Page 4 - Installation and Conclusion
Above, we have the fully installed Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX with all the components in place. However, for those interested I will give you the details about my installation process. My first step was to install the power supply, which was the Cooler Master V1000 1000W. It slid into the Enthoo EVOLV ATX from the back, and hid behind the divider. My next step was to route all my required cables through the routing holes. I sent most of the cables through the back, with only the the dual 8-pin GPU power connector pulled through the front opening. Next, I installed my Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB and OCZ ARC 100 240GB into the bottom drive cage, connecting the necessary cables for power and data transfer. The drive cage made installing the larger hard drive very easy, as the clips on the side of the tray clipped right into place, making for a tool-free install. The SSD, on the other hand, required some screws, though these were included with the EVOLV ATX.
Next I installed the I/O shield and the ATX-size Gigabyte Z87X-D3H. Thankfully, Phanteks has installed all the standoffs for this motherboard size, so all I had to do was put it in place and securely attach it with some screws. I then installed the Noctua NH-C14S with an additional Fractal Design Venturi HP-14 PWM fan attached to the heatsink. The Enthoo EVOLV ATX is wide enough to fit even taller CPU coolers than this one, so this was never of concern. Phanteks states this chassis can fit up to a 194mm CPU cooler in height. The last part to install was the graphics card. Using the thumbscrews, I removed the two respective back plates, and slid my EVGA GeForce GTX 760 into place. I then used the same thumbscrews, and secured the GPU down. Just for reference, the maximum graphics card length the Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX can handle is not a fixed number, and is dependent on the placement of the storage drive slots in the front. According to Phanteks, you can put in a graphics card up to 420mm without any brackets, or 300mm with the brackets installed.
Routing all the cables through the Enthoo EVOLV ATX was very easy overall. While there still is a bit of a rat's nest near the power supply. I can say this is one of my better routing jobs. The included Velcro straps were quintessential in cleaning up the wires, but I would have wished to see an extra Velcro strap or two. Overall, the installation was excellent, as everything fit as I expected. The accessories kit was easily manageable with its compartmentalized screw box, and more manufacturers should learn from Phanteks in my opinion. With all of the wires plugged in place, I slid the two side panels back onto the EVOLV ATX and closed them.
Plugging all my monitors and peripherals into the back ports, I clicked the power button, and the system whirred to life. The front panel LED glows brightly on power. Honestly speaking, I found the Enthoo EVOLV ATX is really good looking, especially with the huge windowed side. This large viewing area makes practically the entire interior visible, with the exception of the power supply. In addition, if you want to show off an SSD near the front, you can too with the front mounted slot. According to the standard APH Networks sound scale, where 0 is silence and 10 is loud, the Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX is a 2.5/10 on everyday usage. There is no sound dampening material in the EVOLV ATX, so this result is quite impressive. Some days I turn on my computer and I have to look to see if Phanteks fans are even spinning. Considering this actually has three fans installed, unlike most cases that come with two or one, this is really good. Overall, I am impressed at its sound performance. In terms of cooling, I can say the unrestricted airflow from the front panel fans is definitely good to see. In addition, unlike the Fractal Design Define S, the Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX has allowed for placement of fans that ensure the drives near the power supply are actively cooled.
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Unfortunately, I cannot distinctly answer the question posed at the beginning, because I think the Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX fits on both sides in terms of gamer versus professional. What I can do, however, is say the EVOLV ATX has impressed me during my time with it. Starting with a clean exterior and design, the EVOLV ATX stands out with some unique styling. Solid build quality is also present and much appreciated. Then there are the exterior features I like to see. The huge plastic window is wide enough to expose the cleanest (And the worst, depending on the user) cabling jobs. All the vent covers are easily removable for quick cleaning. The swinging doors on both sides for easy access of the interior is a neat implementation too. On an interior standpoint, a single word to sum up the Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX is "modular". There are numerous ways of placing storage options, and they are all easy to access and to alter. There is a vast support for various cooling options, whether with air or liquid, or both. When it comes to installation, the Enthoo EVOLV ATX is a joy to build your next rig with. All of the features they have added in make the final build result really clean without too much work. The key feature is the separated chamber, as it works well in hiding all your extra cables inside, while giving room for enough airflow to the crucial components. Furthermore, there is the removable fan frame to make installation of additional fans or radiators easy. Rubber grommets are present to also help in the cleanliness, and Velcro straps on the back make cable management is easy for both amateurs and professionals. After all this raving about the Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX, it is easy to believe I like this case quite a bit. If I had to really dig up some dirt on the Enthoo EVOLV ATX, they would be quite minor. Phanteks could look at adding more noise dampening material, and including an HDD activity LED. At a retail price of $179 USD, the Enthoo EVOLV ATX is pricier than other competitive products, but the reason is clear: The Enthoo EVOLV ATX is one attractive chassis that exceeds in both form and function.
Phanteks provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Recommended 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 7.9/10
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.
What else can I say? I'm a "phan" of the Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV ATX, and you should be too.
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Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
