Antec sells the NX260, an airy mesh case with three ARGB fans. The tower is exciting because of its price: It costs around 54 euros and is thus far below most brightly colored cases with a large number of fans.
For the money, Antec delivers a conservatively cut Chassis. Saving measures compared to more expensive towers are appropriate for the class. The most visible is the shortened side window, which does not extend to the lower part of the NX260. Instead, the power supply shroud becomes part of the side part.
Antec also saves material when mounting hard drives. There are no separate brackets with tool-free fastening in the housing. Two 2.5 “HDDs are screwed directly to the mainboard tray. In front of the power supply is an HDD bracket with a 3.5 “slot and the option of adding another drive to the top. In order to use it, it must be removed from the housing and the drive installed in it removed – an emergency solution. This does not affect functionality, but it does affect convenience.
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Antec NX260 (Image: Antec)
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Antec NX260 
Antec NX260 
Antec NX260 
Antec NX260 If the HDD bracket is used, power supplies with a length of 185 millimeters fit into the housing. Coolers can be installed up to a height of 160 millimeters, graphics cards up to a length of 310 millimeters. Both are sufficient for common products and may only lead to incompatibilities in the high-end area.
The ventilation is provided by three ARGB fans in the front. Colors can be selected via an “LED control button”, but Antec does not provide any information on the controller behind it and the compatibility with mainboard controls. Additional fans can be retrofitted in the rear, under the cover and on the power supply shroud.
Manageable competition
For the same price there are cases like the Phanteks P300A, which is supplied with fewer and non-illuminated fans. Rather, direct competitors are the Sharkoon VG7-W RGB and the BitFenix Nova Mesh SE, which has four fans. The Cooler Master MasterBox MB311L and the Corsair iCue 220T also complete the field of competitors with a mesh front, ARGB fans and a similar price.
Antec NX260 Antec NX260 ✔BitFenix Nova Mesh SE TG (Window) ✔Corsair 220T RGB AirflowPhanteks Eclipse P300ASharkoon VG7-W RGB (RGB) BitFenix Nova Mesh SE TG (Window) Antec NX260 ✔BitFenix Nova Mesh SE TG (Window) ✔Corsair 220T RGB AirflowPhanteks Eclipse P300ASharkoon VG7-W RGB (RGB) mainboard format: ATX, Micro-ATX chassis (L × W × H): 379 × 215 × 448 mm (36.51 liters) and side window 380 × 211 × 450 mm (36.08 liters)
Side window Material: plastic, steel, glass plastic, steel Net weight: 4.30 kg 4.90 kg I/O ports: 1 × USB 3.0 (USB 3.2 Gen 1), 2 × USB 2.0, HD audio, RGB lighting 2 × USB 3.0 (USB 3.2 Gen 1), HD audio, RGB lighting Inserts: 1 × 3.5 & quot;/2.5 & quot; (internal)
1 × 3.5 & quot; (internal)
2 × 2.5 & quot; (internal) Extension slots: 7 fans: front: 2 × 140 mm or 3 × 120 mm (3 × 120 mm included)
rear: 1 × 120 mm (optional)
lid: 2 × 120 mm (optional)
interior: 2 × 120 mm (optional) front: 2 × 140 mm or 3 × 120 mm (3 × 120 mm included)
rear: 1 × 120 mm (1 × 120 mm included)
lid : 2 × 120 mm (optional) Dust filter: cover, power supply cover, front, power supply Compatibility: CPU cooler: 160 mm
GPU: 310 mm
power supply: 310 mm CPU cooler: 160 mm
GPU : 315 mm
Power supply: 200 mm Price: from 53 € from 60 €