Antec NSK1480: The Fusion gets Smaller

Table of Contents

Antec keeps rolling with isolated-chamber cases descended from the P180. This time, the Fusion gets shrunk to a half-height version in the NSK1480.

November 17, 2009 by Devon Cooke
with Mike Chin

Product
Antec NSK1480
Mini Desktop / HTPC Case
Manufacturer
Market Price
US$100~150

Ever since their original P180 case, Antec has slowly been revamping their case lineup to include the concept of isolated chambers. We’ve seen the P180 morph into the P182 and then the P183, we’ve seen it cut down to the Mini P180, we’ve seen it transformed into the entry-level NSK3480, and we’ve seen it adapted for the HTPC market as the NSK2400 / Fusion.

Now we have the NSK1480, which is essentially a “Mini Fusion”. Well,
actually, when it’s dressed up with a fancy VFD display and a metal fascia,
it’s called the
MicroFusion Remote 350
, but the basic version that we are looking here lacks
the fancy marketing name and sticks with a simple model number. For those of
you lost in the babble of model numbers above, it’s a low profile desktop-style
case (remember those?) with reduced dimensions to follow the miniaturization
trend in that the desktop market has been going through (though the “fits
in any environment” claim is a bit exaggerated). It is limited to MicroATX
motherboards (and smaller) and half-height expansion cards, but these restrictions
are less onerous than they used to be. A fully featured MicroATX motherboard
that doesn’t require outboard graphics is surprisingly easy to find these days.

The NSK1480 seems to suffer a bit of identity confusion. Although it’s billed
as a “desktop” case, virtually nobody uses cases in a desktop configuration
(monitor sitting on top of the system). It’s supplied with two “feet”
that let it be positioned vertically in a tower configuration, but the design
and layout is clearly meant for a horizontal orientation. The real market is
probably low end media PCs, but given the propensity for AV nuts to shell out
huge amounts of money for their gear, Antec probably doesn’t want to dilute
their Media Components line with “budget” models, which is why this
model is in the NSK line. The NSK1480 does have one advantage over it’s high
end brother: The lack of a front panel display leaves room for an additional
hard drive bay.


A colorful, elegant box like all Antec products.


A thin sheet of fabric protects the plastic fascia.

The design of the NSK1480 is essentially a shrunken NSK2400 / Fusion. The reduction in height is probably the most noticeable, but all of the dimensions have been reduced by about three inches. The change is primarily aesthetic, since a smaller space is a bit of a headache as far as thermal engineering and usability are concerned. Nonetheless, the essence of the design has not changed, and the compromises made seem well chosen.

Like all of the NSKxx80 line, an 80 Plus certified power supply is included
in the package. A proprietary form factor (some variant of TFX?) is used to
conform to the space requirements, so swapping the power supply for a different
model could prove challenging.

Antec NSK1480: Features and Specifications
(from the product
web page
)
Low profile desktop height fits in any environment
Dual chamber structure for HDD and motherboard to separate heat and reduce noise
2x80mm side fans to exhaust air from CPU & VGA card
80 PLUS® Certified 350 Watt ATX12V v2.1 power supply directly draws fresh air in from outside the case to maximize quiet and cool operation
Universal Input and Active PFC

• 80 PLUS® Certified means increased energy efficiency without any reduction in performance and saving you money on your power bill

Removable HDD tray with extra soft silicone grommets in a separate chamber for maximum quiet and cool operation
80mm intake fan to cool the HDD
Drive Bays   • External 1 x 5.25″
• Internal 2 x 3.5″
Expansion Slots 4 (half height)
Cooling System   • 2 x 80mm TriCool® 3-speed exhaust fans in motherboard chamber (standard)
• 1 x 80mm TriCool® 3-speed intake fan for HDD cage (standard)
• Adjustable Air Guide directs cool external air through CPU
Compatible Motherboards   • 2 x USB 2.0
• 1 x eSATA
• Audio In/Out (HDA & AC’ 97)
Unit Dimensions   • 4.5″(H) x 15.1″(W) x 16.1″(D)
• 12cm (H) x 39cm (W) x 41cm (D)
Weight   • Net: 11.29 lbs / 5.12 kg
• Gross: 15.7 lbs / 7.14 kg


Notable accessories: Cable ties, an airflow guide, and an “L” VGA adapter.

