Antec’s latest P20C/P20CE chassis model, with its impressive cost-to-performance ratio, can accommodate an E-ATX motherboard, a 37.5cm graphics card, a 17cm air-cooled tower radiator, and dual 360 water-cooling systems. Available for less than 2,500 yuan, it offers extensive expandability, with the capacity to install up to eight 12cm fans and four storage hard drives. This model, which comes with a two-year warranty, is a highly recommended option for DIY enthusiasts.
Antec P20C/P20CE Specifications:
Dimensions: 469 (L) x 220 (W) x 490 (H) mm
Color: Black
Material: Steel, 4mm tempered glass, plastic
Motherboard: E-ATX (less than 33cm in width), ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
CPU air cooling: up to 170mm
Graphics card: 375mm
Power supply: ATX 205~410mm
Pre-installed fan (front): 120mm Three
fan installation positions (front+upper+rear+power compartment): 185mm 2+0+0+0 pcs, 140mm 3+2+0+0 pcs, 120mm 3+3+1+2 pcs
Radiator support: front and top 360/280mm, rear 120mm
top I/O port: USB 3.0 x2, USB3.2 Gen2 Type-C x1, HD AUDIO, MIC
HDD and storage bays: two 2.5” and two 2.5/3.5” composite
Warranty: 2 years
Antec P20C/P20CE case out of the box
Antec has introduced two new cases, the P20C and P20CE, concurrently. Both models share the same expansion specifications and the majority of their design features. The only difference lies in the side panel: the P20C features a non-perforated, see-through glass design, while the P20CE presents a non-transparent version, leading to different display effects.
The dimensions of the P20C/P20CE cases are 46.9 x 22 x 49 cm (length, width, height), positioning them as mainstream mid-tower vertical cases that are compatible with most consumer hardware components currently on the market. They can accommodate the largest E-ATX motherboards, 37.5cm graphics cards, front-mounted 360mm water cooling systems, and 170mm air cooling towers.
The steel front panel boasts a striking triangular design, imbued with a sense of high quality. The geometrically organized perforations, coupled with an integrated dust filter, ensure outstanding ventilation and dust protection for the case interior. The side is adorned with golden lines and the Antec logo, enhancing the aesthetic appeal and making it a standout piece.
The P20C is currently available only in white. It features a 4mm matte black tempered glass side panel, which might slightly obscure the details of the hardware components. However, this design also means that the RGB lighting effects, when the computer is powered on, won’t be overly bright. This makes it an ideal choice for everyday desktop users who appreciate the RGB lighting effects, but prefer them to be less intense.
The P20C/P20CE models adopt a bottom-mounted power supply structure that is popular in the current market. The power supply is concealed in a dedicated compartment, which effectively segregates it from the cooling airflow of the core hardware components. It allows for the installation of a 120mm fan and a water cooling radiator, and offers seven slots for PCIe device installation. The case features reusable PCIe baffles and does not include a horizontal bar setting. However, it’s worth noting that the case does not natively support the vertical positioning of the graphics card. Gamers who wish to position their graphics card vertically will need to separately purchase a video card vertical adapter bracket and install it themselves.
The case includes a magnetic dust filter at the top, which effectively keeps out airborne dust during everyday usage. It accommodates up to 360/280mm fans and water cooling systems, and the fan mounting holes are offset outward to avoid any conflicts with the height of the motherboard or memory during installation.
The I/O interface is conveniently located on the top of the case. From front to back, it features a power button, a restart button, indicators for hard disk and power operations, two USB 3.0 ports, HD AUDIO, MIC, and a USB3.2 Gen2 Type-C port. The case comes standard with a USB Type-C port, so players don’t need to buy additional DLC.
Antec P20C chassis installation space overview
The P20C and P20CE come pre-equipped with three 12cm PWM fans at the front, ensuring ample air intake for the interior of the chassis. However, the package includes only these front intake fans. If your budget allows, it’s recommended to install an additional fan either at the top or the rear of the case to act as an exhaust fan. This would enhance the case’s cooling capabilities and improve overall thermal performance.
