Have owned the 160 for sometime now..
Pro..Easy to set up. Great working case
Cons..Not enough room for the HD molex connectors and ribbons in the back of the case
Thoughts..I hated the window so I had a new Plexiglass one made. $30.Light blue and it look great.
I have owned a lot of cases in the 17 years with computers and this one is the 8/10
I would like to second the request for a P180 review. That looks like a lot better case, in terms of air flow and cooling, than the P160.
One thing I found strange, is that while Anandtech found the P160 the second quietest case, it's not even on SilentPCReview's (SPCR) recommended list. They rated it, and said it was noisy, though they don't much like Al cases in general. Still, odd the different results. Here's the SPCR review URL: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article128-page1.htm...
Also, they like Antec cases, a lot, so it's not an anti-Antec thing.
I have built 2 system with this case and once you get to know it well, it would be hard to buy another. Mine came with 2 fans from Newegg.
Ideal for SATA
Cons..
Tough to use round cables on the HD's not enough room on the back side of the drives.
This case had a few points that I was looking for in a new case.
1) Front bezel is an acquired taste for some but it's not that bad. I wanted something with matching drive covers so you don't see the ugly as heck CD/DVD drives but rather a uniform and pleasing design. The oval fan grill design is not that great but it's really not that bad. I would have preferred a plain Jane mesh grill design though. I would have also loved for it to be all metal even steel.
2) Firewire and USB ports on the front. I do like the way they are positioned and while it's not the most solid feeling device I don't think it feels too cheap.
3) Large intake and exhaust area. Yeah, you can put a place for 120mm fans but if you cover 80% of the coverage area with a useless design or some tiny holes then it does jack and sh_t for you. You might as well have a 80mm hole in that case cause you're probably pushing the same amount of air. It always drives me nuts when case designers get a brainfart and choke off the intake and exhaust areas with a useless design or tiny holes. Usually on an otherwise nice looking case too. 120mm fans also are great for good airflow at lower noise.
3) Roomy interior. This is not exactly the most roomy case I've worked in but it's hardly tiny.
Overall I felt I got what I paid for in this case. Are there better cases out there? Sure, and with a higher price tag to match it. I would have liked an integrated PSU but they most likely would have given you a 350-400 watt one. I have opted for a 520w PSU for future proofing myself so it wasn't a huge minus as I would have very very likely removed that PSU anyways.
I love my Antec P160 as well. Note that although Anandtech didn't mention it, there is a model with a side window, which is the model I have. That model comes with two 120mm fans stock (I have added a custom blowhole to the top of my case for a third 120mm unit). Even if it didn't though, I think true enthusiasts like to choose their fans based on noise/airflow requirements, and the important thing is having 120mm mounts for high airflow at low noise, which this case does well.
Kudos to Anandtech for their first review (in awhile) of a high-quality, good looking case that combines function and form.
Smn198 is right on. The decibel graphs should be logarithmic. I'm sure excel can do that rather easily. Much easier for people to compare and its about bloody time the manufacturers start to get pressured about the unbearable sound levels (Hello Intel :D)
From looking at the P180 stuff I feel it will cost quite a bit more. The P160 was about $160 or so when it launched if I recall correctly and the P180 does have a few more features. Personally I like the look of the P160 better but I'm glad they are doing it different though so there is a real choice to be made.
I'm with #18, to me this case is what you get when you start with a Sonata and
1) change from steel black to silver Al
2) add another 5 1/4 bay
3) move the front audio/firewire/usb ports to top from middle
4) add LED temp display
5) move the second 120mm fan mount to in front of HDs, from behind.
6) add a mb tray
7) ditch the doofy "Antec" airholes
so far so good, but then you
8) subtract the Sonata's 380s Truepower PSU
9) add $50 to the price (assuming you don't mind the hassle of the frequent $30 Sonata rebates)
$50 less for a case with PSU makes up for 1-7 IMO :)
Great case, very happy. My 2c:
1. Removing the front bexel: it is very easy to snap the top two plastic plugs holding the bezel to the fron of the case. Be careful.
2. The firewire and USB cables from the top panel can be confusing to tell apart.
3. I broke the lock on the window panel jsut testing it. Not using it anyway, but very breakable.
4. Mine came with the 2nd fan. I thought it wasn't going to so I bought one.
I have this case, I've had it for 2 months now and I love it. CompUSA has had sales on Antec cases recently. I got mine there. I helped a friend build his first PC recently and we used a Antec Solution series case that I can also say was top notch.
