Benchmarks - Thermal

Describing the cooling equipment that comes with a case just doesn't cut it for us. We need to see how it actually performs, to determine if it is actually as effective as what the manufacturer's claim. We have hand-picked a full system that we believe to model the current system setup for the average user.

PC Mid-Tower Test Bed

Chaintech VNF3-250
AMD Athlon64 3200+
OCZ PC3200 DDR x 2
Zalman CNPS7000 Copper
Seagate Barracuda 120GB SATA
ATI 9800XT
OCZ 520W PowerStream


Click to enlarge.

The thermal readings for the key components and points on the motherboard during operation were as follows. The numbers in each square represent the temperature of that particular section of the case in degrees Celsius:


Click to enlarge.

We added an extra 120mm fan in the front of the case to level the field with the other cases that we have looked at. The fan is rated at the same speed and sound output as the one included with the P160. Our results show the average temperature of the system's ambient air to be between 29-30 degrees.

Take a look at the temperature readings of each critical component in our test rig.


Click to enlarge.

We didn't expect the P160 to perform different from the PC-V1000 from Lian Li. Since adding that second fan would pretty much give the P160 the same cooling setup as the V1000, and the only difference was the slight variation in the layout of the hardware, we expected the very same average temperatures. Since our look at the V1000, our thermal benchmarking methodology has changed, but we still measure the temperatures of each critical component. The P160 performed well, cooling each individual component with the two 120mm fans.


The Installation Process Benchmarks - Sound
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  • LX - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

    Will the 180's price be comparable?
  • AtaStrumf - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

    Nice: cables connected, screws in place :-)

    I even know now why it takes you so little time
    to put it together. Because you already have mobo, RAM, CPU, HSF assembled and everything else is already out of the box. Not a typical situation whenever I was building a PC though.

    Anyway, I have a couple of suggestions for future case reviews:

    CHIEFTEC Dragon DX-01BD-U or similar

    http://www.chieftec.com/products/Workcolor/Dragon....

    Thermaltake Tsunami

    http://www.thermaltake.com/XaserCase/tsunami/tsuna...
  • cHodAXUK - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

    Damn, some of the Antec P180 previews make it look damn good, think I might be upgrading soon :D
  • Live - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

    Nice review of a decent case for a change. Hopefully you will get your hands on the upcoming P180 as it looks to be a great case. I would love to see more reviews of Antec cases as I see them as the ones to beat. So if a case is better and cheaper then Antec case you know your on to a winner. So while you wait for the P180 and the Sonata 2 take a look at the budget SLK 3000B and the rest of the 3XXX series.
  • FearlessUser - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

    I got this case from Newegg for $110 with a clear side window, the one without the window is like $15 more. And I've read many places that the case only comes with 1 120mm fan, but I got 2. http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?desc...
    Nice looking case, I just have to get a few more things to put the rest together.
  • cHodAXUK - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

    How about a review of the Asus Vento 3600? ;)

    Have a look...

    http://www.tekheads.co.uk/s/product?product=603913

    Thinking of building a PC in one of those for my 11yr old nephew, hopefully it will be *BLING* enough for him :)
  • IKeelU - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

    Nice review.

    btw do you guys plan on reviewing the lian-li V1100? I heard it's really quiet, and I wonder how it compares to this one in terms of usability, sound, and temps.
  • IKeelU - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

  • bupkus - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

    #17 said: "..at it's price point ($115) it is by far the best constructed aluminium case around..."
    I got an all AL Cooler Master a couple years back and was floored with the quality. Unlike the P160, it was a real work of art. It was a newegg refurb so it was real cheap and flawless! ;) Of course, by today's standards, the 80mm ceiling fan just doesn't do it, but that was then.

    #18 - Ditto. Although I do like Al, I like the value I have with my Sonata as it comes with a True Power 380W PS for less than the P160 without.

    #21 - I agree about the rubber fan mounts. Yesterday, I removed the 120mm fan as it kept slipping off two of it's rubber inserts. I'm thinking of remounting with some metal screws and rubber washers from Home Depot. The fan itself vibrates more than it should, so it's not balanced very well.
  • ElFenix - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link

    "The external look was also easy on the eyes and we believe that many will accept this model over any of the pre-mod cases that we have reviewed. "


    hahahah

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