Antec's P190 + 1200 marks the sixth chassis in their Performance One series, while also laying claim as the flagship model. Join HardwareLogic as we compare this newest edition to a classic lineup.
Typically we'd reserve this space to discuss a company's background and relevance in the marketplace. At this point in the game, Antec needs no such introduction, but lest you feel short-changed, let us direct you to previous write-ups that not only touch on Antec's presence in the industry, but serve as relevant prerequisites to the following review. We don't let a company's past products have any bearing on the current analysis, so why are we making an exception today? The P190 + 1200 represents Antec's sixth iteration in the ongoing Performance One series, laying claim as the flagship model.
Our first experience with the Performance One dates back to the
P160W, which now stands out as an aberration in a series that took a turn towards elegant aesthetics and quiet computing. The metamorphosis began with the original
P180, a chassis we felt had potential, but ultimately described as a "
time sink" in terms of installation. Then came the
P182, which brought with it an effective cable management scheme, but left us hot under the collar with its ho-hum cooling potential.
Can the P190 + 1200 finally silence our criticisms and emerge as the chassis we've been hoping for from the Performance One series?
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Model |
- Antec P190 + 1200 (formerly P190)
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Color |
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Dimensions |
- 20.28" (H) x 8.07" (W) x 22.35" (D)
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Drive Bays |
- 4 x External 5.25"
- 1 x External 3.5"
- 6 x Internal 3.5"
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Main Board Size |
- Up to Extended ATX (12" x 13")
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Expansion Slots
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Front I/O
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Cooling |
- 2 x Top 140mm TriCool
- 1 x Rear 120mm TriCool
- 1 x Lower Chamber 120mm TriCool
- 1 x Side Panel 200mm Big Boy Fan w/ Filter
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Simply put, we don't gauge cases too heavily on the bundle, but we do expect a few amenities when shelling out several hundred dollars for an enclosure. Opening up the Antec P190 + 1200, we find dual-power cords, drive rails aplenty, a fan clip, an assortment of screws and standoffs, cable management ties, and a support bracket for elongated videocards. In the absence of a lint free cloth, case badge, real-life lolcat, or other extras, we feel adding a super-ball to the bundle would help ease the sting of dropping four Benjamins on an enclosure, so we added one ourselves to simulate the effect. Sure enough, after a few minutes of tossing the toy against the wall, we felt totally distracted from the price tag.
