[nextpage title=”G360A exterior”]
Lately, metal mesh is coming back in force on our PC cases. It must be said that this material is always more breathable than a glass plate placed just in front of the front fans. Phanteks has understood that since it is this type of material that the brand offers with its G360A, the latest case from the brand.
We received the white version and we will give you our opinion on this new model. Let’s get started!
G360A exterior:
With its new case, Phanteks offers us a reference in medium tower format. This translates into dimensions of 200 (W) x 455 (D) x 465 (H) mm. So we are dealing with a relatively compact model with dimensions similar to those of a Level 20 MT from Thermaltake. As for the weight, it is also rather light with 6.5 kg on the scale. It will not be difficult to receive the package.
In terms of design, we recognize the Eclipse series from Phanteks with its characteristic trapezoidal front panel. In addition, the latter displays a “U” shaped molding that brings a little eccentricity to the whole. The mesh that makes up this front panel also makes it possible to distinguish the fans placed just behind it and therefore the RGB lighting once the machine is turned on.
Finally, the choice of materials is steel for the chassis itself and mesh for the front panel. Otherwise, the side panel is made of tempered glass while the feet are made of plastic.
Control panel:
The control panel of this G360A takes place on top of the case. As you can see, the various buttons and connectors that make it up are positioned lengthwise. We find moreover :
- A button to choose the lighting mode of the RGB
- One button to choose the color of the RGB
- Two USB 3.0 type A ports
- One 3.5″ headset/mic combo jack
Bottom:
Under the case, we find the usual scheme with a power supply placed at the back. We can recognize the location thanks to the black dust filters. Unfortunately, for cleaning, you’ll have to turn your PC to access the filter… Too bad it’s not as easy as on the P120 Crystal from Antec for example.
Otherwise, we note the presence of four plastic feet with a foam coating. The advantage of this is that when mounting, the case can be easily slid onto a table, unlike a rubber coating.
Back :
The rear of the G360A has the usual layout with the motherboard I/O shield slot on the top left. Right next to it, we have a honeycombed grill that allows for the installation of a fan to facilitate the extraction of hot air.
Just below are seven openwork expansion slots held in place by hand screws. We also notice that they are secured by a small removable metal plate.
Finally, at the very bottom, the large opening actually represents the power supply slot.
Top:
The top of the case is quite simple, not to say simplistic. There is nothing special here, except for a magnetic dust filter protecting the case. The latter betrays the presence of slots for additional fans.
[nextpage title=”Inside the G360A”]
Inside the G360A:
To get inside the case, you will have to remove the side panels first. These are simply held in place by two hand screws that will remain in place.
Chassis:
Like the H7 Flow tested recently, we find a chassis that could not be more classic. Indeed, the power supply will be placed under the motherboard slot, which can accommodate models in mini-ITX, micro-ATX, ATX and E-ATX formats. Although for this last format, we are limited to 28 cm width.
Nevertheless, the chassis has many openings around the motherboard tray. At the top, there are already two, and at the bottom, there are two openings for the power supply cover. However, it is on the right side that there are the most openings: five. We can easily pass our cables to connect the various elements of the configuration.
Storage Locations:
When it comes to storage, this G360A won’t particularly pull its weight as we find a usual configuration. At the back of the motherboard tray, we have two 2.5″ slots for SSDs or 2.5″ hard disks. We even notice that a third slot is available, provided that the support is purchased separately.
Finally, under the power tunnel, we find an HDD cage with two 2.5″/3.5″ compatible baskets. We also notice that they allow a “Tool less” mounting which is visible thanks to the small side latches.
Power supply location:
Under the power supply cover is the location of the power supply unit. What we see just above are the ventilation grid allowing the block to breathe and the small foam pads to accommodate the latter.
Regarding the dimensions, the G360A can accept ATX standard power supplies with a depth of 220 mm. To go beyond that, 280 mm being the maximum, you will have to remove the hard disk cage placed right in front of it!
Cooling capabilities:
The Phanteks case comes with a rather interesting ventilation since it has three fans in 120 mm. The latter are present at the level of the front. They are actually three 120SK D-RGB, mills with a lighting system at the central hub. At full speed (1500 RPM), the air flow will reach 50 CFM and the static pressure will rise to 0.96 mmH2O.
