Review on Phanteks Enthoo PH ES719LTG_DBK01 Performance Tower by Eduardo Reyes

I've been eyeing this case since it was announced at CES in January. Finally got one and did my install. This is probably the best case I've built to date and I see it surviving at least a few builds over the next few years. The design allows for a variety of cooling and system mounting options. There are just a couple of points I'm not entirely happy with. Some of the sheet metal feels a bit flimsy, but I may have gotten used to the Coolermaster's case-like looks. The back wall only seemed slightly flexible. Also, the lower fan/radiator mount flexes slightly in the cross braces. I mention this because if you want to use the integrated 3-slot vertical GPU mount, you'll need some sort of anti-sag support, and the flexible mount made it a bit difficult to lock my chosen mount to a more hidden spot behind the GPU place processor. A really nice touch, Phanteks packs all types of mounting screws in a small plastic box with compartments, so you don't have to rummage through your bag to find that last screw or prop you need. They also have a great full color legend guide for the screw bays and each section of the guide tells you exactly what hardware to use for this feature. Additional accessories like drive bays are nice, and a vertical GPU mount for a second system if you're installing one. Unfortunately, there is no PCIE adapter cable included. The only other possible issue I've noticed is the fan/radiator mount at the top. I wish the top mounting plate was a bit taller, even if they had to open the top vent to keep the same height. The 30mm radiator + 25mm fan sit right on top of the RAM, and there isn't much horizontal clearance between the RAM and the side fans. I think that's why they say you can install 3x140mm fans on the top but only a 360mm radiator and no 420mm radiator to match those 3x140mm fans. However, because it sits so low, it completely blocks access to my motherboard's POST code reading and CPU fan headers, and may also affect airflow through the top of the VRM. All in all, this is a great case. I haven't really looked for a new case until this year and after looking at dozens of models I've at least come to realize that there's just no such thing as a totally perfect case and a compromise is required and this one works for everyone case good. Hit the essentials with just these few minor issues.