Reviewed by: masterren on 09-Dec-06 Rating:

Strengths:Small and compact, lighter than a full tower, many metal parts (unlike a plastic-based Dell), reflective piano black finish on the top and sides, blue LEDs

Weaknesses:Power button LED can be seen from the side so it can blind you sometimes, interior is more cramped than a larger case, back I/O plate was quite hard to get off

Summary:Starting from the outside, the Solo is very luxurious-looking. Its piano black finish, simple coloring, and lack of a window make it look much more professional than the numerous gaudy \"gamer\" cases out there. The blue LED\'s for HDD activity and power make it look nice too. The power button has a nice feel to it, but the reset button does not for some reason. It just doesn\'t \"click\" right.

For the interior, case includes the Antec TriCool fan. If you set the case fan to low, it\'s virtually silent. I usually hear the video card\'s fan the most. The motherboard used was a Gigabyte DS3. The brass screws that lift it from the side of the case didn\'t match up. Only 6 of them lined up and the 7th wasn\'t there. This caused a little flexing in the board while I was installing the RAM and HSF--causing unnecessary grief for me.

Supposedly the material on the insides of the case keep the computer quiet. I have never had a custom-built PC before so I can\'t really compare it to anything. My Dell Dimension 8200 was already VERY quiet compared to most custom PC\'s.

Overall, I\'m pretty satisfied with my purchase. Just remember to install your parts in a logical order so you can reach all the spots you need to get at. It\'ll be tight in there compared to an Antec P180.

Reviewed by: stefancasadine on 11-Nov-06 Rating:

Strengths:Classy, conservative, beautiful looks. Glossy piano black finish. Drive suspension system. Backed by Antec. Good design for good airflow and noise reduction.

Weaknesses:Some may wish for more room inside to work with. Finish can scratch easily and fingerprints can show easily, so must handle with care and wipe ocassionally.

Summary:If you\'re looking for a case to house your next computer, this is a great option, especially if you want elegant styling, low noise, and an overall well-designed case with nice touches like sound-dampening pads on the side panels and a suspension system for hard drives.

Reviewed by: vws on 31-May-07 Rating:

Strengths:Professional looking that easily blends into most environments, removable front cover and easy-to-install front intake fans, drive bay side wire organizer

Weaknesses:Albeit overall good build quality the case uses lesser materials than Antec P180/B. Not really a con if the price is < $40

Summary:Antec Solo mid-tower case has an overall solid build quality, however, the company\'s Quality Check (QC) is questionable. I\'d suggest anyone who purchases this case inspect it inside-out carefully as soon as possible (before it passes the return period.) The two Solo cases I purchased, one has very loose hard drive trays that rattle during normal HD operation, the other has a cheesy loosey (which makes rattling noise after every touch) power & reset buttons that may break any minute. These are the common \"weakest links\" in any mid-tower case design and unfortunately, Antec doesn\'t want to enforce a strict QC level on this model. So if you find your new purchase exhibits the same problems, exchange your case before the return period is up.

I purchased this case for its advertised quietness but I wasn\'t very impressed. The noise containment power of the Antec Solo, is between Antec Sonata (slightly louder) and Antec P180 (much quieter). You will have to use low RPM 92mm/120mm fans to keep the case quiet, but then you sacrifice the internal air flow. The P180\'s 3-layer composite side panels dampen the noise more efficiently than the Solo\'s plastic linings. BTW, the P180 has a better internal air flow design that keeps the system temperature cooler than the Solo case.

All in all this is an ok case for conservative and/or professional system builders. It blends into the furniture (home theatre/office environment) easily, provides useful configuration options inside, and covers the system noise adequately (though not dead silent which I\'d prefer.) But if you want more I\'d suggest Antec P180/B which can be had for $50 ~ 80 after rebate as of late.

Reviewed by: jdavidb on 28-Feb-07 Rating:

Strengths:as advertised and more

Weaknesses:none

Summary:It came with every standoff and screw I could have needed.

The manual is excellent. It has the pin diagrams for everything... connections to usb, audio and firewire. If your motherboard doesn\'t match the common audio block plug that is on the Antec Solo\'s cable, this case also has each wire on single blocks to attach front audio however you need to.

I\'ve got two hard drives, and one of them is a scsi. I can\'t hear the hard drives anymore except a tiny bit of occassional read/write clicking. I know how loud these hdd\'s are, and this case has cut the noise down to almost nothing. The thing I hear now is the chipset fan, and that thing is just real loud period. With all the same components from my former case in this one, the noise level is way down... drastically.

Reviewed by: openwheelracing on 12-Feb-07 Rating:

Strengths:Solid thick steel construction. Harddrive suspension systems. Simply and elegant design. High quality paint.

Weaknesses:Airflow is low. Plastic button could break any second.

Summary:This is a great case from Antec. My complete system built with this case is extremely quiet. Two harddrives in suspension mode eliminates all vibration/seek noises. The rear 120mm fan is pretty quiet on 5v. The paint is absolutely stunning. This is a very simple and elagant design. The only thing I have to complaint about is the power button. It feels like I will break it everytime I push it. There is a simple mod with metal button if you search around. I highly recommend this case.

Reviewed by: mshan242700 on 18-Feb-07 Rating:

Strengths:Very well thought out and solidly constructed

Weaknesses:Not quite as stylish as my Antec Sonata

Summary:This is a wonderfully well thought out and solidly built computer case for the quiet pc / htpc enthusiast. It\'s not as stylish as my Antec Sonata, but it has much better airflow and a great hard drive suspension system (to minimize hard drive vibrations from causing the whole case to pulse and hum annoyingly).

