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Antec's thoughtfully-designed P183 case brings you top performance and unique style, with its three-layer, sound-deadening panels. Inside, a separate lower chamber houses your power supply (purchased separately), isolating its heat and reducing system noise. The upper chamber comes standard with rear and top 120 mm TriCool fans, with spaces for an optional front 120 mm fan, and a middle 120 mm fan to cool your VGA.
The three-layer side panel and front door stifle system noise for a quiet experience, then opens 270-degrees for easy access. Front-mounted ports give you easy access to two USB 2.0 connectors, one IEEE 1394 connector, and audio jacks. Rear panel features external controls for the fans in the upper chamber.
You'll have all the room you need to build your dream system in this case, with bays for four external 5.25" drives, one external 3.5" drive and six internal 3.5" drives. There's space for an ATX motherboard up to 12"(W) x 9.6"(L), seven expansion slots, and rubber-grommeted mounts on the rear for an optional external liquid cooling system. Built-in cable organizer behind motherboard tray keeps your cables under control. This wonderful case has everything you need to build your white hot gaming system!
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- 5
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- 74%
- 4
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- 23%
- 3
-
- 1%
- 2
-
- 1%
- 1
-
- 1%
| Product Rating: |
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| Total Reviews: |
71 |
Case for new build 09
- Pros: High quality full size case. Nice engineering. Quality build. Next gen technology. I have to dis the people that don't like the looks, I think its a handsome, subdued, but high-tech looking case. Shopped hard before chosing this case.
- Cons: Was surprised by the size, thought it was a mid-sized case. 20-3/8" tall, not mid-sized. Not a problem though, just had to make room for it. Pricey, but you get what you pay for.
- Other Thoughts: The side walls are made from ACM, (aluminum composite material) AL/plastic/AL sandwich. My company uses this material for it's negative thermal transfer charisterics. Costs $350 for a 4' x 6' sheet. That is what you are paying for if you have sticker shock. Sound deadening is another atribute of this material. Good stuff. Interior is a builders wet dream; more room than I need for an upper mid-grade install. Plenty of room to expand in the future. Non-glossy finish doesn't show fingerprints like "piano-black" models. Sound deadening silicon standoffs on everything, PSU, HHD, extra SiC bushings for optical drives and add-ons. Bag of goodies to make it work for you. If you can afford it, go for it.
Great case
- Pros: Quality construction and design. Door has a magnet at the bottom to keep it closed, the front air intakes have screens to keep dust down abit. The removeable 3.5 drive bays are easy to get in and out without tools. The sides are cushioned with foam and/or plastic that keeps the sound and vibrations down.
It's also very easy to route (power) cables to the back of the motherboard when you remove that side of the case.
- Cons: It's a bit heavy, and the rubber feet on the bottom grip the surface its on very well, which makes it good at staying put, but hard to slide into a desk like I had to.
I also think they should of include a few more screws for mounting additional 120mm fans; they only give you enough for one. I guess they figure you'll get screws with the additional fans, but mine did not.
- Other Thoughts: I love it, it's a quality computer case that is easy to work with and look good. It's not cheap but you get what you pay for.
| Model | P183 |
| Type | ATX Mid Tower |
| Color | Black |
| Case Material | Aluminum / Steel |
| With Power Supply | No |
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- 5
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- 74%
- 4
-
- 23%
- 3
-
- 1%
- 2
-
- 1%
- 1
-
- 1%
| Product Rating: |
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| Total Reviews: |
71 |
Teasingly, frustratingly close to perfect
- Pros: Very good value, for starters. The P183 splits the difference in price between generic cases and high end products, but you do get a lot for your money.
The laminated panels, steel frame construction and dual chamber design do an exceptional job of keeping noise inside. The fit and finish is as good as I've seen on any case, and the styling is sophisticated if a little too understated. There's a decent amount of room to work, plenty of drive bays, decent passages for hiding the wiring, support for water cooling, very good air cooling options (including being able to use tall heatsinks like the True 120 and Prolimatech Megahelms), it can use the terrific Antec CP850 PSU...the list goes on and on. The P183 isn't the sexiest case you can buy, but at $120-ish it might be the smartest.
- Cons: All that said, if Antec doesn't have the P184 on the drawing boards, they should. The P183 is showing its age in a few important areas. There is no support for 2.5" drives and the cable routing is stone age compared to newer designs like Corsair's Obsidian. (Yes, the Obsidian costs twice as much, but it wouldn't cost Antec hundreds of dollars to offer more routing holes.) The rail mounts for the optical drives are another remnant from the late 90's that should be retired.
The styling of the P183 is a little too conservative for its own good. The gunmetal finish on the side panels and doors just sucks in light. The P182LE polished finish would be a big improvement, so would painted finishes. The boring gray interior paint is also a let down.
But the biggest flaw is the absence of space on the right side for routing cables. Getting the right panel back on can be like trying to close an overstuffed suitcase. A few mm's of extra room would make all the difference.
Great case
- Pros: This case is HUGE, and I love it, there is room for everything inside. I previously bought a case that FREE after rebate, but that was a mistake, since cheaper cases are constructed without the end user in mind and everything was falling apart on it. Antec incorporates features that are user friendly.
