Sharkoon Desperado Value review

Sharkoon’s Desperado Value is attractive for a budget case and has some unusual features, including a huge 220mm side-panel fan.

Unlike the fan in Enemax’s PhoenixNeo, it has no variable directional or speed settings and can only be disabled by unplugging it.

The front-panel header cables reach only halfway across the case, which is likely to be a problem with many motherboards. This also makes it more difficult to tie your cable neatly out of the way.

There are four 5?in external bays and six 3?in bays, one of which is external. There are no drive rails, grommets or clips for easy installation. There are also no internal case fans, although the large side fan should provide enough cooling for all but the most powerful components.

The Desperado doesn’t feel well built and has flimsy side panels. Fortunately, the internal finish is good with few sharp corners. Grilles built into the front panel and over the side panel fan prevent fluff getting in, although the mesh is too wide to exclude dust. The front panel includes two USB ports and headphone and microphone sockets.

This case has a low price and looks great, but the competition is tough at this level. We preferred Akasa’s Zen, which is cheaper and has two case fans to provide decent airflow through the entire case. It’s also a lot better built and a few pounds cheaper.