Conclusion

I have long been a fan of the Antec line of enclosure. Their distinctive look and quality features have always been a welcome addition to any enthusiast rig. With that in mind, the P160 reviewed today came as a bit of a surprise. With the fad of windows has become almost ordinary, the thought of a more normal looking case was not what I had expected.

Of course, once I was able to dig deeper into the design I was able to see the strong emphasis on not only good looks, but near silent operation and my opinion changed. With rubber and plastic meeting about every possible metal component that can produce vibration, there is no doubt that a lot of thought went into this new design.

This model also has many exciting features that will suit any system builder around. With the new modular look, the swivel I/O port/display and the included lighting on the front panel, the enthusiast will be happy. With a simple removal of a switch the lighting goes out and the business user will have a sharp looking case to house his/her work rig. There really is something for everyone.

Of course that doesn't mean the design is perfect. While there is certainly a strong emphasis on silence, there may not be enough on cooling. The included 120mm fan being used as an exhaust creates internal temperatures that are roughly 6C warmer than my standard Lian-Li case. Add in the additional fan onto the front panel and you're still looking at 3C hotter on the inside. While this may not seem a great deal to some, the hotter internal ambient causes the processor and all other components to also feel the effects of the heat.

As far as price is concerned, the Antec P160 weighs in at US$110 without power supply. This doesn't put it on the budget list, but isn't outrageous either. It sits in the middle area but has features that help make up for it in my opinion.

Bottom line...If you've been looking for something that has tons of features and is designed from the ground up as a silent case design, you have found what you've been looking for. With plenty of space inside for devices and the inclusion of a removable motherboard tray, Antec has come up with a definite winner!

- Pros

1.2mm aluminum exterior panels

Removable motherboard tray

Ample interior device room

Included thermal probes

Good looks

- Cons

Mediocre interior cooling

Rating 9.5/10 and TweakTown's BEST FEATURES Award!

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