Antec pushes forward
Sometimes, when you right something correctly the first time, it still fits:
Antec is one of the most storied brands when it comes to enthusiast class components like cases and power supplies. Unfortunately, the whims of the gamer change on a breeze as most will swap between company allegiances whenever the performance or features dictate. Antec has fallen into this trap over the last few years as many in the community moved on from the likes of the ever-present P180 to newer and more innovative designs from other companies. Having realized this internally and making moves to take care of that slide, Antec is going to start producing some modern cases with improved specifications.
I wrote those words as the introduction to our Antec SOLO II review and they still stand true. The SOLO II was a good case for its small size but the new Antec P280 attempts to reenergize the excitement around the Performance One series of cases, well known for the P180/190 lineage. The P280 continues with specific features like the 270 degree swinging door and sound dampening material but does it offer up enough additional features to catch the competition that has passed Antec?
Check out our video review below and continue reading if you want to see a collection of still photos and our final thoughts!
Overall, I think the new Antec P280 is a great case for the price, coming in at $139 (and likely lower) at launch. The case offers what I would now call "staple" features like the grommeted cable routing openings around the motherboard and a large CPU cooler installation opening while keeping what made the Performance One series of cases great including sound dampening material on the front door and side panels and the classic swinging door. Extras like the dedicated 2.5-in drive bays, rubber feet for the standard 3.5-in HDDs, 9 expansion slots and the side access fan filter for the power supply really show that Antec is moving in the right direction again.
Continue reading our Antec P280 review for photos and commentary!!
Antec Announces P280 Enclosure
Subject: Cases and Cooling | November 16, 2011 - 12:01 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: antec, p280
Fremont, CA – November 15, 2011 – Antec, Inc. is proud to announce the P280, the newest member of the award-winning Performance One Series.
The P280 reflects the sophisticated appearance and Quiet Computing engineering of its Performance One predecessors, while offering a new set of features at an attractive price for users building with current- and next-gen hardware.
Continuing the legacy of Performance One enclosures, the P280 integrates quiet technologies such as sound-dampening steel / polycarbonate side panels, a triple-layer front door and hard drive trays with preinstalled vibration-reducing silicone grommets. Its understated aesthetics will appeal to gamers and enthusiasts who prefer a stylish, functional appearance.
Every feature in the P280, from the enlarged internal layout to the air filters & fan mounts, is included to accommodate high-end systems. Supporting up to XL-ATX sized motherboards and four-way GPU configurations, it offers a new level of expandability in the Performance One series.
Understanding the importance of convenience and ease-of-use, the P280 includes tool-less optical drive bays, 3.5” drive trays that are also compatible with 2.5” drives, 30 mm of cable routing space behind the motherboard tray and six total cable routing holes, four of which are grommet-lined. The front & PSU intake filters can be removed without taking off the side panel or tipping the case.
“Performance One has always had a special place in the hearts and minds of our customers,” said Mafalda Cogliani, Global Marketing Director at Antec. “With convenience & ease-of-use coupled with an attractive price point, we expect P280 to introduce customers new and old to the next generation of Performance One.”
The P280 reaches store shelves and online retail outlets in late November for North America and early December for Europe with a MSRP of $139.95 and € 139, respectively.
For more information on the P280, please visit the product page at http://www.antec.com/PerformanceOneP280 and the product overview video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=resILqGJTnc.
Also keep your eye out on the front page for a video review of this case from Ryan in the coming weeks.
Antec Shows New Eleven Hundred and P280 Cases at Blizzcon 2011
Subject: Cases and Cooling | October 22, 2011 - 01:06 PM | Zach Barnett
Tagged: p280, eleven hundred, chassis, antec, 1100
I hope everyone took at a look at our Day 1 Blizzcon 2011 photos yesterday (and liked our Facebook page for it!), and if you did you already got a sneak peek at the new Antec cases that I am going to feature here today. Antec has a pretty big presence at Blizzcon including a booth with a lot of ongoing competitions and prizes as well as providing ALL of the cases for the World of Warcraft, StarCraft II and Diablo III free play areas.
Both the new Eleven Hundred (or 1100 I guess) and the P280 are based on the same basic chassis design but with some interesting differences to point out. Let's start with the Eleven Hundred:
Antec's upcoming Eleven Hundred chassis
This case is going to attempt to bring the Antec design back into the world of high performance users and gamers and starts with a full-size ATX that includes plenty of airflow. You can see that the front of the case includes a pair of fans while the side window does the same.
Below the window is a removable fan intake filter for the bottom mounted power supply. This was actually one of my many requests to case builders - don't make me move my case out of its area to clean the filters!
Taking off the side panel you can see the removable drive bays and plenty of room for longer graphics cards.
Continue reading our preview of the upcoming Antec Eleven Hundred and P280 cases!!
Blizzcon 2011 Day 1 Photos
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Shows and Expos | October 21, 2011 - 07:28 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: wow, starcraft, nvidia, LG, diablo iii, diablo, blizzcon 2011, blizzcon, asus, antec
Hey everyone! I am still busily collecting information at Blizzcon 2011 but I thought I would share with you some of the photos I took from the first half of the first day of the show. If you haven't experienced Blizzcon before (and I hadn't) this is one hell of a celebration of PC gamers. Even if you aren't a fan of StarCraft, World of Warcraft or Diablo, this is an impressive event with a main stage area seating 15,000!!!
