Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Flow Edition Review
Category : Cases
Published by Luca Rocchi on 06.03.18
With the Enthoo Evolv ATX Flow Edition, Phanteks has a case for ATX and E-ATX motherboards in its portfolio, which comes with a lot of features and at an attractive price. Apart from that especially friends of custom watercooling loops will love this case, since it offers a lot of flexibility in that direction. This model has been created in cooperation with CaseKing and it sports different front and top panels. For now, we're really curious to find out how this case is going to do in our review.
| 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 Evolv ATX Flow Edition | |
| Case Type: | Mid tower | |
| Dimensions: | 235 mm (W) x 495 mm (H) x 510 mm (D) | |
| Material: | Aluminum, Steel, Tempered glass | |
| Color: | Black | |
| Drive Bay: | 5.25": | 0 |
| 3.5": | 5 | |
| 2.5": | 2 | |
| Expansion slots: | 7 | |
| Form factors: | E-ATX, ATX, mATX, mini-ITX | |
| Cooling: | Front: | 3x 120mm / 2x 140mm (included) |
| Rear: | 1x 120mm / 1x 140mm (included) | |
| Top: | 3x 120mm / 2x 140mm | |
| Bottom: | / | |
| Side: | / | |
| Watercooling | Front: | 360mm / 280mm |
| Rear: | 120mm / 140mm | |
| Top: | 360mm / 280mm | |
| Link to the product: | CaseKing | |
| 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
PSU CoverIn order to hide all the cables connected to your power supply, there is cover hiding away the unit. This helps creating a neat and clean looking system. |
Dust filtersThere are washable dust filters covering all big openings of the Phanteks Evolv ATX. Thanks to a quick release system they are very easy and convenient to remove. |
Well-thought cable managmentOn the Enthoo Evolv ATX, 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. |
RGB LED LightsStraight out of the box Phanteks illuminates the power button, located on top of the case, as well as a small bar in the bottom part of the front. 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. |
Watercooling readyThe Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX 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 140mm model. The fact that two 360mm radiators can be installed gives a lot of opportunities towards custom watercooled builds. |
| 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 |
|
| As we have mentioned in the intro, today we are reviewing a special edition of the Enthoo Evolv made in coolaboration with CaseKing. The Enthoo Evolv series from Phanteks features a face place and a top cover made from aluminum as well as side panels out of tempered glass. Design wise Phanteks cases have unique looks, while appearing aggressive to a certain extent and sleek at the same time. Arguably the most important upgrade compared to the predecessor when it comes to design concerns the left side panel. It's now made from tempered glass and really helps improving overall looks and that feel in terms of quality. Compared to the basic model, the Flow Edition version sports a different front and top plate. The manufacturer has drilled several exagonal holes in order to improve the airflow.
Still on the front, we find a sliding panel where there are the I/O connectors such as two USB 3.0 ports as well as mini-jacks for mic and headphones. The back panel is simple and straight forward as we find the opening for a 120/140mm fan, space for the I/O shield and a total for seven slot bezels covering the motherboards expansion slots. The bottom part of the case features an opening for the ATX power supply and the removable and washable dust filter. |
|
 | |
| 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 |
|
| Like its name suggests the Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX, is compatible with ATX motherboards, which is placed vertically and thanks to the size of the case you will not run into any issues installing large heat sinks. The motherboard tray is made of solid steel, and it features a big cut out behind the socket, which allows the user to install aftermarket CPU coolers when the motherboard has already been installed. There is a total of nine rubber grommets, which allows for neat cable management. Between the motherboard tray and the right side panel there is enough space to hide plenty of cables. The case shares the latest features regarding internal layout, like for instance is a big mid plate covering the power supply cables. In total, the Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX supports up to five 3.5" HDD and two 2.5" SSD, both in dedicated places and well hidden. For testing purposes we used an ASUS STRIX Z270E Gaming motherboard and a 360mm AiO water cooler from Corsair and we did not run into any mounting or compatiblity issues. Building a PC based on this case is very easy and quick if you use a CPU tower cooler or an AIO liquid cooler, but if you want enjoy all the benefits of this case you should use a custom water cooling setup. The area dedicated to the graphics card is large enough to accommodate even the most powerful GPUs on the market. After having had put our test system together the final looks were very esthetically pleasing. Especially the optional custom lighting is just great. |
|
| 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 |
|
 |
|
| The Enthoo Evolv ATX offers plenty of spots for fans and inside the delivery you will find three 140mm fans with grey blades and black frame. Overall, the case is able to accommodate three 120 or two 140mm fans at the front and in the top, and one 120/140mm at the rear. As you could have guessed, this means there is enough space for a 360/280/240mm liquid cooling radiator at the top and in the front. In order to keep it simple, Phanteks provided the top panel with a big sliding rack, which allow for comfortable radiator installation. In order to maintain a reasonable noise level, Phanteks equipped this case with a small fan controller offering six 3-pin headers. | |
| 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 |
|
|
|
|
For testing purposes we're using an MSI Z170I Gaming Pro AC motherboard, an Intel Core i5-6600K CPU, which receives cooling through a SilentiumPC Fortis 3 HE1425 MCE cooler as well as a MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G graphics card. To put the CPU under full load, we're running prime95 for 10 min and in the case of the GPU we use Furmark also for 10 minutes. After these ten minutes, we're going to write down the temperatures. The ambient temperature is close to 24°C. |
|
| All noise dampening panels installed | Idle (°C) | Full (°C) |
| Intel Core i5-6600K | 28 / 28 / 27 / 28 | 52 / 55 / 50 / 53 |
| MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G | 45 | 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
Rating |
|||||
| Cooling | Features | Layout | Build Quality | Value for Money | |
| Pros | + Good
compatibility for watercooling
+ Numerous spots for fans + Dust filters |
+ Available in black, silver and antracite
+ Radiator Bracket
+ Tempered glass + 6x PWM-Fan controller + RGB Lightning |
+ Interior
space
+ Velcro straps |
+ Good build quality + Midplate PSU | + Well priced with a very good bundle |
| Cons |
|
||||
The Enthoo Evolv ATX Flow Edition is a special version of a regular Enthoo Evolv TG designed in cooperation with Caseking for their 15th anniversary. Compared to the standard version, the Flow Edition sports several hexagonal holes on the top and in the front in order to improve the air flow. This version is rather interesting since can keep your component more fresh and it doesn't ruin the overall design of the case.
This model is almost perfect in any aspect, no matter whether you're looking at it from a build quality, a ventilation or a layout point of view. First of all we want to mention that the steel, aluminum as well as the tempered glass, that's been used for this case is of very good quality. The aluminum panels, with a thickness of 3mm, are very strong and nice to see; the steel is mainly used inside and it feels very solid. The finish is just perfect and we simply cannot find anything to criticize.
The looks of a case are always 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 anumber of velcro straps. One of the key aspects of this case it's the great compatibility with custom liquid cooled setups since it allows the installation of two 280/360mm and one 120/140mm radiator. In addition Phanteks included a small but sophisticated fan controller that can handle up to a maximum of six fans.
The Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Flow Edition is available on CaseKing at a price of 229 euro excluding shipping costs. Since the standard TG version costs 40 euro less, we believe that this variant comes with a solid price. In other words, the price matches the quality offered, the well-thought layout and the excellent bundle which includes three 140 mm fans make for a truly excellent case. We award the Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Flow Edition with 5 out of 5 stars.
| 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 |