If you wish, you can also complete the ventilation via three 120 mm slots in the top and one in the back. For 140 mm fans, we are limited to four slots: 2x in the front, 2x in the top.
For watercooling, all this translates into a radiator support in 360 mm max in the front and in the top. Nevertheless, beware of the thickness of the latter. We have tested an Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 (63 mm fans + radiator) and it fits so tightly that we do not recommend it.
And for an aircooler, you can turn to solutions of 162 mm in height at most
The bundle:
As for the accessories, what do we find?
- Assembly instructions
- An instruction in case of problems: contact Phanteks directly
- A bag containing the screws
- Six nylon collars
The accessory part remains very simple and only contains the essentials for the assembly. It’s a pity, we would have appreciated to have the third plate for SSDs in particular.
Velcro strips:
In absolute terms, this reference from Phanteks remains quite simple, but still offers cabling assistance. These take the form of velcro strips placed in a gutter towards the front of the case. We will see during the assembly if these are effective or not!
In summary:
In general, Phanteks offers us a classic case with a chassis that we have seen and seen again and the accessory part does not present anything extraordinary. Finally, it will put forward a velcro system to help with the assembly. So we just have to see how the assembly of a configuration is done and what the temperatures will be.
[nextpage title=”Assembly”]
Assembly
We now move to the stage of assembly of our configuration inside this G360A from Phanteks. Here are the components that will be used for the assembly:
- Motherboard: Asus Crosshair VI Hero
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X
- Graphics card: ASUS HD 7970
- Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 4
- Power supply : Corsair CS650M
Power supply :
So we start the assembly by putting the power supply unit in place. Here, nothing could be simpler as you just have to insert the power supply into the case by sliding it sideways. There will be no frame to screw on the power supply as it is the case on the P120 Crystal from Antec for example.
Storage:
The storage part will easily fall into place. For the SSDs, we will start by removing a plate by pulling it up. Then, we place our storage medium and screw it on. Putting it back in place is simple, just place the board on the anti-vibration lugs and pull down.
For the hard disks, we will have to recover a basket by taking it out of its cage. Then, we “unlock” it by pulling the side tabs and we place our HDD and close it. The disk will be maintained thanks to a system of cleats present on the baskets. It does not remain any more but to put back the unit in its cage.
Motherboard installation
If everything was going well until now, it’s while installing the motherboard that we encountered a little difficulty. As you know, the Asus Crosshair VI Hero has a shield on the audio part, which creates an extra thickness at this level. During the assembly of the latter, the shield was hitting a rivet in the expansion slots. To fix the problem, we had to remove the stud in the center of the G360A’s motherboard tray to allow for a little clearance, which allowed us to install our motherboard.
Cabling :
Storage
In this case, we can only advise you to start with the hard disk cage. Given its location, if you end the assembly with this one, it could be complicated because all the other cables will go in front of it. This could be a problem when it comes to accessing the SSD/HDD connectors.
Otherwise, this part does not present any particular difficulty since we only need to power our storage media and connect them to the motherboard via SATA cables. As usual, we hide the excess cable under the power tunnel.
The control panel
We continue with the control panel which is simplified to the maximum. Here, there will be only the USB ports, the jack and the power button to connect to the motherboard. There are no status LEDs or reset button, which reduces the amount of cable.
For the time being, we take the opportunity to run these cables along the power supply cover at the bottom. The audio header will come out towards the back of the case while the USB and the power button will come out at the first opening of the power cover.
Motherboard:
As for the motherboard, theEPS12V for the processor will come out from the top, towards the back of the case. Be careful though, as the opening is narrow, you should not hesitate to separate the double 4+4 pin connector to make it go through, that’s what we had to do.
As for the 24-pinATX, we put it up in the gutter, towards the front of the case while it runs along the hard disk cage at the bottom. Here, the velcro strips will help to keep it in place. Very practical. The connector itself will come out through the highest opening to end up plugged on the motherboard.
