We reviewed ADATA’s XPG Cruiser PC case. How was it? Check out our review below to see if the XPG Cruiser is right for you.
The XPG Cruiser is part of a series of Super mid tower cases by ADATA. The aim of this class of gaming cases is to give you a mid-sized profile without compromising on the interior. Combined with a stylish minimalistic design, this case is offers everything a modern gamer needs to build a rig that looks awesome and provides plenty of space to hold high-end components.
Table of Contents
1. Tech Specs
ADATA XPG Cruiser Tech Specs
The XPG Cruiser has the following specifications:
| Material | Steel, plastic, and tempered glass |
| Weight | ~8.5 kg |
| PCI Slots | 7 Horizontal / 2 Vertical |
| Drive Bays | 2x Internal 3.5″ / 2x Internal 2.5″ |
| Form Factor | Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX, CEB, and EEB |
| Dimensions | 493mm x 234mm x 466mm |
| Front Fans | 3x 120mm or 140mm (3x XPG Vento 120mm ARGB fans pre-installed) |
| Rear Fans | 1x 120mm or 140mm |
| Top Fans | 2x 120mm or 140mm |
| Front Radiator | 280mm / 360mm |
| Rear Radiator | 120mm / 140mm |
| Top Radiator | 240mm / 280mm |
| I/O Ports | 1x USB-C, 2x USB 3.0, & 1x Audio combo jack |
| Fan/LED Controller | Built-in ARGB controller |
What’s in the Box?
Looking at the XPG Cruiser’s unimpressive cardboard box doesn’t do it any justice. However, the case inside makes the whole unboxing experience; a bland packaging that hides a nice surprise inside.
The Cruiser is protected by two standard styrofoam holders, keeping the precious content in place. After opening up the box and taking the case out, you’ll find snugged inside the power supply bay a small box. Within it are some zip ties, which is a nice touch for cable management, a few screws for securing your motherboard and other components, a quick start guide, and a sheet of stickers.
The Outside
When it comes to outward appearance, the XPG Cruiser has one mission, to impress without overwhelming. Indeed, its minimalistic design has just enough edges and accents to make it more than a bland white box.
The 4mm tempered glass left panel is a standard with most gaming cases these days so we’re not surprised it’s available on the Cruiser as well. What’s not as common is the front glass panel, again at 4mm. The combination of having the fans in full view and the asymmetrical aluminum strip adds the gamer vibe that takes the case to the next level.
An added surprise of the front panel is its mounting system. Most cases will rely on plastic clips to hold it in place. However, the XPG Cruiser goes above and beyond by using a special mounting mechanism, secured by two screws. This ensures the front panel will hold in place even after repeated cleaning sessions.
Over at the top, we have a full suite of I/O ports. Apart from your standard power and reset buttons, ADATA has included the added touch of an ARGB button to toggle your LED light show on and off. Over to the left, you get a pair of UBS 3.0 ports and a single USB-C port. Naturally, you also get a combo headphone jack that’ll handle both your audio input and output. The top of the Cruiser also features a removable mesh cover. It’s held in place by a magnetic strip for easy cleaning and snapping back into place.
The rest of the case feels pretty standard in terms of features. There’s a fair number of meshes and grills to help support continued and efficient ventilation of all components that easily get hot. You’ll also find there’s a fair number of screw holes for mounting fans and radiators of varying sizes.
The Inside
Where the XPG Cruiser impresses the most is its interior. Opening the tempered glass panel via its easy release screws reveals a spacious chamber that’s begging to be challenged for fitting. It dares to defy expectations by having enough mounting space for even an E-ATX motherboard. And, don’t think that comes at the cost of cable management…
The 4 grommet openings enable you to route cables from the case’s right side regardless of the size of your mobo. There’s also another such opening on the bottom, allowing you even more options to route cables from your PSU and hard drives.
Speaking of the right side, the Cruiser is also chockfull of features for cable management. For starters, the fact that you can hide the majority of your wires on this side is huge for a clean-looking gaming rig. But, that doesn’t mean you have to just leave it all messy behind the wall. Through its smartly placed hooks, cables can be routed neatly, allowing you to keep them separate and easy to locate should you need to make some small changes. The two mounting trays can hold 2.5” hard drives and are easily secured and unfastened through thumb screws.
The bottom cubby is also feature-rich to keep your components snug and safe. The area right beneath the two drive trays is where your PSU goes, supported by four foam cushions for a secure and cushy fit. Directly beside it, are the two drive bays that offer clip-based installation without the need for any tools.
The main chamber feels very roomy and spacious. You can tell the XPG Cruiser won’t have any issues keeping the air flowing smoothly, especially if you’re taking advantage of its numerous fan mounts. Through its seven horizontal PCI slots, you should have no problem adding a GPU, capture card, and other expansion cards, making this an ideal case for game streamers as well.
As an added bonus, the XPG Cruiser comes with two more vertical slots in case your GPU is way too beefy. It’s doubtful you’ll really need to rely on them as the interior of this case can handle horizontal placement of the more popular large cards, though they’ll be close to touching the tempered glass panel.
Fan and radiator placement in the Cruiser is accommodated at the top, rear and front. Though the latter already sports a nice array of 120mm fans, you can replace it with a 280mm or 360mm radiator. For the top and rear-side, you’re also spoiled for choice on how you want to set up your cooling system, as you can fit 240mm or 280mm AIO there, as well.
What Makes the XPG Cruiser Stand Out?
What’s highly impressive about the XPG Cruiser is that it’s a mid-tower that punches above its weight in terms of interior space. It can house as powerful of a system as you want and it doesn’t need to be a huge case in order to do so.
Its minimalistic yet stylish look is a perfect fit for gamers that want a cleaner, more low-profile outlook. This is often an underserved portion of the market, as cases tend to either be extremely over-the-top space-age capsules or bland and uninspired boxes that make no effort to add style. The Cruiser makes the statement that clean doesn’t mean dull and that’s something we can appreciate.
Who Should Buy the XPG Cruiser?
ADATA has produced a feature-rich case that can fit under—or on—most desks with ease. At the same time, there’s enough room to accommodate a wide array of beefy components. Through its features and minimalistic look, the Cruiser is definitely built with a no-frills gaming audience in mind.
In addition, its cable management systems and features enable you to build a rig that looks clean and will match its streamlined exterior. Building a nice RGB setup can easily be achieved by combining a nice radiator and a set of fans to match the included XPG Vento fan array. So, if you enjoy the minimalism but want to add a bit of a wow factor, the Cruiser can meet your needs.
Finally, streaming video games, especially with a one-PC setup, is a heat-intensive business. The Cruiser’s roomy interior, combined with a well-thought-out cooling system, will provide adequate airflow for even the most extreme use-cases. Whether you’re a gamer who dabbles in streaming or a popular streamer who pulls in the big viewer numbers, this case is going to get the job done.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Solid pricing for the number of features and quality of materials | The thumbscrews feel slightly cheaply made |
| Included 120 mm 3-fan array | Thumbscrews for easier expansion card installation would have been a welcome addition |
| The front panel looks slick and is well-designed | No magnetic filter for the bottom panel |
| Tons of space and options for a robust cooling system | |
| A cable management system that accommodates all motherboard sizes | |
| Some nice features for installing a PSU and mounting drives without needing tools | |
| Clean yet stylish look | |
| Enough room to fit larger GPUs and expansion cards | |
| Robust set of I/O ports plus a dedicated ARGB button | |
| Magnetic dust cover mesh at the top |
