Lately, we’ve been seeing heaps of RGB-lit devices, but not too many of them have been cases. Courtesy of Phanteks, we have a peek a couple of them, the company's new Eclipse P400 and P400S.
Both cases feature almost identical designs, with just a couple of subtle differences, but the basic construction, layout and features are the same.
The cases are mid-tower units with space for up to E-ATX motherboards, graphics cards up to 395 mm long (or 280 mm with the hard drive cage installed), CPU coolers up to 170 mm tall, and ATX PSUs up to 270 mm long. The power supply sits in its own chamber to neatly hide away the cables. In the bottom area of the case there is also room for two 3.5” HDDs. Four more hard drives can be mounted at the front of the main compartment, and two 2.5” SSDs can be fitted behind the motherboard tray.
As far as cooling goes, the case comes with one front 120 mm fan and one rear exhaust fan. However, the front of the case supports up to three 120 mm fans (or two 140 mm units), and the top of the case has room for two 120 or 140 mm fans. For radiators, you’ll be able to fit a 360 mm or 280 mm unit up front and a single 120 mm at the rear. Phanteks did not indicate that the top of the case has room for a radiator, likely due to the proximity to the motherboard.
The front intake of the case has two dust filters – one at the top and one at the bottom. There is also a dust filter underneath the PSU that slides out easily. Additionally, the case also has a dust filter on the top exhaust location, which is particularly interesting because there aren’t many cases that have this feature. You could use it as an intake without worrying too much about dust, but it also means that dust won’t fall through there when the PC is switched off.
All the cases have the so-called RGB lighting, although calling it "RGB" is a bit of a stretch. The Phanteks logo at the bottom-front of the chassis can be LED-lit with one of ten colors.
Front I/O is handled by two USB 3.0 ports, the usual pair of HD audio ports, and power and reset switches, together with the LED control. The P400S also has a three-speed fan controller, and that’s where we get into the difference between the standard model and the S.
As you may have guessed, the S in the P400S’s name stands for "silent." Along its side panels, users will find dampening material. The top of the case where the exhaust vents are can be closed off with special covers.
The case’s chassis and body panels are made from steel, with just a couple plastic bits here and there where necessary. It measures 555 x 300 x 520 mm (HxWxD) and weighs roughly 7 kg.
In total, there will be nine versions of the case. The P400 will exist only as a windowed version, whereas the P400S will exist with both a side window and a uniform windowless side panel. Additionally, all three will be available in Satin Black, Glacier White and Anthracite Gray. Pricing for the black or gray P400 sits at $69.99, and the white version costs $10 more at $79.99. The P400S takes a $10 premium for the silencing materials over the P400. All the cases will be available in March.
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