P182

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Joined
24 May 2006
Posts
723
Location
North Wales
Whats the opinion of the P182 these days? I'm looking to do a new PC and if I can reuse the case, perfect! More money for shiny bits for the inside that no one will ever see :D

Ta in advance
Fluffy
 
I have a P182SE and although I love it and it's been very good for my needs, I can't help but feel there are a few frustrations when using it with modern hardware. This is in comparison to newer cases, at least:

Firstly, the main problem is the lower bay hard drive mounting. It's the wrong way round and incredibly difficult to cable manage due to the lower bay fan. I don't use the higher mount as it obstructs long GPUs. Secondly, the lower bay fan gets in the way of not just the HDDs, but also the PSU cables, especially if it's a larger than normal PSU, which many higher end offerings are nowadays. Even with a modular design, routing and plugging in and out of connectors is a real pain. The P183 addressed most of those problems.

Thirdly, the case has a door. This is both an advantage and disadvantage. It gives the case great noise suppression (as do the excellent triple layer side panels), but Antec also put the power and reset buttons behind the door. Annoying. Also, optical drives and any 5.25 bay devices are hidden, so if you swap discs a lot, you might end up propping it open. Next, the case is of sturdy construction using steel. This means it's incredibly heavy as I'm sure you know. Quickly moving it onto the desk to fit hardware can be laborious to say the least. I know some are stronger than others, but compared to a Lian Li, this is an absolute beast.

Also, the bundled fans are loud, and the top exhaust must be replaced with an open-frame fan (at the corners) for secure fitting. Cable management is possible since there is a decent enough space behind the motherboard tray, but it is a battle. Be prepared to swear a little trying to get all the cables through the tiny routing holes. You won't be able to do a fully clean job, even with hours at your disposal. It's not built for complete cable management like modern cases tend to be.

Since you have the standard version, I'll also assume that the internals are still boring grey, and there is no window. Nice for a subtle and quiet build, sometimes people like to showcase their new hardware though. The case also isn't a great cooler. No front fans (unless you fit one) and a contricted design tend to mean things run a little hotter. This can be helped by fitting a Scythe Kama Bay or similar, but you'll lose 5.25" bays.

The P182 will (and has) gone down as a fantastic classic case, but be prepared for frustrations and irritations if you're trying to build a new clean rig in one now. Personally I would look at something new such as the Corsair Carbide 500R as it represents great value for money, as well as looking the part and performing well.
 
Its a great case, i have mine spare but will probably fill it with a server.

As above, it's cable management is frustrating. You can get window panels but the noise level increases. Throw some fans in the front two bays though and it's still a decent cooling case.

Depends what you're looking for from your case i suppose. Ive never been one for windows in my case (although i have one now!) so i wouldnt mind using it again. It's only that the FT02 I have now is so beautiful, the P182 just couldnt quite match up.
 
Noise isn't too bad and it can't be seen from the side (both caused by the desk it sits in)
Cable management did cause some swearing 4 years ago

I can live with it's shortcomings to be able to buy more expensive innerds

Thanks guys
Fluffy
 
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