One of the most notable trends in the PC component market recently is the growing popularity of BTF (Back To Front) design. BTF is a design approach that places various connectors on the back of the motherboard, allowing for a neat and tidy PC interior. While this BTF design was previously only seen in premium product lines, recently, more affordable products supporting this design have been released, garnering significant interest from many users.
Among them, Abko’s U40M Whale Shark Panoramic View ARGB BTF (priced at 49,900 KRW) is gaining attention as a mini case that supports BTF design at an astonishing price in the low 50,000 KRW range. It comes with three ARGB cooling fans and supports graphics cards up to 410mm in length.
Abko is a domestic brand that manufactures not only cases but also various PC peripherals. They offer swift customer support and quality management, and their product development is tailored to the domestic market, well reflecting user needs. The brand is especially loved by many consumers for its cost-effective products.
Product Specifications and Components
The main specifications of the Abko U40M Whale Shark Panoramic View ARGB BTF are as follows:
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Model Name | ABKO U40M Whale Shark Panoramic View ARGB BTF |
| Dimensions (D × W × H) | 420 mm × 218 mm × 395 mm |
| Supported Motherboards | Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX (Back-Connector Motherboards) |
| Storage Support | • Up to 2 × 3.5″ HDD• 2.5″ SSD + 3.5″ HDD combo |
| Graphics Card Clearance | Up to 410 mm |
| CPU Cooler Height Clearance | Up to 160 mm |
| Cooling Fan Support | • Top: 3 × 120 mm or 2 × 140 mm• Rear: 1 × 120 mm• Side: 2 × 120 mm• Bottom: 3 × 120 mm |
| Radiator Support | • Top: 120 mm / 240 mm / 360 mm• Rear: 120 mm |
| I/O Ports | • USB 3.2 Type-C × 1• HD Audio × 1• USB 3.0 × 2• LED Switch• Power Button• Reset Button |
The product package includes the case body, manual, 2 PCI slot covers, various screws, an IO port cover, cable ties, and more.
Exterior and Features
The Abko U40M Whale Shark ARGB BTF is designed with a compact size of 218 x 420 x 395mm. It is a mini-tower form factor, making it suitable for placing on a desk.
The front and left panels of the case feature tempered glass, offering a panoramic view or aquarium case design that enhances openness and visibility of the internal components and ARGB effects. The right panel is made of metal and perforated for airflow from the side reverse fan.
The top of the case is equipped with a magnetic dust filter, making cleaning easy and effectively preventing dust from entering the interior.
The top IO port includes a USB 3.2 Type-C port and an LED color change button, enhancing user convenience. The IO port configuration includes an LED button, USB 3.2 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.0, microphone jack, headphone jack, reset button, and power button.
The bottom also features a detachable magnetic dust filter, similar to the top.
The side panel is designed with a ball catch mechanism, allowing for easy attachment and detachment, greatly enhancing convenience during assembly and maintenance.
The internal space can accommodate a 360mm liquid cooler at the top and a graphics card up to 410mm in length. The graphics card support bracket is adjustable, allowing for stable support of various sizes of graphics cards.
The PSU chamber is perforated, allowing for air circulation from the bottom. Removing the graphics card support bracket allows for the installation of three additional 120mm cooling fans. Various holes for cable management are provided, enabling neat cable organization.
The case comes with a total of three cooling fans, with one at the rear and two reverse fans on the side. All three cooling fans support ARGB, allowing for dazzling lighting effects.
Most notably, the Abko U40M Whale Shark adopts the BTF (Back To Front) design, allowing cables to be organized at the back of the motherboard. This keeps the interior extremely tidy. Since the latter half of last year, many manufacturers have been releasing motherboards supporting this design, and it is expected that BTF products will become more widespread this year.
The storage can be configured using a bracket located at the bottom, supporting up to 2 HDDs or an HDD/SSD combo, offering various storage options.
The thickness of the case chassis was measured, with the main chassis being over 0.6T and the motherboard mounting part and PSU chamber being over 0.5T.
Assembly
The Abko U40M Whale Shark ARGB BTF allows for easy access and assembly due to the easily removable tempered glass on the sides and front.
Despite being a mini case form factor, the internal space allows for the installation of a CPU cooler up to 160mm, a graphics card up to 410mm in length, and a triple radiator, making the assembly process spacious.
Depending on the position of the graphics card power connector, the graphics card support bracket can be moved accordingly, providing stable support for large graphics cards such as the RTX 40 series or the upcoming 50 series.
Various holes and spaces for cable routing are provided, allowing for neat cable management. Thanks to the BTF design, the cables on the front of the motherboard are barely visible, achieving a cleaner appearance.
ARGB Effects
The top LED button allows direct control of the cooling fan’s RGB mode, and it fully supports each motherboard manufacturer’s ARGB Sync function, enabling RGB control through software.
Conclusion
The Abko U40M Whale Shark Panoramic View ARGB BTF offers excellent openness with its panoramic view design, while its compact size accommodates high-performance components, showcasing outstanding design. Particularly, supporting BTF design and providing three ARGB fans at a price in the low 50,000 KRW range is commendable in terms of cost-effectiveness.
The mini case form factor may appeal to consumers who prioritize desk space utilization, and it could be a great choice for those looking to build a small yet high-performance gaming PC.
This concludes the review of the Abko U40M Whale Shark Panoramic View ARGB BTF mini case for high-performance gaming PCs.
