Today Californian PC cooling and power specialists Antec have officially announced their latest high-end tower chassis supporting SSI CEB and EATX motherboards. Part of the already well regarded Performance range, the new P380 once again brings elegance, modular internal design and wide component compatibility to both performance and enthusiast markets.
Standing 555mm tall (30 more than the P280) the P380's support for SSI CEB and EATX form factor motherboards is no surprise, but somewhat rarer are positions for up to three 120mm fans in both the front and top (or two 140mm if you're so inclined), allowing the chassis to accommodate two 360mm radiators. Removable elements of the HDD rack aid in installation of and compatibility for radiators as well as long graphics cards (up to 465mm long), speaking to the P380's chops as a high-end performance contender. Seven fan positions overall means that the chassis should be equally at home with air or water cooling.
Component compatibility isn't the only arrow in the P380's quiver, it also brings some of the quality of life features expected in modern high-end chassis. These include HDDs benefiting from three anti-vibration 3.5" drive sleds, fan intake filters (including the PSU intake) to keep the internals free from dust, and a fan hub residing behind the motherboard tray. Users who want to install CPU coolers in-situ can also take advantage of an oversized motherboard-tray cutout, widening motherboard compatibility and ease of installation. And there are more features to discover as you explore the chassis.
From an aesthetic point of view the P380 builds on the elegance of the P280/180 designs. A door once again hides the (two) optical drive bays and fan intakes, but in this case is one piece of shaped anodised brushed aluminium rather than a flat door. Another slice of aluminium adorns the top, giving the impression of one almost unbroken metal surface from front to back. Four USB ports, as well as headphone and microphone jacks, are hidden in a top-left alcove rather than marring the chassis looks when viewed from the front, attesting to Antec focus on style; power and reset buttons are recessed behind the door.
Features & Selected Specifications
Case Type: Full-Tower
8 Drive bays:
- 1 x Slim optical drive bay
- 8 x 3.5/2.5 tool-less HDD bays
Motherboards: SSI CEB, E-ATX, ATX, Micro ATX, Mini-ITX
9 x Expansion Slots
Maximum graphics card size: 465mm
Maximum CPU cooler height: 180mm
Cooling System:
- 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm top exhaust fan mount(2 x 140mm FDB fan pre-installed)
- 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm front intake fan mount
- 1 x 120 mm rear exhaust fan mount(1 x 120mm FDB fan pre-installed)
Liquid Cooling Solution
- 1 x 360mm radiator / 1 x 240mm radiator at front
- 1 x 360mm radiator /1 x 240mm radiator on the top
Front I/O Ports
- 2 x USB3.0; 2 x USB2.0; Audio In/Out
Unit Dimensions
- 555mm(H) x 223.6mm(W) x 557mm(D)
- 21.85(H) x 8.80(W) x 21.92(D)
8 Drive bays:
- 1 x Slim optical drive bay
- 8 x 3.5/2.5 tool-less HDD bays
Motherboards: SSI CEB, E-ATX, ATX, Micro ATX, Mini-ITX
9 x Expansion Slots
Maximum graphics card size: 465mm
Maximum CPU cooler height: 180mm
Cooling System:
- 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm top exhaust fan mount(2 x 140mm FDB fan pre-installed)
- 3 x 120mm/2 x 140mm front intake fan mount
- 1 x 120 mm rear exhaust fan mount(1 x 120mm FDB fan pre-installed)
Liquid Cooling Solution
- 1 x 360mm radiator / 1 x 240mm radiator at front
- 1 x 360mm radiator /1 x 240mm radiator on the top
Front I/O Ports
- 2 x USB3.0; 2 x USB2.0; Audio In/Out
Unit Dimensions
- 555mm(H) x 223.6mm(W) x 557mm(D)
- 21.85(H) x 8.80(W) x 21.92(D)
The P380 is covered by Antecs three-year quality guarantee on parts and labor. Currently Antec are projecting availability from February, priced at 209 inc. V.A.T. For more information on this and other high-quality PC chassis visit Antec.com
