Antec Performance One
by Purav Sanghani on February 13, 2005 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
The P160 at First Glance
We have seen a great many cases with varying aesthetics, so it is difficult to differentiate between a theme and a normal, generalized look. Antec goes only as far as adding lighting at the front of the case, but we feel that, in this case (pun intended), they haven't really gone as far out there as some of the things that we have seen.
At the top of the P160's bezel, there is a unique auxiliary port module that rotates 45 degrees to aim wiring at a closer level to the user. Many cases feature these audio in/out, USB, and FireWire ports either at the bottom or on the side of the bezel, which limits where the case can be placed relative to the user. We feel that the top of the bezel is the best placement for the auxiliary ports since, when either placed on a desk or on the floor, the auxiliary ports are only 2 feet away from our heads. This module also features a power button on the right side as well as a smaller reset button on the left half.
To rotate the module, we press a small button on the left side to unlock it. It is not an extremely smooth motion, and we feel like it is pulling on something in the inside. We can see straight through the smoked plastic to the circuit board, on which each component lies.
The auxiliary module also has a simple, but effective, built-in temperature monitor that shows the temperature of two separate components using two sensors on the inside. The 2x1 digit display switches between the two at a set interval of about 5 seconds. The temperature can also be switched between Celsius and Fahrenheit by way of a small button switch on the inside of the case.
Moving down to the drive bays, we see that the first two 5-1/4" bays have optical bezels installed with "eject" as well as "play" and "track forward" buttons on the right with a clear strip just left of the buttons for the drive activity LEDs to shine through. The last two of the four 5-1/4" drive bezels are plain silver to match the rest of the bezel.
Below those bays, we see two vertically centered 3-1/2" bays; the first, occupied by a floppy drive bezel to match.
The bottom of the bezel consists of three vent holes, each lined on the inside with chrome paint. The vents have a black metal grill to hide the fan. Directly underneath the vents is the "Antec" name/logo molded into the plastic bezel and the bezel itself is framed by chrome painted plastic.
The only features of the left side panel are the dual 2-position locks, which secure the panel onto the case. In the vertical position, the locks hook onto the case's shell. The one at the back features a keylock design, which provides added security. Antec also provides thumbscrews at the back of the case to secure each panel.
Instead of metal or plastic feet at the bottom, Antec has installed rubber feet. For those of us with wood floors or desks, it is a great replacement and will eliminate the chances of scratches.
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ElFenix - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
thanks for reviewing a professional looking case =)ViRGE - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
I too own this case and would like to make a couple of comments:1) I agree partially that it's a flimsy case. This isn't something Antec did wrong, rather it's just something that comes with using Al. If you're moving from a standard steel case, care is required. Also, the last time I swapped out an optical drive, I had issues with the rail effectively getting stuck in place; I don't know if I had some warping or what, but it was a fairly concerning problem.
2) The case cools fine with just the included fan. I ran a AXP 2600+ system just fine with the stock setup, though I did add a second fan later on when I added some more hard drives, and wanted to force more air across them. I don't know if this holds true for A64/P4 setups though.
3) The rear fan could be better. Antec ships the case without the fan installed, so you need to install it yourself. The pre-install some sort of rubber fastener on the fan, the idea being that like the grommets on the HD trays, the fasteners will reduce noise, but it also makes the fan difficult to install if you haven't installed a fan with them before. The problem is that when I pulled through the first one, it ripped, so I had to put a screw on in place. There's a very specific amount of force required to pull it through and not rip it, and there's no way to know until you've tried, likely ripping one in the process.
4) The washable air filter rocks. It won't keep out all the dust in your system, but it greatly reduces the amount of dust that needs to be removed from the system, and the filter is a snap to remove and clean, which means less work in the end.
5) I can't say enough praise for the "auxiliary port module." I keep my P160 at the foot of my desk, so it's at the perfect height to reach stuff, whereas anything lower would require actually bending down to use. The Firewire port is a very nice touch too, though wiring it up is difficult since it requires manually placing 7 pins(not that Antec could have done better since there isn't a standard).
6) I should probably mention customer service. I got rid of my floppy drive a few months back and needed a plain 3.5" bezel to replace the floppy one; I asked Antec where I could get one, and they sent me one for free, no questions asked.
In the end, it's a very good luxury case, and I don't see myself replacing it for some time. I just wish Antec had included a power supply.
PrinceGaz - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
That looks like a very nice functional case, rather like the Al Lian-Li waiting for my next build.It would be good if you could still review some stupid looking cases as the comments readers post are always amusing (even if like most of us I never read past the first page of the review of those attrocities) ;)
phaxmohdem - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
I went to MIcro Center to purchase a GAming Bomb II when it first came out and nearly shat my pants when I compared prices and features between that and this P160. Needless to say I am the proud owner of this P160 case and couldn't be happier with it.The rubber grommets on the HDDS keep my raptops eerily silent. Highly recommended
Ovven - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
i think i'll stay with my Antec Sonata case :)cHodAXUK - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Great review, I own a P160 myself and I completely agree with the authors conclusions. For those people saying it is cheap and nasty well at it's price point ($115) it is by far the best constructed aluminium case around and it looks flashy whilst remaining easy on the eye. The front of the case is an aquired taste sure, but cheap it is not and I am certain that most people will like it. I base that of what people have actually said when they saw my P160 for the first time, after having my P160 for 9 months I still find it attractive and from a practical standpoint it has been a superb case to work on.semo - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
hallelujah!someone at anandtech must have eradicated those demonic objects of evil that have often appeared in articles here, slowly consuming the soul of its reviewers.
drifter106 - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
someone will let me know if this is wrong to post, but... if can be found using pricegrabber for less than 114.00 ship...strike with me with a wet noodle if i did a no-no
drifter106 - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
thanks for the review. this was my choice until i came across the stacker.CrystalBay - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Does it cool adequately with the single provided fan???