The accessories package includes a number of nice extras, including feet for “tower” configurations, a pair of straps for cable management, four rubber feet, and a lego-like “airflow guide” to reduce the amount of short-circuit airflow lost as the exhaust fan pulls air directly through the intake without cooling the case. This was a feature of the NSK2400 as well, and, while it’s nice to have the option to manage airflow in this way, it’s not really obvious what the guide is for — especially to users who aren’t used to thinking about airflow. A little more explanation on Antec’s part would be welcome here, since paying attention to airflow really does have an impact on system cooling.

One accessory that deserves special mention is the VGA “L” adapter
which routes the VGA cable (typically the bulkiest cable with the biggest plug)
sideways rather than directly back. This should make it easier to position the
case flush against a back wall (of a cabinet, for example). Our one complaint:
We wish a DVI version had been included as well.


This VGA adapter allows the case to be placed tightly against a rear wall.

THE EXTERIOR

The black-and-silver finish is emblematic of the NSK line of cases,
and it looks elegant enough. Unlike the MicroFusion version, the fascia is plastic,
and is serviceable but unremarkable. If appearance is important, a bigger problem
is the optical drive bay, which does not provide a stealth cover, and silver
drives are not easy to come by. Still, a black optical drive facia sets off
fine against the black lower strip.


Simple black and silver finish. The two-tone bezel makes the case appear
even slimmer than it is.


Well vented back panel. Note the two intakes on the top panel as well.

The airflow layout is fairly logical, with the CPU situated next to a pair of 80mm exhaust fans. The fans are Antec’s usual TriCool models, with three speeds selectable via a simple switch. They’re not the quietest fans in the world, but they’re not bad. The major intakes are two large vents on the top panel, one over the CPU and the other over the expansion slots. This covers the two expected sources of heat: processor and graphics card. A small amount of airflow can also be expected to come from the hard drive chamber through the intake there. This intake is on the opposite side of the exhaust fans that drive the airflow, so airflow there can expected to be low without the intake fan running.


Front ports include an eSATA port plus the usual 2x USB, headphone &
mic. The ports fit loosely in the recessed front panel — there are
gaps around them that could potentially trap dust in long term use.


Not a lot of room for venting, but the four expansion slot covers
have holes in them, and there’s a limited amount of intake above the motherboard
ports.


These two 80mm exhaust fans are both right next to the CPU.

Although it is not in a separate chamber, the power supply is mostly isolated
from the rest of the system by virtue of its positioning: The intake draws air
in from the side of the case and exhausts it out the back. A smallish vent at
the front of the power supply does allow some hot air to circulate into the
case, but at least the power supply fan (often the hardest fan to control) is
at the front of the air path. Some of Antec’s other cases isolate the power
supply completely. That said, the case is not really intended for high power
systems that need heavy isolation to keep the PSU cool and quiet.

A small amount of PSU exhaust may be recirculated back into the system though, since the back panel next to the PSU is likely to act as an input in most configurations. However, unless the unit is in a confined space like an A/V cabinet, the effect is probably too small to worry about.

 
Both vents on this side are intakes: PSU intake in the foreground,
and hard drive intake blurred in the background. Most users will not need
the drive intake.

THE INTERIOR

With the hood popped up, it is apparent just how tightly packed the case is. Antec has done all they can to minimize the footprint of this case, which is great for aesthetics, but probably a pain for usability. Tightness aside, the case is well laid out


Note the crossbar in the middle for structural support.

The central crossbar is removable and the case will function fine without putting it back in. However, it serves two important functions: It provides rigidity to the top panel which reduces vibration-induced noise, and it provides a place to anchor the two included cable straps for ease of cable management. 


Twin 80mm exhaust fans, though low-to-mid power CPUs probably only need one. The black airflow guide extending from the back panel is designed to ensure that cool intake air passes around the CPU heatsink before it exits the case. It is extendible with multiple Lego-like sections that can compensate for the size of the heatsink and the position of the CPU.

Front panel connectors (with the optical bay removed).


Roughly 2/3 of the power supply’s back panel is vented, potentially
dumping a bit of warm air into the system. It is an Antec-branded 80-Plus
model, but the spec sheet is printed in a blue that points to Seasonic
as the OEM.

