Antec Overture 2 ATX Desktop Case

Reviews: Cases

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Kurtis Kronk
Brian
Antec
Nov. 10, 2005

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Conclusion

I've really got to hand it to Antec. Year after year, they've remained one of my favorite chassis manufacturers. Not only are there designs beautiful and original, but they are also of great quality and remain user-friendly.

This is the first time that I have reviewed a sub mid-tower case, and I'm glad for that, because it's a great example of what a case like this should be. Antec's original Overture was very similar, with one of the major improvements in the Overture II being the improved cooling. With a large opening directly above the CPU and video card, you won't have to worry about your critical components overheating.

The only real gripe I have about the case is that the power supply fan is much louder than all of the other case fans. Were it not for this fan, my system would have been whisper quiet. As I mentioned earlier, however, I'm going to see if I can get a replacement PSU for the case to see if it is normal or an issue with the one I have specifically. Aside from that, it would have been nice to have more toolless features, but as I mentioned earlier, this probably isn't the sort of case you want to tool around in often anyhow.

All in all, this is an excellent case that is sure to impress whether you intend to use it in an office or at home. If you're looking for a case that you can put on top of your desk, this case would be an excellent choice. Just make sure that you look at the specifications for the dimensions of the case to confirm that you have enough room, because this case is the equivalent of a mid-tower case sitting flat on your desk, cut to one half its usual height so it's by no means a small form factor PC. I'd also like to note that I wouldn't recommend it as an HTPC case because of the PSU fan noise, but it isn't marketed as such anyways.

Pros

Beautiful
Great airflow and cooling
Quality-built
Enough room to build a very powerful PC

Cons

A little cramped
Loud PSU fan
PCI slot covers cut me, ouch!

Update: 11/08/05

When I originally reviewed the Overture 2, one of my complaints was of an unusually noisy power supply fan. I thought this was an important point to note in my review in part because this is the sort of case people consider for an HTPC enclosure. Since the review went up I have received several emails from readers reporting the same problem, and a couple of emails from readers suggesting a simple fix. Here are some excerpts from some of the emails I received:

I wish I had read [your review] earlier as I bought that case and have experienced the same problem with an overly loud power supply fan. Have you succeeded in getting a replacement [PSU] and/or have you determined that the excessive noise is "normal?" I contacted Antec about the noise level of my Overture II case and received a very patronizing reply advising me that this is a "quiet" case and fans are necessary to remove heat! - E. Antkowiak (9/20/05)

I contacted ANTEC support about the PSU and got this reply: "Comment: We assume that you are connecting the 3pin connector of the power supply into the motherboard. Doing so will cause the internal fan of the power supply to spin at a high RPM. Please don't make the connection. It is not an essential connection to make since it's sole purpose is just to monitor the speed. Please give us a feedback so that we can further assist you. Best regards." Now it's true I'd connected the PSU lead to the motherboard and disconnecting it certainly made the PSU far quieter. - Bill (9/21/05)

I was noticing in your review of the case the problem with the loud fan on the PSU. I have the same problem and was wondering if Antec had resolved this yet. - Preston (9/26/05)

I also bought a Overture I packaged Overture II. The UPC code on the box says Overture II as well as the documentation. It also has a very loud PSU fan, just as loud as my old clunker. Antec does market this as an HTPC box and that's why I bought it, for a quiet living room experience. It's supposed to be compatible with AMD Cool'n Quiet but the ASUS probe monitoring software I have always shows the PSU fan at about 2400 rpm. I have all the Cool'n Quiet features enabled and driver installed and it doesn't seem to do anything. - Lorne (10/15/05)

Yesterday I installed my system in the new case and everything went fine. - Wim (11/8/05)

While I was waiting to receive a replacement power supply, I decided to ask Antec a few questions to clear some things up. The following emails are between myself and Antec's PR firm:

ME: The review is complete and I'm about to post it, however I need to ask you to get me a replacement PSU for the Overture 2 (the same exact PSU that is in the case, including the DC-In extension) because I am fairly certain that mine has a damaged sensor or something. I have heard Antec's quiet PSUs before, and this one is quite loud at all times as if it is at load. Please let me know if this can be done so I can update the review later with more info about the PSU.

