Antec P183 Mid-Tower Case Review

Exterior Impressions pg.2


From the front, the P183 is an attractive enclosure to say the least. Those who prefer the minimalist appearance will definitely appreciate the stainless finish and the front door that hides all of the unsightly drive bays. Even the power and reset switches are concealed behind the door. It doesn’t get much cleaner than this.


The front I/O panel protrudes outside of the front door and is always accessible. On it, we find the essential audio connectors, a pair of USB headers and an eSATA port. Most modern motherboards include a rear eSATA connector on the board itself, and if so desired, a break-out expansion panel can also be used. But if you are one of the few that don’t have an eSATA connector on your board, the P183 has got you covered. A Firewire port is not included on the front panel, but considering how few individuals actually need one, this is definitely a forgivable omission.

That circular metal opening at the top of the I/O panel – that looks a bit like a button - is the key locking mechanism. A buyer can lock the front panel closed to prevent people from shutting down the system or stealing CDs from the optical drives. Although this is likely a feature the majority of buyers will never use, it may be beneficial to business users or those who will be using the case in a public setting. The only unfortunate aspect of this lockable front door is that the power button sits partially behind one of the ventilation openings and can be pressed with a pencil, screwdriver or someone with small hands. The most likely scenario where this lock would be used by the average buyer would be to secure the door closed when transporting the case. Since the door is held close with only a small amount of pressure, the lock will ensure it doesn’t swing open accidentally when carrying around the heavy P183.


One feature that Antec boasts about the P183 over its “Performance One” predecessors is the improved airflow due to the new front door design. We’d have to heartily agree that some significant improvements have been made with some very healthy spacing between the door panel and the front of the case, as well as an ample number of ventilation openings on the front and sides of the door. We can say with confidence that this case will not be suffocating due to the door being closed; a common issue with front door style cases.

The front door on the P183 is nice and heavy and has a fairly sturdy feel to it. Although it appears constructed of metal, only the front and rear of the door have a stainless panel on them. The door frame itself appears to be constructed of thick plastic and does flex slightly. Although the door is not quite as strong as we would have liked to see, it closes nice and securely.


With the front door opened, we’re greeted by a very industrial appearance. Without it, the case would look right at home in a datacenter as opposed to on a desk. The front fascia behind the door is constructed of thick black plastic and dominated by filtered ventilation openings from top to bottom. A total of four optical drives or other 5.25 inch devices and a single external 3.5 inch device can be installed in the P183. Each of the drive bay covers can be removed very easily by squeezing the plastic clips on either side of the covers. We’ll get more into drive installation in the “Installation” section of this review.

The filter material behind the bay covers is a very fine “screen door” type of mesh that generally allows for better airflow than the thicker “foam” varieties. We’d definitely take this sort of screening over foam inserts any day of the week. Unfortunately though, the screen mesh is glued to the panels, so it cannot be easily removed to further improve airflow.


Moving along to the top of the P183, we find an opening for a single 120mm exhaust fan. Unlike the original P180s with the protruding “wing” at the top, Antec opted for a simple opening that doesn’t distract from the classy, non-aggressive appearance of the P183. We’re actually a bit surprised that Antec didn’t use larger fans in the P183, as 140mm and fans as large as 230mm are becoming commonplace in enthusiast grade enclosures. Even the compact “Mini P180” employs a 200mm top exhaust fan. Larger fans usually equate to higher levels of airflow with lower levels of noise, however using 120mm fans allows buyers to swap them out for any number of high-performance or quiet replacements.


There is nothing much to see at the bottom of the P183. Simple rubber feet allow it to stay planed securely on the floor or a desk’s surface. As we mentioned earlier, the bottom portion of the P183 is thermally isolated from the top, so ventilation openings are not present for a PSU or optional fans below. This is completely intentional and we’ll discuss this in greater detail in the “Interior Impressions” section.


Antec’s “Performance One” series of cases, including the P183 have very unique side panels. As we mentioned earlier, the panels are not windowed, but are far from ordinary. When we first removed the side panel, we were surprised by the weight and sturdy feel of the panel. Its frame is constructed of plastic, but Antec provides several layers of material in the side panels to provide some acoustic dampening. Antec has this to say about the side panels: “Innovative three-layer, sound-deadening side panels and front door (aluminum, plastic, aluminum) dampen noise and ensure Quiet Computing™”. Sandwiching the plastic door between two layers of aluminum provides a very “different” feeling side panel. When tapping it with something, you hear more of a light “thud” than a “kling” or a “klang” noise. Anyone who has worked with automotive sound dampening materials like Dynamat will be very familiar with this effect.