Small Fry - Light Weight Champion
Written: Jan 24 '06 (Updated Jan 25 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Light weight, aluminium case, removable storage compartment
Cons: Thin metal, cheap front door, cramped interior
The Bottom Line: Hot components? Think twice. Really want a mid-tower? This may be the case for you then.
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| nad_masters's Full Review: Antec Specialty Super LANBOY (761345-08005-7) ATX ... |
Selecting the perfect enclosure to encase your premium components is a long and frustrating task. Since it is something that you usually have no design-power over, you are stuck with whatever models are out for the picking.
I was in that situation not long ago. I was looking for something in the mid-tower size, light, and easy to get into. I also hated the pre-mod look - they are just too gaudy. It should look nice, sleek, but not boy-gamer geeky. The Antec Super Lanboy was as close as it comes.
First Impressions
When looking at the display model at Fry's, I was first brought into it by its size. Lifting the box to the shopping cart shocked me, as it only weigh 12.5 lbs. The style is pretty sleek and respectable looking without overpowering your visual senses. The front blue fan, in my opinion, should have a switch. Some may like it, some don't, and for those who can't decide, let us have a choice! It can be easily remedied by purchasing a standard 3-pin 120mm fan. I was thinking of the Vantec Stealth series as I was pondering about the case.
Then there is the hard drive cage - it caught my attention as being easy to access. They are oriented towards the Lexan window. Power and data cables can be snaked to the rear for a clean look or towards the front for easier access and frequent hard drive changes.
The aluminum side panels felt thin and cheap. However, the polished aluminum surface felt as if attention to the finish was given on the production line. The thin aluminum used contributes to the unbelievably light 12.5 lb weight, however. Perfect for using the case for your LAN party rig - hence the name of the case. Of course, nylon straps were included to further push the idea of using this case as a "nut that you can play with outside".
The front panel door feels especially cheap compared to the rest of the case. A door made with the same thin brushed aluminum would contribute better to the whole "aluminum case" motif.
The removable storage compartment is perfect for screws and misc parts. The front part of the compartment allows for a picture of your choice, which adds to the custom look.
Features
* Durable anodized aluminum finish
* Clear side window
* Front ports: 2x audio, 2x USB 2.0
* One low-speed 120mm fan (rear)
* One low-speed 120mm blue LED fan (front)
* Fan Specs:
- RPM: 1200
- CFM: 38.94
-dB(A): 24.85
* 9 Drive Bays:
- External: 3 x 5.25", 2x 3.5"
- Internal: 4 x 3.5" individual drive trays with rubber grommets to absorb vibration
* Motherboards: up to Standard ATX
* Compatible with any ATX12V power supply
* Free case-carrying strap
Specifications
Case Dimensions
16.5"(H) x 17.1"(D) x 8.2"(W)
Drive Bays
9 total
- Front Accessible
3x5.25", 2x3.5"
- Internal
4x3.5"
Expansion Slots
7
Cooling System
Up to 2x120mm Fans
1 rear (standard)
1 front BlueLED (standard)
Main Board Size
12"(W)x9.6"(L)
Weight
8.8/11.5 lbs (net/gross)
Motherboards
Standard ATX
Special Features
Internal drive trays with rubber grommets
Clear SidePanel window
Free Carrying Strap
2 Front USB 2.0 Ports/2 audio jacks
Package Includes
1 Tower Case
1 set of screws and motherboard standoffs
1 Installation manual
Installation and the True Self
The only way to get through the first impression and finding out the Super Lanboy true self is to start putting your components in.
Installation of components is pretty straight forward. I suggest installing everything first before you install the rear fan, as it tends to get in the way of a full-size ATX motherboard. Otherwise, you just have to place stand-offs where they line up with your motherboard's mounting holes and screw them in.
