Antec DF-30 Dark Fleet Computer Case Review

Antec has been around for a long time. Chances are, if you enjoy building your own computers or even tinkering with them, you have heard of Antec. They make a myriad of components and accessories for a wide range of computer users. One of the areas in which Antec has always had a strong presence is computer cases. Many of their enclosures have received very high marks from all across the industry, earning them a lot of recognition in the computer world. In the summer of 2010, Antec released a new line of computer cases known as the Dark Fleet. In this article, Benchmark Reviews is taking an in-depth look at the Antec DF-30 Mid-Tower Computer Case. At right around $100, the DF-30 represents the most inexpensive case so far in the Dark Fleet line. We will be exploring the DF-30 Mid-Tower Case to see if it stands up to the name Antec has worked so hard to earn.

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, a hot-swappable drive bay, and some serious cooling to the show.

Manufacturer: Antec, Inc.
Product Name: Dark Fleet DF-30
Model Number: UPC 0761345-152303
Price As Tested: $109.99

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Antec.

DF-30 Features and Specifications

• Two Fleet-Release access doors open separately for convenient entry to drives
• Top-loaded 2.5" hot swap SATA (SSD-compatible) drive bay
• Two washable fan filters allow for easy cleaning
• Bottom-mounted power supply isolates heat
• CPU cutout for easy installation of CPU coolers
• Cable management compartment organizes cables discreetly
• 11 drive bays:
  • Up to 6 x internal 3.5"
  • 3 x external 5.25"
  • 1 x top external 2.5" hot swap SATA drive bay
  • 1 x internal bottom-mounted 2.5" SSD bay
• Advanced cooling system: - 1 x top 140mm TwoCool fan
  • 1 x rear white 120mm TwoCool fans with white LED
  • 2 x front variable-speed 120mm LED fans with white LED
  • 1 x side 120mm fan for graphics cards (optional)
• 7 expansion slots
• Maximum graphics card size: 11.5" / 292 mm
• Stylish blacked-out interior
• Windowed side panel
• Front ports:
  • 2 x USB 2.0
  • Audio (AC'97 and HDA compatible) In and Out
• Motherboards: Mini-ITX, microATX, Standard ATX
• Power supply not included
• Unit Dimension
  • 485mm (H) x 198mm (W) x 486mm (D)
  • 19.1" (H) x 7.8" (W) x 19.1" (D)
• Weight: 15.1 lb / 6.9 kg

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