Adata has added a BTF variant to its XPG Invader X case lineup. The new XPG Invader X BTF is compatible with rear-connector motherboards such as MSI's Project Zero and Asus' BTF. The XPG Invader X BTF is a mid-tower case and its main selling point is its design, which promotes clean aesthetics and better (-looking, at least) cable management by supporting rear-connector motherboards and components. But it also supports standard layouts, making it both flexible and (hopefully) upgrade- and future-ready.
The XPG Invader X BTF supports up to 10 fans and is compatible with liquid coolers that have radiators up to 360mm long. The case design allows for up to 400mm of GPU clearance, and supports power supplies up to 240mm long. If you'd like to use an air cooler, the case also allows for up to 175mm CPU cooler clearance, so it will fit taller coolers such as the new Noctua NG-D15-G2. The case features glass front and lefts panels and the rest is steel. It's available in both black and white.
The case comes with five 120mm fans included, four of which have reversed fan blades to pull air in. For storage, it has a bracket that allow you to install up to three 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives. The full specs are listed below:
| Dimension (H*W*D) | 485mm x 245mm x 448mm (H*W*D) |
| Color | Black / White |
| Material | SPCC / 3mm Tempered Glass |
| Form Factor | ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX |
| Row 4 - Cell 0 | ATX / m-ATX (Reverse-Connector Motherboards) |
| 3.5" HDD/HDD Tray | 3 (3.5” or 2.5”SSD) |
| I/O Port | USB 3.2 Type C x1 |
| Row 7 - Cell 0 | USB 3.2 Type A x2 |
| Row 8 - Cell 0 | Hybrid Audio Port |
| Row 9 - Cell 0 | Reset Button, Power Button |
| Fan Included | 5 x 120mm (optional by model) |
| Row 11 - Cell 0 | (4 x Reversed Fans + 1 x Regular Fan) |
| Fan Support | Rear: 120mm x 1 / 140mm x 1 |
| Row 13 - Cell 0 | Top: 120mm x 3 / 140mm x 2 |
| Row 14 - Cell 0 | Side: 120mm x 3 |
| Row 15 - Cell 0 | Bottom: 120mm x 1 / 140mm x 1 |
| Row 16 - Cell 0 | PSU Shroud :120mm x 2 |
| Radiator Support | Rear 120mm |
| Row 18 - Cell 0 | Top: Up to 360mm |
| Row 19 - Cell 0 | Side: Up to 360mm |
| Clearance | Graphics Card |
| Row 21 - Cell 0 | 400mm (without side radiator installation) |
| Row 22 - Cell 0 | 270mm (with side radiator installation) |
| Row 23 - Cell 0 | CPU Cooler Height 175mm |
| Row 24 - Cell 0 | PSU Length 240mm |
| PSU Length 240mm | Product: 8.95kg |
| Row 26 - Cell 0 | with Package: 10.2kg |
| Warranty | 2 Years |
The XPG Invader X BTF has a mesh metal top panel and supports up to ATX-sized motherboards. If you're looking for a bigger case, Adata showed off the XPG Invader X Pro, which supports up to E-ATX, earlier this year at CES 2024.
It's too soon to say if rear-connector motherboards and components will replace their standard counterparts (or get anywhere close), but we're seeing more and more companies jumping on the trend. We took a look at InWin's rear-connector-compatible F5 case in Feb., and Corsair showed off cases for both mATX and ATX boards. Rear-connector motherboards and GPUs provide cleaner cable management by hiding the cables away, but this means upgrading can be tricky if you want to keep your clean aesthetics. But because the Adata XPG Invader X BTF supports both rear-connection and standard layouts, upgrading will presumably be easier — though you might want to just buy a new case at that point.