I find that it is a bit cramped for full-sized ATX motherboards, such as the DFI Lanparty UT SLI-DR Expert and the ECS KV2 Lite. I found that the reason for this is mostly because of the hard drive cage. Because of how it is oriented, it creates a wall - a physical border in which makes angled IDE and floppy connectors difficult to plug in once the motherboard is already secured into place.
Cabling is a headache in such a case. For those who only have one hard drive and a DVD recorder, you may not have much of a problem. However, power cables going throughout the case can pose an issue, since it is much harder to hide wires and cables in such close quarters than in a larger case. Also, the window is almost 90% of the side panel, making cable management more important (if you are into cosmetics).
Unlike other Antec cases, there are no drive rails. 5.25” bays require direct-contact screws, as the same goes for the 3.5" bays. You get 3 external 5.25" and 2 external 3.5". You also get 4 internal 3.5" hard drive trays.
My initial impression of easy hard drive access was shattered when the drive trays were hard to remove and insert. They tend to bind, get caught, and sometimes even buckle. Overall, they scrape and feel as if they were digging grooves into each other as you try to slide your hard drives in. Antec didn't seem to give any attention to the removal and insertion aspect of the trays. The hard drives attach to the trays from the bottom instead of the sides. There are rubber grommets that is suppose to isolate hard drive noise. However, because of the imprecise nature of the tray-to-cage sliding mechanism, rattling can't be helped.
The slot covers are your traditional screw-in type. A small aluminum sliding door allows for cards to pop up and away from the system. The door is secured by two thumbscrews. I am surprised, as most enthusiast cases are now pushing more tool-less designs.
The side panels are held in place by two thumbscrews for each panel, making a total of 4. The side with the Lexan window is wobbly and easily warped. You pretty much have to make sure it is nice, flat, and straight before you can actually slide it into place.
The front blue LED fan is pretty bright. Some may like it. I don't. Thankfully, the front plastic grill can be removed easily (pull from the bottom) and the fan is simply a 3-pin connector type, so you can change it with something else. There is no filter, however. Thankfully though, there is enough space between the grill and the fan to place your own. I like to use the plastic screen-type of filters used in air conditioners. You can pick them up at Fry's or Best Buy.
The rear fan is held in place by rubber grommets (which you have to install yourself). This cuts down on vibration noise. However, both included 120mm fans spin at a slow-mo 1200 RPMs, so noise is not an issue.
The front panel door that felt light and cheap is also hard to open with one hand. It is very tight when closed completely. A hand anchoring the left side for leverage while the other hand prying open the right side will provide you an easier time when you need access to your optical drives. One-handed prying will require too much force, and ultimately you will end up hurting yourself or others by a flying out-of-control hand (either you slip, or the door flings open).
Because of its tight quarters, it seems hard to keep my over clocked CPU cool and stable. The main issue is the lower part of the system, where the hot video card and Northbridge chipset is located at. This is also where the hot hard drives are located. The slow 1200 RPM fan doesn't do a lot to push cool air through. This is most likely because the hard drives are in the way of the air flow.
The rear fan pushes air out pretty well, considering the same slow speeds. The PSU fan also helps in pushing air out. In all, I find that there is negative pressure in the case by pulling out the removable storage compartment and putting a piece of paper by the resulting hole. If it sucks the paper in, you have negative pressure (more air getting sucked out than air intake). If the paper is being pushed because air is coming out, you have positive pressure (more air being pumped in than air being exhausted).
I recommend upgrading the front fan for something that can pull more air in, as the hard drives block most of the air flow. Perhaps adding a PCI slot blower would also do the trick.
Conclusion
First impressions can come back to bite you. However, that is the cost of a mid-tower. If you need something small and relatively portable for LAN parties, and have a major in cable management, this is the case for you!
Although everyone who is in the know can tell this is an off-the-shelf case, I still feel it is much nicer and classier than those pre-modded cases you can buy at the same price.
Recommended:
Yes
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nad_masters
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Location: Chicago, IL, USA
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