Antec SOLO

[PAGETITLE=Introduction] What qualifies a true â€&tilde;high-endâ€™ product? Is it a fusion of style and performance? (Antec has a case called the Fusion as well.) Or is it in the subtleties of the product â€“ the ease of use, or its thoughtful features? Is it in the execution? Should the product be free of any design and manufacturing flaws whatsoever? Whichever metric you prefer, if youâ€™re in the market for a high-end mid-tower PC case, youâ€™d do well to at least take a look at Antecâ€™s new SOLO case. Admittedly, I entered this review with a few assumptions about Antec. Theyâ€™ve been building solid and functional PC cases for almost 20 years, and Iâ€™ve been a fan of their products for as long as Iâ€™ve been a PC enthusiast. My very first case ever was an Antec Gemstone-series ATX Mid-Tower, which initially caught my eye with its colorful but elegant design, and held my first and second self-built systems. My second case was a Charcoal-colored Chieftec Dragon, which most older enthusiasts know better as the popular Antec SX1040. When the SX1040 first showed up on the scene, many hardware review sites hailed it as the ultimate overclockerâ€™s case, and it also served as the base for a bevy of heavily-modded machines â€“ in the days before you could buy a blinged-out case off-the-shelf for $80 with a blue CCFL that flashes with the beat of your music, spinners on the fan grilles, and a speaker behind the front bezel that belches the alphabet. In this world of gratuitous PC case-bling, Antec and a few other case manufacturers make a defiant stand, refusing to succumb to the rice-box phenomenon. Antec, in particular, has focused instead on improving the functionality and user experience associated with their products. Instead of appealing to the gaudy street-tuner persuasion all too prevalent in the enthusiast market, Antecâ€™s more recent products feature elegant and understated styling, high-quality exterior finishes, and unique features and designs that reduce the machineâ€™s noise output. This design focus has produced unique cases like the Fusion, NSK2400, and the towering P180, as well as more conventional-looking cases like the P150, SOLO, and the other NSK-series cases. Even Antecâ€™s new statement case, the Nine Hundred (named, most likely, for its combined 920mm of total fan diameter), features an elegant yet austere aesthetic and fans which have a three-speed switch that allows them to run quietly. Iâ€™m pleased for the opportunity to review one of these newest Antec cases, the SOLO. This case offers a combination of solid construction, an attractive aesthetic design, and innovative, state-of-the-art features designed to reduce operating noise and make your job easier as youâ€™re assembling a system. Itâ€™s also the one I think is most likely to appeal to the broadest range of PC enthusiasts seeking a solidly-built, great-looking, well-engineered case for their next system. Letâ€™s take a look inside, and see what Iâ€™m talking about. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=Out of Box, Specs] The SOLO case arrived on my doorstep in a huge outer carton. It appears that Antecâ€™s well aware of UPSâ€™s tendency to not play so nicely with heavy packages, and Antec didnâ€™t take any chances with my review sample. The Soloâ€™s retail carton is big, glossy, and heavy. For those who judge the quality of a component based on its weight, this box has a reassuring heft. Even the cardboard itself is of a high quality. Even so, Antec sent this review sample packed in a larger, air-cushioned external box that defied UPS to do their worst. The retail box boasts high-quality product images, informative specification tables, and an invitation to the consumer to â€&oelig;Go Solo.â€ Opening the box reveals a well thought out packing scheme. The top and bottom of the case are each supported by endcaps made from numerous layers of foam sheeting bonded together to create a block. This foam is much softer than the typical Styrofoam; in transit, the Solo practically rides on air. Extracting the case from its carton is a simple matter of turning the box upside down and sliding it upward; no extraneous parts or pieces fell out while removing the case from its box. Itâ€™s clear to see that Antec realizes that in the enthusiast market, the user experience begins from the very moment the box is opened. The case itself is protected by a foam bag; â€&tilde;undressingâ€™ the Solo further reveals a captivating piano-gloss black finish thatâ€™s remarkably free from â€&oelig;orange-peelâ€ effect, though not quite perfectly smooth. The only black parts of this case that arenâ€™t glossy are the drive bay covers, but even they are ringed by a strip of glossy trim. Brushed-aluminum accents on the front panel (much like the P180) provide a striking contrast that imparts a profound sense of elegance and style, and the Antec logo is stamped subtly into this aluminum at the bottom of the front bezel. This is one case that makes a bold styling impression wherever itâ€™s likely to be used, akin to