SAMA is a brand of Guangzhou AOJIE Science & Technology Co., Ltd. and was founded in 2003 with the goal of developing, manufacturing, and selling high-quality, cost-effective computer hardware. Its product portfolio includes, among other things, PC cases, power supplies, cooling solutions, and peripherals. While the manufacturer is still relatively unknown in Germany, it has already impressed us with the SAMA L70 360 compact liquid cooling system and the SAMA V60. Today, in this review, we’ll take a look at the new SAMA S50 case.
This case is a relatively compact mid-tower in which the power supply isn’t mounted where you’d normally expect it to be. Read on in the following sections to find out whether this layout offers any specific advantages or if the SAMA S50 is simply just another midi tower
Technical Details
| Model: | SAMA S50 |
| Case Type: | Midi Tower |
| Dimensions: | 235 mm (W) x 426 mm (H) x 475 mm (D) |
| Weight: | 7.3 kg |
| Material: | Steel, plastic, tempered glass |
| Color: | Black |
| Front Ports: | 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, 2x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1x headphone/microphone jack |
| Drive bays: | 3x 3.5″ or 4x 2.5″ |
| Expansion slots: | 7x horizontal |
| Form factors: | ATX, µATX, ITX/Back-connect ATX, M-ATX |
| Ventilation: | Front: 3x 120 mm Rear: 1x 120 mm Top: 3x 120 mm Side: 1x 120 mm Bottom: 3x 120 mm (thickness < 28 mm) |
| Radiators: | Rear: 1x 120 mm Top: 1x 240/360 mm |
| Max. CPU cooler height: | 165 mm |
| Max. graphics card length: | 410 mm |
| Max. power supply length: | 180 mm |
| Space for cable management: | < 47 mm |
| Price: | € 99.90 * |
| Special features: | Dust filter, cable management, tempered glass, 4 pre-installed ARGB fans, ARGB and PWM control board |
SAMA S50 Review: What’s in the Box
The SAMA S50 comes in a brown, unassuming cardboard box. It features only the manufacturer’s logo, the case’s name, and a table on the side listing all technical specifications. However, to ensure that buyers aren’t buying a pig in a poke, SAMA has affixed a colored sticker to the front of the packaging featuring an image of the actual case.
Inside the box, the manufacturer wraps the case in two relatively thin blocks of plain Styrofoam. Additionally, a plastic film is intended to protect the midi tower from surface damage such as scratches. SAMA places the mounting accessories, along with assembly instructions and a sheet with warranty information, on the back of the motherboard tray. In addition to all the necessary screws, the bag also contains several cable ties and Velcro strips, a GPU mount, and a replacement part for the push-pin mount. The package also includes three magnetic dust filter mats, four pre-installed 120-mm ARGB fans, and a compatible ARGB/PWM control board.
First Impressions
Right after unboxing, it’s clear that the SAMA S50 is a gaming case. Numerous eye-catching design elements and shapes are immediately apparent. The front, in particular, has an interesting design. Here, the plastic front panel is divided into two sections. The left side is covered by a large, fine-mesh grille, which also serves as a dust filter. On the right, however, there’s a ribbed plastic surface that also incorporates the I/O panel. This panel features two buttons for power and LED control, as well as a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port, two USB 3.0 ports, and an HD audio jack. Removing the front panel reveals the three pre-installed 120-mm fans with ARGB lighting.
The top panel of the SAMA S50 follows the design of the front and is divided into two sections. Unlike the front, however, both sections here are covered with a fine-mesh grille. To install the three optional top case fans, the top panel can be easily removed, revealing two rails for the fans as well as an opening for mounting the power supply. In the SAMA S50, the power supply is mounted on the side behind the front panel rather than at the bottom of the case. More on that later. SAMA has omitted an additional dust filter due to the fine mesh structure of the grille.
As befits a gaming case with ARGB lighting, the left side panel is, of course, made of tempered glass, which has been slightly tinted in the black color variant. The right side panel, on the other hand, is made of steel and features a large ventilation opening on the left side. Behind the vent, the manufacturer has placed a magnetic dust filter mat to keep the internal components clean and make it easy to clean the filter. Both side panels attach to the chassis tool-free via a push-pin mechanism.
The rear of the midi tower features a typical layout, with one exception. In the upper section, SAMA has placed the fourth pre-installed 120-mm fan with ARGB lighting next to the cutout for the I/O panel. Below that, seven reusable slot covers are visible. What is missing, however, is the opening for the power supply, which is mounted behind the front panel on the SAMA S50. Instead, in the upper left corner, there is a jack for the power supply’s power cord, which runs through the interior to that very location.