DRIVE TRAYS


The optical drive bay fits snugly, but slides in and out with ease
and without screws — fortunate because installing the motherboard
requires removing it. The rubber pads on top make contact with the top
panel to improve fit and reduce vibration.

The hard drive trays have Antec’s usual soft silicone grommets to reduce
vibration. Not quite as good as suspension with bungee cord, but far better
than hard mounting.


The tray has a handle for easy removal, and hard rubber pads to keep vibration
to a minimum. Like the optical drive bay, they slide in snugly…


…and are secured with a single thumbscrew each.


There is a single 80mm TriCool fan at the intake for hard drive cooling.
Our single drive configuration didn’t need it, but it’s nice to know it’s
there.

SYSTEM ASSEMBLY

The cramped size of the NSK1480 didn’t make for the easiest install, but that’s
to be expected of a case where small size is a selling point. We didn’t run
into any major problems though.

The major issue that users are likely to run into is the size of any additional
hardware. In addition to being MicroATX only, it only accepts half-height expansion
cards, and requires a low profile CPU heatsink (i.e. no tower heatsinks). The
Scythe Big Shuriken heatsink worked extremely well, but there aren’t
a lot of options for effective and quiet low profile heatsinks.

Another height-related issue was the RAM we initially tried to install. These
were high-end sticks with large (mostly needless) heatsinks extending up twice
the height of the actual RAM. Due to the position of the RAM slots on our motherboard
near the back edge of the board (a common position), we were unable to put the
optical drive bay back without crushing the RAM. Swapping the RAM for regular,
non-heatsinked sticks solved the issue.

Both the optical drive bay and the crossbar needed to be removed before the
motherboard could be installed, but both of these lift out easily without requiring
a screwdriver.

As mentioned above, the drive trays are easily removable, and offer a convenient
(and quiet) mode of installation. Drives do need to be screwed down, so it’s
not 100% tool-free, but being able to work with the drive trays separate from
the case does make things easier. The only difficulty was getting the long drive
screws started, since the drive needed to be held flush against the top of the
drive tray against the wishes of gravity as the screws were started. A little
manual dexterity is required.

The whole process took about an hour for this experienced builder, but inexperienced
users will probably take longer as they discover where things go and what order
they need to be installed in.


The system fully installed. The power supply’s cables were far too
and long for the size of the case and the number of peripherals it supports.

TESTING

System Configuration

Measurement and Analysis Tools

Baseline Noise

A baseline noise level for the NSK1480 was established by “jump-starting”
the PSU and testing the fans in various configurations. No components were installed
for the test, so the baseline tests outline the minimum noise possible before
any further noisemaking parts are added. All the the TriCool fans were tested
in “Low” mode only; past experience has taught us that higher speeds
are too noisy to be satisfactory and cooling is only minimally impacted.

Antec NSK1480 Baseline SPL
Measuring mic positioned 1m at diagonal angle left/front of case.
Configuration
SPL
PSU +
One exhaust fan (L)
21 dBA
PSU +
Both exhaust fans (L)
21 dBA
PSU +
Both exhaust fans (L) +
Intake fan (L)
23 dBA

Of the three configurations we tested, only the last increased the noise level
significantly above the minimum noise level. Unfortunately, the minimum was
limited by the fan in the PSU, which is not especially quiet. Given that neither
the PSU nor the PSU fan are easily swappable, the PSU effectively limits how
quiet the case can be*.

Although the intake is the same model as the exhaust fans, it seemed noticeably
louder than the others by virtue of its position at the front of the case. The
effect showed up in the measurement results as a 2 dBA@1m bump above the other
baseline results.

While the 21 dBA@1m minimum is not loud per say, it is louder than much
of the competition, and it is likely to be audible in the average living room.
If the goal is an inaudible system, some level of advanced modding is required.
Subjectively, the noise has a bit of hum to it, but there weren’t any bothersome
pure tones.

Unfortunately for Antec, the TriCool fans that come standard in all of their
cases are starting to seem a little dated. While we’ve always considered them
not bad, there have always been better choices. And, in the past year or two,
an increasing number of these better choices have been showing up as stock fans
in cases made by Antec’s competitors. So, while baseline noise results in the
21~23 dBA@1m range might have been quite good in years past, they don’t look
so good anymore.

————————————————————-
*See the postscript where we do, in fact, swap the PSU fan.

