Review The way we all see our PCs has changed over the last three years. It's not all just the performance inside that matters, it's also about what's on the outside. The change in the chassis manufacturers' portfolios has seen the introduction of HTPC case as well as the newer generation BTX format...

So what does that mean for the consumer? Basically, the introduction of these new formats has brought to the forefront factors that were previously considered secondary: thermal and acoustic properties.

Antec introduced the P160 chassis at the very end of 2003 and followed it up with its larger brother, the P180, which was specifically designed for thermal and acoustic excellence. Now it's the turn of the dedicated quiet case. The Antec P150 Performance One chassis has appeared on the market with a RRP price around £100, but for that you do get a high-end chassis with a quality PSU, so let's take a look at just how good it is.

Following in the footsteps of many Apple clones before it, the P150 features a brushed aluminium and white colour scheme, but unlike a lot of the clones that have come from the Far East, the P150 is very well-executed, featuring high-quality plastics and a clever design.

It features the usual suspects on the front panel: two USB, one FireWire400, microphone and speaker ports. The power button incorporates the power light indicator on the front, while the HDD activity light is located on the other side of the front panel.

Unclipping the front panel allows the swing-out front to reveal access to the four 5.25in bays. The P150 comes with two pre-fitted drive covers in the top 5.25in bays. There's no separate 3.5in bay, but a 3.5in device can be embedded in the lowest 5.25in bay.

Around the back of the P150 we find the usual ATX layout configuration with a single 120mm fan mount. However, neither the PSU nor motherboard can be removed through the back of the case.

The paint finish on the outside of the P150 is of a very high quality, featuring a mirror finish which is very well-matched to the high-quality plastics on the front panel.