Antec Three Hundred Two ATX Mid Tower Gaming Computer Case

I replaced my Antec Sonata II with this case, so my review inevitably compares the two cases. Unlike the Sonata this case is utilitarian in design rather than stylish. I'm still pleasantly surprised by the quality / price ratio of the 300---$60 with shipping included for this quality level is amazing. I think I paid $100 for the Sonata.* There isn't a flimsy lockable door covering (obstructing) the external drive bays (my Sonata's door eventually broke off and I didn't miss it).* The front audio & USB ports are at the top rather than in the middle of the front panel (I hated the middle location of the Sonata's, especially since the ****** door, until it broke off, was always in the way).* The front panel can be removed in a few seconds.* On the 300 both side panels are removable (only one on the Sonata).So access to the inside of the case is excellent. Having the power supply mount at the bottom of the case is much more practical, making the case more stable and allowing for the top mounted fan.All this aside, the main reason I opted for this case is the hope that it would be quieter than the Sonata II, which it is.Two large adjustable fans are included (140mm and 120mm); I've set both to low, making the case whisper quiet. (I'll see if I can leave it this way when the warm weather comes.) Two more 120mm fans can be mounted behind the front bezel and doing so is simple. One could go crazy mounting fans in this case.The 300 doesn't have the attractive piano-black finish of the Sonata (not visible under the desk anyway), but hopefully it won't scratch as easily as the Sonata either. One negative is that with my MSI 785 motherboard the front panel audio wire barely reaches where it plugs in---this wire and the front USB wire could be a bit longer. In size the 300 is a bit of a monster (though about the same as the Sonata), but if it were smaller it wouldn't be as easy to install and access things inside. Antec says you can mount six hard drives, but this might be problematic if you use a large PCI-E graphics card; I had to move my hard drives to accommodate my video card.So, in this one instance simpler and cheaper is better.

Purchased the Antec Three Hundred computer case through Amazon to build a new home computer which would be used for everyday computing as well as gaming.I've used Antec cases before, so was familiar with their very good build quality and features. The Three Hundred is a good compromise between a full-tower gamer's case like the Antec 1200 and the typical case designed solely for home or business computers. It is a mid-tower case, so it doesn't seem huge sitting on or next to our home desk, but it has ample room inside to take a full ATX gamer's motherboard and easily fits two large gaming video cards in "SLI" or "Crossfire" configuration without interference with other internal components.Interenal hard drive bays are accessed from the front of the case, which makes it easy to service, install or swap drives without disturbing other internal components (although you do have to remove the left side cover to access the latches that allow removal of the front bezel, but this is much easier than it sounds). There are no sharp edges inside the case; all edges are rolled, and the build is sturdy for a case in this price range. Antec supplied an adequate number of case and drive screws and motherboard stand-offs.Other features:- This case puts the power supply (not included) at the bottom, which makes the case more stable, but you may need a PS with long cables. I used an Antec TruPower Trio (also purchased through Amazon), which worked out fine. Excess cables can be tucked inside a built-in cable compartment alongside the internal drive bays, which has its own cable ties, for neatness and better cooling.- Antec supplies 2 large 3-speed fans with this case, one 120 mm blowing out the back and a 140 mm blowing out the top. It has provisions to add 3 additional fans, one on the side to provide additional cooling to the video cards, and 2 behind the front bezel, directly in front of the hard-drive bays. I closed-off the opening in the side panel, but added a 120 mm fan (with blue lighting!) blowing in from the front. So far this cooling arrangement seems adequate to my needs, but I can still add 2 more fans if I need to.- The front bezel is plastic, but removes and installs easily, and contains a washable, removable filter covering the area in front of the hard-drive bays.Cons:- The Three Hundred provides front access ports for headphone, microphone, and two USB 2.0 connections, but no IEEE 1394 or e-SATA ports.- There are 3 external 5.25-inch drive bays, but no 3.5-inch external bays. If you need to add a floppy drive, card reader, or other external 3.5-inch component, you'll need to find and purchase a 5.25-3.5 bay adapter (I did).- No case speaker is included.Summary: This is a very nice case for the price. Fit and finish are very good, and features are adequate for home/business or gaming. Not too large, but not too compact, either. Recommended.