Should I get an Antec P180 Case ?

[Mixman]

I now have a P160 case in which I have the system in my sig. I have my X2 3800 clocked to 2800 at 1.42V with temps at 36deg idle and 52deg load with Prime95. My other temps are PWMIC 40 deg and Chipset 44 deg. This is with 2 Antec 120mm fans, a Vantec CardFan and Big Typhoon helping to cool the memory in addition to the CPU.

I am wondering whether buying a P180 will help me to keep the temps down. Since it has cutouts for three 120mm fans it seems like a better cooling box, not to mention more silent. Should I try a P180 or will there be no cooling difference between that and the P160 ?

 

[Mixman]

Anyone ?

 

[Mixman]

Where are all of the P180 owners ?

 

[JBDan]

You will get better temps and a MUCH quieter computing experience w/ the P180 granted you experiment with different fans and fan configurations. Up to your wallet really.

 

[eastvillager]

I've had both. The P180 is much, much, much quieter. It also looks a hell of a lot better unmodded. The P160 was for my watercooling experiment, the p180 is for straightforward aircooling.


P160

P180

 

[Mixman]

Does the P180 keep the system cooler too ?

 

[Dkcode]

It did a excellent job of cooling my machine The chipset, cpu and video had great temps for such a quiet case. It was very quiet too but trying to get a decent wiring job was damn near impossible! for me at least.

 

[nealh]

No I doubt cooling is any better..I owned an SX830 antec case and my temps were better by 1-2 c vs P180(I have 12omm rear exhause, 120mm top intake, 120mm front intake and 120mm fan blowing on my DFI chipset..my 120mm fans are Coolermaster and YateLoons)

I love the P180 but I do not think it will be worth the change unless noise is key...I hate noise so I love my P180

I would not do it for cooling...

 

[Mixman]

I may buy a P180 just because I want to retire my Ahanix case. I will use the P180 for my main setup which is my X2 system. I'll use the P160 on my Intel system which will be for mostly recording/mixing music.

I was also thinking about this P180. It looks even cooler.

 

[Mixman]

Does anybody have the case I linked above ?

 

[CraKaJaX]

Originally posted by: Mixman
Does anybody have the case I linked above ?

it's a P180, same thing, different color....you will get everything that a normal P180 offers :laugh:

 

[Mixman]

Maybe I'll make the change just for the noise. My P160 is getting loud with all the fans I have in it. I'll probably just keep it for my Intel setup and get a P180 for my X2 system.

 

[CraKaJaX]

you'll love it :thumbsup:

 

[cooliodealio]

Originally posted by: Mixman
Maybe I'll make the change just for the noise. My P160 is getting loud with all the fans I have in it. I'll probably just keep it for my Intel setup and get a P180 for my X2 system.

You're just trying to find a reason to convince yourself to buy it.

Anyway, you should get a Thermaltake Armor instead. Most reviews out there consider it to be the best case on the market today.

 

[Mixman]

Originally posted by: cooliodealio

Originally posted by: Mixman
Maybe I'll make the change just for the noise. My P160 is getting loud with all the fans I have in it. I'll probably just keep it for my Intel setup and get a P180 for my X2 system.

You're just trying to find a reason to convince yourself to buy it.

Anyway, you should get a Thermaltake Armor instead. Most reviews out there consider it to be the best case on the market today.

I see the CoolerMaster Stacker mentioned more so as the best case than the Armor. I can't get into the look of the armor at all. Although seem to be huge compared to the P180.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: Mixman
Does the P180 keep the system cooler too ?

The answer is NO!! The P180 does not keep the system cool!!
The P180 is a case.
As such what you add to the case via fans....how you wire...what Heat sink you use....those thing decide of the system stays cool!!

The P180 is just a case!!

 

[Mixman]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda

Originally posted by: Mixman
Does the P180 keep the system cooler too ?

The answer is NO!! The P180 does not keep the system cool!!
The P180 is a case.
As such what you add to the case via fans....how you wire...what Heat sink you use....those thing decide of the system stays cool!!

The P180 is just a case!!

Yeah but isn't the construction and airflow of the case important too. Don't some cases allow for better, more airflow than others ? Of course without modding.

 

[JEDIYoda]

most cases are built with fans at the bottom front and an exhaust fan on the top back...
then you can gret into side window fans and fans that hook to the top of the case....so IMO its totally what you do that in the end will define a cool and quiet case...

 

[eastvillager]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda

Originally posted by: Mixman
Does the P180 keep the system cooler too ?

The answer is NO!! The P180 does not keep the system cool!!
The P180 is a case.
As such what you add to the case via fans....how you wire...what Heat sink you use....those thing decide of the system stays cool!!

The P180 is just a case!!

uhhh, no, the P180 is not just a case. It comes with 3 3-way 120mm fans when you buy it.

You really think case design, especially in how it affects airflow has no impact on how well your components can be aircooled? Lol.

 

[AntiStatic]

I had a P180 for a couple of months. I was dissatified with it in just about every way. It was cheap, plastic and ugly. My system was not cooler than it was in my LianLi V series so I sold it and got another LianLi.

 

[Topweasel]

Originally posted by: AntiStatic
I had a P180 for a couple of months. I was dissatified with it in just about every way. It was cheap, plastic and ugly. My system was not cooler than it was in my LianLi V series so I sold it and got another LianLi.

Tsk tsk tsk.... Thats the problem with being revolutionary someone takes it the wrong way. The case has lots and I mean lots of plastic because it is one of the best ways of damping sound noise. Most people are to ignorant to understand the full value of the case and complain about the use of plastic as though they used it for cost saving measures.

This is the perfect exmple of a user that only grasped one half of the straw.

Lian Li are very good cases that are twice as expensive, they offer very good cooling meathods, but are completely made of thin aluminum which flexes and resonates with the vibrations and sounds to amplify it.

10lbs of Steal and 10lbs of aluminum will flex just the same but 3mm Steel vs. 3mm aluminum, the aluminum would flex more due to it weighing less.

So again Lian Li as good if not better cooling, but Lian Li is also a much "louder case"