Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
The installation process was quite pleasant and simple with a few avoidable hiccups. As someone who has put together and taken apart many computers, the build process was the same as any other regular case. Antec included all the necessary supplies inside a small box held in the drive bay from the factory. This method of packaging is something I find to be very helpful as I feel reassured that there will be no loose parts floating around in transit, possibly damaging the interiors of the case. I took out any necessary screws and got to work. The fan hub simplified my cable routing process as I had a central location to connect all five case fans.
When installing my MSI MPG X570 Gaming Plus motherboard, I realized the preinstalled standoffs were not fully fastened into place, as mentioned on the previous page. This was a simple fix and not a big deal. The front I/O was simple enough to route to the motherboard and is long enough to be routed through the bottom of the shroud with ease. The drive bay used has a simple tool-free installation for 3.5” drives. All you have to do is clip the drive into the tray after pulling it out, then simply slide the bracket into the bay. I had already preinstalled my Patriot Viper VPN100 512GB SSD on my motherboard, so all I had to do was install my Western Digital Blue 4TB HDD into the drive bay.
Upon installing my SilverStone IceGem 280 CPU cooler, I found there to still be an adequate amount of space to route my CPU cable through with only a small hassle. Installing my FSP Hydro PTM+ 850W power supply was as simple as installing a PSU in any other case. I simply plugged in any necessary wires, then gently slid it underneath the shroud. It is important to remember to plug in all the cables prior to installation, as you will not have much room to plug them in after it is already installed. Once all my other components were installed, I began installing my MSI GeForce RTX 2060 Super Ventus graphics card. I simply removed the second and third expansion slot and tucked in my GPU. After all my components were in place, I got to work with cable management.
Despite my cable management not being perfect, it does not really matter from a visual perspective as the right panel is not glass. Although this may be the case, pun definitely intended, it is still important to try your best as better cable management can help with allowing for better airflow, which is what this case is all about. The Antec DF700 FLUX provides an adequate number of tie-down points for the Velcro straps. Routing cables was easy enough using the Velcro straps to bunch up the cables. It would have been nice to have more points further left to make for more room for cable management. As previously stated, there is about 30mm of space near the front of the case to route the cables and about 25mm of space behind the motherboard tray. This is an adequate amount of space for most builders.
It is important to mention the best time to install the reverse fan is right before you install your GPU and have plugged in your front I/O. The reason is this fan will get in the way of routing cables in its proximity as expected. The biggest struggle with the DF700 FLUX would be below the shroud. The drive bay does get in the way of the PSU, making it difficult to fit cables underneath, but you are still able to work around it. Remember when shoving your cables below the PSU shroud, the PSU shroud is the location where the reverse fan draws air from.
The break alongside the motherboard tray makes passing through cables from the back of the case to the front of the case very easy, minimizing the number of visible cables. Even while using all the components I have, I still found there to be enough space to properly and cleanly route all my cables. I am confident the DF700 FLUX is capable of fitting all types of systems, from budget builds to higher end computers.
In my opinion, the Antec DF700 FLUX looks amazing. While looking generally simple, Antec was able to add a bit of spice with the front panel's wave design. The front panel is especially nice because it allows maximum airflow and RGB lights to shine through it at the same time. The airflow of this case is the main attraction, as this is the design philosophy Antec opted to use for the DF700 FLUX. The design of the front panel serves both function and aesthetics.
There are many different configurations of fans this case can handle. I connected the fan hub to my motherboard. Despite having a PWM fan hub, I tried adjusting the fan speed by changing my motherboard settings, but the fans still remained at full speed, which is unfortunate. According to the standard APH Networks sound scale, where 0 is silence and 10 is loud, the Antec DF700 FLUX sits around 3.0/10 on average in my opinion, which seems loud on paper. When you consider how I am running seven fans in my computer, it becomes a little more reasonable. It would have been better if the fan hub could actually lower the fan speeds instead of running them all at full speed all the time though.
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Cases are an incredibly important aspect of a computer as it serves the purpose of both looks and functionality. Antec has done a great job with the DF700 FLUX. Starting off, I can honestly say Antec has always provided me with an excellent unboxing experience. The DF700 FLUX has all of its documentation and screws inside of a small box safely tucked inside the drive bay from the factory. I just love this method of packaging because I know there will be no loose components rattling around inside. The physical look is quite appealing; utilizing tempered glass on one side and a mesh panel in front. The mesh front panel was implemented very well as it provides both functionality and an aesthetic appearance with its wave design, while allowing RGB LEDs to shine through. The branding is not overly noticeable when in use as well. When looking at the inside of the DF700 FLUX, the layout is standard, making the installation process very easy. You can utilize the included Velcro straps well and there is plenty of space for cable management. When considering this case was designed with cooling as its priority, Antec had done an amazing job as they also have provided five fans. The front fans have ARGB LEDs that look quite good. Up to six fans can be hooked up to the preinstalled hub, making cable management easy. Antec adds what they call a reverse fan for the purpose of pulling air from beneath the PSU shroud and pushing it through your GPU we have first seen in the P10 FLUX. There are a few areas of improvement though. Despite accepting a PWM signal from your motherboard, the included fan controller was unable to change the speed of the connected fans. Having 4-pin PWM fans rather than 3-pin voltage-controlled fans would also have been better. The PSU is partially exposed by the shroud, which is not very appealing in my personal opinion. More cable tie-down points inside would have been nice. Lastly, the position of the front I/O on the right side is positioned quite far away when in use in a standard configuration. For about $85 USD at press time, the Antec DF700 FLUX is competitively priced for a chassis that has both looks and seriously awesome airflow.
Antec provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
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 7.3/10
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 Antec DF700 FLUX mid-tower chassis provides seriously awesome airflow with cool looks at an affordable price.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
