ATX
Not included
None
None
Two
Six
Two USB 2.0, one FireWire, one eSATA, one headphone, one microphone
13x14.8x16.5
In a market where most cases boast about features to isolate PC components from the environment around them in a quest to eliminate noise, Antec Skeleton case is unique. It leaves your PC’s innards exposed to the open air, with an arching rail-and-overhead-fan design that’s somewhere between a traditional case and just setting up a motherboard on a test bench (and closer to the latter).
The Skeleton is definitely not a replacement for a traditional case. Rather, it should appeal to the kind of hardware tinkerer who leaves the panels off the side of a traditional case to accommodate monthly upgrades, or gamers who outfit their PCs with clear side panels and glowing bling to show off all their high-end parts.
The Skeleton has a two-level design, with room for the power supply, two 3.5-inch drives, and two 5.25-inch drives below the motherboard tray. Four additional 3.5-inch drives can be mounted on the sides of the case. A rail on the front of the case boasts power and reset switches, as well as audio, USB, FireWire, and external SATA (eSATA) ports.
The ATX motherboard and power supply are mounted on slide-out trays to simplify installation. For the most part, the Skeleton’s open-air design makes installing parts much easier than in a traditional case. The trickiest part is routing cables. Power-supply cables can be routed between the drive cages, but that’s pretty tight quarters for larger hands. Also, the cables to the front-mounted ports need to be longer; you’ll have to disconnect them to slide out the motherboard tray, and you might find the audio cable stretched across an expansion slot or two. Installing cards is a snap, though with larger cards like the GeForce 9800 GX2 you’ll want to remove the transparent card guide’s two screws to simplify installation.
Despite the lack of a traditional airflow path, cooling doesn’t seem to be an issue for the Skeleton, particularly if you’re willing to put up with the whir of the massive 250mm Tri-Cool fan at the highest of its three settings. With the fan set to a barely audible medium setting, our CPU and chipset temperatures were about the same as the same motherboard mounted in a traditional Antec P182 case. The fan blows down directly over the CPU, RAM, chipset, and video cards. The hard drives are mostly isolated from the airflow, but Antec includes an optional snap-on 92mm fan to cool the two 3.5-inch drives below the motherboard tray.
One warning about noise: The 250mm fan, which displays an impressive LED light show when it spins, is relatively quiet at its low and medium settings, but the case’s open design means you’ll hear lots of noises traditionally muffled by a closed case. CPU and chipset fans are noticeably louder, and you’ll hear every gurgle and chirp of your hard drive’s head seeking across the platters. Then again, if the Skeleton appeals to you, you’re likely going to be as happy to hear your parts working as you are to see them.
The biggest concern with the Skeleton is lack of protection against the environment around the case. Spill a Pepsi on a traditional case, and chances are you’ll just have a sticky case. Spill it on the Skeleton, and you’re very likely to short out lots of expensive components. (Heck, we’d avoid sneezing in its general direction.) In a house with curious small kids or cats that may see wires as yarn-like playthings, the open access to electrified components would be nerve-wracking, and even dangerous. And though the airflow from the fan should keep dust at bay to a degree, you should consider a large value pack of canned-air cleaners to be a must-have accessory for the Skeleton.
But in a controlled environment away from kids, pets, and soft drinks, the Skeleton offers easy (but not tool-free) access to components in a one of the coolest-looking, unique form factors around. For chronic upgraders tired of cutting their fingers as they squeeze new components into the tight confines of a traditional case, it may be just what they've been looking for.
Price (at time of review): $179.99author : Denny Atkin
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