Introduction and First Impressions

We look at the EVOLV ITX with a new red interior.

The Enthoo EVOLV ITX it is not a new enclosure, but this striking color scheme – black with a glossy red interior – is. We'll take a thorough look at this mini-ITX enclosure in this review, and see how well it performs enclosing a gaming build.

The EVOLV series from Phanteks includes ATX, micro-ATX, and this mini-ITX versions; with all three sharing a common design language, though some of the features naturally differ. With this smallest design Phanteks decided to retain enough size to permit the use of standard components, with room for ATX power supplies, full length graphics cards, and liquid CPU cooling with up to a 280 mm radiator.

The EVOLV ATX was my first experience with a Phanteks enclosure, and I was impressed with the build quality and thoughtful design touches. There is a different approach to building with mini-ITX that introduces new elements, including the ability of a system to remain cool and quiet with components in much tighter quarters.

Before taking a look at the enclosure we'll first check out the specifications from Phanteks.


Enthoo EVOLV ITX Specifications:

  • Form Factor: Mini ITX Tower
  • Materials: Steel Plates, Plastics, Steel chassis
  • Side window: Yes
  • Motherboard support: Mini ITX
  • Expansion slots: 2
  • Front I/O: 2x USB 3.0, Mic, Headphone, Reset
  • Storage: 
    • Internal 3.5”: 2 (1x extra upgrade slot)
    • Internal 2.5”: 1 (1x extra upgrade slot)
  • Cooling:
    • Front: 2x 120/140 mm or 1x 200 mm (included)
    • Top: 2x 120/140 mm
    • Rear: 1x 120/140 mm
  • Included PH-F200SP fan:
    • Speed (rpm): 850 ± 250 rpm
    • Max Airflow: 110.1 CFM
    • Static Pressure: 1.04 mm H2O
    • Acoustical Noise: 25 dB
  • Liquid Cooling:
    • Front: Up to 240 mm radiator
    • Top: Up to 240/280 mm radiator
    • Rear: 120/140 mm radiator
  • Clearance:
    • Graphic card: 330 mm (13 in)
    • CPU cooler: 200 mm (7.9 in)
    • Cable management: 28 mm (1.1 in)
    • Motherboard – Radiator: 
      • 120 mm form factor: 74 mm (2.9 in)
      • 140 mm form factor: 54 mm (2.1 in)
  • Dimensions (W x H x D): 230 x 375 x 395 mm
  • Warranty: 5 years

Thanks to Phanteks for providing the Enthoo EVOLV ITX for our review.

First Impressions

The Enthoo EVOLV ITX arrives in a typical enclosure carton, and inside there is thick styrofoam padding and a plastic bag protecting the enclosure's finish.

The accessory pack is basic, but everything you need is here – unless you need a second 2.5-inch drive mount (one is pre-mounted in the enclosure).

Looking at the front, the EVOLV ITX looks like a smaller version of the EVOLV ATX I reviewed last year, with identical design language.

The enclosure features a large side panel window

The EVOLV ITX's similiar design to the larger versions continues here with a look at the front.

Around back we see an opening for a 120/140 mm rear fan (not included), and our first taste of the bright red paint adorning the interior is visible on the expansion slot covers.

The EVOLV ITX offers a screen filter for the PSU, which slides out toward the rear. There is also a screen filter for the front intake, which we'll check out when we look inside the enclosure.

Finally, a look at the bottom of the enclosure, which sits on four rubber-tipped feet.

We'll look at the interior of the EVOLV ITX on the next page.

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