Antec NSK 4400

Synopsis:

1. Introduction
2. The frontage
3. Other panels
4. Interior
5. Food
6. Assembly
7. Performances
8. Assessment


1. Introduction

Left its top-of-the-range cases often succeeds like excellent P180, the success which Antec in France knows is also and especially related to its models of entree/milieu of range - as in any sector - to known via series SLK. These cases have indeed like principal quality to democratize part of the know-how of Antec on the level of the control of the sound harmful effects, in a case with the simple but pleasant look, without ornament, for an accessible price. One of the most obvious examples is the SLK 3700 BQE, called the "Sonata of poor" and which remains a reference as regards silence to this level of price , indeed integrating a SmartPower food of 350 W relatively discrete although unfortunately thermobabbited.

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3.5 years after its introduction, Antec decides however to replace it, and more generally the whole of the range SLK which becomes the NSK. We accomodate his smallest representative today being able to accept a mother chart standard ATX, the NSK 4400. A worthy successor?


2. The frontage

The NSK 4400 is characterized above all by a reduced size, Antec going until speaking about a mini-turn. The height reaches indeed only 42 cm, that is to say 1.5 cm to 2.2 cm less than the Centurions of Coolermaster , of size already contained. The door, which made the specificity of the SLK in version BQE (edition black and quiet), disappears unfortunately. The sign of a relaxation on the level of the control of the noise? Perhaps, but it should be noticed that this frontage does not present a large air intake in its lower part as it is usually the case.

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Composed of silver plated plastic of good quality, it rather strongly slices with the tradition of the entirely black linked frontages or money at Antec. Indeed, the masks of the readers, but also the buttons and the framework basic contrast with their major black color. The unit remains rather pleasant, but is much less sober than before.

The distribution of the masks outsides is rather unusual and anachronistic: only 3 external peripherals 5"1/4 can be installed, whereas 2 sites are present for those at the format 3"1/2, become quasi-non-existent. There will thus be necessary to remain wise on the number of readers, writters, racks 5"1/4 and other controllers of ventilators, although it is necessary well to keep at the head that the goal of this case is not to compete with the high models of standard range Stacker.

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This entered orientation of range is recognized on other levels on this frontage. Only two ports USB are present: the traditional audio connectors disappear, which is particularly rare although solving blow the thorny problem of their connection to the chart sound. Only the LED informing the state of the hard disk appears present above these ports; that testifying to the food of the configuration indeed surrounds the button of starting of a blue circle. More still than usually, that of restarting is particularly painful to activate, too end and requiring to be inserted too deeply to activate the interruption. Lastly, one notices all in bottom the square insert intended to receive the badge of the OEM assembling the PC (or that of Antec provides), but that one also finds on Sonata.

One will notice all the same a significant family tie with P180. This frontage comes out indeed from 1.6 cm of the true end before case, decorated via some false holes. In this thickness, one finds each side a series of oblong holes, acting only as air flow. Masked behind the frontage, they will transmit less noise than if they were directly present there.

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3.Other panels

The other panels of the NSK 4400 are out of 0,8 mm thickness steel (as the remainder of the frame), and painted in black. It is here about a flat, rather far away from the completion piano which one in particular finds on Sonata: this one almost does not preserve the print of the fingers.

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The panel of left, failing to have a handle, presents two grids in honeycomb: the first opposite the processor, and the second on the level of the cards. A airduct fixed on the first makes it possible to bring fresh air directly on the ventirad painted in black, it is perfectly identical to that present in Centurion 531 and is thus adjustable only in length (in addition to not holding once firmly lengthened).

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The panel of right-hand side presents only one fine grid in its low, useless part since one finds behind it only the long fixing plate (full) of the mother board.

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The panel postpones finally, lays out in a very conventional way the provided food, the grid for ventilator of 12 cm in honeycomb (from where one sees the extractor fan), and finally the connectors and masks NCV of the mother board. If no grid is present on the right of these masks NCV, one is on the other hand agreeably surprised to note the presence of screw with hand, with the reduced number of two (one on each side).

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Indeed, the means of reaching inside this case is enough atypical for a case of mark but much more frequent on the cases first price. It is indeed impossible to withdraw one of the side panels directly: their access passes by the unscrewing of the 2 screws, then the withdrawal of the higher panel (it slides backwards). Then only can one raise and remove the panel of left or right-hand side.

