Antec P160W Mid-Tower Case ReviewApril 23rd, 2006 Antec is well known in the computer industry for their well built power supplies, silent fans and computer enclosures. Today Hardwarelogic takes a look at one such case, the Antec P160W. Will this case improve upon Antec's name brand status? Or will this case prove to be a write off? Read More and find out!
Antec is well known in the computer industry for their well built power supplies, silent fans and computer enclosures. Today Hardwarelogic takes a look at one such case, the Antec P160W. Will this case improve upon Antec's name brand status? Or will this case prove to be a write off? Read More and find out!
Features:
- 1.2mm anodized aluminum delivers increased rigidity and a finish that won't lose its luster.
- Swiveling front control panel
- Swivels up to 45 degrees.
- Connectors: 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire, i.Link) and 2 x audio jacks.
- LED temperature display with two built-in sensors
- Windowed side panel
- Removable motherboard tray.
- Accomodates any ATX12V power supply
- 10 drive bays
- Color-coordinated CD-ROM & floppy drive covers
a. 4 external 5.25"
b. 2 external 3.5"
c. 4 internal 3.5"
- Rubber mounting grommets in hard drive trays
- Cooling capacity:
a: 1 x 120mm low speed fan
b: 1 x 120mm fan mount
- Fan Specs:
-RPM: 1600
-CFM: 56.13
-dB(A): 28
- Built-in washable air filter
- Removable Side Panel
- Fits Micro ATX (9.6" x 9.6") and Standard ATX (12"x 9.6") motherboards
| Color |
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| Dimensions |
- 20" (H) x 8.1" (W) x 19.7" (D)
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| Material |
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| Motherboard Support |
- Standard ATX up to 12" (W) x 9.6" (L)
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| 5.25" Drive Bays |
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| 3.5" Drive Bays |
- Four Internal, Two External
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| I/O Panel |
- USB 2.0 x 2
IEEE 1394 x 1
MIC x 1
SPK x 1 |
| Cooling |
- Up to 2x 120mm fans, 1 rear (standard) 1 front (optional
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| Expansion Slots |
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| Power Supply |
- Standard ATX PS2 (optional)
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My first impression of this case was "wow that�s big for a mid tower!" Indeed this case is rather on the tall side measuring at 20 inches tall.
The case itself is made of anodized aluminum which grants it classy looks and light weight. I also found this case to be rather sturdy given its aluminum construction. this is due in thanks to the 1.2mm thickness of the aluminum.
The front bezel is of plastic construction with chrome highlights. The bezel is attached to the chassis via 4 plastic push pins and two plastic latches. I would have liked to have seen thumbscrew attachments as the plastic push pins are liable to break if too much force is applied. Also featured are 2 stealthed drive bays. Unfortunately my disc drives were incompatible and no amount of repositioning would enable me to open the drive; however the stealthed floppy drive bay worked flawlessly.
Located on the top corner of the front of the case is the power/reset buttons, 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Firewire IEEE 1394 port, audio in/out ports and the temperature display for the 2 internal thermal probes. all of these are positioned on a swivel mount that can be rotated up to 45 degrees. I have 2 complaints with the whole mechanism, the first being the location of the reset button. It was just too close to the USB ports. The second complaint I found was that the power and reset buttons had too much play in them. Just the slightest touch could restart or turn of your computer at a most inopportune moment.
Here we can see the 120mm fan intake. Each one of the oval shaped intakes sports a chromed inner surface and a blue LED to highlight it. It�s nice to see an included dust filter to help keep your computers dust bunny population at a minimum.
The side panels are secured to the chassis via thumbscrews to ensure easy access to the internals of the case.
Removing the back panel is somewhat of a chore due to the fact that you must remove the front bezel to access two thumbscrews located at the front of the case.
On the side panel with the window you will notice two peculiar knobs located just above the plexi glass. I think this is a very nifty feature and helps alleviate some internal access issues some users may have with other cases. all you need to do is rotate the knobs in a clockwise motion to unlock the door and pull the top of the panel out to open it. replacing the panel is just as easily done.
As you'll notice the interior is a standard atx layout only there are a few twists. First is the sideways mounted hard drive racks. These are very handy for those individuals with hot swappable drives. Each hard drive rack has 4 rubber grommets to help reduce vibration thus decreasing overall noise.
Another handy feature of this case is the slide out fan mount. You no longer need to take apart half of your case just to replace or clean the intake fan. Simply unscrew the thumbscrew and pull the fan mount out.
The Antec P160w also features a removable motherboard tray. It�s held in place by a screw down latch located midline at the front of the motherboard tray. To remove it, unscrew the latch and slide the motherboard tray forward and lift the back of the tray out. There was plenty of room to maneuver around with due to the hard drive rack being mounted sideways
All seven expansion slots are equipped with thumbscrews making it easy to swap out varying cards. However I had to use my leatherman to loosen them the first time they were used.
The 5.25" drive bays use sliding rails to install your drives making installation and removal a breeze. Unfortunately there is one drawback; the front bezel must be removed in order to access the drive bays.
Installing a floppy drive is done easily enough. Just loosen two thumbscrews, remove the slide out tray, mount the device, slide it back into position and tighten the thumbscrews
A 120mm Antec low speed fan was included for cooling purposes. This fan spins at 1600 RPM with an output of 56.13 CFM at 28 db(A) and is attached to the case by 4 rubber mounts. The fan proved to be quiet enough however some may want to replace it with a fan with higher a higher CFM.
Other included items are an assortment of screws, a set of keys and 2 extra rubber mounts. Why Antec chose to only include two is beyond me considering there�s another 120mm fan mount in this case.
Warranty and SupportAntec's website features downloadable user manuals as well as an email address for customer support. Antec includes a three year warranty for the P160W.
Our RecommendationOverall the Antec P160W is a great case for mainstream users and enthusiasts alike. I found there was plenty of room when working inside and the use of thumbscrews everywhere helped smooth the installation process.
I found this case aesthetically pleasing. The brushed aluminum with the chrome highlights gives this case a classy look. The blue LEDS in the front of the case may be a bit much for some users, but this is easily rectified by removing the power connector.
Unfortunately I was disappointed by the location of the reset switch and the amount of play in the power buttons. Care must be taken when using the USB ports otherwise there's a risk of accidentally restarting the system. I also found the constant removal of the front bezel annoying. Also be forewarned that your optical devices may or may not be compatible with the stealthed drive bays.
Negatives aside, the Antec P160W is a case to be considered.
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