Conclusion

This content was originally featured on Amdmb.com and has been converted to PC Perspective’s website. Some color changes and flaws may appear.

Antec Performance Plus 1080B SOHO File Server - Cases and Cooling 23 Antec Performance Plus 1080B SOHO File Server - Cases and Cooling 24
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Here is the case stocked up with a decent system. It has Gigabyte GA-7DX+ with an Athlon XP 1800+ topped by a Thermalright AX-7 heatsink with a Panaflo H1A fan. A 52X CDRom, 20GB ATA133 7200rpm Maxtor hard drive and Gainward GeForce4 MX 600Pro/TV Video Card. I tested the case with just the three stock case fans and then later added 2 Panaflo L1A fans to the front of the case and hard drive cage. With just the stock fans, the case temp was 3ºC above ambient room temp over a four day period. Adding the two Panaflo L1A fans to the front of the case and placing them in the provided locations, the case was within 1ºC of ambient room temps over the next four days. Quite simply the case performed wonderfully.

I even tested the system with just the stock case fans and all 3 of them connected to the fan only connectors. Temps of just more than 4ºC above ambient room temperatures over a two day period were recorded. But quiet is not even close to describing this system. The only thing I could hear was the hard drive. Adding the front case fans added a little more hum, but I could still hear the quiet hard drive over the fans.

Pros:

  • Cooling abilities
  • Power Supply the best I’ve owned
  • Q U I E T
  • Sleek look
  • Side Blowhole
  • Door to keep the system clean
  • (3) stock fans with room for two more
  • 4 LEDs to hook to anything you want
  • Front USB and FireWire Ports
  • 10 Drive Bays for plenty of room for any SOHO server
  • Roominess to handle large motherboards
  • Quick Release side panel door
  • Fan Only Power Connector to make a quiet system even more quiet
  • Front Fan Filter
  • Rounded edges to make for a cut-free installation

Cons:

  • Reset Button made for very small fingers.
  • Fan Filter Removal can be tricky
  • Front panel HDD LED needs to be marked properly
  • Black Color is not true black, but dark grey

For those that have inquired prior to the release of this review, I have told them exactly what I will tell you. This case was tested with the system listed above, with up to 5 case fans, under load from the Folding@Home project and many hours of D3D gaming and over the 10 day period never dropped below 5.03 volts on the 5V line. None of the other lines ever dipped below their spec rating of 3.3V or 12V. The TruePower430 held its ground and quite frankly is the best power supply I have ever owned. What better place for it to be but inside the Antec Performance Plus 1080B SOHO File Server Case.

I’d like to thank Antec for allowing me to review this case. This certainly is a case I would have in my office and I’m quite confident that you would feel the same way. Directron is already carrying this case for only $129! Pick one up now and you too can enjoy the quality and performance of Antec that can be found in this case.

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