Antec Torque Case Review: Pretty Vacant

Benchmark Results and Conclusion

We tested the Antec Torque with our new Intel Core i9-7900X test platform. For comparison, we tested against the Cougar Conquer Essence, the Cougar Conquer and the Deepcool Quadstellar to give you a good idea of where this case stands against other options that are of similar size, feature sets and price.

There is literally no active airflow into this chassis due to the fact that it ships with no fans. Although we are fully aware that this is done as a cost-cutting measure--and enthusiasts prefer to add their own fans--we still think Antec should have included one or more intake fans to provide some airflow into the chassis. That said, temperatures were surprisingly good given the fact that the Antec Torque is essentially an open-air case.

CPU core temperatures on our Intel i9-7900X processor running at 4 GHz leveled off at 56 degrees Celsius over the ambient temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. Our results put the Antec Torque ahead of all the cases we used for comparison. GPU temperatures were also impressive at 47 degrees Celsius over the ambient room temperature, putting the Torque in a tie with the Cougar Conquer. The addition of fans to this chassis would mean even better temperatures, but of course at the cost of increased noise levels.

On the subject of noise levels, we recorded sound level readings with two off-the-shelf dB meters from two different angles. Normally, one of the benefits of a side panel made of tempered glass is its ability to reflect sound back into the chassis. Unfortunately, as with most open air chassis, this case allows almost all the noise generated by your system's components to escape the case. At idle, the system registered 31.1dBA. And our test results with the Torque under load were the second highest of the test group. The combination of our GPU and all-in-one cooler resulted in obnoxiously high 38.8dBA.

Cooling efficiency and noise levels are both ways to measure performance. Determining acoustic efficiency, also referred to as cooling-to-noise ratio, is a matter of averaging all five of our tests to determine a base value.

In general, we do not have a problem with expensive chassis, but a premium cases such as the Antec Torque needs to offer features and styling that justify the asking price. Even if you reuse fans from a previous build, there is still the $350 asking price to contend with.

Bottom Line

Let's be honest, plenty of people considering this chassis won't care about the shortcomings we listed in this review. A case like this is all about style for most. That said, great looks aside, the $350 (£267.36) price tag puts the Antec Torque out of reach of mainstream enthusiasts. And even if you have the money to spend, there are more-appealing options. Those looking for a similar looks can save $100 by opting for the Cougar Conquer or the Cougar Conquer Essence, both of which sell for about $250. And while the Conquer Essence also ships without fans, it supports up to six 2.5-inch drives and two 3.5-inch hard drives while the Torque makes do with mounting holes for just one of each.  

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