Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
Phanteks included a quick start guide, and it made installation quite simple. I installed my ATX motherboard first, which was easy, except I had to kind of force the I/O shield in while I pushed the motherboard in place. As much fun as it is to build in a new computer case, I will be using the Eclipse P400 from now on. My previous case was the NZXT H440, but so far I am very impressed by the P400. After installing the motherboard, I put in all of my other components with no real problems.
Here is a picture of the back of the motherboard tray to show the 25mm gap for cable management was enough. Cable management was easy thanks to the Phanteks Velcro straps. The only real issue I had was in the quick start guide, as it does not tell you which screw is which. For a beginner, it would be challenging to figure out exactly which ones to use for hard drives and which ones to use for the motherboard. Phanteks does direct you to a more detailed guide online, but I think it would be best if they included all the information in a guide with the case, especially since this case is aimed for beginners. You will require a screwdriver for installation, but for HDDs, it is actually a tool-free process. Other than the Velcro straps for cable management, there are few other loops to tie the cables down. I tucked the 8-pin connector on the right under the SSD bracket to route it to the top right cable management hole.
Here is the completed build. Due to the white balance of my camera, the BitFenix Alchemy Connect LED Strips I installed in my computer are blue, but this picture makes it look like it is purple. I am very satisfied with the final look, and the open design of the interior ensures good airflow and a clean final appearance.
Since I do enjoy my computer to be silent, even though I always have headphones on, I put the included fans to the test. They were not very loud, and it is not too hard to change the speed making them even quieter. On a scale between 1 and 10, where 1 is silent and 10 is a jet taking off. I would rate the Phanteks fan at 4.0/10 running at max speed. However, the Phanteks Eclipse P400 is not aimed for being quiet, and the silent version of the case is probably better.
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There are a few things I look out for in a case. Firstly, I want it to look nice -- something I can be proud of looking at every day when I turn my system on. Next up, I like to look at the layout, such as if the case is easy to build in and has room for the components I want. Cable management is also important, since I like to keep a system clean looking. Lastly is if it suits my needs; basically what do I want the product to be good at, such as being quiet. The Phanteks Eclipse P400 achieved everything I wanted to find in a chassis, and at an MSRP of $69.99 USD at press time, I was surprised at all the features more often than not found in high end towers. There are magnetic dust filters on the top, front, and bottom intake. It comes with a nice large window, and the build quality is solid. The interior has a very open and practical design for lots of cooling options. Another thing I love is the separate power supply chamber, which helps in cable management, and improves the thermal properties of the system. Phanteks even included Velcro straps for easy cable management. One issue I found was there is no cable ties for the 8-pin connector; to be more precise, to the right of the SDD brackets, there are no cable tie loops. The instructions could have been better, since the case is aimed at more novice users. The instructions do tell you to visit their website for more detailed instructions, but I would prefer those instructions to be printed on paper. Lastly, there is 25mm room for cable management behind the motherboard tray, which is generally acceptable, but more would be nice. One last issue I had with my particular sample was I could not connect my headphones to the front, because the top panel covered them a bit. This is most likely just a case specific production issue, since we had a pre-production unit. To be honest, I truly found few other downsides to the case, and at this price point, it was excellent to build in and to look at. The Phanteks Eclipse P400 is, without doubt, a great case at an even better price. If you want something quieter, there is an 'S' model with additional sound dampening and a fan controller. It is $10 more for those who are willing to cough up more cash, and if that is your thing, rest be assured Phanteks has all your bases covered.
Phanteks provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH equal.balance Award | APH Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks; but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 7.6/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
The Phanteks Eclipse P400 will fit into most budget builds, but I am not going to lie -- it should even be considered for non-budget builds.
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Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
