Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Case Unveiled, Focuses on Liquid Cooling & Aesthetics

PC cases are most simply a box. Sometimes, they’re expensive boxes. Yet throughout the years, we have seen cases transform from being “just a box” with a couple added features to being incredibly polished and feature-rich cases, putting enclosures from a more beige era to shame.

Despite the simple concept of a case, PC case manufacturers have continued to add new and creative features that make their cases more than “just a box.” Phanteks is a fairly well-known name in fans and CPU coolers, but as of late, their new Enthoo case line has generated interest in the PC building community.

Phanteks’ Enthoo case line focuses on high build quality and liquid cooling support and, despite Phanteks’ recent entry to the case market, the early cases have already seen praise.

Phanteks demoed its its Enthoo Evolv ATX enclosure for Computex this year, effectively bringing a larger version of the mATX Evolv to market.

The creation of the Enthoo Evolv ATX was inspired following user demands for an ATX version of the Enthoo Evolv mATX. Other inspirations may include NZXT’s Vulcan, a strikingly familiar case.

Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Specs

The Evolv ATX is very similar to the original mATX Evolv. Like the Enthoo Evolv, the Evolv ATX features a full aluminum body (3mm thick) with tool-less side panel release mechanisms. The Evolv ATX also features a lone power button on the top. Front IO includes 2xUSB 3.0, a headphone and mic port, and a reset button that can all be hidden under an easily removable panel. Moving on to the other obvious aesthetic features, the Evolv ATX also features LED lighting on the front panel that is changeable to four different colors. While Phanteks doesn’t specify the colors, the photo below shows red, green, and blue are all options.

(Above: The Evolv ATX in black showing red, green, and blue lighting).

Moving inside, Phanteks includes dust filters to help prevent dust buildup. What’s more encouraging is the inclusion of a PSU shroud, something that appears to be gaining traction in the market following NZXT’s innovation on the H440 and S340. A shroud certainly looks neater than staring at what oftentimes becomes cable spaghetti.

The Evolv ATX has admirable video card support, boasting compatibility with up to 420mm long solutions. CPU cooler height allows for up to 194mm coolers; PSUs are supported up to 318mm long.

The Evolv ATX supports 8x internal 3.5” drives (5x included) and 3x dedicated 2.5” bays (2x included).

While Phanteks is trying to target large audiences, they continue to stress that the Enthoo series is built with liquid cooling in mind. Supporting a pump mount, multiple reservoir mounts, and good radiator compatibility, the Evolv ATX looks to be a competitive case for custom watercooling for those who prefer not to do any modding. Emphasizing this, the front and top support up to 360mm or 280mm radiators, with the rear supporting 120mm or 140mm radiators. The Evolv ATX also includes a PWM fan hub, as many NZXT cases have done recently. To be used with the PWM hub, Phanteks includes 3x Phanteks PH-F140SP 140mm fans, but more fans can be connected.

(Above: The Evolv ATX in black showing reservoir mounting points).

The Phanteks Evolv ATX case looks to be making a splash in the case market, with particular emphasis on the watercooling sector of it. While Phanteks cases have been well-received -- and the Evolv ATX looks to be another continuation of this -- the $180 MSRP for both the black and gray versions posts a hefty price tag, even if it comes with a 5-year warranty.

More Phanteks coverage is pending publication; GN’s Patrick Lathan will be looking at the company’s Mini XL case in the immediate future.

- Michael “The Bear” Kerns.