It's OK, my both HDDs are in 2.5" SQDs and seat neatly on trays - no real difference here in terms of vibration damping. Given the quickly dropping prices of SSDs I don't suppose I'll need elastic band or rubber grommets any time soon, for that matter

Could not agree with you more. I still use a 1080AMG tower -- a later production line of SX1030 -- and it is indeed tanklike. Six years in use, and apart from a few scratches, it looks almost brand new to this day. I don't have to baby it either as you have to with their newer cases. I know I can get stuck into Antec sometimes, but that doesn't mean I don't like them or their cases. I do. It just doesn't extend to fanboyism. Hopefully they will hear their customers and fix some of these issues in their future products.

lol yeah my main pc is still in an antec sx1040 which i got about 7 years ago and nothng has ever broken on it. it uses 1.0mm thick steel i think the antecs these days are 0.8mm

Some are 0.8 (NSK), but most are 1 mm. Anyhoo, it's not the steel most ppl are complaining on, but rather things like plastic buttons, rubber bands for hdd etc. Still tho, even cheapest Antecs are better quality than generic cases or cheapo cases with big brand names, such as Gigabyte or Asus.

I agree with the previous post. Antec are still streets ahead of the competition for the quality of steel used, even compared to the so called big name brands. 1mm makes for quite a sturdy case. The 0.8mm on their NSK is a let down, but still better than the 0.5-0.6mm on many other cases in the same price bracket. The P18x is 0.8mm because it's a composite of alumimium and plastic; it's not a sign of poorer quality, however it's flexible and can possibly warp. One thing that annoys me with Antec's steel as of late is the surprising sharp edges throughout. Coming from an 1080AMG which never gave me a single reason to fear getting cut, the Solo gave me a shock with its number of sharp and graze causing edges.

I'm pleased with my Solo case in all other respects though. The gloss black finish looks excellent for a mass-produced item at that cost.

The hard drive suspension elastics don't look very substantial, so I'll be keeping an eye on those - or maybe make some stronger ones.