Page 1: Introduction, Specification, Exterior and Interior analysis
Page 2: Cooling and Acoustic Performance, Conclusion
Performance – Acoustics and Temperatures
Motherboard: Asrock Z77 PRO
CPU: Intel Core i7-3570K @ 4.5Ghz
CPU Cooler: CoolerMaster Hyper Evo 212+
Memory: 8 GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 SD RAM at 1600Mhz
Graphics Cards: 2x ASUS Radeon HD 7950 D2Ct in CrossFireX
SSD: Corsair Force 3 64GB
HDD: WD Green 1TB
Power Supply: Seasonic 850W
Our testing methods for the CPU involve stressing the CPU using Prime95 for 15 minutes and then recording temperatures. For GPUs, we ran Battlefield 4 for about 15 minutes. Noise is recorded using a PCE-318 noise meter to take readings when idle and stressed.
No extra fans were installed, only the ones accompanying the S3’s package. For reference, we use the readings from our tests on the same rig installed in a Corsair Carbide 400R cabinet. The 400R is in a segment upwards the ONE S3, but this should give us an idea of where the S3 stands. The room temperature at the time of testing was recorded at a pleasant 18.5 degrees Celsius.
While the Antec ONE S3 might be one of the cheapest chassis we’ve ever used/tested, it almost managed to trump the Corsair Carbide. Yes, the temperatures recorded are a tinge above that of the Carbide, but keep in mind that the Corsair is priced almost double of the Antec is priced. This is surprisingly good performance on the S3’s part.
The GPU temperature recordings say the same story. It is kind of baffling how a cheap case like the S3 performs almost at par with the Corsair. The two Radeon cards ran cool without any hunch whatsoever. They are cramped inside, and the second GPU is dangerously close to the PSU, but they ran pretty cool, much to our surprise.
In the acoustics department, there is nothing significant the Antec ONE S3 does to remain silent. The Carbide was a good 2 decibels lower than the ONE S3. The difference tangibly might be small but yes, the extra noise is clearly evident. The S3 uses plastic feet instead of rubber which could be a factor for more noise. For the record, the Carbide had four fans installed compared to the ONE S3’s single roof fan.
Conclusion
Getting a good deal on a product is a high, a good bargain is a sweet fruit, and the Antec ONE S3 is a product of that kind. It costs INR 3,675, you can get better deals at theITDepot and FlipKart.
It has its discrepancies, the main one being its utter inability to accept graphic cards of 11.2 inches length and above, meaning the entire current flagship range of Nvidia GeForce (the 780s and Titans) and AMD Radeon (the R9s) becomes non-applicable completely. Although we assume that if you own one of those cards you would seldom go for this case, so its more of a non-issue. The previous generation flagships do manage to squeeze themselves into the Antec ONE S3 just barely though.
Inside the hood the Antec ONE S3 can accommodate large aftermarket CPU coolers, has tool-free drive bays and a decent cable management system. It also comfortably sits in an SLI or CrossFireX configuration.
Although we dig the overall feel of the ONE S3, we’re not fans of the plastic-laden front panel. It feels cheap, especially the Power and Reset buttons. We dig the USB 3.0 slots though. We would have asked for front dust filters and fan slots, but you have to understand that at this price range these features are considered luxuries, and Antec has already done more than enough to justify its feature set in the ONE S3.
On the hand, our tests indicated good air circulation in the S3, matching the performance of upper segment cabinets. The Antec ONE S3 manages air circulation surprisingly well for its price range, almost at enthusiast levels.
Recommended for: ultra-budget gaming PC builders, temperature fanatics, LAN party goers
Not recommended for: use with Nvdia’s and AMD’s current flagship line of GPUs
What’s iLL
- Mainstream pricing for a gaming cabinet
- Good cooling performance
- Steel sidepanels
- Plenty of chassis features
What’s not
- Plasticky front-panel
- Cheap feeling Power and Reset buttons
- Non reusable expansion slot covers
- Can’t house 11.2 inch GPUs