The bottom of the S50 also features ample ventilation. The entire bottom panel of the case has a large ventilation grille and a magnetic dust filter mat. Up to three additional 120-mm fans can be mounted here. Four plastic feet also ensure a stable base and have been fitted with thin rubber strips to reduce vibrations. However, the plastic feet are relatively short. It therefore remains questionable whether the optional fans can draw in sufficient air through the openings created by these feet. In addition, the thin rubber strips on the case feet are very sticky and left numerous black marks on our tabletop.
Interior View
The interior of the SAMA S50 consists of two vertically oriented chambers. The larger main chamber offers space for an ATX motherboard, large CPU coolers, long graphics cards, or even a radiator in the top panel. The motherboard tray is flat and features numerous cable management openings and cutouts for motherboards with rear connectors. Of course, there’s also an opening for retrofitting a CPU cooler with a backplate. Above and below the motherboard tray, there are also plenty of options for mounting additional fans or radiators.
As mentioned earlier, three illuminated 120-mm fans are pre-installed in the front by the manufacturer, allowing fresh air to flow unimpeded into the interior. Furthermore, behind the fans, you can see a cover for the side-mounted power supply as well as an additional mounting space for a 120-mm fan. To better conceal the power supply cables and protect the fan from additional dust accumulation, SAMA has also included a magnetic dust filter mat here.
The fourth pre-installed 120-mm fan at the rear is responsible for exhausting the heated air. In addition, the warm air can escape passively through the perforated slot covers and the open top panel.
The back of the motherboard tray also looks very tidy. Thanks to the generous depth of up to 47 millimeters, there is ample space for cable management. Numerous mounting points make it easy to route and secure the cables, while several pre-installed Velcro fasteners help keep things organized. Behind the motherboard tray is the removable drive cage, and mounted behind that is the pre-installed ARGB/PWM control board. Overall, the rear appears well-designed and should provide enough space for clean cabling even with non-modular power supplies.
For installing storage devices, the S50 features a mounting frame on the back of the motherboard tray. This frame is secured with just one screw and can then be loaded with up to four 2.5-inch SSDs or three 3.5-inch HDDs before being reinstalled. In both cases, installation requires screws, and there is no vibration isolation.
Build Quality
The overall build quality seems appropriate for a case in the €100 price range. Most components and case elements are cleanly finished and neatly painted. We did not notice any sharp edges or paint defects, and the material thickness is, for the most part, more than adequate. However, we did notice a weak point in the plastic tabs on the front panel and the top cover. During our tests, these tabs occasionally came loose slightly and had to be pressed back into place. This naturally puts more strain on the material and could cause it to break more easily. But if you only assemble the case and then have to move it just once a year for cleaning, this shouldn’t pose any major problems.
SAMA S50 Review: Installing the Components
Now we’ll move on to the system installation for the XXX review. For hardware, we’re using an AMD Ryzen 5 1400 on an MSI B350 PC-Mate* with 16GB Crucial Ballistix Sport LT Gray DDR4-2666. The Ryzen is cooled by a Noctua NL-LC1-36* and is overclocked to 3.8 GHz (1.175 V). A Gigabyte AORUS GTX 1060 6GB handles graphics output. Power is supplied by the fully modular LC-Power LC550 V2.31 Platinum*.
Installing all the components was quick and easy. Thanks to the ample space, there was always plenty of room to work. Installing the radiator in the top panel, however, was a bit tricky. Ideally, you should first remove the rear fan, but with a little skill, you can also twist the radiator into place. There’s also plenty of space at the back of the motherboard tray, and all cables could be easily routed and secured. Another positive feature worth noting is that SAMA includes several reusable cable ties with Velcro fasteners with the midi tower, which make it even easier to keep all the cables organized. In our opinion, the overall result looks more than presentable.
According to the spec sheet, this midi tower offers ample space for bulky components. For example, an air cooler can be up to 165 millimeters tall, and the graphics card can be up to 410 millimeters long. Optionally, there’s also space in the top panel for a 240-mm or 360-mm radiator. The space for the internally mounted power supply is a bit tighter but, in our view, still sufficient. Due to the layout, the power supply should not exceed a total length of 180 millimeters.
