Review on Phanteks Aluminum Ultimate Computer PH ES813P_SOR by Maalik Harris

The case is worthy. Phanteks don't care about you (the customer) after they get your money.___Company (Phanteks)___I bought this case to build a W-3175X + ASUS Dominus Extreme system. The MB is in the EEB form factor, although it's quite large at roughly 14" x 14". Case claims to support EEB. The payment does not match. As I ponder what to do while CES is over, images are beginning to surface on the internet showing a W-3157X + Dominus Extreme system installed in a $900 Phanteks Elite flagship. Phanteks Elite and Anidees AI Crystal XL AR are the only two cases that fit Dominus Extreme. Phanteks is also releasing CPU and VRM water blocks ($375) at CES. I am checking and it has been 31 days since my purchase so Revain is no longer eligible for a return. I immediately emailed Phanteks to offer an exchange where I return 99.999% brand new, minimally unwrapped (e.g. plastic on all panels, sealed plastic). unopened boxes), was out of the box in less than 5 minutes from Primo ($240) to Elite Credits ($899) + CPU and VRM Water Blocks ($375). Reply Phanteks: Sell Primo online and buy Elite separately. Primo's credit was hardly monetary ($240 minus the cost of shipping a 60-pound box to the US), but Prinzip and Phanteks failed. Phanteks has made it clear that they are not computer enthusiasts, don't care about you, don't want to help you build your awesome new PC, and they don't provide any support other than what they're legally required to do. In contrast, I bought a Silverstone case. a few weeks before. I emailed support to purchase parts and Silverstone offered to sell me any part I wanted at a fair price. At the same time, the Silverstone case is 50% more expensive, the build quality is 500% better (absolutely flawless in structural design and fit and finish), and they genuinely care about their customers. , and Phanteks has some nice mounts and optional accessories to make life with water-cooled PCs easier. Mounting the tank and pump is well thought out and very easy (assuming you buy brackets that aren't included). The packaging is great. Everything was double boxed and packaged well, but there was a fairly noticeable scratch on the front (most visible) of the anodized aluminum panel. Aesthetics are clearly more important than cooling, but some of the restrictive aluminum panels can be removed to increase airflow if you're not bothered by a few visible screw holes. Will it keep your motherboard in place while gaming? Absolutely, but the same goes for the $30 Rosewill case. Is the sheet metal thin and fragile? Yes. Is the powder coating of good quality? Generally yes, with one big exception. The powder paint has cracked in a less visible place. Wow, how did you notice the crack in the powder coating!? Good question, Phanteks simplified it! Somehow they decided to powder coat the BLACK chassis (not sure about other colors) over the RADIOACTIVE NEON GREEN base, so any defect is 100% guaranteed to be visible. Nice! When you look closely at the sheet metal fittings and construction, will you feel warm and comfortable from the thoughtful engineering and careful assembly that went into the product? Absolutely not. Is the suitcase fully assembled upon arrival? Yes! However, it is clear that Phanteks was looking for highly skilled assemblers whose skills included 1) crooked turning of each screw 2) head removed (thus removing the black paint and leaving a shiny head on each screw if you are into such things). interested). Fanteks assemblers highly skilled rivet installers ? Yes! While you'd consider them highly qualified, that means they're crooked and loose in places (no downforce). If you plan to disassemble or modify any part of the case you will need to drill out the rivets and remove a few screws as most of the case is held together with rivets. Do you have any other comments on the build quality? The power and reset buttons feel cheap, one of the wires was broken in the LED strip connector (see image), the velcro straps are too long to route cables, and the fan controller didn't work with my ASUS. Domina extreme. ___ Summary ___ The build quality is mediocre given the price of $240, and I am so disappointed with Phanteks' customer support that I never plan to spend a dime on it again. Since CaseLabs has gone out of business my money will go to Silverstone next time.