Antec P280 Review: When Enthusiasts Are Engineers
by Dustin Sklavos on November 15, 2011 10:20 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- Antec
- P280
Noise and Thermal Testing, Stock
Despite being very enthusiastic about the design of the Antec P280, I had real concerns about performance in practice. I'm just not a fan of negative pressure designs; historically I've seen positive pressure cases produce better thermal results. Antec's reps even asked me about my experiences there, but thankfully the P280 can be configured that way and then some. I also don't like the two exhaust fans in the top; I've never liked top exhaust fans in cases, as it's always seemed like a great way for noise to leak out. So suffice to say, I entered the actual testing of the P280 with some trepidation.
Performance for the P280 is for the most part middle-of-the-road. I think its biggest competitor is probably the up and coming Fractal Design Define R3. What's worth noting is the very minimal impact running the fans at low speeds seems to have had on the enclosure's performance.
Turning down those fans results in one of the quietest cases we've tested under load, though the results are within the margin of error compared to Fractal Design's Define R3. When we let them ramp up, though, no amount of sound dampening can really save the P280. Thankfully running them at low barely affects thermals, and as a result we get decent performance from a quiet case. So far Antec is on the right track.
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Rob3 - Tuesday, December 6, 2011 - link
I sort of like it. Looks like a nice box. Built a few. This box looks like a nice one.Jerryph40 - Friday, January 6, 2012 - link
My first build was in a P180. As a novice I found that it was an excellent first choice, but strictly by accident. It forced me to learn things that I wouldn't have learned otherwise. It turned out to be an excellent case that went through many modifications and upgrades. I am glad to see Antec finally upping their game for the next generation. Am building a gaming rig now in a Cooler Master case because it met my needs and I really wanted the industrial look for this build. I am currently, though, gathering parts for a folding@home computer and only have the case and mobo left to complete. I really like the sleek lines of this case and if it is only half as quiet as my old P180, well the decision is easy. Just need to get my hands on one... Thanks Antec. And thanks Anandtech for the review.peter29 - Wednesday, February 8, 2012 - link
Would you recommend this case for installation of one lowend card (display) and 2xgtx580? Iam building PC for CAD/GPU rendering. My concern is balance between noise and thermals. Iam looking for case which keeps system very quiet while iam modeling/drawing. But it must hold temperatures below 85C when rendering (2x gtx580 under full load - yes i know it wont be quiet when rendering). Motherboard will be Asus Maximus IV P67 + i5 2500k slightly OCed. Thank you for help.HyperDuckling - Thursday, May 30, 2013 - link
which one should i pick: Bitfenix ghost, Antec P280 or Fractal Design Define R4? i'm looking for a silent case which still has a pretty good airflow (at least has to be better than CM Elite 430!)