I can also say the it is significantly quieter than most with this case, which is do to the use of the material the case walls are made from.
I could ramble on and on about this case, but it is great. If you need more reassurance, do a web search with will reviews on it.
- Cons: Some may look at the price as a con, but you you get what you pay for, which is a high quality case.
One thing that would have been nice if it came with more than 2 fans, since there is the possibility to add 3 more fans within the case. The Antec fans supplied are not the quietest fans anyways, so many people would be better off with a different brand.
The case took a little longer to build since nothing is tool-less, but the finish result is better off.
- Other Thoughts: Would be nice if it had a 3.5" to 2.5" hard drive adapter or some way to mount a SSD.
Upgrade from Alienware P1
- Pros: It's heavy - This is not a negative, this case is made right with sturdy materials.
This is much more customizable than my Alienware case by far, and is very easy to wire manage.
I love it!
- Cons: Doesn't come with a windowed side panel, I had to spend $70 for a custom one.
Doesn't come with a black interior.
Should have had a 140mm fan on top.
These are both small gripes though, for an otherwise great case.
- Other Thoughts: YOU DO NOT NEED AN ATX EXTENSION CABLE IF YOU'RE USING CORSAIR PSU's.
I bought one just in case and didn't need it.
| Model |
| Brand |
Antec |
| Model |
P183 |
| Spec |
| Type |
ATX Mid Tower |
| Color |
Black |
| Case Material |
Aluminum / Steel / Plastic |
| With Power Supply |
No |
| Power Supply Mounted |
Bottom |
| Motherboard Compatibility |
Mini-ITX, microATX, ATX |
| With Side Panel Window |
No |
| Expansion |
| External 5.25" Drive Bays |
4 |
| External 3.5" Drive Bays |
1 |
| Internal 3.5" Drive Bays |
6 |
| Expansion Slots |
7 |
| Front Ports |
| Front Ports |
2 x USB 2.0, 1 x eSATA, Audio In and Out (HDA and AC'97 compatible) |
| Cooling System |
| 120mm Fans |
1 x 120mm TriCool rear fan
1 x 120mm TriCool top fan |
| Side Air duct |
No |
| Physical Spec |
| Dimensions(L x W x H) |
19.90" x 8.10" x 20.50" |
| Weight |
30.9 lbs. |
| Features |
| Features |
Dual chamber design isolates heat and noise: the power supply resides in a separate chamber to isolate heat and reduce system noise
Innovative three-layer, sound-deadening side panels and front door (aluminum, plastic, aluminum) dampen noise and ensure Quiet Computing
Front door vents, as well as wider vents along the door frame, improve airflow into the chassis.
Filters and filter doors are integrated as one unit. The doors themselves have been modified to provide greater airflow, resulting in cooler system temperatures.
Drive bay covers are vented and include air filters to provide better airflow.
Lower chamber fan is now located in front of the hard drive cage, allowing for installation of longer PSUs as well as easier cable routing between the lower HD cage and the power supply. |
| Manufacturer Warranty |
| Parts |
3 years limited |
| Labor |
3 years limited |
Introduction
Antec's thoughtfully-designed P183 case brings you top performance and unique style, with its three-layer, sound-deadening panels. Inside, a separate lower chamber houses your power supply (purchased separately), isolating its heat and reducing system noise. The upper chamber comes standard with rear and top 120 mm TriCool fans, with spaces for an optional front 120 mm fan, and a middle 120 mm fan to cool your VGA.
The three-layer side panel and front door stifle system noise for a quiet experience, then opens 270-degrees for easy access. Front-mounted ports give you easy access to two USB 2.0 connectors, one IEEE 1394 connector, and audio jacks. Rear panel features external controls for the fans in the upper chamber.
You'll have all the room you need to build your dream system in this case, with bays for four external 5.25" drives, one external 3.5" drive and six internal 3.5" drives. There's space for an ATX motherboard up to 12"(W) x 9.6"(L), seven expansion slots, and rubber-grommeted mounts on the rear for an optional external liquid cooling system. Built-in cable organizer behind motherboard tray keeps your cables under control. This wonderful case has everything you need to build your white hot gaming system!
Highlights
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Unique Upper and Lower Chamber Structure
The unique dual-chamber structure enables the power supply and CPU to reside in separate cooling zones for exceptional heat dissipation and reduced system noise.
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Supreme Expandability with 11 Drive Bays
Boasting four 5.25" external drive bays, and seven 3.5" drive bays (one external and six internal), the Antec P183 provides supreme expandability.
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Efficient Ventilation
The Antec P183 features two 120mm TriCool fans, one on the top and the other at the rear for efficient ventilation and effective system cooling.
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Convenient Front I/O Panel
The convenient front I/O panel enables easy access to two USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port and two audio ports.
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Quick Specs
| Brand | Antec |
| Case Material | Aluminum / Steel |
| Color | Black |
| External 3.5" Drive Bays | 1 |
| External 5.25" Drive Bays | 4 |
| Internal 3.5" Drive Bays | 6 |
| Front Ports | USB, Audio, IEEE 1394 |
| Type | ATX Mid Tower |
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Reviewed By: on 4/30/2009
Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
