Antec P180 initial impressions (Haven't installed anything yet)

[dev0lution]

I like my P180, but I'm not so fond of the plastic on the front bezel around the door. Also, the lower drive cage and PSU clearances around the fan are pretty tight and I can see how I'd be able to swap out drives in this case very easily with the way I had to route the cables. Other than that it's been a great replacement for my old 1080AMG

 

[shiatan]

Here are the pics.
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/shiatan/Start.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/shiatan/FinalWireing1.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/shiatan/FinalWireing2.jpg
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/shiatan/TopBottom.jpg
I know I didn't do this right.

 

[MichaelD]

Shiatan, you DID do it right. :thumbsup:

Man, your PC is NICE! Very neat. I highly doubt my P180 will be that neat, but I'm going to try. All your PS wires are sleeved; did you do that or did it come that way? Mine won't be sleeved...but I'll try to make it as neat as possible.

Is there a reason why you're not using the top fan? You don't have the opening taped-off, either. Just curious. I do see that you're using Nexus fans instead of the stock Antecs (I will run mine on "low") and that you've removed the middle cage. I'm going to leave it in there...there won't be any drives in it.

Nice job! Thanks for the pics.

 

[natethegreat]

Mine:

side off

Front

Back

 

[MichaelD]

Nice job, Nate. Especially considering you've got a fan controller in there and had to run everything to the front of the case to attach to it. Nice dremel job on the back, too. You did it right with the edge molding. :thumbsup:

I notice your PCI slot covers aren't vented; mine are. Do you have a diff version of the case?

Two questions:

1. Why aren't you using the top fan?
2. Why aren't you using the bottom fan by the PSU?

 

[MichaelD]

Is anyone running wires under the MB? Which ones? Any probs? I'm thinking of running the 4-pin connector and fan wires under the MB.

 

[natethegreat]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
Nice job, Nate. Especially considering you've got a fan controller in there and had to run everything to the front of the case to attach to it. Nice dremel job on the back, too. You did it right with the edge molding. :thumbsup:

I notice your PCI slot covers aren't vented; mine are. Do you have a diff version of the case?

Two questions:

1. Why aren't you using the top fan?
2. Why aren't you using the bottom fan by the PSU?

I have the origional P180, they did a refresh a while back - Removed the VGA duct completely, replaced the 38mm lower fan with a 25mm, added clips to install a fan on the back of upper hdd cage, added vented card slots, and added a thicker front door.

1) Top fan did not affect temps at all, but removing it and taping off the hole made the comp less noisy. I could have removed the back fan instead but the top fan was not able to be soft-mounted easily.

2) The lower chamber fan is not effective either, I tested it and temps did not lower with a ~6v fan down there. I have taped off the vent-holes around the psu forcing it to draw air from the front of the case and across my hdd's. They run at 44° C I think...

I also have the vent next to the card slots taped off - I think the exhaust fan was drawing air from it instead of from the front of the case.

I have been very happy with this case and can't believe it when people say their components run hot in this case. Good luck with yours:thumbsup:

BTW, i just recieved a Freezer 64 Pro from newegg for $20 shipped on friday, looks like it should work great with it aimed at the rear exhaust fan.

 

[Qi]

Originally posted by: Kromis
Can somebody recommend a good Lian-Li case that compares with the P180?

It's hard to find a Lian-Li case that compares exactly to the Antec P180, but one case from Lian-Li that comes somewhat close is the Lian-Li PC-S80. You can find some reviews here:

AMD Review
Dan's Data
Box Gods
Virtual Hideout

The case is supposedly very quiet, just like the P180.

 

[MichaelD]

Thanks much, natethegreat.

Being that I've not actually used the case yet, I'm going to leave the VGU slots open and see what happens.

I'm a big believer in front-to-back airflow; servers are designed that way and so is any good PC case. But this is the first time I'm using a semi-BTX format, where the PSU and HDs are isolated in their own chamber as is the MB...so I'll have to see what happens with cooling.

I'm certainly not expecting any problems with cooling, though. I'm fairly sure the stock three fans run on LOW will be more than enough.

There's a better than 50% chance my AC Freezer will come tomorrow...if not tomorrow, then definitely on Tuesday. I just don't see the point in swapping everything over to the P180, only to have to replace the HSF the next day. Might as well wait...as my CPU sits at 60C idle. (E6400@3.20GHz)

 

[Kromis]

Originally posted by: Qi

Originally posted by: Kromis
Can somebody recommend a good Lian-Li case that compares with the P180?

It's hard to find a Lian-Li case that compares exactly to the Antec P180, but one case from Lian-Li that comes somewhat close is the Lian-Li PC-S80. You can find some reviews here:

AMD Review
Dan's Data
Box Gods
Virtual Hideout

The case is supposedly very quiet, just like the P180.

Thank you Qi and Shadowknight!

 

[shiatan]

Hey MichaelD, My wires came sleeved. I read the postings for the case and most said they didn't use the top fan. I don't have it closed off yet because I'm not done and want to be sure of the temps and airflow. I didn't run any wires under MB. I closed off the vents around the PSU like Nate did. http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/shiatan/Back.jpg

Here are the reviews from silentpcreview for the P180.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article249-page1.html
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article254-page1.html
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page1.html

 

[OhNoPoPo]

Shiatan...

Is that a light bar across the top of your pc inside? Where would I find something like that?

 

[MichaelD]

SVC.com is one of many online stores that sells neons/cold cathodes/case modding stuff.