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4. Interior

The interior of this case remains entirely similar to that of the SLK 1650 . It is characterized by the presence from a true stage on the level from the food, and not just a simple support intended to support it on a side, but not making it possible to maintain it before to have screwed the food with the case, as on the Centurion. This stage is prolonged directly in the cage of peripherals 5"1/4. And on this one, is fixed the cage of the peripherals 3"1/2 by means of a screw. The whole of the cages thus forms only one block what makes it possible to ensure an excellent rigidity, even if on the plan practises one regrets obviously the individual plates for disk hard and their cage turned towards the panel of left ( Antec Sonata ).

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The cage receiving the two external peripherals 3"1/2 also makes it possible to fix, just below, the hard disks. Three can be installed; the difference characterizing their site comes from the presence of rubber eyelets (absent on the first 2 sites). It is about the old model of black eyelet: its capacity to absorb the vibrations is quite less than those of the new thick silicone eyelets than one finds in P180, but one should not lose of considering Antec remains the only one to integrate anti-noise devices of this type in cases of this range. Note that it is of course possible to install 2 additional discs if the 2 external sites remain unoccupied; they will simply not profit from eyelets.

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All in bottom of the front frontage, is a cage for ventilator of 8 cm (not provided), which are withdrawn easily by means of a lever. Although it is located in front of a nonrestrictive grid in honeycomb (but half blocked by an internal reinforcement of the frontage), his size will be regretted it would have been possible to place here a site for ventilator 9.2 cm in diameter, having a better refroidissement/bruit report/ratio. Another concern while being at this level, this site makes impossible any direct ventilation of the disks hard, which is more awkward.

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Good surprise on the other hand with the back the ventilator present on the site of 12 cm is not other than excel it Tricool, that one even as one finds in P180. Dote with a Molex catch and a switch with 3 positions, here for recall his characteristics official:

1200 rpm: 39 cfm/25 dBa
1600 rpm: 56 cfm/28 dBa
2200 rpm: 79 cfm/30 dBa
What to adapt ventilation to its configuration and its waitings, but at least the amateurs of silence were not forgotten here either.

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To note finally that masks NCV are less problematic than it what we expect they are declipsent indeed easily and can be perfectly positioned back, it is thus rather clean on this side.

5. Food

Replacing SmartPower 350 W, the food included in this NSK 4400 is located in the medium of range at Antec, and is not to compare with TruePower. From a combined power of 380 W maximum (336 W for 12 V only and 130 W for 3.3 V and 5 V), it separates two rails 12 V from 16 A each one, safety requirement obliges. Antec puts particularly ahead its output in spite of its active circuit of correction of factor PFC (consuming more than one simple passive module).

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Its cooling is ensured by only one ventilator of 8 cm in extraction, simply placed in front of a true nonrestrictive grid. On the level of the connectors, one notes the presence of a connector ATX 24 pins (separable in 20 pins) not sheathed but bound, connector ATX 12 V (4 pins), of 6 catches molex, a catch FDD, 2 catches S-ATA and a connector PCI-Express train (6 pins). That is to say slightly better than Raptoxx 550 W for example!

Thermobabbited, this food however remained really very discrete during our tests, its noise being in all the cases covered by that of Tricool even in position minimum, which is however rather discrete. It is thus a success from this point of view, even if it remains to see held of this ventilator over the duration.

We also could evaluate this food by comparison with Tagan U15 530 W output, it is indeed better on the beach of consumption of our configuration, rather modest Tagan consumes 170 against W in idle 158 W for the food of the NSK 4400 one thus passes from an output of approximately 74 % to approximately 80 %, hardly lower thus than that of excellent Seasonic 500 W !

Side tensions finally, us measured a weaker variation on 12 V at the time of the passage of the idle to the full load on the NSK 4400 ( 11.86 V - > 11.82 V ) that on Tagan 530 W ( 11.84 V - > 11.77 V ). It is still very satisfactory there for the near total of the configurations thus, even overclockers.

6. Assembly

Without surprise, the phase of assembly is not complicated, but much longer than in a Centurion: the immutable weak point with the Antec cases is precisely the strong point of the majority of the Coolermaster cases and certain Thermaltake cases. It is about the slowness of assembly and update of the configuration, as well as perpetual recourse to the screws, no fast attachment unit nor no screw with hand being present within the case.


After the screwing of the spacers at the bottom of the case, the installation of the mother chart then screws on the spacers, the second stage consists in connecting the connectors of the case on the pines of the mother chart. A mini announcer quite present, is wedged in the front frontage, and ports USB are well gathered in only one block with locating pin.