Graphics card
Unlike an H7, this G360A does not have an opening in the power supply cover to pass the PCIe power cables. So we find ourselves exploiting the front gutter and bringing out the 6+2 pin connectors under the 24 pin ATX. Once again, the Velcro strips will help to secure the connectors.
Cooler and graphics card installation:
We finish the assembly with the installation of the graphics card and the CPU cooling unit. For the GPU, we will have to remove the PCIe brackets corresponding to the slot of the graphics card, for us this corresponds to the second and third slots. Once removed, we place the graphics card that we screw to the case. The only thing left to do is to secure the whole thing by putting the rear plate back in place (held in place by two hand screws).
For the cooler, no particular problem since the large backplate access offers a nice opening on the back of the motherboard. So we can operate without fear.
Overall:
In the end, to mount your configuration in the G360A, you’ll have to proceed in order if you don’t want to be put in trouble. Indeed, we can only advise you to start with the storage part, otherwise it may be obstructed by the rest of the connectors.
Otherwise, be careful with your motherboard, if it has, like ours, a shield on the audio part, it may get stuck at the expansion slots, the fault of a too prominent rivet.
Finally, we would have appreciated slightly larger openings on the top of the motherboard tray. As it is, the 4+4 pin connector for the CPU will have to be split in two to fit it in!
[nextpage title=”Protocol”]We have updated our test protocol to test the qualities of our cases. Thus, we will evaluate the performances offered by the different models according to three criteria:
- Insulation
- Noise of the original ventilation
- Air flow
For the addition of ventilation, we choose to integrate a Silent Series R2 from Fractal Design in the back and a Riing 14 from Thermaltake in the top. They will be mounted to extract hot air.
Configuration:
Configuration:
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X
- Motherboard: Asus Crosshair VI Hero
- Graphics card: ASUS HD 7970 reference
- Cooler:Â be quiet! Dark Rock 4
- SSD: Corsair Force GS180 Go
- Hard disk: Seagate Barracuda 2Tb
- Power supply: Corsair CS650M
[nextpage title=”Tests”]
Tests
Airflow :
The additional ventilation takes the form of two Riing 14 fans from Thermaltake, placed in the top of the case, in extraction and in front in suction.
CPU airflow, original ventilation then completed:
We start with the temperature of our CPU. We keep the front and the top of our test case. Let’s see if the airflow is sufficient for the good cooling of the Ryzen 7 1700X.
.
So we start by taking the temperature reached by our processor in this G360A from Phanteks. And as we can see, this model proves to be a good student since it is positioned at the level of a Level 20 MT, or perhaps even better on its highest speeds.
On the other hand, the fact of supplementing the ventilation does not bring very big gains in temperature. We don’t even have two degrees better than the original ventilation.
CPU airflow, original ventilation without front panel or top :
In order to ascertain the limiting factor in the story (and how much), we remove the top as well as the front of the case. The goal here is to show the raw performance of the integrated ventilation.
It’s when we remove the front panel that we realize that the mesh used on this model does not constrain the airflow, or even very little. By removing it, our processor loses only three tenths of a degree at low speed and six tenths at full speed. In short, for our Ryzen 7 1700X, we can say that there is no noticeable difference!
GPU airflow, original ventilation then completed:
We repeat the operation, but with measurements made on the graphics card. Here, we test with the original ventilation and the completed ventilation.
Concerning our graphics card, an old reference HD 7970, things are going pretty well. The card is maintained in correct temperatures with a maximum of 80°C which is largely bearable.
On the other hand, the fact of completing the ventilation has a more significant impact than on our processor.
GPU airflow original ventilation without front panel ortop:
We redo the same test, but by removing the front and the top of the case. Let’s see how this will affect the temperatures of the card.
On the other hand, we can feel that the graphics card is immediately more sensitive to differences in airflow than the processor. Here, by removing the front panel, we gain 4°C at low speed against 5°C at full speed. Nevertheless, compared to other models, such as the Level 20 MT (again), the difference is not excessively marked.
Insulation:
Here, we simply measure the noise emitted by our configuration when we run the CPU and GPU cooling very fast.
