Antec P180B - Full Review

silver bullet · Post by **silver bullet** » Sat May 20, 2006 10:17 am

Hey all,

I see alot of people are talking about the new P180B and the differences etc.

Here is a full review that shows all the new/improved items.

Enjoy ...

http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/antec_p180b/

JazzJackRabbit · Post by **JazzJackRabbit** » Sat May 20, 2006 11:30 am

Thanks for pointing it out. Not too many differences. Just vented slot covers and clips for adding a pan to the upper drive cages.

Not worth changing if you already have silver version. However.... god damn, the black version looks fantastic... I want it

krille · Post by **krille** » Sun May 21, 2006 7:22 am

What if you don't have any P180 case yet. Would it be worth getting this P180B Black version over the original P180/P180SE SPCR versions?

~ Kris

JazzJackRabbit · Post by **JazzJackRabbit** » Sun May 21, 2006 8:40 am

krille wrote:What if you don't have any P180 case yet. Would it be worth getting this P180B Black version over the original P180/P180SE SPCR versions?

~ Kris

Depends, there are only two differences that I can find. I don't need clips for additional fan on the upper HDD cage and I definitely don't like vented rear slot covers. However if you need/want those features you might want to go for the new black version.

Of course looks/price also play a role, how much are you prepared to pay for good looks?

krille · Post by **krille** » Sun May 21, 2006 10:11 am

JazzJackRabbit wrote:Depends, there are only two differences that I can find. I don't need clips for additional fan on the upper HDD cage and I definitely don't like vented rear slot covers. However if you need/want those features you might want to go for the new black version.

Of course looks/price also play a role, how much are you prepared to pay for good looks?

My ultimate goal is silence (without frying anything of course!). However, if I can pay more for better looks without compromizing with that goal, I'm very happy to do it. If I put it like this, I'm either getting the P180B or P180SE SPCR (since they're both black) and about the same price (Silver version is out of the question, as I don't fancy it). The only new "feature" of the P180B I might be interested in are the vented PCI brackets. However, I really have no idea on their effect on temps and noise (I suppose noise level increases slightly... but then if temps are lowered this can be compensated for by slowing down any fans).

If I put it like this, the P180 doesn't even come close to my "payin' threshold" (trying to be witty here). Originally I aimed for an MM U2-UFO cube case (~$500 I believe) and was prepared to pay even more, but then I heard the UFO wasn't all that quiet (rather the opposite), so the P180 caught my eyes instead. I would of course have purchased a Zalman "Totally No Noise" TNN case (completely passive case) if I thought it could handle my rig (which I don't, see sig). However, I'm not that sure I'd be as comfortable paying over $1.000 for a case just for looks... unless it would bring some truly spectacular extras.

So, ultimately, it all comes down to vented PCI brackets vs solid PCI brackets (and a neat SPCR badge...however as I said looks are secondary)?

~ Kris

JazzJackRabbit · Post by **JazzJackRabbit** » Sun May 21, 2006 10:42 am

krille wrote:So, ultimately, it all comes down to vented PCI brackets vs solid PCI brackets (and a neat SPCR badge...however as I said looks are secondary)?

~ Kris

Well if you put it like that... The reason I don't like vented slot covers is because they do not allow me to control intake as much as I'd like to. If I want a slot cover open I simply take it out, if I want it closed I leave it in. The new P180B vented slot covers do not leave me that option because they are always "open". In my current case I have only one rear slot cover open, the one right below the video card. That's because I want as much airflow over the videocard as possible. If all rear slot covers were open the bottom of the videocard would receive significantly less airflow.

Of course that said having a bunch of spare slot covers would easily solve the problem. In which case it would all come down to an extra fan mount and new reinforced front panel in P180B versus fancy shiny SPCR logo in P180 SPCR SE edition. Your choice.

PS. the new P180B also lacks videocard duct, but that thing is completely useless if you have read SPCR review already so good riddance.

Shadowknight · Post by **Shadowknight** » Sun May 21, 2006 11:30 am

JazzJackRabbit wrote: Of course that said having a bunch of spare slot covers would easily solve the problem. In which case it would all come down to an extra fan mount and new reinforced front panel in P180B versus fancy shiny SPCR logo in P180 SPCR SE edition. Your choice.