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The installation of the external peripherals requires the disassembling of the front frontage; fortunately this one is very simple and is summarized with the rising of 8 ergos out of plastic (two on each side), relatively easy of access - except those located below the case. This frontage lets appear metal masks like always rather painful removing, although the first mask of each type of site is withdrawn beforehand. It is besides at this time that attention will have to be paid not to be cut, the metal edges of this frontage being slightly cutting. The masks in figure of the frontage are for their part much easier to withdraw, since they are simply clipsés and can recover. The peripherals fit by the front one, once the given frontage. They should then be screwed each side, in way one cannot more traditional, after however having adjusted their frontage with that of the case.

The same operation is to be realized for the hard disks, which them fit via the interior of the case. Their installation constitutes however the most painful moment of the assembly, at least for those not having a sufficiently long Phillips screwdriver: the screwing of the discs on the right-hand side is made difficult by the presence of the fixing plate of the mother chart, which extends almost on all the panel. Although it is bored of two openings making it possible to slip the head of a screwdriver, still it is necessary that this one rather long and is magnetized under penalty of losing a few minutes there and of patience.

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The food being already installed, it does not remain any more that to connect it to the various components (the advantage being that the length of the cables is adjusted with dimensions of the case and just sufficient), and to connect the cables of data.

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7. Performances

vThe configuration of test remains identical to that of Ammo 533. In spite of that, we have it of course increase in this case in order to allow a direct and reliable confrontation between these two cases. That also enables us to be able to compare the phase of assembly, more clearly to highlight the differences, etc.

Athlon 64 3800+ Venice
Thermaltake Sonic Tower + Papst 4412 F/2GL
2 X 512 Mo GDR Corsair
Asus A8n-sli Premium
GeForce 7800 GTX
WD Raptor 74 Go
Lite Engraver One 32x12x40x

The protocol of test remains also identical, with the simultaneous execution of IOMeter in chance accesses mode, VillageMark and Burn K7 during 60 minutes. We applied it 3 times to the NSK 4400 (1 time for each number of revolutions offered by the ventilator), and once at Ammo 533. In this last, we re-used the food provided in the NSK4400 in order to have a direct comparison (Ammo 533 is provided without food). The noise is evaluated using a sonometer Voltcraft 320 placed 10 cm in front of the case.

The 3 possible number of revolutions of Tricool of the NSK 4400 thus allows a good beach of variation, whether it is in term of silence or temperature: the noise at rest varies up to 6,5 dBa, the temperatures of approximately 4°C. the food remaining quiet, only the Tricool ventilator is made hear, and in low position, the NSK 4400 proves to be a particularly discrete case. A true good surprise on this level of price, food not coming to waste all the table.

If one now compares the Antec case with Ammo 533 (internal frame identical to the Centurion for recall), one realizes that the case of Coolermaster is rather close to the NSK 4400 with its ventilator at least, side temperatures. The graphics board is even much hotter (not extractor fan in this case); on the other hand the hard disk is maintained at a lower temperature of 11°C: it is indeed cooled actively by a ventilator of 12 cm to the front one, whereas that is impossible in the NSK 4400. On the other hand, side noise the comparison is unambiguous: Ammo 533 is 3,3 dBa (in load) with 4,6 dBa (at rest) noisier! In practice, the principal difference comes from the hard disk, the noisy vibrations of our Raptor 74 Go being deadened well better via the rubber eyelets of the NSK, largely less ventilated in addition.

8. Assessment


With final, this NSK 4400 is a good surprise. Not so economic that that a priori with its price which is announced with 75-80 €, it is it in practice since one takes into account the presence of a food. A model which has us agreeably surprised besides, equipped with a power and largely sufficient connectors, but especially with a good output and a real discretion. Knowing that an economic equivalent in the same way gauges, like Tagan 330 W of first generation, will not be negotiated below 40 € , unless having precise requirements the traditional association of the case and feed remains more relevant in this range of price, especially for a manufacturer controlling these 2 fields as much that Antec.


The frontage of the NSK 4400 is simpler and does not present a door, it thus brings a real change compared to the cases SLK which it replaces, although personally we preferred the design of the model 3700 BQE for example. Except that the case which the NSK 4400 really replaces is the SLK 1650 , equipped with a lower price and yet with the same internal frame! If this NSK 4400 manages without problem to be placed in front of Coolermaster Centurion (references in entry of range) on the level of the refroidissement/silence report/ratio, it thus remains in withdrawal of the point of seen facility of installation and design, and its larger competitors thus remain the current SLK.

Thats A Nice One

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