MSI Maestro 700L PZ PC Case Review
Conclusion & Video – Great case, a few caveats
Conclusion – MSI, we love it!
Most of the time, when we look at PC cases from hardware manufacturers like MSI, ASUS, and Gigabyte, we often see them as “fanboy” cases. These cases are for the enthusiasts who want matching hardware inside their rigs, and have chosen a specific brand to theme their PC around. The downside of this is that cases from these brands aren’t that appealing for users with mixed components or minimal brand preference. With the Maestro, MSI have created a case that is appealing to all PC enthusiasts.
While the layout of the Maestro isn’t that unusual, MSI has made some bold choices when designing their Maestro chassis. MSI’s 270-degree tempered glass side panel looks incredible, and it is worth noting that bending a tempered glass sheet of this side is a challenging process. That challenge makes panels like this expensive, which is why most PC cases use multiple glass panels to create a similar effect.
The main selling point of MSI’s Maestro 700L PZ is its appearance. This is a beautiful looking PC case. Out of the box this case supports Project Zero/Back-Connect motherboards, which means that it supports “hidden cable” motherboards. This allows PC builders to create ultra-clean PCs inside this case. That said, traditional motherboards can also be used within this case, so you don’t need to go “cable-free” with this case.
This case is expensive
With an asking price of $419, the MSI Maestro is an expensive case. With no included fans, PC enthusiasts will need to spend a lot of money to build a PC inside this case. For many PC builders, MSI’s Maestro is simply unaffordable. This is a top-class product from MSI, and it is very well built. MSI’s pricing reflects this. This case is for top class PCs, and by top class I mean expensive.
The Maestro has all the space that PC builders will need for large motherboards, graphics cards, and liquid cooling solutions. This case can accommodate 10 fans, making it an airflow monster. It also contain GPUs up to 430mm long, which means that even the most monstrous RTX 4090 GPUs will fit.
The Maestro is the best case that MSI has ever made
MSI’s Maestro is the best case that MSI has ever made. While it has its flaws, it is a beautiful chassis that is worthy of storing top-tier PCs. Yes, it would have benefitted from some better cable management options. Yes, the bottom dust filter should have been more accessible. And yes, the brushed metal elements of this case is a dirt-magnet. Despite this, MSI’s Maestro 700L PZ is a case that is worthy of praise. This isn’t your typical “brand x” fanboy case, it is a beautiful enclosure that I can see a lot of enthusiasts falling in love with.
With its bold design and non-standard characteristics, I feel that MSI’s Maestro 700L PZ is worthy of OC3D’s Innovation Award. It takes guts to go for manufacturing techniques that your competitors avoid. It also takes guts to break the mould and try something a little different. While there are some design improvements that we would suggest for a hypothetical “Maestro 2”, there is no getting around the fact that we love this case.
You can join the discussion on MSI’s Maestro 700L PZ Case on the OC3D Forums.
