With the Enthoo Mini XL DS, Phanteks has a unique case for dual systems in its portfolio, which comes with a lot of features and at an attractive price. This model is compatible with mATX and mini-ITX motherboards, if you are looking for a case that can accomodate two different system then this Phanteks is made for you. Apart from that especially friends of custom water cooling loops will love this case, since it offers a lot of flexibility in that direction. In addition this model supports a multi color illumination and a fan controller for up to six fans. For now, we're really curious to find out how this case is going to do in our review.
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| Cooling | Features | Layout | Build Quality | Value for Money | |
| Pros | + Good
compatibility for watercooling
+ Numerous spots for fans + Dust filters |
+ 6x PWM-Fan controller
+ Dual System + Power Splitter sold separately |
+ Interior
space
+ Velcro straps + Dual GPU |
+ Good build quality | + Well priced with a very good bundle |
| Cons | - 5.25" tool less system
- Space for Mini-ITX CPU cooler limited |
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| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Ventilation options |
| Page 3 - Features | Page 7 - Temperatures |
| Page 4 - Product overview | Page 8 - Conclusion |
Preview
Specifications
| Model: | Enthoo Mini XL DS | |
| Case Type: | Super Micro Tower | |
| Dimensions: | 260 mm (W) x 550 mm (H) x 480 mm (D) | |
| Material: | Aluminum, Steel | |
| Color: | Black | |
| Drive Bay: | 5.25": | 3 |
| 3.5": | 6 | |
| 2.5": | 2 | |
| Expansion slots: | 5 + 2 | |
| Form factors: | mATX + mini-ITX | |
| Cooling: | Front: | 3x 120mm / 2x 140mm (included) |
| Rear: | 1x 120mm / 1x 140mm (included) | |
| Top: | 3x 120mm / 2x 140mm | |
| Bottom: | 3x 120mm / 2x 140mm | |
| Side: | 2x 120mm | |
| Watercooling | Front: | 240mm / 280mm |
| Bottom: | 360mm / 280mm | |
| Top: | 360mm / 280mm | |
| Bottom: | 240mm (with Radiator bracket, included) | |
| Link to the product: | Enthoo Mini XL DS | |
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Ventilation options |
| Page 3 - Features | Page 7 - Temperatures |
| Page 4 - Product overview | Page 8 - Conclusion |
Features
Dual systemThe Enthoo Mini XL DS be equipped with two systems, while there is space for one mATX and mini-ITX motherboard. There is also space for two power supplies (ATX and SFX) and there is even space for two fully grown graphics cards. In fact this enclosure offers more than enough space to mount two systems. The possibility to drive two systems in one tower allows for a lot of flexibility. Therefore it's possible to run a file server and a gaming system in one case. Apart from that also for streamers such a case is a great choice. |
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Dust filtersThere are washable dust filters covering all big openings of the Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL DS. Thanks to a quick release system they are very easy and convenient to remove. |
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Well-thought cable managmentOn the Enthoo Mini XL DS, Phanteks used rubber grommets through which cables can be routed from one side to the other. The grommets fit very tight and they don't come off easily, like it's the case with so many other enclosures. Also in the delivery there are velcro straps featuring Phanteks imprint. |
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Multi-color LED light stripStraight out of the box Phanteks illuminates a small bar, which has been integrated into the top part of the case. If you'd like to add more light and color, Phanteks recommends adding their LED strips, which go by the name LED PH-CB_RGB4P. These strips are very easy to install thanks to magnets. Apart from that those strips are compatible with the new onboard RGB headers you can find on the latest motherboards, which will allow you to control them easily. Apart from that there are also the so called PH-LEDKT LED strips optionally available, which can be connected to and controlled by the integrated fan controller. |
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Watercooling readyThe Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL DS is also ready for watercooling gear. If you wish to install a custom loop, there is the possibility to equip this case with up to three radiators. Two of them can measure 360mm or 280mm in lenght and the third one could be a 280mm model. The fact that two 360mm radiators can be installed gives a lot of opportunities towards custom watercooled builds. |
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| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Ventilation options |
| Page 3 - Features | Page 7 - Temperatures |
| Page 4 - Product overview | Page 8 - Conclusion |
Product overview
Overview |
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| The new Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL DS case beolongs to a rather small market, yet we're convinced quite a few people have been waiting for such a case. This particular case allows the installation of two complete systems based on a mATX and mini-ITX motherboards. Despite the exterior look is rather classic and similar to other cases of the Enthoo line, the internal has been completely transformed in order to offer enough space for two complete systems. The Enthoo Mini XL DS is a pretty large case, but despite the spacious interior overall this case is not bigger than a standard big tower. The front is clean and quite simple and there are no large openings while the upper area comes with mesh that allows for cooling systems such as fans and radiators to breathe. Given the fact that two systems can be fit into this case you're probably wondering where the I/O connectors are and also how many there can be found. One I/O panel is located on the 5.25" slot area, while the other has bee integrated into the top of the case. The control buttons and USB 3.0 ports (2 + 2) are well placed ensuring fast access and avoid unintentioned system shutdowns. The back shows a preview of the internal structure of the case. To keep everything simple, the mATX motherboard is placed in the center area while the mini-ITX motherboard is placed above it. In addition there are two slots for the power supplies, where one features SFX and the other ATX size. | |
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| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Ventilation options |
| Page 3 - Features | Page 7 - Temperatures |
| Page 4 - Product overview | Page 8 - Conclusion |
Installation
Overview |
