Antec NSK4400 (0761345-94000-9) ATX Mini-Tower Case

I have always come to expect quality and reliability from Antec over the years. I've recently built two new computer systems using this Antec New Solutions NSK4400 mini tower case. It was one of the few decently built cases around 80 dollars that included a power supply sufficient for my needs. I also wanted a computer that was QUIET. I had Dell and Sony desktops before, and while the Sony was a great computer, both it and the dell were noisy. When the Sony started warming up it would kick into high gear with it's fans and really made a nice windy noise. The Dell power supply would get dusty somehow, and required frequent cleanings in order to keep it running quiet. It would make a clicking sound after a few weeks of use, and I would have to take it apart and vacuum and brush all the dust out of it. Then, it would stop clicking.

Both of these Antec cases have been top notch. You get one 120mm case fan and a slot for an optional 80mm case fan you can add yourself later. The 120mm fan has 3 different speed options. If you're going to put an overclocked graphics card in with several hard drives and a beefy processor, you might want to set it on the highest speed setting. On low this fan is almost silent, and the power supply is very quiet. The included 380w power supply is currently running two hard drives, two optical drives, and an overclocked nVidia 7600GT PCI express graphics card in my primary system. It hasn't failed me yet. It's quiet, sleek, and fairly easy to get into and install things in. It's an efficient setup, but it is a mini tower, so there are only 3 extra internal 3.5" bays for extra hard drives and 3 external 5.25" drives. There are, however, two external 3.5" drive bays which is nice if you need both a floppy disk and a memory card reader.

One quirk is the way in which the case comes apart. You have to pull off the top panel first in order to take off the side panel if you want to add or take something out. This is a bit inconvenient compared to cases that allow you to simply pull off the side panel, plug in your extra memory, shut it, and be done. The power supply is not modular, and the case is not a "tooless" design, but that is to be expected at this price point.

The bright LED on the front is subtle enough to not be a big distraction, and the color/layout scheme of the mini tower is attractive, yet simple. No fancy bells and whistles, but everything you need to get the job done.

This is the case for someone building a budget personal or Media Center PC or building several PCs for an office or small business. The sleek, efficient look is very attractive in almost any setting, and the mini tower takes up a small footprint, yet still has enough room for the necessities. With the included power supply this is definitely a product I recommend.