Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV Micro-Tower Chassis Review

Peter Donnell / 9 years ago

Final Thoughts

Pricing

Phanteks have long been regarded as a premium brand, so it’s no surprise that the Enthoo Evolv carries a premium price tag. Normally the chassis is £89-99 here in the UK, but Overclockers UK are currently selling them for £79.99, which is about the same as the similarly spec’d Corsair 350D and the BitFenix Aegis. The EVOLV is available from Newegg in the US for $129.99.

Overview

This may be the first Phanteks chassis I’ve reviewed, but it’s already clear to me that they know what they’re doing. The EVOLV addressed many of the needs of the enthusiast system building crowd and it does it with style.

The chassis is rock solid, build quality really is no issue here. The panels are thick, strong, precision finished and coated with a thick layer of flawless paint. It looks great from any angle and from the first time you take it out of the box, you know exactly why you paid a premium price for this chassis.

It’s incredibly versatile, with room for high-end air cooling throughout, especially thanks to the pre-installed 140mm and 200mm fans, as well as the addition of a 6-port fan hub. Water cooling is great too, as you’ve got the rear, top and front mounts and more than enough room for thick radiators should you need/want them. Of course, keep in mind that a thick radiator in the front could limit your GPU size, but that’s why you should always measure twice before making a purchase.

The EVOLV has dust filters on all major intakes, as well as easy access side panels and pop-off top and front panels. This means that cleaning and maintaining your system is a simple task and will no doubt please those who like to keep their gaming rig in immaculate condition.

Added little extras, such as the stealth hard drive mounts for both 3.5″ and 2.5″ drives, as well as the vertical drive mount, the optional rear 5.25″ drive bay, the changeable LED colour, velcro cable straps, rubber grommets and more, all add to the overall value of this chassis.

Pros

Exceptional build quality
Hinged and removable side panels
Dust filters
Tall side panel window
Stealth hard drive mounts
Optional 5.25″ drive bay
High-end water cooling support
Two fans pre-installed
Fan hub

Cons

Thick radiators in front can limit GPU length, as chassis is quite short from front to back; hardly a deal breaker

“The Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV is a little bit different to most other chassis, but it ticks all the right boxes for those planning a high-end gaming build. It’s a little expensive, but you certainly get a lot in return for your investment.”