The things I was looking for in a case:
-NO FRONT DOOR
-NO STUPID ASS PRE-MOD
-Front firewire, USB, audio. Temp would be nice.
-Plenty of room for expansion
-Matching bezels for drives
-Adequate cooling. Air filter would be nice.
Guess what? P-160 fit the bill perfectly!
A few things not mentioned in the article, even though they've been said here:
-Rubber mounts for the fan
-Removable filter in the front
-Front bezel seems a little flimsy at first, but it is pretty rugged
-The included fan only has a molex connector
-There is an optional windowed side panel
-There are 3 blue LEDs in the chrome openings in the front of the case. They shine from the top onto the bottom, where the light bounces of the 45 degree surface towards you. It looks really sharp. Check out pictures on Newegg or somewhere. Also, they can be disabled by simply disconnecting a fan-type connector if you don't like them.
I only have the one case fan installed, and with the following set-up I run 33C while running folding@home and 37C after 12 hours of Prime95:
A64 3000+ (skt 939) overclocked to 2400 MHz
ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe (NF4)
Overclocked GeForce 6600GT
One ATA133 Harddrive
So you really only need the second fan if you have more than one harddrive, or you extreme overclock, or you have a P4. The case is so quiet that I set my CPU fan to run full blast all the time, because I can't really hear the difference between the speeds unless I have the side off.
The only thing I don't like is that the fan doesn't have a normal fan connector. My motherboard has fan controll capabilities that I want to take advantage of. But since everything is so quiet I am going to buy a fan for the front and while I'm at it I will replace the rear one.
Oh, and as was said, the connections for the firewire port are a pain in the ass, but that's because there is no standard and my motherboard manual did not give good info as to what pin was what.
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:
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.
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.
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.
#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.
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.
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) ;)
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
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.
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.
I really love my P160, no regrets about getting it at all. I looked at the other brands and they either had a lousy layout or less features, or just looked stupid.
I don't feel it is cheap or flimsy at all and frankly I'm glad it doesn't come with a psu so I could pick one I wanted instead of what would probably be a mid-level Antec unit.
1. The drive bays with the rubber gromets reduce sound emissions by acting as shock absorbers for the hard drives. They do reduce sound of drive accessing by quite a bit. Also, the trays protect the exposed electric components on the bottom of most hard drives.
2. The "wasted space" under the 4 drive bays is necessary for cabling, especially if rounded cables are used.
3. He didn't even mention the removable, washable air filter in the front of the case.
#8 no joke about psu. IMO Antec 1040esque tanks were thier last good ones. They still make them, even an AMB model(s) with true powers inside which are cheaper than this one is powersupplyless.
I disagree with author...This case is kinda cheap and flimsy. I seriously recommend Siverstone or lian li if you like aluminum. Has some lame plastic rotator port module that feel cheap too. Does'nt close right and does'nt blend.
I used both and prefer my Lian Li PC-73SLB but an order of magnitude. Check out cooler masters if low priced aluminum is what you want.
I got this on a real good sale at CompUSA a couple months ago. I returned it as I just didn't like the style of the front bezel. Also, at even that price I thought it should contain an Antec PS.
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sdgserv - Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - link
Have owned the 160 for sometime now..Pro..Easy to set up. Great working case
Cons..Not enough room for the HD molex connectors and ribbons in the back of the case
Thoughts..I hated the window so I had a new Plexiglass one made. $30.Light blue and it look great.
I have owned a lot of cases in the 17 years with computers and this one is the 8/10
bnorton - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
Your sound benchmarks do not include the Antec Sonata. Shouldn't any sound benchmarks include this case as a reference?bnorton - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
Your sound benchmark does not include the Antec Sonata. Shouldn't this case be included as a reference?bnorton - Monday, April 11, 2005 - link
Your sound benchmarks do not include the Antec Sonata. Shouldn't that be the reference?pwjone1 - Sunday, March 27, 2005 - link
I would like to second the request for a P180 review. That looks like a lot better case, in terms of air flow and cooling, than the P160.One thing I found strange, is that while Anandtech found the P160 the second quietest case, it's not even on SilentPCReview's (SPCR) recommended list. They rated it, and said it was noisy, though they don't much like Al cases in general. Still, odd the different results. Here's the SPCR review URL: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article128-page1.htm...
Also, they like Antec cases, a lot, so it's not an anti-Antec thing.
