Question 1

There doesn't seem to be a video port on this device (VGA, HDMI), only USB. How do I hook up a monitor or TV?

Accepted Answer

This is only the case, the back panel is replaced by the one that comes with the mini itx motherboard you need to install in it. This will provide you with the appropriate hdmi interface. In addition you'll need a processor that has an on-die video card (e.g. i7 4770k, amd A10, etc) since a gfx card will not fit. Be sure to use a very low power processor since the included psu is only 90w.

Question 2

How high is the case cover over the RAM slots? Is low profile RAM required?

Accepted Answer

It will accommodate anything with a basic heatsink on the RAM. I would avoid ram with tall heatsinks such as the Corsair Vengeance ones.

Question 3

The external power supply,,,
what is the DC output ?
and the amps output ?
Thankyou

Accepted Answer

From the manual:

~19V
0-4.7A

source  Antec  website: 
It wouldn't allow a link but a quick  Google search will yield more details.

Question 4

I am considering purchasing this case for a build and I am wondering how fast of an Intel i5 can the power supply handle? I plan to use 8gb and Windows 7 Pro.

Accepted Answer

The power supply does come with the case. There is an internal DC-DC board and an external "laptop" brick. The 90W spec is for the laptop brick. There are other small power supplies that people have modded into these that are ~150W. I will benchmark mine later, but here are some numbers on a similar system.

Case: Antec ISK 310-150
MB: Asus H87i-plus
CPU: Intel I5-4570S (65W), stock heatsink
RAM: Crucial Tactical Ballistics 2x8GB 1.35V DDR3-1600
SSD: Samsung Evo 840 250GB
2x Noctua 80mm PWM fans, Asus utility tuned

Running 3Dmark I saw a peak of 88W using a Wattsup Pro ES meter ($200 entry-level industrial power meter). The PS is less efficient and I have two extra fans. The Haswell S processors are a good idea and so is 1.35V DDR3.

Question 5

Can I use my old regular sized HDD in this tower or do I need to switch to a smaller (laptop sized) HDD / SSD?

Accepted Answer

It will not fit a standard 3.5" HDD.  This isn't much of a "tower" per say.  It's tiny.  The entire thing is about the size of a "teach yourself programming in 21 days" book.  You will need to switch to a laptop size 2.5" HDD and I'd recommend a SSD due to the fact that they generate less heat.

Question 6

What is the cpu wattage upper limit? Is it really 65w, which is what i5 processors have these days? The spec says the external power provides 90w, and I am curious why 65w is the limit.

Accepted Answer

Keep in mind that even though the power supply brick says it puts out 90W, that means the total system power cannot exceed 90W.  If the CPU takes 65W out of 90W, that leaves only 25W for the rest of the system (RAM, SSD/hard drives, USB ports, audio chip, LAN chip, anything you plug into the PCIe slot).

Another consideration is that the power supply delivers that 90W of total power through two connections:  the 24-pin motherboard connector, and the 4-pin CPU power connector.  Furthermore, the supply is delivery several voltage levels: 3.3V, 5V, 12V, -12V.  Without documentation from Antec, it would be anyone's guess how much of the total power is delivered through each connector, and how much total power is delivered at each voltage level.

Given the above considerations, and the lack of detailed documentation for the included power supply, I would strongly recommend that you trust Antec's spec and not use any CPU over 65W.

Question 7

Does the stock i3 Intel cooler fit in this case?

Accepted Answer

Hi John K,

Yes, the stock i3 cooler does fit in the Antec ISK 110 VESA case. That's exactly what I put in one of my cases.

Question 8

This is not a question, but a addition to the review i wrote since i cannot edit my review. I have read few reviews and most people is having trouble with stability or has to unplug-replug PSU without knowing the reason. the reason is that the dc to dc rectifier in this case has a current limit of 5A for the 12V, which translate to 60Watt for the Processor. modern day processors will dynamically adjust power usage based on loads, which explains why the system would power up and seems normal, and then would experience sudden shutdown when load is high due to over current protection. and some time requires re-seat of the PSU to clear. again, i would point back to my review if you are planning on putting a high performance CPU or APU in the case.
adding ? just to post this info

Accepted Answer

I had a problem where the power supply was simply broken. It would cause my machine to reboot randomly, and with increasing frequency over ~3 weeks until I tracked down the problem to the PSU and send the case back for warranty repair/replacement.

It turns out the PSU actually was broken, because the replacement they sent me has worked flawlessly with exactly the same components as before.

So I can say that if you're experiencing random reboots, it might not be user error or a misunderstanding of product specifications. The PSU might simply be broken.

Question 9

Does the power brick work with 220V 50Hz power? The power brick will say something like 100-240V~ input if it is, if not it will say 100-120V~

Accepted Answer

It says 100-240 volts. You should be fine with 220.

Question 10

Can anyone tell me about their experience with this case? Which motherboards and CPU were utilized?

Accepted Answer

ASROCK E3C224D2I and 25W E3-1230Lv3 (OEM only, hard to find). A low profile heatsink is required. The standard Intel heatsink works, but I used the Noctua NH-L9i, which is excellent. Highly recommend the Noctua as there are no case fans or room for them. There is no room to use the PCIe slot, so you're limited to the I/O on the motherboard and the integrated GPU.

Case quality is typical Antec, good, but not excellent. The build is tight, but not hard. The VESA mount should work, but it's not very strong. I used it for a wall mount. Given that there are no chassis fans and the limited airflow for the 2.5" drive slots, I would only use a SSD with this case. No mechanical 2.5" HDDs, IMHO. They'll get too hot. This is a good case if you want the smallest mini-itx format possible, but can live with:

1. 65W or preferably lower CPU
2. 2x DIMM slots which means 16GB RAM max
3. Integrated motherboard I/O
4. Integrated GPU
5. 1 or 2 2.5" SSDs

Questions & Answers