Antec's PR: Just wanted to let you know that I'm going to check in with Antec regarding sending you the replacement PSU.

ME: I received the Overture 2 replacement PSU. I've got a couple of questions for you though!

What precisely is different about the replacement PSU compared to the one I got for review?
Was the PSU that I was sent specially packaged for the purpose of my testing, or is this exactly what is shipping now in all Antec Overture 2 cases? (and if it is shipping now, when did the production error get corrected?)
How many cases does Antec estimate were affected by this PSU problem?
What will Antec do to ensure that customers with faulty PSUs will get a replacement? At the very least, will they make sure their tech support team knows to tell people about the work-around I note below?

The reason I'm asking all these questions is that I was very surprised when I got emailed by numerous people who reported the same problem with the unusually noisy power supply fan. I was initially told that it was just the first batch, but I'm starting to think that I was misled, and this problem wasn't caught until I brought it up - and I'm not entirely sure it has been rectified. While this may not seem like such a big deal! wow, a noisy power supply fan! you must consider that the customers purchasing this case are doing so because they know Antec makes great looking and well-built near-silent cases. A couple of the people who emailed me had intended to use the case for an HTPC case in their living room, but were shocked at how loud it was once they had everything setup. As a last resort they emailed me for help and advice on what to do.

All that said, apparently there is a little work-around! Unplugging the 3-pin cable trailing from the PSU from the motherboard results in fan speed dropping to normal RPMs, as reported by one of our readers, and confirmed by another (I had sent my PSU back already). Still, I would sincerely hope that Antec would take a little more care in the quality check process to make sure such things don't happen.

If you could do a little poking and prodding at the people at Antec and get some answers to my questions I would really appreciate it. Thanks again.

Antec's PR: I've copied Antec's answers to your questions below. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

Antec's Answer: "We have received some complaints about Overture II not being quiet. Upon investigation these usually turn out to be related to the tachometer (fan speed connector) issue TheTechLounge is asking about. Disconnecting the tachometer reduces the power supply fan speed to its normal range and quiets the case, and yes, our Customer Support people know to tell people about this simple fix. This issue is not a problem for cases manufactured after June 2005."

In the end, I did receive a replacement power supply, and it did solve the problem. At first I wasn't sure if the replacement was just hand picked or if all the new cases had the same power supply, but upon receiving W. Pollet's e-mail, it appears that the newly manufactured cases do not have this problem. If you got one of the cases from Antec's first batch, I would advise you to simply unplug the 3-pin connector trailing from the power supply to solve the noisy fan problem - it won't affect anything except for your ability to monitor the fan's RPM.

I'd like to close with a word about Antec's technical support - it would seem that sometimes you will get good help and other times you won't. One of the reader's that emailed me reported that he got a helpful response whereas another said he was patronized by their techs, saying of course there is noise, fans are there to remove heat. I don't particularly like hearing stories about bad tech support, especially when it's from a reputable company such as Antec. I would suggest that Antec try to do a better job at keeping all of the techs informed of potential problems with their products so that they can be more sensitive to the customers' needs.

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Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: First Impressions / Opening the Case
Page 3: Inside the Case
Page 4: Quality Check
Page 5: Conclusion / Update

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18 User Comments

1 - Posted by Rich on August 24, 2005 - 2:08 pm

Antec makes some great cases. I have been a fan of their Minuet series for basic PC builds. It has the same good styling as the overture but it is a half-height case which limits components significantly.

2 - Posted by Kurtis on August 24, 2005 - 2:32 pm

this is a half-height case... and it didn't really limit the components that much, aside from the # of HDDs you can have. i could see running an SLI system in this case with ease.

3 - Posted by Rich on August 24, 2005 - 5:18 pm

I meant you could only use half-height PCI/AGP cards in the minuet. It is very thin

Minuet
3.8"(H) x 16.8"(D) x 12.75"(W)

Overture II
5.25"(H) x 17"(W) x 19.25"(D)

The minuet only supports microATX boards while the overture supports both ATX and microATX. I think the overture is the much more functional of the two unless you have no upgrade plans.

4 - Posted by Kurtis on August 24, 2005 - 5:54 pm

hm... that is thin. lol

come to think of it i have built a system in a minuet before and it is much more cramped.