As you know, the mesh insulation level is clearly not great. With its 58 dB, the G360A is the least well insulated model of our selection. Even the H7 Flow White does better despite its perforated front panel. After that, it must be said that the NZXT case is bigger, which must help to reduce the noise.
Original ventilation noise:
This time, we measure the noise emitted by the original ventilation of the case. For this, the configuration runs in idle ( CPU and GPU ventilation at minimum) while the readings are successively done in 5V, 8V and 12V on the case ventilation.
Finally, the G360A
is a good student when it comes to temperatures, but less so when it comes to noise. At 44.5dB at full speed, the three fans will make themselves heard. Fortunately, by reducing their speed, there is a way to gain in discretion, even more so if they are heavily muzzled.
In summary:
In general terms, this new case from Phanteks is a good student of temperature. Its three front fans cool our CPU fan and the graphics card well… Especially since the front mesh will only restrict the airflow a little, which is good news.
However, it is much less good on the aspect of noise pollution since the insulation is quite catastrophic. It must be said that with mesh, it is as if the machine was working in “open air”.
To this, we must add an audible ventilation, especially at full speed. Fortunately, by muzzling it, you will be able to seriously gain in silence.
[nextpage title=”Conclusion”]
We are now at the end of our test of the G360A from Phanteks. So, good case or not? We tell you everything!
Be careful with the assembly!
If we don’t really have any criticism to make concerning the design, the finishing or the choice of materials, it is on the assembly part that we will be more fussy. Indeed, some small details that could have been avoided bother us. We think of the too narrow openings on the top of the motherboard slot in particular. To pass the ESP12V connector, it will be necessary to think of splitting the 4+4 pins in two.
The same goes for the rivets on the expansion slots that are too prominent. If you have a motherboard with a shield on the audio part, it is not impossible that you have to remove the central stud of the motherboard tray. In doing so, you will be able to take advantage of a small gap to screw in your component.
Otherwise, when wiring, you will have to take care of the storage units present in the HDD cage first. The connectivity naturally goes in front of it, so it could be complicated if you end up with this element.
Good airflow, but beware of the noise!
However, the G360A has the advantage of offering a controlled airflow thanks to its three front fans and its mesh front. All this contributes to controlled temperatures, both for the processor and the graphics card. By the way, topping up the ventilation will be optional, unless you want to look for the last few degrees.
However, the downside of all this is a clearly low sound insulation. If you have a noisy graphics card or AIO/cooler , you should know that the case will not attenuate the noise, if at all. Especially since at full speed, the three fans are audible. Fortunately, they can be easily regulated to relieve our delicate ears.
The RGB is managed from the front!
We’ll finish quickly by saying a few words about the ventilation lighting, which can be managed from buttons. If you have an old configuration, this is an element to take into account since the lighting can be controlled via two buttons placed on the control panel. This is always an interesting feature to note.
Well-priced:
Officially, Phanteks launched its G360A at a price of 99.99 €, unfortunately, it is available at a higher price at our retailers. It will cost about 110 € at Top Achat or 130 € at LDLC (…). However, at this price, we have the right to a case rather well positioned if we consider its mesh front and its three RGB fans. Very often, the competition does not manage to offer as many fans or without lighting.
Phanteks G360A:
We liked:
- The nice design of this model
- The RGB lighting management from the front panel
- E-ATX compatibility for a 100 € box
- Velcro strips for easy wiring
- The temperatures are well controlled!
- The absence of constraint on the air flow
- Well studied price
We liked less :
- The poor accessory part
- The rather catastrophic sound insulation..
- … And the ventilation clearly audible at full speed
- The not very large openings above the motherboard
- The cables that naturally pass in front of the HDD cage, be careful when wiring
- The prominent rivets at the level of the expansion slots: be careful with the motherboard!
Finally, we choose to award silver to this G360A from Phanteks. If this model is efficient on the thermal level, beware of the noise pollution and even more so of the almost non-existent sound insulation. In addition, there are a few small defects, such as prominent rivets that can hinder the mounting of the motherboard for example. Fortunately, the invoice is also under control and we have some good ideas to save the day!
A big thank you to Phanteks!
