[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
The Antec Eleven Hundred mid-tower case has nine expansion slots, and thus is clearly targeted to users building a system with three or four video cards with XL-ATX motherboards. Let’s see if this case is a good buy.
By the way, XL-ATX (eXtra Large ATX) is not an official standard size: Gigabyte defines it as 12.8” x 9.6” (325 x 244 mm) while EVGA defines it as 13.5” x 10.3” (343 x 262 mm). The Eleven Hundred supports both.
Figure 1: Antec Eleven Hundred case
Figure 2: Antec Eleven Hundred case
The Eleven Hundred has a big transparent window on its left-side panel, supporting the installation of two 120 mm fans. You can also install a 120 mm fan on its right-side panel to cool down the underside of the CPU. Unfortunately, there are no air filters on the side panels.
Figure 3: The left-side panel
The air filter for the power supply fan is accessible from the left side of the case, which makes it easier for you to clean this filter. On competing products, this filter is removed either from the rear or the bottom of the case, which means you have to move or lift your case. (Depending on your configuration, it may be very heavy.)
Figure 4: Air filter for the power supply fan
[nextpage title=”The Front Panel”]
The front panel of the Antec Eleven Hundred has three external 5.25” bays, using meshed covers with air filters. You will need to break and throw away the metallic plates that come attached to each bay. See Figure 6. The case supports the installation of two 120 mm fans on the front panel, but unfortunately, they don’t come with the product. There is an air filter for these fans.
Figure 5: Front panel
Figure 6: Front panel
The Antec Eleven Hundred has two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and the traditional audio jacks, located at the top part of the front panel. The on/off and reset switches are located on the top panel. The USB 3.0 ports use internal connectors, so make sure you install a motherboard with two internal USB 3.0 headers. If your motherboard doesn’t have this connector, you can contact Antec at https://www.antec.com/support or 1-800-22ANTEC in the US and request a USB 3.0-to-2.0 adapter, which will be sent to you free of charge.
Figure 7: Connectors
[nextpage title=”The Top, Bottom, and Rear Panels”]
The Eleven Hundred comes with a 200 mm fan on its top panel, which glows blue when turned on. There is a switch for you to turn off the LEDs of this fan on the case’s rear panel. Unfortunately, the manufacturer doesn’t publish the specifications for this fan. This fan uses a standard three-pin fan connector; however, it comes installed on a “power hub,” where you can power up to four fans using a single peripheral power connector coming from the power supply.
Figure 8: Top panel
The bottom panel has an air filter for the power supply fan, which is removable from the left side of the case, as previously shown.
Figure 9: Bottom panel
The rear panel and the interior of the Antec Eleven Hundred are painted black.
On the Antec Eleven Hundred, the power supply is installed at the bottom of the case.
The case comes with a 120 mm fan installed on its rear panel. No technical specifications for this fan are available. It uses a standard three-pin fan connector but comes installed on the aforementioned “power hub.”
As already explained, the highlight of this case is the presence of nine expansion slots. Usually, cases come with seven expansion slots. All slot covers are vented.
The Antec Eleven Hundred has two holes for hoses of liquid cooling solutions, all using rubber covers. These holes are 1.1” (27 mm) in diameter.
Figure 10: Rear panel
At the top part of the rear case there is an on/off switch for the LEDs of the top fan. There are three places for installing fan controllers, but they come empty.
Figure 11: On/off switch for the LEDs of the top fan
Let’s now take a look inside the Antec Eleven Hundred.[nextpage title=”Inside the Antec Eleven Hundred”]
Both panels are attached to the chassis using black thumbscrews. The motherboard tray has a huge hole (the biggest we’ve seen to date) for you to access the backplate of the CPU coolers without having to remove the motherboard from the case, several holes protected with rubber covers for you to route cables behind it, and several metallic clips for you
to fasten cables using cable ties.
Figure 12: Overall look
Figure 13: A view behind the motherboard tray
In Figure 14, you have another overall look inside the case. Expansion cards are fastened using thumbscrews. The Antec Eleven Hundred supports video cards up to 13” (330 mm) long and CPU coolers up to 6.7” (170 mm) high.
Figure 14: Overall look
As explained, the power supply is installed at the bottom of the case, and it can be installed with either its bottom fan facing up or facing down, so you can decide if you want the fan of your power supply pulling air from inside the case or from outside of it.
Figure 15: Power supply compartment
[nextpage title=”The Disk Drive Bays”]
The Antec Eleven Hundred has three external 5.25” bays, six internal 3.5” bays, and two internal 2.5” bays. The 5.25” and 3.5” bays feature tool-less installation mechanisms. The tool-less mechanism used in the 3.5” bays is based on rulers, where you need to install one ruler to each side of the drive being installed.
Figure 16: Disk drive bays
[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]
The main specifications for the Antec Eleven Hundred include:
- Style: Mid-tower
- Application: XL-ATX, ATX, and smaller form factors
- Material: Zinc-coated steel (SECC) body
- Power supply: Doesn’t come with the product
- Available colors: Black
- Side panel: Transparent window
- Dimensions: 20.7 x 9.3 x 21.5 inches (527 x 237 x 546 mm) (H x W x D)
- Net weight: 19.5 lbs (8.8 kg)
- Gross weight: 24 lbs (10.8 kg)
- Bays: Three external 5.25” bays, six internal 3.5” bays, and two internal 2.5” bays
- Expansion slots: Nine
- Maximum video card length: 13” (330 mm)
- Maximum CPU cooler height: 6.7” (170 mm)
- Fans: One 200 mm fan on the top panel (blue LEDs) and one 120 mm fan on the rear panel
- Optional fans: One 120 mm fan on the right panel, two 120 mm fans on the left panel, and two 120 mm fans on the front panel
- Extra Features: On/off switch for the LEDs of the top panel fan
- More Information: https://www.antec.com
- Average Price in the US*: USD 120.00
* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.
[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]
The Antec Eleven Hundred has a very strong advantage: The presence of nine expansion slots and support for XL-ATX motherboards, allowing you to build a high-end gaming PC with three or four video cards using a very affordable case. We could complain about the reduced number of fans and the absence of fan speed controllers, but we guess the manufacturer decided to go this route in order to have a product that isn’t expensive.
Strong Points
- Support for XL-ATX motherboards
- Air filters for the optional front fans
- Air filter for the power supply fan, removable from the left-side panel
- Meshed 5.25” bay covers with air filters
- Support for seven fans
- On/off switch for LEDs of the top fan
- Nine expansion slots
- Vented slot covers
- Support for two 2.5” and six 3.5” storage devices
- Expansion cards are fastened using thumbscrews
- A huge hole in the motherboard tray for accessing the backplate of the CPU cooler
- Holes protected with rubber covers for routing cables behind the motherboard tray
- Metallic clips for fastening cables using cable ties
Weak Points
- No air filters on the meshes on the side panels
- Comes with only two fans
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