5 - Posted by mike on August 24, 2005 - 7:18 pm

i have a minuet as well. get a lot of comments on it.

6 - Posted by Rich on August 25, 2005 - 7:25 am

Antec's paint finishes are some of the nicest I have seen, especially for the price they charge.

7 - Posted by handrail on August 25, 2005 - 8:24 am

werd. antec's cases rock. i love my SLK3700AMB.

8 - Posted by Guest on September 8, 2005 - 7:12 pm

how did the replacement PSU go with the noise problem

I have requested a replacement PSU so I can see if there is a problem with mine or if this is normal. I'll update the review later regarding this issue if I do receive a replacement.

9 - Posted by Guest on September 19, 2005 - 4:27 pm

My Overture 2 came in an Overture 1 box (reference to a 380W PSU on the box art) and it's really noisy. I'm wondering if it was one of the first batch, though I only bought it about a week ago. I was thinking of replacing the fan but dismantling it all would be kind of demoralising.

10 - Posted by Solburn on October 26, 2005 - 8:54 am

I bought the case last week. I'll be using it for HTPC because its a very nice looking Desktop with full pci slots, enough room for a Zalman 7700 and its fits pretty nicely by Audio cases but does not cost a fortune.

My PSU fan doesn't sound loudly at all. I connected the PSU fan connector on my motherboard, so the speed maybe controlled by the motherboard?. But on the otherside i hear a very annoying buzz out of the PSU it self. Its not loud but for a HTPC is pretty annoying. Does anybody else have this problem? Or cant you hear it over the loud PSU Fan? ;-)

11 - Posted by Kurtis on October 26, 2005 - 12:36 pm

This from Antec:

"We have received some complaints about Overture II not being quiet. Upon investigation these usually turn out to be related to the tachometer (fan speed connector) issue the Tech Lounge is asking about. Disconnecting the tachometer reduces the power supply fan speed to its normal range and quiets the case, and yes, our Customer Support people know to tell people about this simple fix. This issue is not a problem for cases manufactured after June 2005."

You apparently received one which was manufactured after June '05. You're sure the buzz is not the sound of the fan? Try unplugging the 3-pin connector trailing from the PSU and see if the noise persists and let me know what the outcome is.

You don't need that 3-pin connection plugged in, all it does is let you monitor the RPM of the PSU's fan with your BIOS or software.

12 - Posted by Kurtis on November 11, 2005 - 1:33 am

This articles has been updated with new information about the replacement power supply sent by Antec to replace the faulty unit that shipped with the original review sample which caused excessive noise.

13 - Posted by pgotera on November 28, 2005 - 4:13 pm

I have the case Overture 2, and the fan of the power supply is noisy. I read the article, i send one message to Antec,explaining the problem. I am to the delay of the answer.

I have disconnected the cable of the fan of the motherboard but it has increased the temperature. I have had to return to connect the fan to motherboard.

14 - Posted by Kurtis on November 28, 2005 - 5:24 pm

It increase the temperature because it is no longer spinning at full speed - you can't have both low temperatures and silence with air cooling, at least not in this specific situation. If you unplug the cable, as long as the fan is still spinning, the temperatures won't be a problem.

15 - Posted by pgotera on November 29, 2005 - 12:43 am

The problem is that the fan no spin, when disconnecting the cable. All the night been has disconnected, and the temperature has raised the 60 centigrados degrees.:-(
I am scared to fuse the power supply.

16 - Posted by Kurtis on November 29, 2005 - 1:37 pm

the fan shouldn't completely stop spinning - did you actually look to verify that it stopped spinning, or are you assuming it stopped because you can't hear it?

if it actually STOPPED spinning, you need to get in touch with antec to get a replacement PSU.

17 - Posted by Dyrewolph on November 30, 2005 - 3:08 am

which cable are you unplugging?

18 - Posted by Jimbo on December 31, 2005 - 7:31 am

Searching for help on noisy Overture II.
Had already exchanged PSU, similar packaging and PSU confusion (Overture I), to the review.
Just emailed Antec Techsupport for advice, found this review, will try the solution.
Thanks for the help

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