Achieving truly clean cable management remains one of the holy grails for PC builders seeking that perfect aesthetic inside their rig. While seasoned builders develop numerous tricks, hiding every last wire, especially bulky motherboard power connectors, front panel headers, and fan cables, can often feel like an exercise in insanity. Recently, however, a new standard championed initially by ASUS and now gaining traction with partners, known broadly as BTF or ‘hidden connector’ design, aims to revolutionise this. By relocating almost all motherboard connection points to the rear, it promises an unprecedentedly clean look through the main side panel.
XPG Starker AIR BTF
This emerging ecosystem requires compatible cases featuring specific motherboard tray cutouts to access these hidden connectors, and chassis manufacturers are beginning to bring supportive designs to market. XPG, ADATA’s enthusiast gaming brand, is stepping into this new arena with their Starker Air BTF chassis. Based on their existing and well-regarded Starker Air mid-tower, known for its strong airflow potential thanks to a mesh front panel, this BTF variant adapts the design specifically for these new hidden-connector motherboards, aiming to deliver both great thermals and the ultra-clean build aesthetic that the BTF standard facilitates. However, don’t feel left out of more traditional cable routing either, as this case still has grommets and cut-outs as you might expect, to allow the use of more traditional designs.
If anything, I’d say hiding cables is a choice, as many people like to use custom cables, and I think it’s a big part of the aesthetic of a PC, but there are certainly benefits to hiding them all too, even if a lot of it does boil down to personal preference. The XPG Starker Air BTF seems to offer something for everyone, with traditional and BTF cable routing, plenty of room for larger graphics cards (almost essential these days), plenty of airflow, great connectivity, and those lovely XPG VENTO fans as standard too.
Key Features
- Form Factor: Mid-Tower ATX
- Motherboard Support: E-ATX, Standard ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX & Hidden Connector / BTF variants
- Key Feature: Rear motherboard connector access cutouts
- Cooling Focus: High-airflow mesh front panel, extensive fan/radiator support
- Included Fans: Typically includes front and rear XPG VENTO fans (Check specific SKU)
- Front I/O: USB Type-C, USB 3.x Type-A, Combo Audio Jack
- Side Panel: Tempered Glass
What XPG Had to Say
“XPG STARKER AIR BTF is the ultimate ATX PC case, crafted for extreme gamers seeking top-tier performance and design. It supports both standard E-ATX motherboards and ATX reverse-connector motherboards, offering versatility for various build configurations. With room for 360mm radiators and up to 12x 120mm fans, it ensures superior airflow and ventilation, keeping high-end components cool during intense gaming sessions. This PC case is built for those who demand both exceptional functionality and bold, cutting-edge design in their setups.” – XPG
