Improvement over previous Sonata II
Pros:
Much improved case, solid construction, quiet
Cons:
A premium case like this should have come with another 120 mm fan.
The Bottom Line:
Excellent case for do-it-yourself computer builders. I would recommend this, since it's easy to work with, and well constructed.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
This is the most recent version of Antec's successful Sonata series of PC cases.
The layout is similar to the previous generations of Sonata cases. The glossy piano-black exterior is well established, and can resist scratching or chipping better than most finishes.
The front door of the case that swings out has improved over previous generations. The hinges are now made of solid metal construction, and the door can swing out at a wider arc than the older Sonata I and Sonata II cases did. Accidentally bumping the opened door will not snap it off at the hinges.
The case itself is well-ventilated, due to the rear 120 mm cooling fan that comes with the case. Air flow becomes even better once you add a 120 mm cooling fan to the front.
The fan that comes with the case is a low speed fan that gives off very little noise, so those who want a quiet case will not be disappointed.
The case itself has a built-in air intake filter, so dust accumulation isn't going to be too much of a problem, provided that the owner cleans the filter once in a while.
As with all premium Antec cases, the drive bays all have rubber grommets lining the screw holes, which really do help to dampen hard drive or optical drive noises. The drive bay is very easy to access, and there's plenty of room to work with cabling.
The previous generation of Antec Sonata (Sonata II) used Antec's Smartpower 450 watt unit, which was known to use the inferior Fuhjyyu capacitors. The current unit (Sonata III) has remedied this potential problem, by using Antec's excellent 500 watt Earthwatts power supply (no Fuhjyyu capacitors), which is a stable, solidly constructed power supply.
The power supply is a quiet one, once again, catering to those who like quiet cases, but can still power up almost any single graphics card out (including the hungry NVIDIA 8800 GTX).
