Performance Analysis

With Phanteks focussed on letting users do whatever they want with the Enthoo Pro 2, testing the thermals in its default state with a bog-standard ATX build isn’t all that useful to most potential buyers, especially when it doesn’t even come with any fans. Still, we always think it’s worth doing to remind users why fans are important and give us some comparable numbers. We’ve tested in the default state (no fans) and then added a couple of 120mm fans (one intake, one exhaust) to see the difference that a little airflow makes.

With no fans, the Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 joins the other cases on test that have very little or no airflow. Within the 15-minute test, the overclocked CPU gets too hot and eventually throttles. No big surprise, then, and a reminder that even if you have a great air cooler, you’ll very likely see higher fan speeds and/or temperatures when your CPU is loaded if you don’t ensure that it is served with adequate airflow.

With our two extra fans installed and capped to 7V, the same thing eventually happens albeit not as quickly as with no fans, suggesting that the little airflow this introduces isn’t all that helpful in so large a case. With the fans at full speed, the CPU no longer throttles, but it wasn’t far off, so you’ll definitely want to ensure you have good levels of exhaust airflow, ideally utilising both the rear and roof fan mounts when planning your build.

As for the GPU, the case is well-ventilated enough to ensure GPU coolers are not starved of air, but the default setup does give us a warm result. With our fans fitted but running at 7V, there is technically an improvement, but it’s within the margin of error. Only at 12V do we see a meaningful improvement, and the delta T of 49°C is right near the top of the chart, nestled in with an open-air test bench and the MSI MPG Sekira 500G when it has no front panel and almost entirely unrestricted airflow from two 200mm fans. That’s a pretty good result from a single 120mm fan in a massive case, and it suggests that Phanteks’ claims related to its mesh front panel are well founded.

Conclusion

With no fans by default and an impressive level of flexibility within, the Enthoo Pro 2 is something of a (big) blank canvas. As such, it definitely acts as a bit of an advertisement for Phanteks’ other products (case upgrades, accessories, and PSUs in particular), but that’s not anything new, and for this type of case it's a particularly valid approach. Thankfully, Phanteks has also struck a good balance of what you get vs. aftermarket offerings. From a user perspective, paying more for bundled extras you won’t use (including fans) can be frustrating, but at the same time it’s nice to have the option to buy what you need to take your build in the right direction.

There’s no denying this is a whopper of a case, but it’s not quite behemoth level, and it’s much more space-efficient than others like the MSI MPG Sekira 500G. The vertical PSU placement is largely successful and key to enabling a variety of setups. Whichever setup you opt for, our testing indicates that getting a lot of exhaust airflow around CPU air-coolers is a good idea and that the mesh front panel is successful at not impeding the airflow for any front fans you go with.

The Enthoo Pro 2 TG has a sturdy construction, good front I/O connectivity, and a tasteful implementation of RGB. It’s also easy to use for the most part, but there is room for improvement e.g. the way the side panels mount to the case, the usability of the main cable cover when working with a lot of cables, and the way the plastic SSD mounts/blanking plates attach to the chassis, but none of these are major issues.

All things considered, the Enthoo Pro 2 is a great offering at £125 (or £116 if tempered glass and RGB don’t matter to you). The Enthoo line has long been one of our favourites, and the Enthoo Pro 2 is a respectable addition to the clan. It therefore comes recommended to anyone in need of a lot of space and especially to those who want two systems in one case – just be sure to factor in the necessary aftermarket purchases to your budget.