Page 3 - Physical Look - Inside
Removing the side panels is quite easy via the thumbscrews; revealing a clean and straightforward interior layout. Everything is painted black, with most cabling holes fitted with rubber grommets, adding a nice touch to it. Its layout is very much like the Enthoo EVOLV ATX with the additional 5.25" drive cage. As with all the Phanteks cases we have reviewed including this one, there are two sections: The main chamber where the motherboard sits, and a separate one for the power supply and two-slot hard drive bay. Extended ATX motherboards up to 264mm wide are supported in addition to ATX, micro ATX, and mini ITX form factors.
From this angle, we can see a 140mm Phanteks PH-F140SP fan rated at 1200rpm with a maximum airflow of 82.1 CFM, static pressure of 1.33mmH2O, and 19dB acoustical noise controlled via a 3-pin header. The motherboard back opening is found here, and should be large enough to accommodate most aftermarket cooler backplates. Finally, as mentioned on the previous page, the bracket in which you mount your radiator or fans of your choice can be removed via the metal colored Philips-head screws. This can accommodate a radiator up to 360mm, but the 5.25" drive bay must be removed in order to accommodate that particular size.
Standard features can be seen from this angle, including the expansion slots and a mounting slot for a custom-loop liquid cooler reservoir. The divider between the power supply and the rest of the case can also be found here for hiding all the extra cables. This area is also well ventilated with honeycomb holes. Three routing holes can be found here for cabling. Additionally, there are four rubber feet in the power supply area for the PSU to rest upon, and helps with vibration dampening. As aforementioned, the feet give a 1 cm clearance, giving the PSU plenty of space for intake air. As for the rubber risers, it will give an extra few millimeters between the PSU and the bottom of the case. Additionally, you may decide to mount your 2.5" drive tray on the front side of this divider. With the large acrylic window, this gives the end user all the excuse in the world to show off your SSD in addition to any hardware you wish to pack into your system. A plate used to support extra accessories is also found near the front of the divider, which can be removed for additional modularity and customization.
At the front, we can find more cabling holes fitted with rubber grommets. Only one 140mm fan is fitted here, whereas the EVOLV ATX has two. There are no drive cage or trays included here, but comes as an accessory, which can house 3.5" or 2.5" drives. The Phanteks-labeled plates can be removed, creating an open slot for cabling the drives. In addition to the five different mounting positions, there are three 2.5" drive slots, with one near the side-facing Phanteks logo, and two behind the motherboard. As previously mentioned, there is also two drive trays on the same level as the power supply section. Flexibility for drive accommodation options is not a problem here.
Finally, turning out attention to the back, Phanteks has taken the liberty to manage all the cables behind the motherboard tray in a very organized and tidy fashion, which reminds me of the Fractal Design Define R5 reviewed by my colleague Jonathan Kwan. This is also the side that many people do not pay much attention to, since cables are hidden from sight most of the time. In my opinion, this is also one of the most important parts, and is extremely fundamental to good cabling. This is especially true for the Enthoo Pro M, as there is a decent amount of clearance between the back of the motherboard tray and the side panel, even with additional cables routed through. I have seen many chassis -- some of which we have reviewed here at APH Networks -- where space is very limited in this area, and force is required in order to hold down and keep the panel in place. This gives many users grief and frustration especially when connecting everything up. This is definitely not an issue for the Enthoo Pro M, especially when cabling is done properly. It is regrettable there is only one SSD bracket here though, as many manufacturers like have more brackets nowadays to accommodate additional 2.5" drives.
Overall, the I/O connector cables are top notch as they are fully sleeved, and there are Velcro straps all around for cable management. Phanteks has definitely put in a great amount of attention into the Enthoo Pro M.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Outside
3. Physical Look - Inside
4. Installation and Conclusion