Check out all the photos on our Facebook page here (available to public as well!) I'll have some coverage of the Antec, ASUS and NVIDIA booth as well later in the evening so be sure to check back.
Here are a couple more samples, but be sure you check out the link above for ALL of the the photos!!
Antec's barely there LanBoy Air
Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 13, 2011 - 06:13 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: antec, lanboy air yellow
The new Antec LanBoy Air Yellow has a very different look to. The exterior is almost entirely mesh apart from some very yellow highlights and the design is modular allowing you to remove parts of the case for easy access. There are quite a few fans installed by default with space for more and two rubber grommets on the back allow for an external radiator for those who prefer liquid cooling. RealWorldLabs warns that the over $200 price tag may scare some off but they feel the case is worth every penny.
"The latest Antec offering in their gamers PC case line called the LanBoy Air doesn't only feature a modular design never seen before, very good build quality, low weight and superior airflow but it also allows you to customize pretty much every aspect of it in order to meet your exact needs."
Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:
- Corsair Carbide 400R Mid-Tower Chassis Review @ Techgage
- Thermaltake Chaser MK-1 @ techPowerUp
- NZXT Source 210 Elite Mid Tower Case Review @ ThinkComputers
- Xigmatek Elysium Super Tower Case Review @ Hi Tech Legion
- NZXT Tempest 410 Case Review @ Neoseeker
- SilverStone Temjin TJ08-E Case Review @ Hardware Secrets
- Thermaltake Chaser MK-1 Case Review @ Neoseeker
- Antec One Hundred Mid Tower Case Review @ ThinkComputers
- Akasa FC-Trio Fan Controller Review @ eTeknix
- NZXT Sentry Mix Fan Controller @ Benchmark Reviews
- Corsair Hydro Series H80 Liquid-Cooling System or More Water for Processors @ X-bit Labs
- Thermaltake Frio OCK CPU Cooler Review @ Hi Tech Legion
- Spire Gemini SP986B1-V2-2P Heatsink Review @ Frostytech
- Coolermaster Hyper 612S @ OC3D
- Prolimatech Genesis Super-Cooler @ X-bit Labs
- Phanteks PH-TC14PE @ OC3D
Podcast #169 - SSD Decoder Update, Antec SOLO II, ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, Ultrabook news and a Drobo contest!!
Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Graphics Cards, Processors, Storage, Mobile | September 8, 2011 - 03:23 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: ultrabook, ssd, podcast, eee pad transformer, drobo, decoder, asus, antec
PC Perspective Podcast #169 - 9/08/2011
Join us this week as we discuss the MARS II combo on Newegg, an update to the SSD Decoder, the new Antec SOLO II chassis, our review of the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer tablet, news on Ultrabook development and even announce a new contest partnership with Drobo!
You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still
The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!
- iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
- RSS - Subscribe through your regular
RSS reader - MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file
Hosts: Ryan Shrout, Josh Walrath, Jeremy Hellstrom, Allyn Malventano
This Podcast is brought to you by
Program Schedule:
- Introduction
- 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
- http://pcper.com/podcast
- http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
- MARS II Combo for $4000!
- SSD Decoder Update
- Kingwin Stryker 500W Fanless Power Supply Review
- Video Perspective: Antec SOLO II Chassis Review
- ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101 Review: Assemble!
- This Podcast is brought to you by MSI Computer, and their all new Sandy Bridge Motherboards!
- Zotac Releases New ZBOX Nano AD10 Series Mini PCs
- Toshiba Unveils Portege Z830 Ultrabook Series
- Bulldozer Infused Trinity APU Specifications Confirmed
- Intel Unveils 16 New 32nm Processors
- AMD Ships Bulldozer for Revenue- Interlagos though- will write up after the podcast and post on front page.
- Magma Unveils the First Three-Slot Thunderbolt Expansion Chassis
- Drobo contest
- Email from Wes about GPU selection
- Email from Chris about GPU whine
- Email from Lee about SSD security
- Email from a mystery writer about GPU stuttering
- Finally, a VIDEO QUESTION from David!
- Hardware / Software Pick of the Week
- Ryan: Blackmagic Intensity Pro
- Jeremy: Coil gun revolver with laser sty ((sight?) so there)
- Josh: Thermaltake eSports Shock Spin Diamond Black
- Allyn: Surefire LED flashlights
- 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
- http://pcper.com/podcast
- http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
- Closing
Antec SOLO II Chassis Review
Antec is one of the most storied brands when it comes to enthusiast class components like cases and power supplies. Unfortunately, the whims of the gamer change on a breeze as most will swap between company allegiances whenever the performance or features dictate. Antec has fallen into this trap over the last few years as many in the community moved on from the likes of the ever-present P180 to newer and more innovative designs from other companies. Having realized this internally and making moves to take care of that slide, Antec is going to start producing some modern cases with improved specifications.
