Antec P183 Case Review

Posted by: David Mitchelson (Mishima) on: 04/24/2009 10:10 AM [ Print | 0 comment(s) ]

Introduction

Antec, Inc. is the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in the industry and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of quiet, efficient and innovative products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators.

Antec's offering of enclosures includes a wide range of cases, such as its advanced Performance One Series, economical New Solution Series and VERIS family of media components designed for the home theater PC market. Antec's products also include front line power supplies, such as its premium Signature Series, powerful TruePower Quattro Series and EarthWatts, one of the most environmentally friendly power supplies available. PC gamers are an increasingly significant consumer of performance components, and many Antec products are designed for the gaming demographic, like the premier gamer enclosure: the Nine Hundred. Antec also offers a line of computer accessories comprising many original products, including its patented LED fans and notebook cooling solutions.

Antec is headquartered in Fremont, California, with additional offices in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, as well as in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, China and Taiwan. The company's products are sold in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Please visit www.antec.com for more information.

The Antec P180 has long been a favourite amongst system builders for its vast features and usability. But even though it was a case at the top of its league it still came with its faults. Antec have gone away, taken onboard feedback from customers/review sites and produced a new successor - The Antec P183. It's nice to see that Antec have seen it important to address these issues, we will giving the P183 a thorough examination today and giving our verdict whether its a success or failure.

Specifications

Dual chamber design isolates heat and noise: the power supply resides in a separate chamber to isolate heat and reduce system noise
No power supply included
Power supply option: comes with a power supply mounting adapter to mount either a standard size power supply or Antec’s exclusive CP Series power supply
Innovative three-layer, sound-deadening side panels and front door (aluminium, plastic, aluminium) dampen noise and ensure Quiet Computing™
11 drive bays
- External 4 x 5.25"; 1 x 3.5"
- Internal 6 x 3.5" for HDD
Cooling system:
- 1 rear (standard) 120mm x 25mm TriCool™ fan
- 1 top (standard) 120mm x 25mm TriCool™ fan
- 1 lower front chamber - 120mm fan (optional)
- 1 upper front chamber - 120mm fan (optional)
- 1 middle chamber - 120mm fan (optional)
Cable organizers behind motherboard tray minimize cable clutter
Front-mounted ports provide convenient connections:
- 2 x USB 2.0
- 1 x eSATA
- Audio In and Out (HDA and AC97 compatible)
Double hinged door opens up to 270
7 expansion slots
0.8mm cold rolled steel chassis for durability
Motherboard: Mini-ITX, microATX and Standard ATX
Case dimensions:
- 20.25" (H) x 8.1" (W) x 19.9" (D)
- 514 mm (H) x 205 mm (W) x 507 mm (D)

What’s new in the P183:

- Front door vents, as well as wider vents along the door frame, improve airflow into the chassis.
- Filters and filter doors are integrated as one unit. The doors themselves have been modified to provide greater airflow, resulting in cooler system temperatures.
- Drive bay covers are vented and include air filters to provide better airflow.
- Lower chamber fan is now located in front of the hard drive cage, allowing for installation of longer PSUs as well as easier cable routing between the lower HD cage and the power supply.