Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX Review

Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX Review

Manufacturer: Phanteks
UK price (as reviewed): MSRP £139.99
US price (as reviewed): MSRP TBC

It's fair to say that a lot of cases come through the bit-tech labs, so when something comes by that catches everyone's attention and results in a lot of ooh-ing and ah-ing, you know you're dealing with something special. That was precisely the reaction to the Enthoo EVOLV ATX, the latest case from Phanteks which is launching today to coincide with the start of Computex 2015.


The original EVOLV catered for micro-ATX users and was a lovely premium case. Next came the EVOLV ITX, which, while still being a good case, targeted mainstream users with a fairly standard construction comprising relatively thin steel and some plastic. As such, when we heard the company would also be releasing an ATX version, we were unsure, which route it would go. Thankfully, it's the former; with its 3mm thick aluminium panels the EVOLV ATX is a seriously sturdy unit, yet is still relatively lightweight. It also looks awesome, at least in our humble opinion. Phanteks has equipped us with the anthracite grey version. This can be a tricky colour to get right, but the finish and quality of the metal shine through – it certainly has at least an air of Apple about it. If it's not for you, however, it also comes in black.

A metal cover at the top of the front panel flips up to reveal the I/O panel, and protects and hides it when not in use. This is complemented by a large, solo power button on the roof that has a satisfying action. There's also a small horizontal strip at the bottom of the front panel which lights up thanks to the LED installed behind it. This is white by default, but Phanteks also supplies red, green and blue replacement LEDs, which is a nice touch.


The front panel pulls off cleanly to reveal a full cover dust filter, which is a cinch to remove as well. The panel has holes around it for air intake, and with with dual 140mm fans intake mounted here and a rear 140mm exhaust as well, the EVOLV ATX should shift a fair bit of air, even with the solid front fascia.

The left panel is fitted with a huge window, while the right side is simply a huge slab of flat aluminium. The same is true of the roof, except for some very small vents for air to be exhausted through should you install fans or a water-cooling set-up here. Still, airflow here will be very restricted; as the roof panel is removable (albeit using screws), it would be good to see Phanteks offer a replacement version with pre-cut fan mounts and vents for those who want more ventilation at the cost of the clean looks.


The case is well ventilated in the rear panel, and includes height adjustable mounting struts for the exhaust fan as well as reservoir mounting points. Finally, the bottom includes a pull out plastic dust filter that's easy to replace, as well as a set of rubber feet.

Specifications

• Dimensions (mm) 235 x 510 x 495 (W x D x H)
  
• Material Aluminium, Steel
  
• Available colours Black, anthracite
  
• Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, stereo, microphone
  
• Drive bays 3 x internal 3.5in/2.5in, 2 x internal 2.5in
  
• Form factor(s) ATX, Micro-ATX, mini-ITX
  
• Cooling 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm front fan mounts (2 x 140mm fans included), 1 x 140mm/120mm rear fan mount (140mm fan included), 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm roof fan mounts (fans not included)
  
• CPU cooler clearance 194mm
  
• Maximum graphics card length 420mm (300mm with HDD brackets)
  
• Extras Removable dust filters, Velcro cable ties, PWM fan hub, pump bracket, quick release panels, retractable top radiator bracket, reservoir mounting points, replacement power LEDs