First up on the list is the SOLO II, part of the Antec Sonata line of "Quiet Computing" products. The original SOLO was released in early 2006 and since then much has changed in the world of chassis for gamers and those more interested in noise reduction. Antec is hoping that the SOLO II will actually address a large portion of BOTH crowds with its small footprint, many noise-deleting features and several enthusiast-class nods included.
Check out our video review of the SOLO II and keep reading for some images of the newest Antec chassis!
Antec announces collaboration with NCsoft in conjunction with PAX
Subject: Shows and Expos | August 24, 2011 - 10:10 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: antec, PAX, penny arcade, contest
Antec, Inc., the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets, announced today its official relationship with video game developer & publisher NCsoft Corporation and its subsequent activity at PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) Prime 2011.
Antec will commence its relationship with NCsoft by opening an online boutique which, in the coming weeks, will let consumers purchase enclosures featuring custom NCsoft artwork from the City of Heroes, Guild Wars, Aion and future franchises.
Antec and NCsoft will team up at PAX Prime August 26th through August 28th, 2011 in Seattle, WA. Antec’s booth will be the only locale on the show floor where attendees can demo NCsoft’s upcoming City of Heroes Freedom.
Antec will also showcase an enclosures gallery with custom NCsoft artwork as a preview for what attendees can eventually order online. One of these select cases, equipped with hardware from Intel, Zotac, Kingston and Seagate, will be raffled off as a complete gaming PC.
“NCsoft is pleased to team up with Antec to bring our visual imagery from our award-winning line up of MMORPGs to their fans,” said Steve Levy, Global Director, Publishing, at NCsoft. “This is a great collaboration that will allow Antec’s customers to select a high performance PC enclosure and create a work of art that they will be proud to display.”
“We’re excited to kick off this new venture with NCsoft and invite our fans to give more personality to their PCs,” said Matthew Bosma, Director of Sales at Antec. “It has been great working with NCsoft and we’re looking forward to showing off their beautiful artwork to our fans and their fans, too.”
This year marks Antec’s fourth consecutive appearance at PAX Prime, and together with NCsoft, Antec promises to make its most exciting appearance at PAX yet.
Attendees can expect to see the latest Antec products including the upcoming SOLO II enclosure, which presents the uncompromising balance of Quiet Computing and performance.
Antec will also be demoing the soundscience rockus 3D | 2.1 speaker system in a sound-insulated room within the booth. Attendees will have the pleasure of experiencing the rockus’s capabilities in Kinect Fruit Ninja.
Join Antec at the Washington State Convention Center from August 26th through August 28th, 2011 to experience the latest Antec product lineup and exciting activities. For more information visit www.antec.com/pax2011 or follow the official Antec Facebook page for event updates at www.facebook.com/AntecInc.
Introduction and Features
Are you looking to put gaming-class power into your next build while working within a specific budget? Antec developed the High Current Gamer line for people who play games, for people who love games and spend countless hours gaming. The HCG series was designed to deliver the right balance between performance and high reliability at an affordable price.
Antec has one of the largest selections of PC power supplies on the market today and their High Current Gamer series offers five different power supply units ranging in output capacity from 400W up to 900W. The HCG-750 features 750W of continuous output power, is 80 Plus Bronze certified and incorporates all hard-wired cables with four PCI-E connectors, NVIDIA SLI-Ready and ATI CrossFire certification and typically sells for $100 USD.
Continue reading our full review of the Antec High Current Gamer 750 watt PSU!
It's not a fan controller, it's an Antec Veris multimedia controller that sits in your 5.25" bays
Subject: Systems | June 29, 2011 - 03:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Veris Multimedia Station Premier, htpc, antec
Antec has released a product which can help turn a PC in to an HTPC. It sits in the same place a fan controller would, taking over two 5.25" bays and looking a bit like a high end car stereo. The Veris Multimedia Station Premier comes with a remote as well as the main unit which allows you control over the machine while you are sitting on the couch, including being able to turn the machine off. After eTechnix downloaded the latest version of the software they delved into the many features and settings that are available which they found a little overwhelming initially. Check out their full review here.
"Antec Inc was founded 25 years ago. They aimed their high-performance computer components and accessories products at the gaming, PC upgrade and DIY markets. Over the last 25 years Antec has built up a very good reputation and are now best known for their PC cases and power supplies. As they have moved into the HTPC case market it makes sense to expand on that segment to release other products which might give them an advantage in the market over their competitors.
They now produce a range of media component products from hard drive enclosures to multimedia stations. Today we take a look at the Antec Veris Multimedia Station Premier which is designed to be a complete solution for home theatre PC builders or those users looking to enhance the media experience of their PC.
The Antec Veris Multimedia Station Premier fits into two 5.25" drive bays and provides access to your PC using the supplied remote control as well as providing information on its inbuilt LCD display."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Liteon iHES212 12x Internal Blu Ray @ XSReviews
- Zotac Z-Box Mini PC BluRay 250GB HTPC @ XSReview
- PCTV Nanotech T2 Review @ XSReviews
- How to Connect a New Receiver to a TV without HDMI Guide @ MissingRemote
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