
• Radiator mounts: 360mm/420mm front, 240mm roof, 360mm/420mm motherboard side, 360mm/420mm rear, 360mm/420mm floor (custom loop only).
• 5.25-inch optical drive bays: None.
• Internal drive bays: 2x 3.5-inch, 2x 2.5-inch.
• Front I/O ports: 2x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, audio.
• Dimensions: 559mm H x 513mm D x 270mm W.

Testing

To put this case through its cooling paces we will be using a test system consisting of an Intel Core i9-14900K, RTX 4080 and an SSD. This system allows us to produce a substantial amount of heat and effectively test the Thermaltake CTE E600 MX's cooling capabilities.

Test System:

• Processor: Intel Core i9-14900K
• CPU Cooler: Thermaltake TH360 V2 Ultra ARGB Sync Snow Edition AIO cooler £160
• Case fans: 2x triple pack SWAFAN EX12 ARGB Sync PC Cooling Fan White £75 each
• Motherboard: NZXT N7 Z790
• Memory: Thermaltake TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 Memory DDR5 620x
• Graphics card: Sapphire Radeon RX 6950 XT Nitro+ Pure 16GB
• Power supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 Snow 1050W £140
• SSD: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus M.2 NVMe
• OS: Windows 11

Cooling Performance

Cooling Performance Overview

KitGuru was impressed by the cooling performance and while we were testing on a chilly British day, it was clear the CTE E600 MX case has been designed to flow air. Indeed we started our review assuming we would use the perforated front panel and ended up using the tempered glass as it looks good and the case still performed well.

Closing Thoughts

We went in to a fair amount of detail in the video showing the various options for installing a graphics card in the Thermaltake CTE E600 MX, and there was a good reason for the approach. The easiest and quickest way to do the job is to plug it directly in your motherboard and while that will certainly work well it means you are not using the PCIe Gen 4 riser or the accessory brackets, and that makes the case expensive.

Alternatively if you go for the Floating GPU approach you will use the various accessories and will build a PC that looks quite different, however, as we detail in our video, it makes life tricky when you connect your monitor(s) to your graphics card.

Thermaltake has demonstrated just how difficult it is to come up with a genuinely new approach to PC cases as you might win in one area and then lose in another. We can see the struggles they faced with the CTE E600 MX and the final result is impressively good, despite the odd snag here and there. You can pack an impressive amount of hardware inside this case, yet you can be confident it will end up looking good and should perform as well – or better – than a conventional PC.

You can buy the Thermaltake CTE E600 MX for £199 inc VAT (all three colours).

Pros:

• Excellent cooling.
• Supplied with a choice of two front panels.
• Mid-sized case that supports loads of cooling options.
• Includes a PCIe Gen 4.0 riser.
• You can install your graphics card three ways.

Cons:

• High price and the case is supplied without any fans.
• Relatively few choices for HDD and SSD storage.
• CTE layout means the rear I/O panel is on the top.
• With the Floating GPU bracket you have very little space for HDMI and DP cables.

KitGuru says: The Thermaltake CTE E600 MX is interesting, different and offers a colour we have not previously seen. Most importantly of all, it performs like a champ.

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