- Steel ATX Mid Tower
- USB 2.0 / Audio Front Ports
- 3 External 5.25" Drive Bays
- 6 Internal 3.5" Drive Bays
Cable Mngt, Follow-up
09/23/2011
This review is from: Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Pros:
The Antec 300, including its Illusion version, is designed as a low cost, high quality, strong, mid-size case. In this regard, many of the cons mentioned by others... although true... should not be cons whatsoever.
The major issue many people are talking about is cable management. This case is not as wide or long as a full tower ATX case that cost $100 or more. As a result, it doesn't have a removable MB tray, rubber lined holed in the MB tray for cable mgnt, etc. Despite this, there is plenty of room (with proper cabling) for a high end air cooled 2 card SLI/CF rig. See other thoughts...
Cons:
1. A bit dated design, considering they have been being produced for a few years. The addition of a USB 3.0 front header (for 2 ports, to be placed alongside the 2 USB 2.0 ports) would alleviate this concern. (Simply update the port bay and keep the case design the same.)
2. Including 4 4 pin Molex to 3 pin MB fan headers with the case would fix the problem that users with high-end MBs face. (Wanting to use the MB's fan controls, via a program such as SpeedFan or the board's own UEFI, for fan control.)
Overall Review:
1. For setups using a MB with an onboard audio header located above the first PCI-E (usually x1) slot, run the case's cable under the motherboard and up at this slot. (How many MBs can actually use the topmost slot, due to the "northbridge" heatsink, anyway?)
2. For MBs with USB 2.0 headers along the middle of the bottom edge of the board, run the case's USB header under the MB.
3. MB fan headers in the wrong spot for easy cabling? Again... under the MB.
4. Long video cards will most likely block the use of the hard drive bays directly behind them. (Plan according.) You can easily fit 2 high end single GPU cards and 3 drives in the case. (If motivated, buy a 5.25" bay adapter and put a 4th drive in the upper area.)
5. You can use non-modularly cabled power supplies in the case. (As long as you don't use the bottom disk drive spot.) Simply properly tie the extra cables together and put them in the bottom... out of the way.
Most people don't need a full tower case.
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- Terry W.
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Verified Owner
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Owned For:
more than 1 year
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