Antec Quiet Mini Tower Case

Good mid-tower case for < $40

Strengths: Professional looking that easily blends into most environments, removable front cover and easy-to-install front intake fans, drive bay side wire organizer

Weakness: Albeit overall good build quality the case uses lesser materials than Antec P180/B. Not really a con if the price is < $40

Antec Solo mid-tower case has an overall solid build quality, however, the company's Quality Check (QC) is questionable. I'd suggest anyone who purchases this case inspect it inside-out carefully as soon as possible (before it passes the return period.) The two Solo cases I purchased, one has very loose hard drive trays that rattle during normal HD operation, the other has a cheesy loosey (which...
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Antec Solo mid-tower case has an overall solid build quality, however, the company's Quality Check (QC) is questionable. I'd suggest anyone who purchases this case inspect it inside-out carefully as soon as possible (before it passes the return period.) The two Solo cases I purchased, one has very loose hard drive trays that rattle during normal HD operation, the other has a cheesy loosey (which makes rattling noise after every touch) power & reset buttons that may break any minute. These are the common "weakest links" in any mid-tower case design and unfortunately, Antec doesn't want to enforce a strict QC level on this model. So if you find your new purchase exhibits the same problems, exchange your case before the return period is up.

I purchased this case for its advertised quietness but I wasn't very impressed. The noise containment power of the Antec Solo, is between Antec Sonata (slightly louder) and Antec P180 (much quieter). You will have to use low RPM 92mm/120mm fans to keep the case quiet, but then you sacrifice the internal air flow. The P180's 3-layer composite side panels dampen the noise more efficiently than the Solo's plastic linings. BTW, the P180 has a better internal air flow design that keeps the system temperature cooler than the Solo case.

All in all this is an ok case for conservative and/or professional system builders. It blends into the furniture (home theatre/office environment) easily, provides useful configuration options inside, and covers the system noise adequately (though not dead silent which I'd prefer.) But if you want more I'd suggest Antec P180/B which can be had for $50 ~ 80 after rebate as of late.

By vws - May 31, 2007

Antec Solo

Strengths: as advertised and more

Weakness: none

It came with every standoff and screw I could have needed. The manual is excellent. It has the pin diagrams for everything... connections to usb, audio and firewire. If your motherboard doesn't match the common audio block plug that is on the Antec Solo's cable, this case also has each wire on single blocks to attach front audio however you need to. I've got two hard drives, and one of them is a...
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It came with every standoff and screw I could have needed.

The manual is excellent. It has the pin diagrams for everything... connections to usb, audio and firewire. If your motherboard doesn't match the common audio block plug that is on the Antec Solo's cable, this case also has each wire on single blocks to attach front audio however you need to.

I've got two hard drives, and one of them is a scsi. I can't hear the hard drives anymore except a tiny bit of occassional read/write clicking. I know how loud these hdd's are, and this case has cut the noise down to almost nothing. The thing I hear now is the chipset fan, and that thing is just real loud period. With all the same components from my former case in this one, the noise level is way down... drastically.

By jdavidb; - Feb 28, 2007

Antec Solo Mid Tower Case

Strengths: Solid thick steel construction. Harddrive suspension systems. Simply and elegant design. High quality paint.

Weakness: Airflow is low. Plastic button could break any second.

This is a great case from Antec. My complete system built with this case is extremely quiet. Two harddrives in suspension mode eliminates all vibration/seek noises. The rear 120mm fan is pretty quiet on 5v. The paint is absolutely stunning. This is a very simple and elagant design. The only thing I have to complaint about is the power button. It feels like I will break it everytime I push it....
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This is a great case from Antec. My complete system built with this case is extremely quiet. Two harddrives in suspension mode eliminates all vibration/seek noises. The rear 120mm fan is pretty quiet on 5v. The paint is absolutely stunning. This is a very simple and elagant design. The only thing I have to complaint about is the power button. It feels like I will break it everytime I push it. There is a simple mod with metal button if you search around. I highly recommend this case.

By openwheelracing - Feb 12, 2007

Antec Solo

Strengths: Small and compact, lighter than a full tower, many metal parts (unlike a plastic-based Dell), reflective piano black finish on the top and sides, blue LEDs

Weakness: Power button LED can be seen from the side so it can blind you sometimes, interior is more cramped than a larger case, back I/O plate was quite hard to get off

Starting from the outside, the Solo is very luxurious-looking. Its piano black finish, simple coloring, and lack of a window make it look much more professional than the numerous gaudy "gamer" cases out there. The blue LED's for HDD activity and power make it look nice too. The power button has a nice feel to it, but the reset button does not for some reason. It just doesn't "click" right. For...
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Starting from the outside, the Solo is very luxurious-looking. Its piano black finish, simple coloring, and lack of a window make it look much more professional than the numerous gaudy "gamer" cases out there. The blue LED's for HDD activity and power make it look nice too. The power button has a nice feel to it, but the reset button does not for some reason. It just doesn't "click" right.

For the interior, case includes the Antec TriCool fan. If you set the case fan to low, it's virtually silent. I usually hear the video card's fan the most. The motherboard used was a Gigabyte DS3. The brass screws that lift it from the side of the case didn't match up. Only 6 of them lined up and the 7th wasn't there. This caused a little flexing in the board while I was installing the RAM and HSF--causing unnecessary grief for me.

Supposedly the material on the insides of the case keep the computer quiet. I have never had a custom-built PC before so I can't really compare it to anything. My Dell Dimension 8200 was already VERY quiet compared to most custom PC's.

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with my purchase. Just remember to install your parts in a logical order so you can reach all the spots you need to get at. It'll be tight in there compared to an Antec P180.

By masterren - Dec 9, 2006

Silent Elegance

Strengths: Classy, conservative, beautiful looks. Glossy piano black finish. Drive suspension system. Backed by Antec. Good design for good airflow and noise reduction.

Weakness: Some may wish for more room inside to work with. Finish can scratch easily and fingerprints can show easily, so must handle with care and wipe ocassionally.

If you're looking for a case to house your next computer, this is a great option, especially if you want elegant styling, low noise, and an overall well-designed case with nice touches like sound-dampening pads on the side panels and a suspension system for hard drives.

By stefancasadine - Nov 11, 2006