Antec P190 + 1200 Case Review - Our Recommendation

Section	Score	Comments
Build Quality (Durability & Construction)	17/20	Thick paneling built for sound dampening Door swings flush with side panel Still a bit too much plastic overall
Aesthetics / Appearance	18/20	Sleek exterior fits right in with a professional atmosphere Attractive 'Gun Metal Black' finish No side window option, and LED fans need not apply
Internal Layout & Installation	18/20	Back panel a boon for cable management Improved bottom chamber access Extra depth gives much needed elbow room and accommodates elongated videocards
Performance (Sound & Cooling)	10/10	We absolutely love Antec's TriCool fans Addition of two top mounted 140mm fans and giant 200mm side fan greatly aid cooling potential Runs extremely quiet Rubber grommets galore Case loses some of its sound dampening properties with fans set to high
Bundle	9/10	Plenty of zip ties, screws, and standoffs For the asking price, a lint free cloth or case badge would be a welcome addition Two power supplies providing 1200W total
Warranty & Support	10/10	Antec provides a 3-year warranty on their cases Great customer service and easily navigable support section
Price / Value	8/10	Streets for $399 High price tag on the surface, but you're paying for both a high quality case and 1200W (combined) PSUs

Our Recommendation

The aberration that was the Antec P160W is but a distant memory, and what started off as a gaudy 'also-ran' has evolved into an elegant high end solution in the Performance One series. Subtle enhancements abound in the P190 + 1200 over its predecessor, the P182.  Cooling is no longer an afterthought, with no less than five fans controlling air flow, including a 200mm side mounted fan.  And all of them come with fan controllers, three of which sit conveniently on the upper back panel. Cable management gets easier this time around thanks to an improved chamber divider, and combined with the addition of much needed depth, enthusiasts need not fear building an all-out dream machine.  Powering the way are two included PSUs totaling 1200W, paving a path for future upgrades.

Tempering our enthusiasm are several niggling flaws.  We love the concept of integrating a snake light into the chassis, but limiting the operation to stand-by mode effectively renders it useless - we're certainly not going to poke around our system's innards while it's partially turned on, and you shouldn't either.  We also question bundling in two separate power supplies rather than a single beefy unit.  The lack of thumb screws on the PCI slots sticks out like a, well, sore thumb screw, and where's the eSATA port?

Quirks aside, the Performance One series finally has a viable option for the high end crowd.  Enthusiasts will undoubtedly bemoan the high price tag, but you'd likely end up paying more for a high end chassis and 1200W power supply if purchased separately.  With stellar cooling, a roomy interior, plenty of power, and an improved cable management scheme, the P190 + 1200 finally takes the Performance One series into the enthusiast limelight.

Other Reviews of Note

It's always nice to have more than one opinion on a component before you spend your hard earned money.  For one, we may see something others missed, or vice versa.  As with all reviews published at HardwareLogic, we'll not only give you our opinion, but also point out some reviews from around the web.

Bjorn3D
Virtual Hideout
Driver Heaven
Hi-Tech  Reviews