FRONTPAGE Antec Eleven Hundred Case Review

[Overclockers.com]

Antec has been in the PC enclosure game for quite some time now, putting out gems like the full-tower Twelve Hundred and the Nine Hundred (now on V2), as well as some uniquely designed cases such as the LanBoy Air and Skeleton. They have given us a chance to review their brand new case as it is brought to market: the Antec Eleven Hundred. This case is designed to fill the gap between the mid-tower Nine Hundred V2, and the full-tower Twelve Hundred. Let's see if its place at the table is a good fit.

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[David]

Nice write-up Joe!

 

[Robert17]

Nice review. Cases have come a long way over the years. You mentioned the spec sheet added video card length specs as a good addition to the spec sheet, not historically printed by manufacturers. I would like to suggest that they add something you did in the review as well. The clearance between the motherboard tray and side panel would be nice to see on the box. By all manufacturers. Cable management junkies would benefit at a glance.

I understand grommets. I just don't understand them on the inside of a case. Typically they provide some hindrance to airflow, therefore dust flow, or cockroach flow, whatever. So on an exterior opening they make sense to me. Cables may get some small measure of strain relief from them but not enough to make a well sleeved or insulated cable that much more secure. I say leave 'em out of the interior openings, just go with rolled steel.

My $0.02

 

[EarthDog]

Thanks for the kind words!

As far as the grommets, part of their purpose of course, is to prevent the steel/aluminum from slicing in to your wires. You mentioned rolled steel and that would seemingly resolve that issue. Their location though (on the motherboard tray essentially) wouldnt block any airflow really. I mean sure it will prevent it from going behind the case area but what would that accomplish (serious question)? I think with them down, it prevents needed airflow from going to a place that doesnt need cooled. And on the looks side, its nice to see the wires end at the grommet and not through it. (My .02).

 

[Sammich]

wire management... flipped PSU support... motherboard backplate fan... 129.99!

wow, +++ antec


Will definitely buy

 

[Robert17]

EarthDog, I understand your point. Yes, it kinda hides the wiring from view which is fine and dandy by me too. But like yourself get a bit aggravated by remounting the grommets that pop out. Maybe gluing them in would be the best way to handle that minor irritation ? I just figure it doesn't matter all that much in the Grand Scheme of Things, not bad to have or not. I've popped one out, don't miss it, left the others in. Next case I purchase won't require them. But a bit more wiring room behind the MB tray is high on my list.

Fewer 5.25" bays, like the Antec 1100, more mounting/reconfiguration options for the 3.5" trays, and as many filters as there are fan mountings (just in case I get a hankering for reversing air flow), and sound insulation on larger panels (I guess that's a mod I should easily do myself). These are preferences on my bucket list.

 

[Rich'[ard]]

this new case doesn't look tacky like the rest of the series. the 900.2 and the 1200 looked a bit plastic and bulky. it seemed like you had to put a lot of effort into making it look like a very nice case. but this new case looks damn fine! lol
upgrade from a 900.1? hmmmm...

thanks for the review

 

[ssjwizard]

Looks like a solid case, I dislike the drilled acrylic side window though, it looks terrible IMO(as a general statment, not specifically this case).. Still nice case.

 

[bmwbaxter]

This case doesn't look like it has the ability to fit a 220 ran internally without modding, am I correct in this conclusion?

 

[watchthisspace]

Is the top fan very noisy? I'm very close to buying one of these as it's ticking all my boxes

 

[Wombat62]

Great Case

Just bought one of these and this is a great case and with plenty of room.
My GTX560GSO fits in ever so easy and the extra fans installed on the side window keep this as cool as ever.
Only downside was after a week the On/Off button on top has got stuck in the on switch.
Antec's response is "you will need to remove the power/reset switch housing from the inside of the computer. Once you remove this you should be able to un-stick the button. You will need to be able to see clearly the bottom of the housing, you cannot do this by feel. There are tabs securing it to the case, you will need to push these in gently. The housing should began to slowly free itself as you push on the lower half. Be careful not to push against the power and reset switches.

Once the housing is free, you can re-seat your button positions".