Introduction
Phanteks is an IT manufacturer founded in 2007 and located in The Netherlands. Phanteks is focused on producing CPU cooling solutions, fans and high quality cases. Phanteks established themselves on the IT market with the release of their first product, the PH-TC14PE CPU cooler which was a great success in the overclocking community.
Official product link:
http://www.phanteks.com/Enthoo-Luxe.html
Packaging and accessories
The case comes in a full color box with a black background. The front side of the box presents an overview of the case. The back side of the box presents the product in detail and its characteristics. The sides of the packaging we have the specifications of the product.
Accessories
The product comes with the following accessories:
– Manual;
– Reservoir bracket
– Pump bracket
– 2x Velcro cable ties
– 10x Zip ties
– 1x Box of mounting screws (the screws are neatly sorted in compartments)
Specifications
Dimension: 235 mm x 560 mm x 550 mm (W x H x D)
Form Factor: Full Tower Chassis
Material(s): Aluminum faceplates, Steel Chassis
Motherboard Support: ATX, EATX, uATX, SSI EEB
Front I/O: 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, Mic, Headphone
Side Window: Yes, split-window design
PSU Cover: Yes
Expansion & Drive Bays:
Expansion slots: 8
External 5.25″: 3
Internal 3.5″: 6 (2x 3 HDD cages)
Internal 2.5″: 7 (2x 3 HDD cages + 2x SSD brackets )
Cooling:
FRONT FANS:
140mm Fans x 2 / 120mm Fans x 2 / 200mm Fan x 1(pre-installed)
REAR FANS:
120mm Fan x 1 / 140mm Fan x 1 (pre-installed)
TOP FANS:
120mm Fans x 3 / 140mm Fans x 3 (x 1 pre-installed)
BOTTOM FANS:
120mm Fan x 2 / 140mm Fan x 1
HDD FANS:
120mm Fan x 2
Liquid Cooling:
Front:
120mm radiator – Up to 240
Top:
120mm radiator – Up to 360
140mm radiator – Up to 420
Rear:
120mm radiator – Up to 120
140mm radiator – Up to 140
Bottom:
120mm radiator – Up to 240
140mm radiator – Up to 140
Clearance:
Graphic card: 347mm
338mm minus reservoir diameter (reservoir bracket installed)
472mm (without HDD Cages)
CPU cooler: 193mm
Cable management: 27mm (39mm at PSU area)
Radiator (Top): 65mm to Motherboard
Packaging Information: PH-ES614L
Package Dimension: 325mm x 635mm x 632mm (WxHxD)
Net Weight: 13.9 Kg
Gross Weight: 16 Kg
Visual inspection
The Luxe model is a case with a unique & attractive design, offering vast possibilities for water cooling. In the case of the white chassis, the texture of the paint is glossy and finger print resistant.
The case is framed by two multi-color LED strips (10 shades), these LED strips are being controlled from the I/O panel.
The front side of the case has sturdy aluminum pieces(plates) that are fixed on a plastic frame. On the top side we find the I/O panel masked by a door, the panel is composed of the following 2x USB 2.0 ports, 2x USB 3.0 ports, 2x audio jacks, 1x reset button and the LED strips button. Powering on and powering off the LED strips is done by pressing & holding the button for 5 seconds. Below we have three 5.25” bays.
On the back side of the case we find a preinstalled 140mm fan, below we have 8 expansion slots, next to them we have a space that can be used for mounting a reservoir. Below we have the slot for the power supply.
The main side panel consists of two tinted windows. The panel on the opposite side is simple, with no windows.
The case includes two removable dust filter, casing is supported on six feet of plastic with rubber base.
The upper part of the case features a detachable metal mesh, one the front we find the power button and the HDD activity LED.
The interior of the Luxe chassis is optimized for wire management and water cooling. The case comes with three preinstalled fans, two 140mm exhaust fans (top & back) and one 200mm intake fan on the front side.
The Luxe has an ample space for wire management, the distance between the side panel and the motherboard tray is approximately 25mm. Also, the opening in the motherboard tray for mounting a CPU cooler backplate generous measuring approximately 240mm.
The chassis can hold up to 6(six) 3.5” storage devices in the two removable cages, each cage can hold up to 3(three) 3.5” storage devices.
Mounted on the motherboard tray we have a fan which can power up to 6 fans using 3-pin Molex connectors. This hub is controlled by using the motherboard, more precisely using a 4-pin fan header (CPU), also the hub can be powered through a SATA connector.
On the motherboard tray we have mounted two trays for 2.5 “storage devices (SSD & HDD).
The Luxe chassis has all the cables including the cables from the I/O Panel, fans, and LED Strips already organized, they are fastened using Velcro-type textile ties.
The space intended for the power supply is covered by a metallic cover, the cover is attached using three thumb screws.
The HDD cages are hidden by a metal plate, here we have the Phanteks logo (which can be removed, being held in place by two screws). Two fans can be mounted on the HDD cages increasing the airflow for the storage devices and for the chassis overall.
Above we have three 5.25″ bays that use a tool less clamping system
Testing
The following system was mounted in the chassis:
– CPU: Intel i5 4690K
– Motherboard: ASUS Z97 MAXIMUS VII HERO
– RAM: 8GB Crucial Ballistix Tactical
– GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 660 OC Gaming
– HDD: Samsung SpinPoint F3 500GB
– PSU: Seasonic M12II-520 EVO Edition Bronze 520W
– CPU Cooler: SilverStone Tundra TD02
Mounting the system into the chassis was easy due to the space available for wire management and the case’s size.
Installing the storage units in their trays is easy, because the 3.5 ” trays use a tool-less system. One the HDD is placed on the tray, push the sides back to fix the HDD in place.
The Luxe model does not use rivets in its construction, each panel is fixed by conventional screws, the chassis can be disassembled completely offering vast possibilities of modification and customization.
The dust filter for the front 200mm fan is hidden behind a metal plate, this way the chassis maintains the elegant look.
The noise level was measured at three different distances from the fans (10cm, 20cm, 30cm.) the noise was measured with a margin of error of ± 5 db.
The system’s performance using the Phanteks Enthoo Luxe case is the following:
The Luxe chassis features two multi color LED strips (10 shades) that frame the case.
Final thoughts
The Luxe model is the ideal product for users who want a performance driven case with a stylish design that offers vast opportunities for customization, cooling and wire management. The Phanteks Enthoo Luxe is available in two colors, black and white, the accessory package is rich, offering metallic brackets for a reservoir and a pump. The LED strips and the two tinted windows on the side panel give the Luxe a unique look.
In conclusion, the Phanteks Enthoo Luxe chassis stands out in its price segment by offering features that are not found in some more expensive products.
In the future, some improvements can be made: First of all, the tool-less mounting system should be on both sides on the 5.25” bays for a better fit of the optical devices. Secondly the metal plate that hides the HDD cages which is also part of the 5.25″ bays should be separated into two segments, so users can remove the HDD cages and the metal plate that hides keeping the 5.25” bays functional.
