The market for smaller cases has grown more and more over the years. Due to this, companies like InWin have been putting out newer and better cases non stop as of late. Today we look at the updated InWin A1 with the InWin A1 Plus. The A1 Plus builds on a great case and packs it with premium features. Coming in at $199 the A1 Plus Offers upgraded ARGB, Fast Charge Qi Charger, 650Watt Gold Power supply, and dual Sirius Fans.
The InWin A1 features a Qi Charger, RGB bottom Ring and 600 watt bronze Power Supply for only $169
The upgraded specs of the A1 Plus make the $30 higher price over the Standard A1 more than worth it. The ARGB has a truly impressive look to it, making your build really pop over any other ITX build. No matter what angle you look at the A1 Plus, even in a dark or light room, you will be impressed with the dedication to quality they have put into this fine case.
Closer Look
Clean and radiant lighting from the front of the case.
Great airflow from the right side intake to the back of the case, ARGB is solid and bright even out the back and side fan.
Brushed Aluminum Front IO Ports with Dual USB 3.0 and Audio in and out.
Even with the RGB off the case looks sleek and sexy. With the power supply mounted in the front of the case, the power cable is routed to the bottom back making the build look and feel far cleaner and streamlined.
ARGB intake on the side with exhaust on the back is an all round awesome design, giving the GPU great cooling as well as all components in the A1 Plus
The back of the case gives you easy instant access to dual 2.5″ HDD mounts and removing them gives you full access to over 80% of the rear of the motherboard for m.2 install or backplate swaps.
ARGB full ring under the case and 2x 120mm fan mounts, giving you perfect airflow to the GPU itself. The ARGB ring is very bright and truly gives the system a unique look.
Design Pros and Cons
Issues
Though the A1 line is truly a great option we do need to explain any issues we have found with it.
Spacing
- The top of your board will fit almost flush with the top of case, meaning coolers that go over the board will most likely cause you major issues.
Finger Print Magnet
- As you can see from the photo above, the top and side of the A1 Plus will show your fingerprints like no tomorrow on its dual glass surfaces. With that said, they are extremely easy to clean off so this is only a minor cosmetic issue.
Storage Give and Take
- There are zero 3.5″ spaces at all. This is becoming more of the norm but it would be great to see a mount for a single 3.5″ mount on the front of the interior of the case. Modders can easily make this dream a reality, even just 4 holes can do this but will make the front of the case far less streamlined.
Impressive Features
With the negatives out of the way lets look at what we loved about the A1 plus.
ARGB for any board and builder
- The included ARGB fans and ring look amazing. The fact that you do not need to worry about board support due to a included ARGB controller is an absolutely impressive minor yet major feature added by the people at InWin.
Cooling technology flipped on its side
- Cooling for the A1 Plus really changes things up, no longer using the front as the main airflow but the front of the side panel and exhausting out the back. This clean design looks great and functions very well.
Space for power with ease of access like few others
- 330mm for your GPU means almost all high end cards will fit in issue free (ignoring triple slot cards that is, as they will have to go elsewhere)
- Dual 2.5″ bays on the back for plenty of SSD storage
- Easy access under the above 2.5″ slots to the motherboard and rear m.2 give the A1 a step up in build, upgrade quality and ease of access.
No Need for Cables (phone that is)
- The fast charge Qi Charger is amazing, charging your phone fast and making it so most phones can just be thrown on top of the case to charge you up and get you on with your texting, games, and Youtube.
Review Breakdown
InWin Has really gone above any beyond with the A1 Plus. Building in this case will be a pleasure for anyone from first time builders to pros. They have included impressive features for almost every kind of user’s wants and needs. The only issues that may be problematic is a lack of a 240mm rad support and the spacing at the top. Excluding those features, the A1 Plus and A1 really are impressive for their price. Though being over $100 may scare many users away, if you do not have a power supply already the A1 and A1 Plus both feature a solid power supply and great 5 year warranty on the A1 Plus power supply to add to said value.
Packaging and Accessories: 90%
The A1 Plus is very well packed and includes some amazing accessories such as a push button ARGB controller, GPU support bracket, standard zaps, and more.
Build Quality and Warranty: 100%
Solid construction and well built tempered glass mean you can take the A1 plus with you on the road for LAN parties or moving it around your home or office without fear of damaging it. The warranty, though a little confusing, is very impressive. 5 year warranty on the power supply is 2 more than most as well as a 2 year warranty on the fans and case, with 1 year on the Qi charger. This combination of impressive warranty and great build quality leave you with little regrets when buying the A1 Plus.
Functionality and Aesthetics: 90%
With a very innovative cooling design that does not impact but adds to the great aesthetics of the case, the A1 Plus brings in air from the side of the case and exhausts out the back, providing cooling to all the components as well as a large intake right under the GPU means your higher heat GPU’s will not be starved for air. Install and setup is a breeze even for the very new at system building.
Value: 85%
Value maybe harder to define for some with a case coming in at $199, but for that price the value is rather extreme. Qi charger, ARGB fans, RGB controller and ring, tempered glass side, high quality build construction, and above all this a 5 year warranty on a gold standard power 650 watt supply leave little to complain about.
Innovation and Added Features: 95%
InWin has truly impressed with their innovation, The great cooling design, Qi fast charger, ease of access to any aspect of your system, 2 screws to access the back, 2 snaps for the front. Very easy to work with and the ARGB looks absolutely stunning.
Closing Thoughts
More features than almost any case we have seen to date, great style as well as a rock solid power supply. The A1 Plus truly is an excellent case and option for anyone looking to have stylish but easy to work with ITX case.
InWin has moved from a great value OEM case to the high end over the years. Unlike many brands that only add small mods to their cases to make them look a little more appealing, year after year InWin has straight up improved their cases in every way they can as well as come out with truly innovative designs and features.