NATE: I looked at the pic of the back of your case, but can't see how you closed off the vents...they look open. Did you just duck tape over them from inside?

I want to see how my temps are with the case in it's stock configuration. The vented PCI slot covers are odd to me...I think they may give me probs. But maybe not; my 7900GTO vents to the outside of the case, so most of it's heat should be outside of the case.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I find it odd that you's put a light inside the case when it has no window. Typically people do this when they have a case window in order to illuminate the components.

Anyway I just wish I had a better way to conceal the wires inside my P180, I don't really think I did that well on it, but then it has no window so you don't necessarily see it.

 

[Zebo]

You sure do talk a lot, Michelle.

P180 is the ultimate case but has it's issues. Silent. Cool. Big and all steal. Built like a tank, just like your 1080's.

Problem form my view point is I hate doors. I open and close my DVD's 10x a day with ripping and gaming doors are a PITA. I also don't like having to open door to turn on power.

No comment on aluminum cases but steel is better from and acoustic (barrier loading) and durablity standpoint.

 

[natethegreat]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
NATE: I looked at the pic of the back of your case, but can't see how you closed off the vents...they look open. Did you just duck tape over them from inside?

I just used clear packing tape on the outside to block them off, closes up the holes and doesn't look tacky

edit: If you look at that back pic you can see a little bit of glare off the tape at the bottom of the psu and you can see some extra tape at the top of the card slot vent.

 

[Shadowknight]

Originally posted by: Zebo
You sure do talk a lot, Michelle.

P180 is the ultimate case but has it's issues. Silent. Cool. Big and all steal. Built like a tank, just like your 1080's.

You STOLE yours? :Q Also, it's Plastic, steel, and aluminum composites.

Problem form my view point is I hate doors. I open and close my DVD's 10x a day with ripping and gaming doors are a PITA. I also don't like having to open door to turn on power.

You can remove the door fairly easily if you don't like it, also, it's double-hinged so you can have it completely out of the way.

No comment on aluminum cases but steel is better from and acoustic (barrier loading) and durablity standpoint.

If someone like Lian Li would just include a built in hard drive suspension, it wouldn't be such a big deal. While I'm happy with my P180, some of their new "quiet" cases are VERY tempting, and I've thought LLs have been overrated pieces of crap for years.

 

[shiatan]

Hi OhNoPoPo, yes it is .
I got two 4" at crazypc.com - http://www.crazypc.com/products/8247B.html
I put them in there, top and bottom, so they would show up thru the fans.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: natethegreat

Originally posted by: MichaelD
NATE: I looked at the pic of the back of your case, but can't see how you closed off the vents...they look open. Did you just duck tape over them from inside?

I just used clear packing tape on the outside to block them off, closes up the holes and doesn't look tacky

edit: If you look at that back pic you can see a little bit of glare off the tape at the bottom of the psu and you can see some extra tape at the top of the card slot vent.

:Q Using clear tape never occurred to me. GREAT idea, Nate! I will definitely be blocking off the "VGA duct" holes start with and maybe above/below the PSU. Thanks!

 

[NL mkII]

Where are you all putting your "spare" wires, Ive got the new Antec Truepower Trio 550W but its mainly so that I dont run out of 12v rails with future upgrades and such. This psu has a lot of connectors so Ive got a HUGE number of wires lying around everywhere. At the moment the plan is to pack them down the bottom between the psu and the bottom fan, but I'm worried that will affect the cooling too much.


Also, where do you pick up the sheathes for the wires, I could probably do with some of that to get it all packed in nicely.

 

[MichaelD]

The space under the PSU is so the PSU's fan can get cooling air into it. I'm not putting anything down there at all. There is some space ON TOP of the PSU, however, I may put spare cables in there.

But, I'm intending on running on the cables up the sides of the drive cages and hiding them behind the middle cage where that little plastic storage box is. I'll be removing that box, BTW (only two screws hold it on) and using that space for cables.

 

[NL mkII]

Good idea!

I remember looking at that box before and wondering why on earth anyone would want to keep stuff there, ok it could be vaguely useful for silicone grommets or something, but why not keep them with your toolkit!

Actually I'm considering removing that entire drawer, there is no way I'll ever be running enough HD's to use that space so I could create a nice little cable packing area there and slap another fan on the front.

Another option is to run the spare cables down next to the HD's in the lower chamber, I'm not sure how much of an airflow problem this would cause but I doubt it would be too big.

Or option number 3.... position them just above the psu but in the upper chamber below the pci slots. mostly the pci slots will be redundant so that entire space will be free and the airlow wont be hugely important down there as there is nothing to cool anyway!


You can tell this is my first pc build... next time I'm gonna think about all this stuff beforehand!

 

[MichaelD]

But you're doing very well, NLmkII. You are thinking about it, and that's the important part.

Your PCI slot idea is a good one...there's nothign to cool there anyway. Hmm.

My AC Freezer 7 FINALLY came today, so tonight I'll be moving everything over to the P180...hopefully tonight. Pics to follow, for sure. Might not be anything to brag about, but there will be pics.

 

[NL mkII]

I had a similar problem to your AC Freezer, I was hunting round somewhere to buy the Antec True Power Trio psu and finally found somewhere, everything else arrived on the day I ordered it and it took TWO WEEKS for it to arrive!!!

Enjoy the swapover!

 

[crydee]

I got a modular psu with my p180 for that reason you guys are talking about. Corsair hx520W