TEST RESULTS

For live system testing, two new sources of noise were introduced: The cooling
fan on the Scythe Big Shuriken CPU heatsink, and the Western Digital Green Power
hard drive. Neither of these are particularly noisy components.

The test system was a midrange Core2Duo system capable of playing back HD video
smoothly. It’s far from the hottest system out there, but it’s pretty much all
you need in an HTPC, especially the kind of system that this midrange case is
targeting.

All tests were done with both exhaust fans on Low and the intake fan disabled.
While the second exhaust fan was probably not strictly necessary from a cooling
point of view, keeping it running ensured that no warm air was recirculating
through the case as might be the case if one of them was disabled (effectively
turning the exhaust into a potential intake). In addition, our earlier baseline
tests showed that leaving the second fan running did not cause a measurable
increase in noise.

System Measurements
State
Idle
CPU Load
CPU + GPU Load
CPU Fan Speed
550 RPM
610 RPM
630 RPM
Exhaust Fan Speed
Both “L”
Both “L”
Both “L”
Intake Fan Speed
Off
Off
Off
Noise Level
24 dBA@1m
CPU Temp
(Core0)
36°C
54°C
54°C
SB Temp
42°C
46°C
49°C
HDD Temp
33°C
35°C
36°C
Power Consumption (AC)
50W
84W
95W
Ambient temperature: 23°C
Ambient noise level: 11 dBA

Our minimally noisy system added about 3 dBA@1m to the baseline noise level.
Most of this can probably be attributed to hard drive which is located near
the front of the system. At 24 dBA@1m, this isn’t the quietest we’ve heard this
system, but it’s also not noisy. In actual usage, this noise level would be
perfectly acceptable in an HTPC. Even in a dead silent living room, the noise
would not be very intrusive unless it was being listened for specifically.

The noise level stayed constant throughout the test, even at the heaviest load.
Our fan data showed that the CPU fan speed increased slightly under load, but
the increase wasn’t audible. This is hardly a surprising result, as 95W is hardly
a stressful load even for the relatively small 350W power supply, but it is
good news.

Thermally, the NSK1480 had no issues (though again, our test was far from the
toughest we could have tried). It’s not choked for air, and we know from past
experience with Antec’s other thermally-isolated designs that the basic thermal
design is sound. Our decision to leave the intake fan off seemed quite clearly
justified, as our low power WD Green Power never came close to breaking 40°C.

Given its small size and the surprising speed at which cable clutter built
up, it wouldn’t surprise us if the case struggled a bit if it was really pushed
with numerous high end components. A hot, half-height graphics card blocking
airflow would do a lot to boost the ambient heat in the case and make it tougher
to cool things down. A warmer CPU might run into problems since many of the
top end heatsinks will not fit. But these are hypotheticals, and the case isn’t
really intended for these top end systems.

Baseline test #1: PSU + 1 Exhaust (L). Noise character
shows up as a relatively smooth arc, with most of the energy concentrated
between 200~4,000 Hz. Low end drops off sharply below 200 Hz.


Baseline test #3: PSU + all Tricool fans on Low. Essentially
the same graph as test #1, but slightly higher. No obvious change in
noise character (this was bourne out by subjective listening).


In system test: Idle and all Load conditions.
Again, not much to
see. This is a good thing — baseline noise hasn’t really changed
and noise character is fairly smooth.

AUDIO RECORDINGS

These recordings were made with a high resolution, lab quality, digital recording
system inside SPCR’s own 11 dBA ambient anechoic chamber, then converted to
LAME 128kbps encoded MP3s. We’ve listened long and hard to ensure there is no
audible degradation from the original WAV files to these MP3s. They represent
a quick snapshot of what we heard during the review.

Each recording starts with ambient noise, then 10 second segments of product
at various states. For the most realistic results,
set the volume so that the starting ambient level is just barely audible, then
don’t change the volume setting again while comparing all the sound files.

Comparatives:

FINAL THOUGHTS

The NSK1480 is a nice evolutionary addition to Antec’s case lineup, incorporating
solid thermal design from previous cases (notably the P180 series and the Fusion)
into a smaller HTPC / desktop package. There’s nothing revolutionary here, but
the addition of a smaller HTPC case is welcome as the rest of the industry heads
in this direction and low profile parts become easier to find.

