The Antec P183 Mid-Tower Case

Externals

After removing the polythene and cardboard inner packaging, the P183 is revealed albeit still behind thin plastic layers which are intended to keep off any dust of grubby fingerprints. Peeling these off reveals the gun metal exterior which, I must say, certainly looks professional and high quality. A sense of robustness is also evident with the large metal structure that is pretty heavy – 14kg.

Immediately one of the changes from the P182 is noticeable too – the vent on the top has been integrated into the chassis instead of having a vent that sticks up above the main frame. This is undoubtedly a good move as it makes it much more robust.

The side panels are simply left with the gun metal finish, which in my opinion, makes the case look very professional as often some of the more styled, plastic side panels tend to look slightly tacky. Here, though the emphasis is strictly on performance and in any case the gun metal finish is quite shiny and attractive.

To remove the side panels, as with most cases, a couple of thumbscrews are visible at the back.

The front of the P183 has been changed and now has much larger vents on the sides in order to create an improved airflow. The front itself is quite simple too with more gun metal and on the right hand side the ports are visible:

• 1 x eSATA
• 2 x 2.0 USB
• 1 x Microphone Jack
• 1 x Headphone Jack

Also there is a small keyhole which, using the key provided in the accessories box, can be locked to stop people from turning your computer on as the power button is concealed within.

The front has a hinged door likes its predecessors that can swing open to reveal the external drive bays and power buttons. Note that the door can be opened right around to be flush with the side panel (270°) so that it can be kept out the way.

The power and reset buttons are black and are located just above the ports.

Moreover, all of the external drive bays and vents in front of the internal drive brackets have pop out sections that are comprised off a thin mesh which not only acts as a dust filter but allows for good airflow.

As I mentioned before, the top fan and vent has been integrated into the chassis itself making it much more robust as the previous vent was a little flimsy. The vent is shaped like an arrow but unfortunately there are no dust filters.

The back is very similar to most full tower cases in that it has the usual motherboard ports slot, 7 PCI slots, grommet-filled holes for water-cooling purposes and a bottom mounted PSU slot.

At the top there are also switches that allow both the TriCool fans to be controlled independently; there are three settings for each fan. Also, the PSU slot at the bottom whilst allowing more room for larger ATX power supplies can also support Antec’s new line of PSUs by removing the first bracket. Whether the new series will be a hit is yet to be decided, but at least if you go for one, it will be able to be installed within the P183.

On the bottom of the enclosure are four clear plastic feet.