L3p3rM355i4h - Thursday, February 17, 2005 - link
Nice to see anandtech review something that isn't made for the "L337 H4><0rz" crowd.matrix2 - Thursday, February 17, 2005 - link
sdgfish - Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - link
I have built 2 system with this case and once you get to know it well, it would be hard to buy another. Mine came with 2 fans from Newegg.Ideal for SATA
Cons..
Tough to use round cables on the HD's not enough room on the back side of the drives.
akugami - Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - link
This case had a few points that I was looking for in a new case.1) Front bezel is an acquired taste for some but it's not that bad. I wanted something with matching drive covers so you don't see the ugly as heck CD/DVD drives but rather a uniform and pleasing design. The oval fan grill design is not that great but it's really not that bad. I would have preferred a plain Jane mesh grill design though. I would have also loved for it to be all metal even steel.
2) Firewire and USB ports on the front. I do like the way they are positioned and while it's not the most solid feeling device I don't think it feels too cheap.
3) Large intake and exhaust area. Yeah, you can put a place for 120mm fans but if you cover 80% of the coverage area with a useless design or some tiny holes then it does jack and sh_t for you. You might as well have a 80mm hole in that case cause you're probably pushing the same amount of air. It always drives me nuts when case designers get a brainfart and choke off the intake and exhaust areas with a useless design or tiny holes. Usually on an otherwise nice looking case too. 120mm fans also are great for good airflow at lower noise.
3) Roomy interior. This is not exactly the most roomy case I've worked in but it's hardly tiny.
Overall I felt I got what I paid for in this case. Are there better cases out there? Sure, and with a higher price tag to match it. I would have liked an integrated PSU but they most likely would have given you a 350-400 watt one. I have opted for a 520w PSU for future proofing myself so it wasn't a huge minus as I would have very very likely removed that PSU anyways.
LoneWolf15 - Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - link
I love my Antec P160 as well. Note that although Anandtech didn't mention it, there is a model with a side window, which is the model I have. That model comes with two 120mm fans stock (I have added a custom blowhole to the top of my case for a third 120mm unit). Even if it didn't though, I think true enthusiasts like to choose their fans based on noise/airflow requirements, and the important thing is having 120mm mounts for high airflow at low noise, which this case does well.Kudos to Anandtech for their first review (in awhile) of a high-quality, good looking case that combines function and form.
expostfacto - Monday, February 14, 2005 - link
I have this case. Overall, I'm happy with it. Remember that it is aluminum and soft. I have only stripped out one screw hole so far...Live - Monday, February 14, 2005 - link
Smn198 is right on. The decibel graphs should be logarithmic. I'm sure excel can do that rather easily. Much easier for people to compare and its about bloody time the manufacturers start to get pressured about the unbearable sound levels (Hello Intel :D)puddnhead - Monday, February 14, 2005 - link
I think #38 makes a VERY good suggestion for the reviewers here to implement. The results graphs would be much more meaningful.Filibuster - Monday, February 14, 2005 - link
#33 I can't say it any better. I love mine.From looking at the P180 stuff I feel it will cost quite a bit more. The P160 was about $160 or so when it launched if I recall correctly and the P180 does have a few more features. Personally I like the look of the P160 better but I'm glad they are doing it different though so there is a real choice to be made.
smn198 - Monday, February 14, 2005 - link
Good review as always, this time with a good case too ;)Can I make one suggestion though? As decibels are logrithmic, can the graphs be shown as such. e.g. 60dB should be twice the size of 50db.
bob661 - Monday, February 14, 2005 - link
The Aspire X-Alien case that is the same internally as this Antec for $73 at newegg.puddnhead - Monday, February 14, 2005 - link
I'm with #18, to me this case is what you get when you start with a Sonata and1) change from steel black to silver Al
2) add another 5 1/4 bay
3) move the front audio/firewire/usb ports to top from middle
4) add LED temp display
5) move the second 120mm fan mount to in front of HDs, from behind.
6) add a mb tray
7) ditch the doofy "Antec" airholes
so far so good, but then you
8) subtract the Sonata's 380s Truepower PSU
9) add $50 to the price (assuming you don't mind the hassle of the frequent $30 Sonata rebates)
$50 less for a case with PSU makes up for 1-7 IMO :)
crimsonson - Monday, February 14, 2005 - link
Nice case. I am still using my Lian-LI PC 60 [a classic].I am looking for a compareable case but with 5 5"bays on the front instead of 4. Anybody have a sugestion.
TR0J - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Great case, very happy. My 2c:1. Removing the front bexel: it is very easy to snap the top two plastic plugs holding the bezel to the fron of the case. Be careful.
