Hornet Reviews below:

"One thing to note right off the bat about the Hornet is its flexibility when it comes to the type of motherboard you can use in it. Most SFF systems come with a single option for what board comes inside with no availability for any other board, not so with the Hornet as you can choose from a major variety of motherboards for many different platforms. This to me is a very serious feature that sets the Hornet apart from its peers in a very distinguished way. Monarch will cleanly custom-build your system for you and make sure everything is installed correctly and without a cable mess direct from their factory so you can just plug in the rest of your parts and be up and going quickly. "

"None of this matters to gamers so much as cold, hard performance results. This is a category where the Hornet Pro 64 doesn’t disappoint. In our Jedi Academy OpenGL test, the Hornet Pro 64 gave us a Lab record 115fps. In Halo, the Hornet Pro coughed up an amazing 78fps, more than double our zero-point reference system. While it’s not part of our official suite, we also ran 3DMark 2003 and recorded a shockingly fast 12,034. In 3DMark 2001 SE, it threw down a 24,747. "

"I WAS IMPRESSED the first time I laid eyes on the Monarch Hornet case at the Athlon 64 launch party. The Hornet was replaced by the Hornet Pro, and, quite simply, this is one of the best LAN party cases I have seen in a long time. The thing that the Hornet Pro does better than an average run of the mill SFF is that it will take any standard Micro-ATX motherboard. This is an advantage that is hard to overstate. You are not locked into any single proprietary motherboard, and if something better comes out, it is a snap to upgrade."

"This computer offers exceptional build quality and design. It's also quiet, at 48-50 decibels. Although the X-Cube has an arguably sleek-looking Shuttle box, it can't help but pale when sitting next to the electric neon of the Hornet Pro. The Hornet is slightly bigger than the X-Cube, and this slight size difference allows for three expansion slots via the Gigabyte GA-K8VT800M motherboard versus the X-Cube's single PCI slot. Considering the rig possesses a slew of quality, top-notch components, it's not surprising it scored off the charts in benchmarking...this rig is primed for some serious gaming. The Hornet Pro is a perfect example of what an SFF gaming computer can and should be. With performance and ergonomics to boot, it deserves high accolades. This LAN party treat is a winner."

"Monarch's Hornet 64 Pro may not put the small in small form-factor, but it does provide a good compromise between size and features. The Hornet is certainly more mobile than a mid-tower system but still provides considerable expansion options. With three PCI slots and an AGP slot and plenty of onboard features, the Hornet 64 Pro should allow most people to make this their main system if they wish. Or, with its handle and fairly small size, it could make a great LAN party rig for someone, especially since any video card should easily fit and an Athlon 64 will provide plenty of power when the CPU is needed. "

"Most small form-factor systems on the market limit you to one PCI slot and a smaller single-slot AGP card. The Hornet Pro chassis has ample room for regular-sized motherboards, AGP cards, and multiple PCI cards, making it easy to upgrade components. For users who want the fastest parts, this means you can freely upgrade without needing to consider size... The Hornet Pro is a top quality system at a great price. It's attractive, powerful, upgradeable, and transportable, more than you can expect from a small-form system. "

"Monarch Computer could be onto the next big thing: A small formfactor with room for expansion...the Hornet pro gives you options completely unavailable elsewhere... Our box came with optional side windows and cold-cathode and LED-enabled feet for the elevated look that drives ladies wild... All in all, we think the Hornet Pro is an important step forward in the small-formfactor evolution. "

"If the Discovery Channel created a show called Monster PCs and devoted an episode to contestants building the hottest, meanest looking SFF boxes they could, the winning team might have unveiled something very much like Monarch's Hornet. It's not cute or even quiet. But this beast stings the competition into submission..."

"...the venerable manufacturer Monarch Computer Systems is getting into the game with a new custom case of its own design, ideally suited for gamers that regularly attend LAN parties or just like to have their PCs on top of their desks, not under them. It's a very reasonably-priced PC, with enough power to play all those cool upcoming shooters and online role-playing games, will do you proud at any LAN party frag fest. "

"When it came down to setting up the Hornet, much of the grunt work had been taken care of by Monarch Computer. The board was installed already, the fans were installed, and all the cables were tied and neat... Overall a simple and straightforward process. For those unfamiliar with working with bare bone systems, Monarch does a good job in terms of documentation...."

"With a design that brings to mind muscle cars with their boxy exteriors and roaring engines, the Monarch Hornet could make you the tough guy of any LAN party... Don't let its size fool you; the Monarch Hornet is just as feature rich as many of its full-tower competitors..."

"Monarch has recognized this common flaw among currently popular SFF designs. The Hornet is built around a horizontally mounted uATX motherboard. This single feature is perhaps the most important consideration when evaluating the Hornet, as the increased footprint allows for a full-size AGP video card and three PCI cards. The design is quite impressive, as even the massive GeForce FX 5900 Ultra will have no problem squeezing into the Hornet."

"Being the first foray into the SFF market, Monarch has tried to do something a little different. The positives about the Hornet is that it is much easier to upgrade than other SFF systems, there is more room for more cards, room for more drives, but as such it is a larger system... The Hornet is definitely a good system for LAN gaming, it’s small enough to be portable and has a built-in handle... The removable motherboard tray is a huge plus as it makes installing cards very easy. The Hornet is also more expandable than other SFF’s. You could add in RAID very easily along with a high end audio card, an AGP video card and have a PCI slot left over for something else. "

"The Hornet is one of the newer entries into the SFF game. The aggressively named and designed box is squarely aimed at the enthusiast. In fact, it looks more like someone's modded box than a retail offering... Monarch really put a bee in our bonnet with this one. HAHAHAHA."

"If you'd rather go to a LAN party than a date, then yes, this is your box. It's easily upgradable so you won't need to buy another case for years and it can be your main rig.The Hornet is a monster truck..."

"It's a strange thing to see a PC sales company come out with its own brand of systems; but Monarch computer actually went all out and made their own chassis and it is a very cool little unit that has enough of its own flair to get it to stand out in the growing crowd of the SFF market."