The SAMA S50 comes equipped with a total of four 120-mm fans featuring ARGB lighting, each consisting of a black frame and a milky-white fan blade. For the PWM-controlled fans, SAMA specifies a speed range of 700 to 1,500 revolutions per minute. The airflow is rated at 112.4 m³/h, and the noise level is specified at 28.5 dB. To simplify installation, SAMA also equips the S50 with an ARGB and PWM control board for up to six fans. The board can be connected directly to the motherboard via a PWM cable and a 3-pin 5V ARGB cable. It also requires power via a SATA connector on the power supply.
Stress Test
Finally, we’ll look at the temperatures achieved in the SAMA S50 test. During the stress test, Prime95 and FurMark were run for 30 minutes at a room temperature of 20 °C. In addition, the stress test was conducted using the standard fan configuration with three speed settings (minimum speed, 50% PWM, and 100% PWM). The results are listed in the table below.
Scenario |
Temperature |
| CPU: 50% PWM fan (860 rpm) + 100% PWM pump (2100 rpm) GPU: 50% PWM (1650 rpm) Front: 3x 120 mm at minimum speed (730 rpm) Rear: 1x 120 mm at minimum speed (730 rpm) |
CPU: 50.6 °C GPU: 63.1 °C |
| CPU: 50% PWM fan (860 rpm) + 100% PWM pump (2100 rpm) GPU: 50% PWM (1650 rpm) Front: 3x 120 mm at 50% PWM (1030 rpm) Rear: 1x 120 mm at 50% PWM (1030 rpm) |
CPU: 47.7 °C GPU: 62.5 °C |
| CPU: 50% PWM fan (860 rpm) + 100% PWM pump (2100 rpm) GPU: 50% PWM (1650 rpm) Front: 3x 120 mm 100% PWM (1,650 rpm) Rear: 1x 120 mm 100% PWM (1,650 rpm) |
CPU: 46.2 °C GPU: 62.3 °C |
The temperature readings show that the SAMA S50 achieves very decent cooling performance even at minimum fan speed and in combination with an AiO liquid cooling system. Increasing the fan speed primarily improves the CPU temperature, while the GPU benefits only slightly due to the already excellent fresh air supply. Overall, the stress test confirms the positive impression of the airflow design. At the same time, the pre-installed fans operate relatively quietly at low speeds. Nevertheless, we would have preferred a slightly lower minimum speed. At speeds of around 1,000 RPM and above, the fans become audible, and at full speed, a distinct noise can be heard that most people would likely find annoying.
SAMA S50 Review: Lighting Options
SAMA has installed a total of four ARGB fans in the S50, which can be controlled directly via the motherboard or the switch on the front panel using the included control board. The SAMA S50 does not feature any additional ARGB elements. The power button on the I/O panel glows blue continuously. Finally, here are a few photos showing the lighting in action.
SAMA S50 Review: Conclusion
With the SAMA S50, the manufacturer offers an interesting mid-tower case that stands out from the competition thanks to its unusual internal layout. The side-mounted power supply creates additional space at the bottom for fans while also ensuring a very tidy interior. It also comes generously equipped with four PWM-controlled ARGB fans, an integrated ARGB/PWM control board, numerous dust filters, and high overall compatibility with current hardware. The case also makes a good impression in terms of build quality. The only minor criticisms concern the plastic clips on the front and top panels, as well as the very sticky rubber strips on the feet. Additionally, a bit more clearance at the bottom would have been desirable for the optional fans on the underside.
The cooling performance was particularly impressive in testing. Very good temperatures are achieved even at low fan speeds, making the SAMA S50 equally suitable for high-performance gaming systems and workstations. Added to this is the simple mounting system with plenty of space for cable management.
Overall, for around 100 euros*, you get a very well-equipped case with a unique design, high functionality, and impressive cooling performance. If you’re looking for a modern airflow case and aren’t bothered by the unusual power supply position, the SAMA S50 is a very good option. However, competition in this price range is fierce. For example, the be quiet! Light Base 500 LX, the Lian Li Vector V100, and the Thermaltake View 380 XL TG ARGB may not have the same design but offer similar features and are in some cases even cheaper. As is so often the case, personal preference is the deciding factor.
PROS
- Excellent cooling performance
- Four PWM ARGB fans pre-installed
- ARGB/PWM hub included
- Excellent cable management
- Numerous dust filters
- Back-connect motherboard support
- Tool-free side panels
- Good hardware compatibility
CONS
- Plastic clips on front and top panel feel somewhat fragile
- Sticky rubber feet leave residue
- Limited clearance for optional bottom fans
- No vibration dampening for hard drives
Conclusion
The SAMA S50 impresses with its unusual layout, solid build quality, and four pre-installed ARGB fans. The clever design offers plenty of space and well-thought-out cable management at a fair price point.
