Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Glass
The Evolv strikes back
PHANTEKS HAS BECOME legendary for its innovative case designs. By no means has the Dutch company created revolutionary changes, more evolutionary advances. Advances that have been picked up by many a case manufacturer looking to improve its lineup. So, what are we talking about? Rear SSD mounts on the back of the motherboard tray and on the front of the chassis, simple yet effective integrated PWM fan hubs, a slide-out fan/radiator mount in the top of the chassis, improved airflow, thanks to cleverly designed perforated front panels, ITX form factor towers capable of housing even the most boisterous GPUs, and some curious rear I/O 5.25-inch drive bay mounting solutions.
So, to the case in question. The Evolv ATX Glass is Phanteks' fourth iteration of its Evolv range. The original Evolv we reviewed late last year was impressive. In fact, it impressed us so much we awarded it our prestigious Kick Ass award. Its sharp lines, innovative design accessories, use of materials, and ease of access, as far as system building went, was astonishingly impressive. So, what’s changed since then?
Not a lot, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The introduction of two smoked tempered glass side panels, instead of metallic hinged panels, is the main focus of this edition, and they look gorgeous. The reflections glinting off the side give it a sense of premium that you just can’t get from acrylic. They're the perfect mates for the 3mm-thick aluminum panels covering the exterior surround. They’re about 5mm thick, and durable enough to take any reasonable form of beating, not that it should be an issue.
One thing you need to be wary of when investing in this chassis is the rear side panel. Unlike many other glass paneled cases, it’s entirely transparent, so your cable management is going to need to be seriously on point if you want to showcase your new machine.
Glass aside, what do we love about this chassis? We’ve mentioned the 3mm-thick aluminum panels, but on top of that, it’s a semi-compartmentalized chassis, with a full perforated floor panel separating the PSU from the rest of the system. It has three 2.5-inch SSD mounts, one on the front for display purposes, and a further two attached to the rear of the motherboard tray. There’s support for up to three 3.5inch hard drives hidden below that PSU cover, and a fan hub capable of powering eight fans off a single PWM motherboard header and SATA power, alongside RGB LED lighting control inside the front panel.
As far as cooling is concerned, you have the option to install up to six 120mm fans in both the front and the roof, alongside an additional 140mm in the rear, and you can fit up to two 360mm radiators in here as well. What’s particularly impressive is the removable fan tray at the top of the case. Removing a couple of screws enables you to slide out the tray to mount your fans and radiators directly, saving you the hassle of struggling to fit them inside the chassis.
To wrap up: huge cooling support, clean stylized design, internally and externally, fantastic accessory support, and available in three different colors. What’s not to love? Criticisms are slim on the ground, but there’s two things we’d like to point out: There’s no option for a 5.25-inch bay, although that’s not a huge deal, and there’s no non-windowed edition available. Apart from that, this baby is on fire.