For the record, Antec now makes SPCR doors with the aluminum reinforcing on the back. If you buy one with the old style door, you can get them to send you a replacement for free. As long as you bought the SPCR specific model, they'll send you a new door with the SPCR logo on it.

cass · Post by **cass** » Mon May 22, 2006 12:10 pm

the main difference between the P180 and P180B as far as i can tell is the door on the front. on the P180 it is plastic with a single layer of aluminium on the front. some people have reported that it can warp at low temperatures (due to the alu on the front contracting more than the plastic). with the P180B the door has a alu layer on the back as well, so it doesnt warp. so if you live somewhere where its always sunny it shouldnt be a problem, but otherwise it might distort slightly in the winter, unless you turn your heating up...

McBanjo · Post by **McBanjo** » Mon May 22, 2006 12:55 pm

I belive all P180 is shipped with frontdoor in 3 layers now since the warping door problem came up. Not special for P180B

Open PCI-brackets is probibly now going to raise the soundlevel noticable since you already got directpath to noise at the back and that metal doesn't stop much sound.
So only "problem" that can cause is airflow. It will probibly be intake and I'm not sure that's such a good idea since the air back there is probibly rather warm

SD-Plissken · Post by **SD-Plissken** » Mon May 22, 2006 1:24 pm

The P180B is huge, and cool looking though. One thought how would it work as a SilentPC?

McBanjo · Post by **McBanjo** » Mon May 22, 2006 1:41 pm

SD-Plissken wrote:The P180B is huge, and cool looking though. One thought how would it work as a SilentPC?

Kind of:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article249-page1.html
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article254-page1.html
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page1.html

You are aware of the fact that it's MikeC who runs this site that has constructed it with Antec?

The minor changes from P180 to P180b isn't going to effect much I belive

SD-Plissken · Post by **SD-Plissken** » Mon May 22, 2006 1:56 pm

McBanjo yes i know. i was just wondering how such a substantial case could be made so quiet. I was not trying to be mean with what i posted. it's just most silent pc cases i have seen have been along the lines of small form factor cases.

McBanjo · Post by **McBanjo** » Mon May 22, 2006 2:26 pm

SD-Plissken wrote:McBanjo yes i know. i was just wondering how such a substantial case could be made so quiet. I was not trying to be mean with what i posted. it's just most silent pc cases i have seen have been along the lines of small form factor cases.

No worries, I just found it a bit funny

Doubt there is any case in history that is covered so much as P180, specially at this site.
Small vs large doesn't directly do anything with sound but indirectly a big size need a bigger airflow and thereby there is a rise of soundlevel. And there is a bigger risk for resonans.
Most quiet cases are for the HTPC and doesn't need much space while big cases are more alaine with servers and such and doesn't need to be quiet.

Atleast that's what I think

jonmcc33 · Post by **jonmcc33** » Tue May 30, 2006 3:32 am

McBanjo wrote:I belive all P180 is shipped with frontdoor in 3 layers now since the warping door problem came up. Not special for P180B

Open PCI-brackets is probibly now going to raise the soundlevel noticable since you already got directpath to noise at the back and that metal doesn't stop much sound.
So only "problem" that can cause is airflow. It will probibly be intake and I'm not sure that's such a good idea since the air back there is probibly rather warm

So the doors do not warp anymore? That's what made me toss my old P180 to the side for an Antec Sonata II.

McBanjo · Post by **McBanjo** » Tue May 30, 2006 5:49 am

jonmcc33 wrote:So the doors do not warp anymore? That's what made me toss my old P180 to the side for an Antec Sonata II.

Unless I got it wrong then the doors are working as intended now. You might check it up in the threads about that case.
I don't have it myself so could be wrong but I doubt it since it seemed to be a rather big flaw.

silver bullet · Post by **silver bullet** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:11 am

Another review of the P180B - ViperLair

Personally I'm still waiting on a NSK6500 review b4 i buy anything.

computergeek22 · Post by **computergeek22** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:48 pm

I wonder if there is a considerable difference noisewise with the new door.