Antec P193 Case Review

Posted by: James Clewer (gt_junkie) on: 05/10/2009 03:02 PM [ Print | 0 comment(s) ]

Exterior continued:

Moving round to the side of the case you can't help but notice the imposing view of Antec's 'Big Boy 200mm' fan cover. It contains the fan itself along with a removable filter to aid cleaning. It's position (essentially hanging outside the case) allows for the larger heatsinks we see today. A clever move since i have seen similar competitor designs with side fans mounted internally - although they allow for a sleeker case profile they do restrict internal space limiting hardware choice somewhat.

Around the back we see a fairly standard Antec 'Performance One' style layout including the speed controlled Antec tri-cool 120mm fan.

Compared to my P180 the inclusion of external fan control speed switches is excellent and makes tailoring airflow to noise a much simpler prospect. Watercooling installers will also welcome the tube outlets too - a feature sorely lacking in the original P180. The most interesting point to focus on is the PSU mount hole. This case has been designed with the intention of accepting Antec's new CP PSU's which are a larger form factor than standard ATX PSU's. Although there's no guarantee this standard will be adopted by other manufacturers just yet it's nice to see it there none the less... just in case.

Up top we see another 'Performance One' addition - the top mounted fan - this time multiplied by two and increased in size. These dual 140mm tri-cool fans should provide very impressive exhaust airflow which should result in good temps.

Taking a look at the base of the case (not very interesting i'll agree!) you can see the P193's feet - yes they might not be the most glamorous or technically interesting aspect but i think the fact that Antec chose to use ultra soft silicone feet is a really nice touch. It should stop the case transferring any noisy vibrations to the desk or floor it is placed on.

Lastly i can comment on the constriction and quality of the outer skin of the P193. Of course the actual construction of the panels is listed in the technical details earlier in the review but what wasn't listed was that the P193's side panels do not use plastic mounts. The panels are much heavier and more robust than the old P180's so i assume they need a little more support - hence the choice of metal. My concern with the old P180 was that the plastic clips would fail over repeated use but the P193 panels are built like a tank. I'm sure i could open the case up a few times a day over a good few weeks and it would be absolutely fine. Thumbscrews are used here too so yet another thumbs up from me. Very impressive indeed!