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
It would seem that many companies are trying to diversify towards computer cases lately. Most of them originally are manufacturers of power and cooling products, but there are companies that began as GPU and RAM manufacturers as well. However, marketing case products can be very tricky. Functionality and value might not as important as aesthetics, depending on who you talk to. Today we are going to have a look at a case from Phanteks, a Dutch company whose high performance cooling solutions quickly made them very popular.
The Phanteks Enthoo Pro
Phanteks made a successful entry into the case market with the Enthoo Primo that we reviewed a year and a half ago. The Enthoo Primo was an excellent high-end case, although it came with a very hefty price tag. After their first successful attempt the company released a few more designs aiming to move a greater number of customers. All of the cases share the same series name "Enthoo" - not an actual word or name in any language based on the Latin alphabet but actually half the pronunciation of the word "enthusiast" (en-thoo-zee-ast). Today we are going to have a thorough look at their currently most popular case, the Enthoo Pro. The Enthoo Pro is a case designed for maximum cooling and versatility but retails for $90 (solid side panel) / $100 (window side panel), less than half the retail price of the Primo.
| Phanteks Enthoo Pro Specifications | ||
| Motherboard Size | EATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, SSI EEB | |
| Drive Bays | External | 3 x 5.25" |
| Internal | 6 x 2.5"/3.5" (internal drive cages) 1 x 2.5" (SSD Bracket) |
|
| Cooling | Front | 1 x 200mm (included) 2 x 120mm/140mm (optional if stock fan is removed) |
| Rear | 1 x 140/120mm (one 140mm included) | |
| Top | 3 x 140/120mm or 1 x 200mm (optional) | |
| HDD | 2 x 120mm (optional) | |
| Bottom | 1 x 140mm or 2 x 120mm (optional) | |
| Radiator Support | Front | Up to 240mm |
| Rear | 120mm/140mm | |
| Top | Up to 360mm/420mm | |
| Side | - | |
| Bottom | Up to 240mm/140mm | |
| I/O Port | 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, 1x Headphone, 1x Mic | |
| Power Supply Size | ATX | |
| Clearances | HSF | 193mm |
| PSU | - | |
| GPU | 347mm (472mm if HDD cages are removed) | |
| Dimensions | 535 mm × 235 mm × 550 mm (H×W×D) 21.06 in × 9.25 in × 21.65 in (H×W×D) |
|
| Prominent Features | - Extreme cooling capacity - 2 included Phanteks’ premium fans - The PWM hub makes it possible to control all the connected fans (also 3-pin fans) with PWM function through 1 PWM connector and create a better cable management. - Extensive water cooling support. Provides up to 4 different installation areas for slim and thick radiators varying from single to triple (120mm and 140mm form factors). Clearance for push-pull fan configurations. - Innovative liquid cooling mounting systems: radiator brackets for easy installation - Closed HDD panel strengthens the chassis’ rigidity, even when both HDD cages are removed. - Removable Drop-n-Lock SSD bracket that can be installed on 2 different locations. (1 bracket incl.) - Removable dust filters for easy maintenance. - Pre-installed cable management tools behind the motherboard tray that can be fastened and released. - 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, microphone, 3.5mm audio jack |
|
| Price | $90 (solid side panel) / $100 (window side panel) | |
Packaging and bundle
The packaging of the Enthoo Pro is simple with just a basic schematic of the case printed on the brown cardboard box. Inside the box, a nylon bag and astonishingly thin polystyrene foam slabs provide protection. Although we believe the aesthetics of the packaging to be unimportant, the functionality is in contrast quite importiant. Unfortunately, the packaging is far too basic for a case of this size and weight. The sample for this review received significant damage on its way to us, as the thin foam slabs had crumpled and the case was literally floating inside the box. The purchaser should always check the condition of the case before accepting its delivery.
Phanteks did an excellent job with the bundle of the Enthoo Pro. It may not be overly rich but is very well presented, with the screws and mounting hardware in a compartmentalized box. There also is a plate for the mounting of cooling systems, a few cable ties, two cable straps of different length and a very good manual.
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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.