InWin 216: Sleek, Simple, and I Like It

At CES 2020, InWin gave the world a sneak peek at some of their upcoming cases, including the 216 mid-tower case model. We were able to get our hands on it, and we’re ready to explore this entry-level case along with everything it has to offer. Hint: space and ease.

InWin’s 216 Design

The InWin 216 is a simple aesthetic mid-tower case with SECC steel and a tempered glass side panel. Here are the specs:

Official Model Number	IW-CS-216BLK
Color	Black
Case Type	Mid Tower
Materials	SECC, Tempered Glass
M/B Type	12″ x 13″ E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
Expansion Slots	PCI-E x 7 Vertical PCI-E x 2 (Riser Card Optional; Not Included in Package)
Max Compatibilities	VGA Card Length: 380mm VGA Card Width: 170mm Vertical Display VGA Card Thickness: 58mm CPU Heatsink Height: 166mm
I/O Ports	2 x USB 3.0 HD Audio
Internal Drive Bays	2 x 3.5″ 2 x 2.5″ (2 Pre-installed, max. up to 3)
Thermal Solution Compatibility	1 x 120mm Rear Fan/120mm Radiator 3 x 120mm Front Fans/360mm Radiator 2 x 120mm Top Fans (Optional) (Preinstalled fans vary by different regions)
Power Supply Compatibility	PSII: ATX12V – Length up to 220mm
Product Dimensions (H x W x D)	465 x 220 x 460 mm 18.3″ x 8.7″ x 18.1″
Package Dimensions (H x W x D)	570 x 320 x 545mm 22.4″ x 12.6″ x 21.5″
Net Weight	7.3kg / 16.09lb
Gross Weight	8.6kg / 18.96lb

Looking at the InWin 216

Front

The InWin 216 has a plastic front panel that is easily removable by pulling on the bottom of the panel. If you prefer to remove it with more finesse, you can open both side panels and press on the plastic tabs that hold the front panel in place. It provides decent airflow from both sides, with venting down the corner edges.

Sides

The left side panel consists of tinted tempered glass, while the right side panel is the usual steel cover. There are two screws at the top of the panel. When you remove these, the panels pull off instead of sliding off. It was nice to see a different panel mount style rather than what I normally see.

Top and Back

Firstly, at the top of the InWin 216 case are the power button, two USB 3.0 ports, and HD audio for a microphone and speakers. Next, InWin also provides a magnetic dust filter and room for two 120mm fans. Surprisingly, the fan location is offset a bit and the dust filter covers a good area on top. The particular case that we got doesn’t have the option for top-mounted fans, but it’s possible that the option for 140mm top-mounted fans may be available on future models.

The back of the InWin 216 has seven PCI-E slots with two vertical PCI-E slots to get your GPU standing out. The vertical slots require a separate riser card that is screwed into place, but is not included with the case. One 120mm fan can be mounted on the back.

There is no PSU bracket mount for the InWin 216. Instead of a bracket, the PSU simply mounts to the case itself.

The I/O faceplate slot is designed a bit different from what I normally work with. For instance, the faceplate mount is recessed about a half-inch inside the case. In other words, the faceplate doesn’t mount flush with the back face of the case. Likewise for the PCI slot mounts. Therefore, they are accessible only from inside the case. But that means the back looks much cleaner, with not much protruding.

Bottom

The InWin 216 has a full dust filter at the bottom of the case, providing airflow for the PSU and any 3.5-inch drives mounted in the bay. The filter can easily be removed by pulling from the side of the case, instead of from the back as with other cases with smaller filters. This helps a lot when cleaning the filter. It also prevents the dust from flying all over.

Inside the InWin 216

The InWin 216 has slightly more depth than most mid-tower cases, and that accommodates the potential E-ATX boards. But for normal ATX, Micro ATX and mini ITX builders, that means more space to work with. Now, make of that what you will if real estate is an issue, but this is not bad for an entry-level case.

The I/O cables include the standard power and LED indicator, along with the HD audio and USB 3.0 ports. And I did notice a ground cable hanging from the inside of the front panel.

While this case did not come with any fans, we did receive three 2-pack Polaris RGB fans from InWin. We’ll provide a review of those in a future article.

Hidden on the back side of the case are two SSD mounts with a two 3.5-inch drive bays beside the PSU area.

InWin 216 Build: Installation

Power Supply

As I mentioned previously, the InWin 216 doesn’t come with a mounting bracket for the PSU. However, installation inside this case was fairly easy. Granted, I had a non-modular PSU, but I had already secured the unneeded cables with a zip tie. Consequently, there was little free space left.

Motherboard

The InWin 216 comes with standoffs, but they are not pre-installed. The case also doesn’t have any markers to show which standoff is needed for what board. A little challenging, but it’s just a matter of aligning the board to the holes.

Once I installed the standoffs, I fit the I/O faceplate in the case. Although, the mounting for the faceplate is a bit alien to me. As I mentioned earlier, the case has an offset mount for the faceplate, so it’s recessed a bit. The four metal panels that form the mount for the faceplate aren’t welded or connected to each other, so this leaves the space at the corners to act as vents.

The motherboard fit with room to spare on the right side of it. On one hand, this keeps the slots open to route cables and reduces clutter. But I can also see how cable management might become an issue for an E-ATX builder, due to the limited space.

Graphics Card

Meanwhile, I installed an RX 470 with no issues. The slot covers are, in fact, reusable – which means no open slots if you remove a card! The accessories bag came with a GPU holder/support bracket, but I couldn’t find a way to put it on. So I had to research a few other InWin cases to see how it fit. It seems to only work with smaller boards, since the two screw mounts are behind the ATX board. I discovered this after looking at the back side. But it’s nice to know that there is one available if you plan to place a smaller board in the InWin 216.

I didn’t have the riser to try out the vertical GPU mount, but there is a video tutorial on InWin’s Youtube channel that shows the riser mounting to the case so you can place the GPU on it. Maybe for another day…

Hard Drive and Fans

I reused a 2.5-inch solid-state drive in the InWin 216 and it mounted perfectly on the back panel, hidden from view. The 3.5-inch bay is unmovable so it will take up space if you planned to put something else there. Then again, you’re already customizing the case if you plan to put something else there.

As I mentioned before, this case did not come with any fans, but we were fortunate enough to receive 3 sets of their 2-pack 120mm Polaris RGB fans. I mounted all six fans to the case easily and connected them to the MSI X570 motherboard’s RGB setup. Since the front panel is an opaque plastic cover, you can’t see the lighting from the front. But all six are visible from the side, thanks to that tempered glass panel.

Final Thoughts on the InWin 216

The InWin 216 is a steal, with an MSRP of $79.99 at the time of writing this review. It is a sleek, subtle case that can take most of what you throw at it. With all the available features, there’s really no wrong approach when you pick up the InWin 216.