No matter the age or skill level there is a handful of brand names that any user that has built a system will know. Fairly high on that list, if not top, would be Antec . Antec has been making cases since 1986 and since has had several cases that are very popular, like the Gaming series Ninehundred.

Antec aims to deliver a functional, good looking chassis at an interesting price point with the P280. As part of the Performance One line-up, you can expect the ability to fill the chassis with high-end components like an XL-ATX motherboard and long graphics cards.

Silent operation; Three TwoCool fans included; Built-in fan controller; Nine motherboard expansion slots; Two special 2.5 inch HDD bays; Seven HDD tray with excellent anti-vibration measures; ODD locks hold well; 30 mm space behind mainboard tray; Massive opening to access the CPU cooler backplate,...

Front plastic quality a bit too soft; Only 120 mm fans in the ceiling - 140 mm or larger would easily fit; Sound dampening may not be very effective; No real manual; Silver screws instead of black ones

The air filter for the power supply fan is accessible from the left side of the case, which makes it easier for you to clean this filter. On competing products, this filter is removed either from the rear or the bottom of the case, which means you have to move or lift your case.

November 21, 2011 by Lawrence Lee Product Antec P280 ATX Tower Case Manufacturer Antec MSRP US$139 The P280 is a new member of the Antec Performance One series, with the distinctive aluminum finish on the front panel / door that's been a hallmark of the P180 series.

Good performance with both low and high configurations; Stock fans have improved acoustics; fan speed switches; Spacious; plenty of clearance for heatsinks; video cards; etc; Great cable management; Front USB 3.0 with internal header; Solid construction; Dampened side panels

Top mounted fans unusually loud; particularly at the center; Possible issues with side panel fit; Inconvenient fan hub location

The P280 isn't quite a showstopper, but it's a very well-rounded chassis that touts high-end features and low-noise operation in a simple, sophisticated frame.

Our time with the P280 leaves me with mixed emotions. I'm excited to see Antec stepping up again with new designs. They improved on the original P series design with lots of features that bring it in line with what all manufactures are including in their cases now.

The P280 supports boards up to the XL-ATX form factor thanks to the large size and 9 expansion slots. For this installation we used the ASUS Maximus IV Extreme motherboard. This P67 motherboard had no trouble fitting into the case with room to spare (and the color scheme looks pretty good in there...

XL-ATX support; 9 expansion slots; Noise dampening surfaces; Lots of internal space; Double hinged door

Left hinged door; Heavy for its class

XL-ATX support 9 expansion slots Noise dampening surfaces Lots of internal space Double hinged door

Left hinged door Heavy for its class

There is a lot to like about the Antec P280. Sure, she's a little chunkier than her predecessor, but the added internal space can be put to good use housing everything from quad-GPU monsters to ironic mini-ITX builds.

5 Flares 5 Flares × Today we are looking at the latest offering in the Antec Performance One lineup … the P280 chassis. We have reviewed many Antec cases in the past and have generally been impressed with their combination of cooling efficiency, build quality and wide ranging component support.