Antec P183 Mid-Tower Case Review

Manufacturer Product Page: Antec - P183
Model Number: P183 (UPC #: 0761345-81830-8)
TechWiki Info: Antec P183 - TechWiki
Availability: Now
Warranty: 3 years
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Antec is perhaps one of the most popular makers of consumer cases and power supplies. Founded way back in 1986, they have become very well known for their high quality products and reasonable prices. Not only are Antec’s products very popular among enthusiasts, but also system builders and the mainstream markets as well. Their reach extends just about everywhere and their products are available for sale at just about any online or walk-in retailer in Canada and abroad.

Today we’re not going to be looking at a brand new revolutionary sort of enclosure - like the recently reviewed Antec Skeleton – but rather a refinement of a classic; the Antec “Performance One” P180. Back in 2005, the P180 was truly a new and unique design that brought some exciting new features to the table. As one of the first mainstream “bottom mounted” PSU enclosures that separated components into thermally isolated chambers, the P180 really broke out of the old beige box mould of the day. Today, just about every enthusiast grade case has a PSU mounted at the bottom, and quite a few employ thermal chambers (like the Thermaltake Spedo) for example. So now that most of the P180’s unique features have become somewhat commonplace, what did Antec do? Very little actually. Instead of going back to the drawing board to find some new revolutionary sort of case design, Antec simply made a good case even better through the use of some subtle refinements.

Most potential buyers would see very few differences between the P183 and its predecessors. In fact, the fairly new P182 changed very little from the original P180, with primarily aesthetic improvements. Antec implemented a high quality gun-metal finish on the P182 and also offered it in a limited edition “mirror finish”. Although the P182 provided mainly aesthetic improvements, the P183 goes a step further with some performance improvements as well. First and foremost, Antec has redesigned the front door of the P183 to allow better intake airflow through the front of the case. Larger vent openings can now be found along the side of the door, as well as four large angled openings on the front of the door. Secondly, Antec has included dust filters along all of the vented drive bay covers to keep the P183 cleaner than its predecessors. And last but not least, Antec has relocated the optional lower chamber fan so that larger PSUs can be installed and included a mounting plate so that their new “CPX” form factor power supplies can be installed as well. Although these are some arguably needed improvements to “modernize” the P180 series, Antec has maintained much of the classic P180’s award winning design characteristics.

The P183 is a mid-tower case that is a bit on the larger side, measuring almost 20 inches tall by 20 inches deep. Weighing in at about 31 pounds makes it a relatively heavy case as well. Although this may not be an ideal case to lug around to LAN gaming events, Antec has tried to make the P180 series of cases a universal design that would suit just about any individual’s tastes. It’s relatively simple and classy appearance means that it would look at home on just about anyone’s desk and Its tried and tested internal design and cooling layout means that it is often considered by enthusiasts and mainstream buyers alike.

Without further ado, let’s see how this classic design stacks up in the Hardware Canucks’ labs.