Antec NSK6500 Mid Tower Review

Specifications:

     With the side off, we get our first look inside the NSK6500.  As you can see here, the layout is pretty standard with the exception of the internal 3.5" drive bays.  With a total of four 5.25 bays (including the convertible slot) and 5 3.5" bays  the NSK should handle most common builds.  The chassis is build from steel and has a nice solid feel to it.  Thanks to the smaller size the weight is kept a manageable 30 pounds with the power supply on board.  Unlike many of the Antec cases we have reviewed, this case makes no effort to provide a tool-less install.

     The inside view of the door reveals the 80 mm mount is actually used by an adjustable shroud.  Using a shroud can isolate the CPU exhaust and channel the heat out using the fan found on most CPU coolers.  This shroud can easily be removed and replaced with a standard 80 mm fan.

     The back of the case is dominated by the TriCool 120 mm fan.  These fans are named for the three position speed control allowing for manual adjustments to the speed depending on the need.   This picture also shows the back view of the plate.  To remove the back plate and replace it, you will need to remove two screws holding it in place just below the fan.  I am not sure why Antec went with this odd system in the NSK6500.

     Looking towards the front gives a clearer picture of the drive bay structure.  The 3.5" bays can be removed by removing the two thumbscrews shown here.  The drive cage slides out on a set of rails that hold things firmly in place.

     With the bays removed, you can see the mounting locations for two optional 92 mm fans to cool the drives and increase air circulation within the case.  Antec has also provided more than enough length in the cabling for the front ports to reach every location on your motherboard.  I am also impressed with Antec's attempt to manage the front cables by bringing them down and around the drive bay enclosure.

With the 3.5" drive bay out of the case, we can take a closer look at the drive mounting system.

     Antec has been using this drive mounting solution successfully in many of their new case designs.  each tray slides out of the rack and allows for a single drive to be mounted on a set of rubber grommets.  These grommets cushion the drive and eliminate most drive vibration.  Drive vibration is a common cause of ambient noise in most installs, especially with today's high speed drives.