Antec has a two-speed fan controller, while Cooler Master has an analog controller plus a closeable top-panel vent. We tested the P280 at both fan speeds and the Silencio 650 at maximum and minimum fan speed. We then opened the vent on the Silencio 650 to see if it would help or hinder CPU temperature.

Primarily a gaming case, but with added noise-reducing features, the P280 has the lowest internal temperatures of the first three cases in today’s test. Cooler Master’s Silencio 650 takes second place in this test, though opening the vent without adding a fan there has little effect on overall temperature.

Antec’s P280 also has an open top with two noise-generating fans. Although we measure noise from 45° off of the front panel, noises that emanate from elsewhere still affect the measurement via dispersion. Azza scores best here, with Cooler Master in second place, so long as its top vent is closed.
The first step in comparing temperature to noise is to make a lower temperature result in a higher score. We averaged the temperature reading of all cases, and divided that number by each case’s average temperature to produce an inverse, percentage-based thermal performance scale. Each case’s average noise level is then divided by the average for all cases, creating a direct percentage-based acoustic performance scale.
The term “Relative” in the Acoustic Efficiency chart refers to how each case relates, on a percentage scale, to the class average of 100%. Efficiencies greater than 100% are impossible, so we simply move the average to 0% by subtracting the integer one from each result.

Antec’s P280 has a maximum 9.1% greater-than-average cooling-to-noise ratio, but is its noise level even low enough to qualify for a quiet computing article? While it's far from silent, the noise level at full load is below the 42 dB(A) cited by New York City as the minimum to qualify as noise pollution, while its idle (not gaming) noise level is below the 35 dB(A) constant noise cited by the WHO as a general annoyance for humans. In other words, the P280 is barely quiet enough to make our test configuration acceptable to ordinary folks.
- Creating A Quiet Case: More Than One Way To Skin A Cat
- Antec P280
- Inside Antec's P280
- More P280 Features
- Building With Antec's P280
- Azza Silentium 920
- Inside Azza's Silentium 920
- More Silentium 920 Features
- Building With Azza’s Silentium 920
- Cooler Master Silencio 650
- Inside Cooler Master's Silencio 650
- More Silencio 650 Features
- Building With Cooler Master's Silencio 650
- Test Settings
- Heat, Noise, And Heat Versus Noise
- Quiet Cases: Do We Have A Winner Yet?
In my testing I found it to be the most efficient silent case I've ever had on my workbench.
Things I hate about silence optimized case: Usually doesn't cool well (poor airflow) and isn't really that much quieter compared to non silence optimized case
It 's really hard to find the right balance but I'm loving the Antec P280. Exterior and interior looks good and seems spacious enough. Price isn't so bad either.
Any chance you could review the Nanoxia Deep Silence 1? Heard a lot of good things about it .
I disagree. A lot of their chassis are good (HAF, Elite). I like their storm stryker/trooper. Most of their peripherals have great quality and reasonable price compared to something like Razer. Their coolers are also great as well (Hyper 212/212+/212 EVO). I just find their power supply unit to be the 2nd grade components, almost all of them I wouldn't use or recommend to other people
SSD is totaly silent, but HDD can make quite a bit of noise, and is still a basic part of every PC today.
You guys seem to have forgotten something.
Their products are great when compared to box coolers and cheap no-name cases, but inferior to Corsair, Noctua, Scythe, Antec and the like. Hyper 212? Junk - even Tom's thinks so. Why buy fourth best? Find me one roundup of anything where Cooler Master comes out on top in performance or acoustics.
Look at the price. The Hyper 212+ is not even remotely close to the price of top air coolers however it offers extremely good value and the link you provided is enough evidence. I'll also vouch for it since I have one and I'm using it to cool my 3570K running at 4.5GHz fully stable with cpu voltage of 1.18V and max temps of 78 degrees on the hottest core. I paid $30 for it and I can get my cpu to 4.5GHz, fully satisfied.
Corsair do have great cases (no doubt here) but look at the total number of cases they have and the price point. Cooler master have everything from $30 to $300+ case.
Look, this is not a debate on whoever makes the best products. We don't need one company dominating the other. If we do, we get fewer alternatives and high prices. Let's say you're right and let's take a look at the SSD market. Based on what I've found out so far is Samsung has the highest performing consumer SSD, the 840 Pro (if I'm wrong, consider this a hypothetical situation). However, does that make other SSDs like the crucial M4 or OCZ vertex 4 irrelevant? If the M4 and vertex 4 had lower prices and better price per GB than the 840 Pro, wouldn't it be a better deal for someone who's not looking for the best and/or is not willing to pay the premium?
To conclude, there's nothing wrong with Cooler Master not taking the performance crown, value is not simply performance/aesthetics/size, it's more of how much you can get for the price you pay.
Yeah, but who wants to save $15 on a CPU cooler they buy once in two years, especially if the CPU it cools costs 15 times as much?
And you said "great quality and reasonable price", it's more like "mediocre quality and reasonable price". Great quality would come up on top, being in the bottom half in most comparisons is not great quality, unless compared with a box cooler, in which case the price would be beyond unreasonable.
And you said "great quality and reasonable price", it's more like "mediocre quality and reasonable price". Great quality would come up on top, being in the bottom half in most comparisons is not great quality, unless compared with a box cooler, in which case the price would be beyond unreasonable.
Some people just aren't enthusiast
My $250 Lian Li was nice and all aluminum but its overall design and features paled in comparison to my Antec p280.
I added 1 120mm fan to the front of my Antec and will admit it is not exactly "silent" but it is not what I would consider noisy either and I am more than willing to live with it since I have easily overclocked my 3770k to 4.5 ghz with a cheap $25 3 heat pipe cooler.