Antec Signature Series S10
We’ve been spoilt for far too long
WE’VE REACHED a precipice. An icy clifftop, upon which we all now teeter, clutching at tiny handholds as the heat of the sun cracks the delicate lattice of ice crystals holding it all together. Chassis manufacturers have pushed us toward it, with modularity-embedded metallic cuboids, b es poke custom designs, removable motherboard trays, wireless Qi chargers, curved steel panels, and a whole plethora of other intuitive innovations. At this point, we have to ask, is there room for such a thing as a poorly built chassis in today’s enthusiast scene? Is it possible to head back into the icy depths of chassis peculiarity?
Antec’s Signature Series S10 is a $400 behemoth. It lands slap bang in the middle of big sky country, as far as chassis manufacturers are concerned. The glinting aluminum greets you boldly as you unbox this towering colossus from its over-engineered hard-foam packaging. There’s strength here—the 3mm thick metallic alloy exudes it; the hinges, less so. Two of the four side panels were detached by the time they arrived at our office. That said, once you do suss out how they attach to the frame, it’s a solidly built full tower. Amazingly so, in fact. The vast bulk of this leviathan weighs just a little under 40 pounds, which is impressive when you consider how much of the aesthetics are marred by plastic polymer substitutes.
So, let’s talk internals. The S10 is split into three separate compartments. You have the main motherboard segment, which is finished with a floor panel, creating a separate PSU and 2.5-inch drive segment, then a specialized separate compartment specifically developed for hard drives at the front. This is by far the most interesting addition, and also one of the greatest points of contention. For artistic design, this part of the chassis is entirely segmented from the main bulk, attached only briefly by passthrough points at the top and the bottom of the robust sub-tower. What this does, other than look glamorous, is allow cool air to pass in between and be drawn into the main motherboard compartment, through the triple 120mm fans lining the interior of the motherboard compartment. However, if you plan on populating the bow of this mighty vessel with hard drives, you may want to invest in some longer SATA power extensions cables—although the S10 comes with a few, they may not be enough for what you have in mind. FAN CLUB Cooling in the main chassis is provided by up to three 120mm fans in the front, two 140mm fans in the roof, and one 120mm fan in the rear. On top of that, you also have the option to include a 120mm fan in the PSU chamber, and one in the hard drive chamber, located at the front of the chassis. Although it sounds like a lot, those thinking of a full custom loop might be disappointed, because space is tight in the main compartment once fans are installed. It all goes back to the concept of height over width. Although the case is quite tall, that lack of internal capacity doesn’t allow for any thicker rads to be installed in that front intake.
So, who is this for? In our eyes, it appears this chassis was built for those looking to build an air-cooled AIO X99 E-ATX rig. Someone not wanting much in the way of aesthetic looks, or interior chilling flare through liquid-cooling solutions, but rather a low-maintenance, power build instead. But that in itself brings up a problem, notably the price. It’s $ 400, and when you consider you can get yourself a Phanteks Enthoo Primo for almost $150 less, or even a custom Case Labs Merlin SM8 for $70 more, both of which are vastly superior in overall construction and material use, we have to question Antec's decision to list this case at such a high price point. –ZAK STOREY