Installation and Testing:

Drive installation may not be completely tool-less, but it is much easier to service once the drive rails are installed and the hard drive screws are placed. One thing that will help keep vibration down is to not over tighten the hard drive bay screws. Stopping just short of tight allows a little more flexibility if the drive insists on moving. If you are a fan of Seagate's liquid ball bearing drives like I am, then noise or vibrations are never a problem. In fact, you'll probably end up leaning over listening and feeling for drive movement just to make sure they are working. None the less, the removable drive bays make things much easier and simpler to install.
 

Love The Extra Space

Fan noise is very, very low when you set everything to the lowest speed. You can just barely hear anything within two feet of the P190 and forget it's there if it's under your desk. Even with the power supplies pushing 1200 watts at full load, the fans did quite excellent expelling any warm air that might have built up inside and kept the system ideally cool. Even with two graphics cards churning up a few degrees didn't effect the internal temperature thanks to that enormous 200mm side panel fan. I can't imagine what it would be like if that fan could reach 3000 RPMs.
 

650W Specifications

550W Specifications

As for testing the 650 and 550 watt power supplies, the Neo-Link didn't prevent the power supplies from reaching full load, but I think it also didn't let them reach their maximum potential. To keep things simple and confirm each power supply is fully capable of its specifications, each was tested individually and rail voltages checked for fluctuations and variations that could prove problematic. The final results weren't really all that surprising given that any BTX based system usually requires flawless power and voltage stability or the system may encounter problems.
 

During typical system loads, both power supplies maintained very steady rail voltages and never fluctuated over .5 volts. During full load tests, both power supplies provided voltages above every rail limit even up to the moment the circuits kicked. The 650 and 550 watt power supplies reached and maintained their rated wattage. Some where about 15 Watts above, the units finally shut down. Each unit individually offered acceptable and expected results based on the fact that these are Antec power supplies which are very rarely ever incapable of offering specified performance. What is probably more important anyone considering this system is that the voltages were about as perfect as you would expect. All in all, the power supplies are perfectly capable of professional or extreme user configured systems.
 

Conclusion:

The Antec P190 Advanced Super Mid Tower has everything you could want in any fully functional enclosure. The several extra features that have been added similarly found the P182 enclosure are a welcomed addition. Not only do you gain the extra space behind the motherboard tray for wire management, you gain the benefits of excellent cooling thanks to the many case fans including the 200mm side panel fan, silenced removable hard drive bays, and extra sound dampening materials added to the chassis to break down the noise. And if this isn't enough features for you there are the included Neo-Linked 650 and 550 watt Neo Power power supplies that simply won't let you down when you really need the power. And again, it just can't be stressed enough how reliable your power supplies must be when building a power house dual CPU or BTX form factor system.

And as for the extended chassis, the extra space offers up a few more options and configurations than before. Most users won't mind the standard space within the P182, but users serious about larger components and extra cooling capacity will appreciate the extra "knuckle space". This also allows a few more configurations for liquid cooling users. The P182 gets tight really quick when you want to connect four cooling blocks and larger water pump. With the extra space in the P190, you can afford to find better placement for your components and not worry about things getting too cramped. Even if you do install your liquid cooling kit, the externally mounted radiator is still the way to go for best performance.

Current pricing of the P190 puts the cost around a $355 and up depending on the retailer. If you think the price is too steep, think again. Current 1000 Watt power supplies alone have been reaching $300 to $330 alone. Integrating two power supplies to reach 1200 Watts and offering a fabulous enclosure make it an absolute bargain. Granted, the average user won't need this kind of power, but it offers up the ability to add any future upgrades for years to come. If you are looking for something to feed your current or future power house system, the P190 is the ultimate choice. Performance and price have earned the P190 my Editor's Choice Award. We'd like to thank Antec for sending us the P190 Advanced Super Mid Tower and their excellent courtesy and support at every turn.

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