Assembly

Installing the mainboard is done by traditional means on normal spacers and with the included screws. There is plenty of space all around, so that you can install the largest CPU coolers without any issues. The same goes for graphic cards as Antec mentioned a maximum length of 330 mm for such units. The Radeon HD6990 - one of the longest modern cards out there - clocks in at 300.5 mm for example.


The hard drive trays look surprisingly different. There are thick, white rubber rings on which a 3.5 inch drive will rest on. Both the larger and smaller 2.5 inch versions are attached to the tray with the use of the included screws.


Once in place, simply slide the trays back into the bay of your choice until they snap into place. Placing a 2.5 inch drive into the special, smaller bay is quite easy as well: just slide it in and use a single screw to pin it down. It reaches out quite far on the one side, but that does not cause any problems at all.


Installing the optical drive is straight forward as well. Just remove a drive bay cover, which requires a bit of force and push the drive into place. The lock will snap down unto the drive as soon as it is in position. The system employed in the P280 works surprisingly well, but you may still use traditional screws if you like.


Inserting the PSU within the chassis is nothing out of the ordinary as well. Simply use the case screws - that is it.


Once everything is installed, the chassis makes a great impression. Thanks to the holes in the mainboard tray, all cables can be routed extremely well. The large opening clears all obstacles and frees the CPU underside, while the 30 mm space can easily hold all cables - even if I do not invest any time in cleanliness.

Finished Looks

Once the side panels are back in place, the Antec P280 makes an excellent impression. The fans are extremely quiet even when using the high setting and the tiny blue LED looks quite stylish.


The installed ODD is easily accessible as well - partially thanks to the door, which can be tucked away so nicely. Even ejecting the drive in Windows with a closed door should not be an issue, as it will just be pushed open without damaging the drive or case in the process.


Taking a quick look at the assembled system from the rear, all the important aspects are easily accessible and where they should be.