The Phanteks Enthoo Pro Case Review
by E. Fylladitakis on March 30, 2015 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- Full-Tower
- Case
- Phanteks
Conclusion
Phanteks designed the Enthoo Pro to be "beautifully crafted, amazingly flexible, budget friendly and with maximized cooling potential". Of course, it is next to impossible for a product to excel at everything, such as appearance, versatility, quality, performance and value all at the same time. The balance of these five aspects is what actually matters. To that end, we feel that Phanteks hit the nail on the head with the Enthoo Pro, as all five of the main characteristics that define a case are in balance with each other.
Aesthetics are a subjective matter and each person should select a case based on his/her own preferences, in conjunction with the environment that the case will be installed. The Enthoo Pro is a large tower with fairly subtle, modern design; most people should find it sufficiently appealing for their gaming systems and workstations. Although the front panel is actually plastic, its metal-like appearance adds style that only an expert can spot without getting too close. Only the dual side panel window makes the Enthoo Pro a little too "aggressive", while its presence is questionable because of the front window being right on the metallic sidewall, but those seeking a more elegant appearance can select the solid side panel.
The thermal performance of the Enthoo Pro may not be stellar but it certainly is on par with the competition. With just its stock cooling fans, the Enthoo Pro can match and outperform other similarly priced and or sized cases. Even without extra cooling options, the Enthoo Pro can keep a very powerful system sufficiently cool and stable. Also, not only there are numerous slots for extra fans and radiators, but their installation positions are not fixed - they can be shifted on their installation rails, lifting compatibility and versatility even higher.
Finally yet importantly, the Enthoo Pro makes a good compromise between quality and price. Phanteks designed the case well, the materials are very good and the frame is very sturdy, especially if one considers that the chassis can be dismantled. The Enthoo Pro currently retails for $100 with a window, as the one presented in this review, or for $90 with a solid right side panel - shipped. For the features, quality and versatility of the case, its retail price is very competitive, making a high performance, spacious and modular case affordable to the advanced user and seasoned modder.
It is crystal clear that the Enthoo Pro is a great asset for Phanteks - not for its appearance, features or even performance, but for the roomy interior and its modular chassis. The Enthoo Pro is not too expensive, large or complex, yet it is spacious and versatile enough to be a modder's dream case. If the appearance of the Enthoo Pro pleases you and you want a spacious, adaptable and fairly priced case, it should easily find its way among the first places of your shortlist.
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ncsaephanh - Monday, March 30, 2015 - link
Love this case! First saw it on Linus tech tips, and used it for my brother's build and was immediately impressed by not only the features of the case, but the roominess. Tons of room for expansion, along with a simple and sleek aesthetic while not sacrificing airflow (the filters BTW are very easy to access). Cable management is also fantastic. Cannot recommend this case any more than I already have.twanto - Monday, March 30, 2015 - link
Does spell-check not exist for internet articles?bigboxes - Tuesday, March 31, 2015 - link
Yes it does. I only wish that douche-check was standard operating procedure.Folterknecht - Tuesday, March 31, 2015 - link
When you speak greek (I think it is) as good as the author speaks english you can come back and complain. Until then stfu!Murloc - Tuesday, March 31, 2015 - link
that's a 11.16 oz can, it's not 11.2 oz!!!!11gopher1369 - Wednesday, April 1, 2015 - link
Agreed with you. My gaming setup is ITX: Coolermaster Elite 130 case, 256Gb SSD and 1Tb laptop harddrive. It's great and sits in my AV unit under my TV next to my Xbox.gopher1369 - Wednesday, April 1, 2015 - link
*sigh* my comment was meant to be a reply to an earlier comment, but it's stuck it on the end. Also no obvious way to edit/delete, anyone?I blame my old and horribly locked down work PC with IE8.
46460 - Saturday, April 4, 2015 - link
I bought the Enthoo Primo about a year and a half ago right when it came out and it's the END ALL of cases. Stock, it can fit 2x480mm rads + a 240mm, but I modded the side and cut out a bit of the drive bays for ANOTHER 480mm rad. So right now I have 3x480mm rads with Delta fans, a huge reservoir with an Iwaki RD20 pump on the back; it's almost powerful to passively cool my overclocked 3930k and an R9 290. The case quality is fantastic. Also, I want to point out that the PWM controller that it came with is AMAZING. Can control a large quantity of fans with your motherboard and OS software real time..really a great feature, along with the quality 140mm fans it included (3).All in all, I love my case with all of its space, and despite a front fascia that doesn't quite stick flush I am very happy with my purchase and wouldn't hesitate to buy it again at $250. I must say, however, I underestimated the sheer size of WEIGHT of the unit; fully stocked, my PC weighs like 70 pounds, but it's totally worth it ;)
echtogammut - Wednesday, April 8, 2015 - link
No comment on the drawing on the front of the box? How did something like that pass cursory review?Posaune - Saturday, July 24, 2021 - link
This idea that ALL cases should ditch older tech storage housing is odd - reality is like this: there are MARKET SEGMENTS; this has 5.25 bays, which I will be filling with an ASUS DVD drive (writer) which allows me to easily play a library of existing DVDs and to rip my pretty large CD library. It's simple I fit in with that segment. There is another segment which does none of this. Think long and hard about tech: there is still terrestrial radio and it remains quite healthy. This is tech of the turn of the last century. Still with us and not going away.