Antec Overture - Desktop Case Art

Cases & PSU/Cases by jmke @ 2004-02-26

Antec tackles the desktop case market with their great looking Overture case. Ideally suited for sitting next to your hifi-set it has all the features to achieve this goal; Can the Overture score? Find out in this review!

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Outside & Testing

The Chaintech ZENITH makes the perfect combination with this case, as the CBOX3 panel provides a remote control and a 7in1 card reader, turning the PC into a true multimedia station.

Madshrimps (c)


The finishing of the front panel is up to par with most hifi/video/dvd-players:

Madshrimps (c)

Madshrimps (c)


With the lights off the power button emits a clear blue glow which is luckily not disturbing:

Madshrimps (c)

Madshrimps (c)



Performance Testing

Room temp during all tests is 20°C

Test Setup:
  • Chaintech 9CJS Zentih
  • P4 2.4 “C”
  • Swiftech MCX478-V + Coolink 80mm 4500rpm fan
  • 2x Corsair PC4400
  • PNY Geforce 4 Ti4600
  • Maxtor 80GB Sata
  • Nec 4x DVD+/-RW

    Here’s where it becomes interesting, I loaded up 2 sessions of Prime95 and let the system warm up for 3 hours, when I came back I found the CPU running 74°C while the case temperature was hovering in the regions of 57°C! Hot air was coming out of the back where the 92mm fan was giving its best, but to no avail. When I removed the top panel the temperature immediately started dropping coming to a rest at 42°C for the CPU, 31°C case. Something’s not right here. I rearranged all the cabling to the back of the case in order to create a clear path so the cool air from the PSU could freely enter the case: No change in temperatures.

    I’ve emailed Antec about this issue and they are working on an update of the Overture hopefully to address these heating issues. So in the meantime I started testing ways to improve the cooling of the Overture. The 80mm at 4500rpm is loud, and even at this speed the CPU temperature crept up to 74°C kicking the throttling function of the P4 in action.
    With a Dremel in my hand I started cutting small holes in the beautiful cover panel in the area above the CPU. This gives fresh air a chance to be sucked in by the 80mm fan which is pushing air through the helicoid pins of the Swiftech MCX478-V. The modification gave me a drop in temperature, CPU: 62°C, Case: 48°C, enough for the P4 to resume normal operations, but the case temperature is still too high, so I swapped out the rear 92mm fan for a powerful and unfortunately, also louder, Papst fan.

    Another ~10°C were shaven of the CPU’s temperature settling at 51°C, while the case temperature is a healthy 34°C. The sacrifice I had to make to achieve this however defeat the purpose of this case; you’ll have to turn the sound of any DVD/CD you are going to play way up with this setup around.

    Temperature case closed
    CPU: 74°C
    Case: 57°C

    Temperature case open
    CPU: 42°C
    Case: 31°C

    Temperature case closed, top panel modded
    CPU: 62°C
    Case: 48°C

    Temperature case closed, top panel modded, high output 92mm fan
    CPU: 51°C
    Case: 34°C




    Time for a conclusion ->
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