To evaluate the thermal performance of the P150 we ran a loop of Futuremark's 3D Mark 2005 for 20 minutes before taking temperature readings at various locations. The ambient temperatures on the day was a balmy 29.5°C. We also ran the same tests, on the same day, against Antec's own P180 and a larger Akasa Eclipse 62.
This temperature was taken in front of the fan on the Arctic Cooler Freezer Pro 7 fitted to the CPU.
This temperature was taken from approximately 3cm from the back of the rear 120mm exhaust fan
This temperature was taken through the front panel of the chassis, in between the installed hard drives.
The P150 performed remarkably well in the thermal tests given its small dimensions. In some of the tests it even outperformed its bigger brother, the P180, though it suffered in some tests against our old, faithful Akasa Eclipse 62. The test of note here was the one relating to the CPU, with the P150 leading by a few degrees below the other chassis used in the comparison.
Verdict
The Antec P150 performs well, but the lack of removable motherboard tray and the sheer space restrictions its presents are disappointing. This is a case that would ideally suit someone who wants to builds a system and not tinker with it afterwards.
The P150 is a very good all-round package for system builders and OEMs. At the same time, if you're looking for a no-nonsense chassis, the P150 really should be on your shopping list.
Overall, a good effort, and given the package includes the latest series of Antec's popular PSUs, it gets our classic good value award.