The front fan location in the case can accommodate up to three 12/14cm fans, and it supports a water cooling radiator of maximum size 360/280mm. Uniquely, in addition to the standard 12/14cm size keyholes, there are also two keyholes designed for 18.5cm fans (with a hole distance of 16cm).
The P20C/P20CE provides ample internal installation space, with robust support for expandability. It is compatible with the largest E-ATX motherboards (provided the width is less than 33cm), making it suitable for current consumer flagship models and workstation/server motherboards. With 37.5cm of space for a graphics card and 17cm for an air-cooled tower fan, the case can easily accommodate the current RTX 40/RX 7000 series graphics cards and most high-end tower fans.
The case includes multiple wiring holes and rubber grommets, which can greatly enhance the user experience during the installation process and with cable management. The front of the power supply compartment has approximately 6.5cm of depth reserved for water cooling installation, aligning perfectly with the front fan installation space. This makes it easy to install water cooling in the front of the case, with room for two 12cm fans above the power supply compartment.
The space behind the motherboard is approximately 2.3cm deep. On the back of the motherboard, there are two lock holes for mounting 2.5-inch hard drives. When disassembling and assembling the CPU cooler, a reinforced backplane is often used. The case leaves a large area in the space on this reinforced backplane, making it more convenient when it comes time to replace the radiator.
The bottom-mounted power supply compartment provides a 205mm deep space for cable management. If you remove the composite hard drive rack, you can gain a maximum depth of 410mm. This composite hard drive rack can accommodate two 2.5/3.5-inch hard drives. The bottom features a tray-style mounting method, while the top uses a cover to secure the hard drives. The accessory box is also concealed in this area.
Antec P20C actual installation and heat dissipation performance test
For this installation, we’re using the Intel i9 12900K and Biostar Z790 VALKYRIE motherboard, along with an RTX 3070 FE graphics card and Antec Vortex 240 ARGB integrated water cooling system. This setup will allow us to evaluate the thermal performance of the P20C chassis.
Test Platform
Processor: Intel Core i9 12900K
Radiator: Antec Vortex 240 ARGB
Motherboard: Biostar Z790 VALKYRIE
Memory: T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR5 16GBx2 6200 MT/s
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Founders Edition
Case: Antec P20C
Operating System: Windows 11 Home Edition 21H2
Power supply: FSP Hydro G PRO ATX3.0 850W
The thermal performance test of the chassis utilizes a preset Intel Core i9 12900K processor and runs synchronous tests on AIDA64 CPU and Furmark software, without any additional settings on the motherboard. This simulates temperature data under stress conditions. Additionally, 3D Fire Strike in Mark is used to simulate 1080p quality gaming conditions. Data collection is carried out using HWiFO64, recording the maximum temperature and power consumption.
In the test of the i9 12900K with the AIDA CPU and Furmark dual stress test, the processor temperature was slightly elevated due to the heat from the graphics card affecting the water-cooled top mount during the dual stress test. The maximum CPU Package reached 82°C, while the RTX 3070 Founders Edition hit 78°C. In the Fire Strike test that simulates gaming conditions, the i9 12900K’s maximum temperature was only 72.9°C, while the graphics card temperature peaked at 79°C.
Summary and experience
Antec has introduced two models this time, the P20C and P20CE. Essentially, these are two versions offering either glass or steel side panels. With a price tag of 2390, both models are quite reasonably priced.
The P20C/P20CE offers substantial expandability and thermal performance within a budget of 2,500 yuan. The steel front panel, adorned with golden lines, presents a visually appealing design. Pre-installed with three 12cm fans and dust filters at the front, these models lack an additional exhaust fan. However, the P20C/P20CE models remain highly recommended for consumers on a tight budget.
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Title: Unboxing the Antec P20C/P20CE mid-tower case with a textured front panel, and installing an E-ATX motherboard. It can accommodate dual 360 water cooling systems simultaneously