The Extras

A 350 PSU is included with the Lanboy, and this is no generic PSU either. This is an Antec SmartBlue PSU, which will run you if purchased separately. It's a decent PSU, and for those of you into eye candy, it has LED lit fans, which will add a bit of flair to your rig.

Since the case is designed for LAN goers, it doesn't make sense to burden yourself carrying your PC around with both hands. Antec includes a nice carry strap to lace up your PC and carry it off with one hand. The rubber handle is quite comfortable, and the straps themselves are quite strong… on par with the GearGrips we've looked at in the past.

Cooling Performance

Abit NF7-M nForce 2: Athlon XP 2400+, Thermalright SLK-800 HSF, 2 x 256MB Corsair TWINX PC3200 Ram, MSI FX5200-VTD, 120GB Western Digital SE 8MB Cache, Windows XP SP1, nForce 2 Unified Driver Package 2.1, Detonator 43.45.

The comparison case we'll be using is the Cooler Master ATC201A. Currently, this case has proven to provide the best cooling performance out of the cases tested here thus far. A lot of it has to do with the number of fans, and the Air Guide. It's also a roomier case than the Lanboy, thus we were better able to stagger drives to promote airflow. Nevertheless, we taped off the Air Guide, and used 21CFM Panaflow fans in both cases.

The Cooler Master will be run with all four fans running, as well as only one intake fan, and one exhaust fan. The Lanboy will be run with both fan mounts occupied. Both cases will use the same Antec TrueControl 550W PSU, which has a couple more fans of its own.

As expected, cooling performance isn't quite up to the Cooler Master's level, but this was to be expected given it's both smaller, and supports fewer fans. Considering the components in our test rig, I was pretty satisfied with the performance… plus it's a bit lighter than the Cooler Master.

Final Words

Antec set out to manufacture a case that will be easy to carry around, and have the ability to install the latest hardware. The case is small, and lightweight, but it is relatively easy to work with. The case looks pretty sharp, though if you're looking for a drastic change from the typical "Antec look", you won't find it here.

In terms of functionality, the case has some nice touches, such as the swinging door to cover beige drives, front mounted USB, thumb screws, and a storage compartment for excess screws. The drive rails are extremely handy, and it's something I wish more manufacturers would use.

Cooling performance was adequate, though given the lack of space for fans, it's expected that it won't be as chilly as bigger cases with more fans. The included PSU will provide additional cooling though, and with the blue LEDs, it is certain to draw some attention at the local LAN parties, if your fragging skills do not.

Being made out of aluminum, the case is a breeze to carry (especially when using the included carry strap). The aluminum is thinner than that used by Cooler Master, and the Lanboy isn't something I'd put castors on and used as a ghetto-cart. Don't get me wrong… the construction is solid, but certainly not as strong as the larger aluminum cases are.

Problems that arose during testing were the optical drive installation in the lower bays, and the storage compartment issue with the GeForce FX. The optical drive issue is something that you can easily get around, though the storage compartment will require modification with some video cards. I also think that heat may be a concern with the hard drive considering there's no active cooling.

Portability and style are the keys here, and although there are some problems with the design, overall I think this is a great case. Complete with a nice power supply, aluminum construction, a case window and LAN carry strap, it can be found as low , which is quite a bargain when you consider the PSU is worth more than half of that.

Pros: Lightweight, and compact. Side window, PSU, and the LAN carry strap are nice additions.

Cons: Optical drive and storage compartment issues. No removable mobo tray.

Bottom Line: If you're a frequent LAN goer, this case is worth considering. If you just want a stylish, and compact box to centerpiece your office, this will also fit the bill. Just don't expect it to be that accommodating if you're trying to setup a SOHO server with a four disk RAID array.

Our European readers can get hooked up over by the great team over at .

If you got any comments, be sure to hit us up in our forums.

HOME