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| As we mentioned in the previous page, the Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL DS is a chassis designed specifically for a dual systems. In order to keep the case as compact as possible the Enthoo Mini XL DS is only compatible with mATX motherboards and mini-ITX models. The layout of the internal components is straight forward, well-arranged and clean. The internal structure has been made of solid steel and it’s well accessible while each component is removable in order to offer more space for additional cooling gear. The front features two cages which can fit 3 + 3 HDDs, while the cages are removable if you want to install a radiator at this place. In addition there are two 2.5" slots behind the motherboard tray. Before one starts building the system(s) some planning is recommended, since cable management can be a challenge. First of all you might want to decide for what you’re going to use which system, since that will basically define where you would like to have your hard drives or SSDs. Apart from that it will also make you think about where to place radiators in the case of building a custom water cooled rig. Next you can think about how to power the system. There is the option of using two power supplies or you can opt for Phanteks power, which will allow you to use one single ATX PSU to power both systems. Keep in mind that this accessory is sold separately For our test we used all the space available by placing an ASRock Fatal1ty X99M Killer and a Z170I MSI Gaming Pro AC motherboard. The first system is placed in the top and we used the integrated graphics chip, while the more powerful setup can rely on a MSI GTX 970 Gaming. To complete the package, we decided to use two Phanteks heatsinks, the compact PH-TC12LS and the massive PH-TC14PE. As you can see from the pictures, there is plenty of space available for both systems. The mini ITX motherboard can be equppied with a cooler measuring up to 140mm in height, while the mATX motherboard can measure up to 215 millimeter in height. |
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| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Ventilation options |
| Page 3 - Features | Page 7 - Temperatures |
| Page 4 - Product overview | Page 8 - Conclusion |
Ventilation options
Overview |
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| The Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL DS offers plenty of space for your cooling not matter whether that is air or water cooling gear. Let's start with the simplest systems, the aircooling system, in this Phanteks you can install two 120/140 mm fans in the front, two 140mm / three 120mm at the top and additionally two 140mm / 3x 120mm in the bottom. Apart from that the side panel can be equipped with two 120 mm fans. Included in the delivery there are two 140mm fans in the front and 120mm in the rear. This basic configuration already allows for good airflow.
Regarding watercooling setups, Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL DS offers great compatibility. There is enough space for three 240 mm and one 360 millimeter radiator. In the case oft he 360mm radiator we recommend to check the size limitation in the manual. In other words, even using two powerful systems with a single graphics card, you can still cool down every component with all the radiator slots present in this case. To maintain a reasonable noise level, Phanteks equipped this case with a small fan controller offering six 3-pin headers. |
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| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Ventilation options |
| Page 3 - Features | Page 7 - Temperatures |
| Page 4 - Product overview | Page 8 - Conclusion |
Temperatures
Overview |
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For testing purposes we're using an MSI Z170I Gaming Pro AC motherboard, an Intel Core i7-6700K CPU, which receives cooling through a PH-TC12LS cooler. The second system is based on ASRock Fatal1ty X99M Killer motherboard with a i7-5820K CPU as well as a MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G graphics card. The i7-5820K in this case is cool down by a PH-TC14PE. To put the CPUs under full load, we're running prime95 for 10 min and in the case of the GPU we use Furmark also for 30 minutes. After these ten minutes, we're going to write down the temperatures. The ambient temperature is close to 25°C. |
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| All noise dampening panels installed | Idle (°C) | Full (°C) |
| Mini-ITX system | ||
| Intel Core i7-6700K | 28 / 28 / 29 / 28 | 52 / 55 / 54 / 53 |
| mATX system | ||
| Intel Core i7-5820K | 34 / 35 / 38 / 36 / 35 / 37 | 55 / 56 / 57 / 55 / 54 / 53 |
| MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G | 46 | 65 |
| Less is better | ||
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Ventilation options |
| Page 3 - Features | Page 7 - Temperatures |
| Page 4 - Product overview | Page 8 - Conclusion |
Conclusion
The Enthoo Mini XL DS is one of the latest cases from the American manufacturer Phanteks and allows the installation of two systems. This model is almost perfect and there are only a few small things, we would like to see improved. First of all we want to mention that the steel, aluminum as well as the plastic, which have been used for this case is of very good quality. Aluminum is used only fort he front faceplate, while the interior has been made from steel. Overall the case feels very solid. The finish is perfect and there is nothing to criticize.
The looks of a case are always a matter of individual taste but when checking out the interior, we believe this layout is as close to perfection as it gets. Everything is tool-free and therefore removing the front panel to access the dust filter for instance is as simple as it can be. Even the cable management is perfect, since there are plenty of grommets and the delivery even includes a number of Velcro straps. One of the key aspects of this case is its great compatibility with custom liquid cooled setups since it allows the installation of two 360mm, one 280mm and one 240mm radiator. In the end you can cool down both systems without any issue. In addition Phanteks included a small but sophisticated fan controller that can handle up to a maximum of six fans.
Despite the excellent management of the internal space and the huge area available for air cooling, we would like to see a few more centimeters for the mini-ITX CPU cooler since there is space only for a low profile solution, or a water cooling system. In addition, we found some issues by using the 5.25" tool-free system since is too hard to release.
The Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL DS is available at a price of 180 euro excluding shipping costs, while the Power Splitter is available for about 30 Euro. If you only have one large supply and you're not going to spend another 100 Euro for an SFX unit we strongly recommend you to purchase the power splitter with some additional extension cables. In our opinion, the price matches the quality offered, the well-thought layout and the excellent bundle which includes three fans. The Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL DS receives 4 stars out of 5.
| Page 1 - Introduction | Page 5 - Installation |
| Page 2 - Preview | Page 6 - Ventilation options |
| Page 3 - Features | Page 7 - Temperatures |
| Page 4 - Product overview | Page 8 - Conclusion |