It would have been nice to see Antec upgrade their fans, as they are starting
to stand out for the worse against the competition. It’s difficult to call them
bad exactly. Just dated. A bigger problem is the fan in the power supply,
which dominates the noise signature and cannot be easily swapped. In addition,
the power supply itself is proprietary, making this an exceptionally difficult
problem to deal with. Such is the price of miniaturization. Keep in mind that
for most people, noise standards for media PCs can be more relaxed than with
a home office PC; when it’s actually being used, sound that emanates from the
TV or stereo tends to mask the noise of the PC. (See page 3 of the article Cases:
Basics & Recommendations
for more details on this topic.)

All in all, the NSK1480 is a solid choice for an HTPC case, and we’re happy
to see another low profile choice in this market. The large size of HTPC cases
has been a common complaint since they first showed up, and small has too often
meant starved for air. The NSK1480 strikes a sensible balance between cooling,
low noise, and modest size.

Our thanks to Antec
for the NSK1480 sample.

* * *

Articles of Related Interest
Cases: Basics & Recommendations

Luxa2 LM100 Mini: “Exquisite & Desirable” m-ITX HTPC Case

Moneual MonCaso 301 Desktop HTPC Case
Antec Fusion Remote Max HTPC Case
Silverstone GD01 and LC17 HTPC Cases
Antec NSK2400 / Fusion Media PC Case

* * *

Discuss
this article in the SPCR Forums.

POSTSCRIPT: A SIMPLE MOD by Mike Chin

Shortly after the work on this review was done, I had a need for a HTPC
in my TV room. Yes, it’s true: Although a few PCs have set up shop temporarily
in that room, I could not justify the clutter and added complexity. A
HD PVR with satellite service has been good enough. Recent downloads via
torrent of HD movies and TV shows persuaded me that a PC under the TV
might finally be a useful thing.

The Antec NSK1480 fits nicely into the single shelf in the existing TV
stand, with several inches above for it breathe properly. The case seemed
a natural choice. I wasn’t too keen on the noise of the stock PSU, however.
The Bell ExpressVue PVR makes enough noise by itself, and I didn’t want
any more noise to be added to the room ambient, as the PC would likely
be on all the time, pulling down torrents.

The challenge with modding the PSU is that its fan is a slim profile
80x15mm model, not easy to find a replacement for. But examining the PSU
with its cover off, and the intake vent on the side of the case. I realized
there is a simple solution: Simply leave the U-shaped cover off, and mount
a quiet 80x25mm fan on the case instead, at the vent. The stiff insulating
plastic sheeting around the sides of the PSU provides reasonable protection
against shorts and other accidental damage, and keeps the airflow unchanged.
Pictures show better than words…

Double side tape was used in the corners to affix a Nexus
Real Silent 80x25mm fan to the side vent for the PSU. Note the plastic
sheeting on either side of the power supply. The Nexus fan lead was
plugged into a motherboard fan header with a voltage-reducing resistor
to drop the speed down to a constant ~600rpm, where it is basically
inaudible.

The Scythe Big Shuriken heatsink/fan was used on a new AMD
Athlon II X2 240e
(2.8GHz) 45W TDP processor. The Asus
M4A78-HTPC/RC motherboard
, well-suited for this role, was called into
service here. No optical drive, for now, four gigs of RAM on two sticks,
and a 500GB Seagate Momentus 5400.6 2.5″
drive
in a “classic” elastic band suspension in one of the
HDD bays.

A block of foam was also placed over the HDD, which turns
out to be about the most audible component in the system, at least from
up close, when it is seeking/writing.

The end result is a PC that in normal use is inaudible from
the seat distance some 6′ away. It is only audible from within about 1.5′,
but with a wireless keyboard and integrated rollerball, there’s no reason
to get up close to the computer anyway. AC power draw is 40~50W, and rarely
exceeds 65W. The unit was not measured for SPL in the anechoic chamber
before being installed in the upstairs room, but I’d guess the overall
level to be some 5 dBA@1m lower than the baseline idle Devon measured,
as there are only two very smooth and quiet fans: The one on the Scythe
heatsink, which spins about 600~1200rpm depending on load, and the Nexus
fan on the heatsink, which is at a slow ~600rpm. When the TV is actually
on, it is almost impossible to hear this machine over the soundtrack even
from just a couple feet away.

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