Phanteks Enthoo 719 (aka Luxe 2) review - Final Words & Conclusion

Final Words & Conclusion

It’s time for the conclusion. The Phanteks Enthoo 719 is a nice full-tower chassis. It doesn’t come with any fans included, but this shouldn’t be an issue for the typical user of this case (they would get whatever they really prefer instead of the OEMs anyway). This version has RGB lighting, which can be managed via the motherboard, or the buttons on the front I/O panel. You get a huge tempered glass panel (sitting on two solid hinges and secured with magnets), so you can see the internals of your build. In the right-side panel, which is made of aluminum, there is a small “window” to showcase up to three of your SSDs, if you choose to install them below the cut-out at the back of the motherboard tray. The right-side panel is secured with thumbscrews. The internal layout is mostly typical, although there’s one big feature there that deserves a mention – you can install an additional ITX system on the bottom of the chassis (there’s room for two PSUs and two system adapters for that). The build quality is great. The case is available in two colour variants, and we really liked the grey one, as it’s something a little bit different than the ubiquitous “Ford-T” colour scheme.

Features

You get no fans here, it's a very 'economic way' for a manufacturer to save on money, but if you want RGB fans, you's quickly pay 20 bucks a pop additionally over this chassis purchase. The included RGB strips are easily controlled with the buttons on the front I/O panel, or you can set things up via motherboard software. You can install the GPU vertically (3 slots), so that’s a nice feature. There’s enough space for radiators measuring up to 480 mm at the front/side, 360 mm at the top/bottom, and 140 mm at the back. The case easily fits 503 mm long GPUs, 195 mm tall CPU coolers, and very long PSUs (200 mm is realistic). This is more than enough even for a non-standard build. The I/O panel has a set of four USB 3.0 ports, one USB 3.1 Type-C port, audio jacks, and a power button + two LED controls + a reset button. It’s good that you’re not forced to use the 3.5” drive bays (they’re not installed by default) but if you want to, you can put in up to twelve 3.5” drives. There is also the option to use the GPU Anti-Sag bracket (it’s included) and also to install the GPU vertically. Last, but not least you also get a fan hub here.

Aesthetics

Looks are always a subjective matter. The design of the new ENTHOO 719 is modern, but not flashy. You get two tempered glass panels here, one of which is placed at the left side of the case (it’s a big one, mounted on two hinges) so you can show off your gear. The other one (on the right side) is a small window, which lets you showcase your SSDs if you installed any there (for example, the TeamGroup T-Force Delta SSD would look good if it was possible to install it there – which is not the case). The grey colour looks great, and there is nothing to complain about here.

 The Verdict

The Phanteks Enthoo 719 is a great full-tower chassis. You get RGB lighting here (with control buttons on the front I/O), but on the other hand, no fans are included so that means spending more dough on top of the hefty 189 EUR/USD price tag. This is intentional, though, as system builders usually prefer to use what they really like, instead of what the case manufacturer gives them. The 719 has excellent airflow characteristics due to the very large gap that runs along the edge of the panels all the way from the bottom front, to the top rear, still, it mainly depends on the configuration you use. When we installed a 280 mm LCS and a 140 mm fan at the back,  it was really, really good, both in terms of performance and noise. You can install up to twelve 3.5” drives inside if you want to (but you’ll lose some of the liquid cooling capacity in the process). The case is equipped with fan filters, so it shouldn’t be a dust magnet inside. The maximum motherboard form factor that you can use is E-ATX, and you can install up to double 480 and double 360 + 140 mm water cooling radiators, and a 195 mm air cooler. That leaves nothing to be desired. PSU space is great. It’s comfortable enough even for units up to 200 mm in length. You can use the included GPU Anti-Sag bracket and also install the GPU vertically (a riser needs to be bought separately). There's a fan hub available to use. The build quality is very good, so nothing to complain about in this department. As for the price, it’s not cheap, as it’s €189.90 / £169.99 (remember: no fans included). It’s a great, maybe even fantastic chassis overall, and that’s why we’re giving it the Top Pick award. Keep in mind that this case is going to be overkill for the average user.

In closing let’s talk about some things that could be corrected. A removable bracket for the PSU that is installed at the back would be nice. Apart from that, a different SSD installation system would come in handy - the current solution won’t let you use drives that only have mounting holes on the back (like the TeamGroup T-Force Delta SSD), because the Enthoo 719 forces you to mount your drives using the side holes.

• Sign up to receive a notification when we publish a new article
• Or go back to Guru3D's front page