dressing your system in a tuxedo. Specification Comments Model SOLO The product names in Antecâ€™s Lifestyle Series use musical terms, such as Minuet, Fusion, Sonata, and Overture. SOLO fits with that naming scheme. Case Type ATX Mid Tower Most enthusiast cases use the ATX form factor, because most of the enthusiast motherboards that anyone would be interested in are also ATX. Exterior Dimensions (H x W x D) 17.5â€ x 8.1â€ x 18.5â€ This case is on the compact side, just large enough to accommodate an ATX board, though with enough room internally to accommodate longer video cards. Cooling Provisions 1x120mm Tri-Cool (rear); 2x92mm (not included) The twin 92mm fans in the front of the case are a break from the industry standard, but the combined effect of two 92mm fans is greater than a single 120mm. Drive Bays 8 Total 3x 5.25â€ External 1x 3.5â€ External 4x 3.5â€ Internal The 3.5â€ external bay is actually built onto a 5.25â€ sled, which means that it can be exchanged for a fourth 5.25â€ drive. Material SECC Steel This case appears to use 0.8mm-thick steel for its side panels, which adds ruggedness and noise reduction properties. The front door of the case is plastic, with an aluminum layer bonded adhesively. Expansion Slots 7 Not much to say about this â€“ itâ€™s an ATX case, and this is a requirement of the specification. Power Supply Not Included This affords the system builder a bit of extra flexibility in selecting the best power supply for the hardware and budget constraints. Weight 11.5kg without power supply This is one hefty case, with its thick steel and additional damping layers adding to the weight even without a power supply, drives, and heavy cooling solutions installed. This case doesnâ€™t travel light. Motherboard Support ATX, Micro ATX This case is just large enough to accommodate an ATX motherboard comfortably while remaining compact. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=Features Overview] The Antec SOLO shares its external and internal design with another case, Antecâ€™s P150, with only two differences: the P150 is white where the SOLO is black, and the P150 also includes an Antec NeoHE 430W power supply. The P150 became available toward the end of 2005, but its white color and included power supply werenâ€™t well-received by customers (at least in part due to the fact that early production runs of NeoHE power supplies suffered from extreme unreliability; these problems have been fixed in the most recent â€&oelig;Revision A4â€ units). Antecâ€™s customers responded, â€&oelig;Do you have it in black?â€ Essentially, the SOLO is Antecâ€™s response to these customers, fulfilling the request for a high-quality â€&tilde;Piano Blackâ€™ finish (also found on their Sonata case) and no bundled power supply. All the other features of the P150 are retained â€“ so everything thatâ€™s said here about the features of the SOLO case can also be applied to the P150, except that the P150 is finished in a glossy â€&tilde;Piano Whiteâ€™. The front bezel of the SOLO features a clean and elegantly simple design, with a prominent power and reset button, and front-panel audio, USB, and Firewire connectors. Those who share the industryâ€™s collective mania for blue illumination will appreciate the bright blue LEDs used for both the power indicator and HDD activity indicator. However, if youâ€™re sick of blue LEDs, they can be changed with little effort. I think they go nicely with the Solo caseâ€™s black color, however. Front air intake is via a row of tiny slots along the sides of the front bezel, allowing the front of the case to remain free of any vent openings while allowing plenty of unrestricted airflow. The rear of the case also features a clean layout, with a large honeycomb-punched 120mm fan grille and an additional intake grille beside the expansion slots. If you canâ€™t have a wire fan grille, this particular type of punching is the next best thing; itâ€™s open and unrestrictive. Like just practically every other case made today, the I/O panel for the motherboard can be exchanged for one which fits your motherboardâ€™s particular set of rear panel ports. Installed in the rear of the case is a 120x25mm Antec-branded â€&oelig;Tri-Coolâ€ case fan, which features a three-position switch for speed control. Iâ€™m happy to see a screw-mounted fan instead of a clip-in bracket; a screw-mounted fan generates less vibration noise. The left side panel (the one youâ€™ll remove to install components) is secured by a pair of spring-loaded, retained thumb screws â€“ thereâ€™s no risk of losing them, and theyâ€™re a joy to use. The interior sides of both side panels as well as the top of the case are lined with a vinyl sheet, whose purpose is to add mass to the side panels, decreasing their natural (resonant) frequency and causing them to pass less noise to the outside. Tapping on the side of the case with all side panels installed results in a dull â€&tilde;thud.â€™ In the SOLO review sample, these damping layers were securely...

Antec SOLO

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