A Closer Look - Outside

The design of the APNX V1-W is quite interesting as it slices the left corner of the case to create a 45° angled surface to mount fans on. This design offers a compromise between cooling and the dual-glass design. While this is pretty rare, it is not the first chassis we have seen that is shaped this way. The glass panels lack any tint completely, which is a positive aspect. The white framing makes it easy to ignore the gap, but APNX also slices the edges at 45°, so the seam is very clean from all angles.


As we got the APNX V1-W for review, you get a wood accent in front of the angled fan intake area. The use of the material is becoming more and more common and looks quite spiffy on the V1-W, especially as each strip also sports the unique aspects of the natural wood. You may pull the whole part off to reveal a removable fan or AIO mounting frame. APNX has also included a white removable dust filter. It is nice to see that color detail matching the rest of the case, but the foam strips used on both the top and front panels still add a bit of a black contrast to everything. Luckily that is pretty consistent when considering the case also uses black wiring, screws and motherboard offsets.


Looking at the rear, the V1-W offers the usual layout of a dual-chamber chassis with the PSU and storage on the left, behind the motherboard tray. That said, the chassis still has a lot of unique details.


Thanks to the completely clear glass, it almost looks like there is no material employed. This naturally means that you can see all your hardware within clearly. On the opposite side, the metal cover has a fine perforation to allow your PSU access to fresh air.


Taking a closer look at the back, you will notice that the vent sports a unique design with one corner cut off at a 45° angle, which is in line with the case shape. There are seven expansion slots with individual, reusable covers. This opening is bridgeless, so you use vertical GPU brackets inside the V1-W. APNX also offers such a holder kit as an accessory which you may purchase separately. At the top, there is one set of mounting holes for a 120 mm fan or AIO. Thanks to the elongated holes, you should be able to perfectly align any cooling unit with your internal system setup. There is a ton of room above this, which should translate well into plenty of clearance for things like liquid cooling in the ceiling.


The PSU bay is pretty simple, with one set of mounting holes so that your unit will always pull air in from the exterior through the vented side panel. APNX also includes a branded bracket which is mounted at the very top of the case. One of the APNX V1-W's unique selling points is the fact that it has two positions for your motherboard, so that you may opt to have more space in the ceiling or the floor. This bracket closes that gap and can be secured at the top of the motherboard backplate cutout or at the bottom.


At the top, you will find a metal panel with a vent design to fit the case overall. This looks nice, but is also a little bit restrictive than traditional mesh for example. You may pull it off to reveal a mounting frame for two 140 or three 120 mm fans. Alternatively, it can also hold a radiator of up to 360 mm in size. A small cable routing hole in the center of the case next to the bracket will ensure that you easily and cleanly route any wiring from this part of the system to the backside of the motherboard tray.


The IO of the APNX V1-W is centered right above the angled portion of the chassis, being as symmetrical as possible. It consists of an audio combo and USB-C port on the ends and the two USB 3.0 Type-A ports towards the center. In that middle there is a power button and its LED. APNX also includes a smaller button above that center, which is exclusively intended for LED lighting should you use a separate controller.


Tipping the APNX V1-W over, you can see that there is an L-shaped stand as well as a smaller portion in the front to lift the case off the surface. A filter across the entire motherboard section protects the floor from dust and may easily be removed by pulling it out of the side of the case. This is the best possible design for something like this and the fact that the entire mesh and its frame is white to match the rest of the chassis really comes into play well here.