Reviewed by: Dave K on 24-Oct-08 Rating:

Strengths:Attractive case, well built (heavy), system stays cool, system stays quiet, cable management system, mid-tower size.

Weaknesses:Heavy

Summary:I\'m very impressed with the styling of this case, though the heft is a bit more than I expected. The black with silver accents looks superb. The case is heavy before adding any components. However, the weight is one of the reasons this computer is so quiet. The case has an extra sound-deadening layer (dual-layer design) to keep noise from reaching beyond the case. And the case has some other nifty features to reduce noise besides the enclosure. The drive mounts, if mounted directly to a drive tray, have rubber grommets to deaden hard drive vibration. Further, the drives can be mounted within a stretchable band such that the drive is suspended and not really touching anything. This is great if you have noisy drives. However, use caution with this method - the drives could come out if the computer is toted around - say to a LAN party. If you intend to tote your computer, I would suggest mounting directly to the drive tray to ensure stable drives. I tried both methods out of curiosity, but could not really hear any difference. Either one achieved my goal of a quite computer. There is a 3-speed fan at the back which, when on low, is very quiet. Of course, if you turn up the speed, it is more noticeable, but never interfered with any conversations in range of computer. And even at the high setting, was quieter than my current computer. When mounting the motherboard, it seemed a bit cramped getting it in, but everything fit nicely with plenty of room and the case comes with a cable management system of hooks along the side of the drive cage. This allows you to route all your cables out of sight and out of the way to allow more cooling air flow without cable interference. This is one well built computer case and one that should last many years and many computer builds. I highly recommend this case for its quietness and stunning good looks.

Reviewed by: clamrade on 09-Jun-07 Rating:

Strengths:silent, solidly built, aesthetics, no included PSU

Weaknesses:no included PSU

Summary:I have owned a dozen cases so far (three Antecs), and the Solo tops them all. There\'s nothing to fault in the quality and design. Attention to details in every corner is superb. I did not want the P180 with the PSU compartment on the bottom due to the non-standard wiring required. There are also other excellent HTPC cases and LAN party cases, but the Solo is perhaps the best \"standard\" form factor case. The case does NOT come with a PSU which is a plus for me but a minus for some.

Detailed review can be found here: www.silentpcreview.com.... Note that the Solo is the black version of P150 without the PSU.

Reviewed by: yanusbfd on 31-May-07 Rating:

Strengths:Easy-to-remove front bezel, nice looks, piano gloss black finish, noise dampening panels, heavy, drive rails, rubber HDD grommets or elastic HDD mounting, stiff I/O shield

Weaknesses:Heavy, piano gloss black finish, cramped interior, HDD elastic mounting system, no speaker

Summary:Prior to acquiring the Antec Solo, I\'d assembled a system in the Antec Sonata II, so I had an idea of what\'s entailed by a case designed to be quiet.

With an Antec TruePower II in the system, the only sound to be heard is the whir from the stock Intel cooling fan. In fact, there would be less noise if the Solo didn\'t have the huge 120 mm rear fan and its associated opening.

As other reviewers have said, the interior is rather cramped, but this appears to be a by-product of all the wiring associated with the power supply. A modular power supply into which only those cables that are required are plugged, like the Antec Smart Power 500 or other higher end options, would solve some of the cable cramping problem. Going to SATA from PATA would help with the rest.

One thing I learned very quickly with the Solo: Install your power supply first! This might seem like common sense to some people, but it hadn\'t occurred to me. The cases I\'ve been working with recently are old, early ATX-era full towers, and it is entirely possible to remove from and install a power supply into one of these without touching anything else in the system. Not so with the Solo once a motherboard and CPU are installed.

I tried the elastic HDD mounting system but did not twist the mounting tabs a sufficient number of times, and, for this, I was rewarded with my HDD slipping out of the elastic mount and crashing into the back of the case. I opted for the rubber grommet mounts instead -- which are twice as thick as those on other Antec cases -- and was able to boot the system.

The piano gloss black finish is quite classy, but you will get fingerprints all over it during system assembly. Wiping the panels with a dry, soft cloth will take care of this. I\'d also note that the Solo will attract dog hair in carpet because of its slick black finish.

So, overall, the Solo is definitely a notch up from other Antec mid-tower cases. Recent promotions have had it selling for $19.99 after rebate, so the price is definitely right if time is not of the essence.

Reviewed by: Supercop007 on 23-May-07 Rating:

Strengths:Solid case construction, professional look, includes speaker, microphone, USB, and Firewire ports on the front.

Weaknesses:Power and reset buttons are hard to push, tight working environment, lacks motherboard tray.

Summary:After looking over the many choices of cases these days, the Antec Solo stood out as a very professional-looking case that would blend right into any home-office, home theater, or computer room.

Although the Solo lacks a motherboard tray, which would have made installation much easier, I found that it wasn\'t too difficult to work inside the case. My only problem was connecting the front panel connectors to the motherboard headers, but otherwise I found it easy to install the power supply, DVD-ROM drive, and hard drive into place. One nice feature was that hard drives are installed with silicone grommets that dampen vibrations and keep the case quieter.

Overall the case was on the quiet side (although particular parts inside will make the most difference in noise). It\'s certainly much quieter than \"gamer\" cases which house 4 or more case fans. I\'d definitely recommend it if I were to build another desktop.