| Antec DF-35 Dark Fleet Computer Case |  |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Cases | |
| Written by David Ramsey | |
| Wednesday, 07 July 2010 | |
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Antec Dark Fleet DF-35 Computer Case ReviewAntec is one of the premier computer accessory manufacturers, and their cases have garnered a well-earned reputation for quality and features. Indeed, the Antec "Hundred" series of cases (the Two Hundred, Three Hundred, Six Hundred, Nine Hundred, and Twelve Hundred) are considered by many to be the benchmarks in their classes for cost-effective enthusiast level cases. Antec has just introduced their new "Dark Fleet" series, with several new models sporting an edgier style than they've previously shown. Benchmark Reviews examines the mid-tower DF-35 case to see how it fares against the competition. Antec's been around since the mid-80s, and has been making computer cases almost that long. They produce cases for servers, for HTPCs, and for your grandmother's e-mail and web browsing machine. They make cases with no discernible market (the Skeleton series) as well as cases for gamers and enthusiasts. The Dark Fleet series is "...designed to meet the cooling and convenience demands of PC gamers and professional users." Well, there are a lot of cases designed to meet those demands; Antec's Dark Fleet series brings new styling, hot-swappable drive bays, and some serious cooling to the show.
Antec DF-35 Features and Specifications
About Antec Inc.Antec, Inc. is the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in the industry and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of quiet, efficient and innovative products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators. Antec's offering of enclosures includes a wide range of cases, such as its advanced Performance One Series, economical New Solution Series and VERIS family of media components designed for the home theater PC market. Antec's products also include front line power supplies, such as its premium Signature Series, powerful TruePower Quattro Series and EarthWatts, one of the most environmentally friendly power supplies available. PC gamers are an increasingly significant consumer of performance components, and many Antec products are designed for the gaming demographic, like the premier gamer enclosure: the Nine Hundred. Antec also offers a line of computer accessories comprising many original products, including its patented LED fans and notebook cooling solutions. Antec is headquartered in Fremont, California, with additional offices in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, as well as in Germany, China and Taiwan. The company's products are sold in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Please visit www.antec.com for more information.
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Comments
Other revisions are in the oven :).
Also, Lian Li is using louvres on some of their new cases to reduce the risk: #benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=526&Itemid=61&limit=1&limitstart=3
"The side panel fit is a little sloppy: even with the panels fully in place, there's about a 1/4" gap between the back of each side panel and the back of the case. "
I would like to point out that this is for cable management... which makes the air flow in this tower so much nicer. For the complaints on the drive bays there is also a FULL tower keep in mind this is mid and is trying to support optimal air flow because the better the air flow the better the entire machine will run.
Went with Lian Li PC-60FNWX instead
As the owner of 3 antec nine hundred cases, I can tell you there is nothing wrong with the way the power supply being mounted the way it is. If you cannot understand the logic behind the engineering, perhaps you should not even be reviewing cases. I actually PREFER this design over the old "over the motherboard" design. traditionally with the powersupply mounted up high, it was sometimes the "only exhaust fan" running in the computer. With 140mm fan up top and 120mm in the back, let the fans do their job and let the power supply fan do the job its suppose to do, which is to cool the power supply. As for the hot swap 3.5" being useless without rails, does the harddrive not sit in the "slot" once inserted? I don't know about the df35 but on the full tower, when you slide a drive in, it just clicks and stays there. So having this the idea is so you can put in a hdd for "temporary use" quickly, where you don't need to open the case to connect sata / power cord I think it serve its purpose just fine.
I agree the price could've been lower and I didn't exactly like the looks of it at first glance, but once I finish building for my friend I liked the case enough to look into this. So if anyone reading this is interested in this case, check out the DF 85, If you have the space, its a much better case for not so much more.
I ordered the 35 as it was $79.00 with free UPS shipping for the case & the rest of the order,
I to thought it was not that pleasing to the eye but after popping a few of the plastic swing brackets off & growing on me its really a half decent looking case along with its better attributes.
Big Case
Good Cooling, airflow
Holds lots of Hd?s
Bottom HS Bay made just for my SSD Drive
Top Hot Swap 2.5" Bay perfect for my media player HD (made just for me)
Bottom PS great with Sandy Bridge build
Installed the 2 SATA 3 on front of case rather than out the back, easily have both
fan filters are great, work well
Does ANYONE who has this case know which plug is which?
I must say that this case isn't that bad as you guys think.
I admit it's kind of cheap material used for the case, but the hotswap on top is pretty cool. My only problem is the light produced from the led fans... It's a bit to much IMO. I like to watch movies on my pc, but with the amount of light produced it isn't so great.
Except for that i think it's a great case for stronger pc's.
The cords are easily to put away.
And in black it looks so much better.