2. The firewire and USB cables from the top panel can be confusing to tell apart.
3. I broke the lock on the window panel jsut testing it. Not using it anyway, but very breakable.
4. Mine came with the 2nd fan. I thought it wasn't going to so I bought one.
huges84 - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
I have this case, I've had it for 2 months now and I love it. CompUSA has had sales on Antec cases recently. I got mine there. I helped a friend build his first PC recently and we used a Antec Solution series case that I can also say was top notch.The things I was looking for in a case:
-NO FRONT DOOR
-NO STUPID ASS PRE-MOD
-Front firewire, USB, audio. Temp would be nice.
-Plenty of room for expansion
-Matching bezels for drives
-Adequate cooling. Air filter would be nice.
Guess what? P-160 fit the bill perfectly!
A few things not mentioned in the article, even though they've been said here:
-Rubber mounts for the fan
-Removable filter in the front
-Front bezel seems a little flimsy at first, but it is pretty rugged
-The included fan only has a molex connector
-There is an optional windowed side panel
-There are 3 blue LEDs in the chrome openings in the front of the case. They shine from the top onto the bottom, where the light bounces of the 45 degree surface towards you. It looks really sharp. Check out pictures on Newegg or somewhere. Also, they can be disabled by simply disconnecting a fan-type connector if you don't like them.
I only have the one case fan installed, and with the following set-up I run 33C while running folding@home and 37C after 12 hours of Prime95:
A64 3000+ (skt 939) overclocked to 2400 MHz
ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe (NF4)
Overclocked GeForce 6600GT
One ATA133 Harddrive
So you really only need the second fan if you have more than one harddrive, or you extreme overclock, or you have a P4. The case is so quiet that I set my CPU fan to run full blast all the time, because I can't really hear the difference between the speeds unless I have the side off.
The only thing I don't like is that the fan doesn't have a normal fan connector. My motherboard has fan controll capabilities that I want to take advantage of. But since everything is so quiet I am going to buy a fan for the front and while I'm at it I will replace the rear one.
Oh, and as was said, the connections for the firewire port are a pain in the ass, but that's because there is no standard and my motherboard manual did not give good info as to what pin was what.
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 :DLive - 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
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???Filibuster - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
I really love my P160, no regrets about getting it at all. I looked at the other brands and they either had a lousy layout or less features, or just looked stupid.I don't feel it is cheap or flimsy at all and frankly I'm glad it doesn't come with a psu so I could pick one I wanted instead of what would probably be a mid-level Antec unit.
vanionBB - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
You missed a few key things in this review.1. The drive bays with the rubber gromets reduce sound emissions by acting as shock absorbers for the hard drives. They do reduce sound of drive accessing by quite a bit. Also, the trays protect the exposed electric components on the bottom of most hard drives.
2. The "wasted space" under the 4 drive bays is necessary for cabling, especially if rounded cables are used.
3. He didn't even mention the removable, washable air filter in the front of the case.
This case rules, I want one!
Zebo - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
#8 no joke about psu. IMO Antec 1040esque tanks were thier last good ones. They still make them, even an AMB model(s) with true powers inside which are cheaper than this one is powersupplyless.Zebo - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
I disagree with author...This case is kinda cheap and flimsy. I seriously recommend Siverstone or lian li if you like aluminum. Has some lame plastic rotator port module that feel cheap too. Does'nt close right and does'nt blend.I used both and prefer my Lian Li PC-73SLB but an order of magnitude. Check out cooler masters if low priced aluminum is what you want.
bupkus - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
I got this on a real good sale at CompUSA a couple months ago. I returned it as I just didn't like the style of the front bezel. Also, at even that price I thought it should contain an Antec PS.Michael D - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Ahh, this is the type of case review I was looking for; an article of something nice and sleek without some silly, bulbous alien theme. :)Does anyone know how the P160 compares to the Lian Li PC6077 (the other aluminum chassis I'm looking at)?
Locut0s - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Thanks for reviewing real enthusiast cases again!cnq - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Yeah this case has been out a while, but better a late review than never. I've got the one with a window frame; newegg has em at good prices usually.Avalon - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Good looking case. The price is out of my range, though, but not overly expensive.jensend - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Wasn't this case introduced in 4Q2003?Swaid - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Now you need to get your hands on the Antec P180!Bonesdad - Sunday, February 13, 2005 - link
Good looking case...thanks so much for reviewing a case for adults. More, More, More!!!psiclonehi - Monday, August 22, 2016 - link
Funny thing. I noticed this thread is very old, but I had to put in a word for this case. I still use mine and love it!