Conclusion

After the dust settles, it is obvious Antec has another winner on their hands with the Sonata III. It is not a revolution in terms of case design; rather it is the next logical step in the continuing evolution of the Sonata line. By adding a high-performance 500W power supply and making a few design changes, Antec has made this case even more attractive to potential buyers who are looking for a great case at a bargain price. Indeed, it is very hard to nail down any areas in which Antec may have done things differently.

Many buyers (me included) have subscribed to the notion that any power supply included in a budget case is not fit to power a floppy drive. This is the case 99.9% of the time…..until you look at the Sonata III and its Antec Earthwatts 500W power supply. Not only does this power supply completely buck the trend of sub-par power supplies being included in cases but it also provides surprising value. The performance is above that of many power supplies which are priced at or around $100. It is amazing how Antec managed to price a power supply that should cost over $85 into a case that costs under $130.

Many budget cases completely fail because their designers focus too much on trying to make them stand out from the crowd. On the other hand, the Sonata III succeeds because it doesn’t try to be something it is not. Antec knew they were making a budget case and kept the design and interior engineering extremely simple while doing all of the little things right. Everything anyone could need in a budget ATX case is present in the Sonata III and then some. Because of its price, great design and high-performance power supply the Antec Sonata III gets a 5 on 5 rating and our Dam Good Award.


Pros:
- Great value
- High-performance 500W power supply
- Good airflow with optional 120mm fan
- Sensible interior design
- 3-year warranty
- Solid Construction

Cons:
- Heavy
- Could have more mounting hardware included