BitFenix Pandora ATX Review
Category : Cases
Published by Luca Rocchi on 02.02.16
Pandora ATX is the name of BitFenix's latest compact and elegant ATX case. Despite it's rather small dimensions it's possible to build a high-end product based on this enclosure. Apart from that there are quite a few interesting features and there is even a version with integrated LCD display. Compared to the older version, which was only compatible with mATX motherboards, this model also supports custom watercooling setup and even 360mm radiators.
Rating |
| |
Cooling |
Features |
Layout |
Build Quality |
Value for Money |
| Pros |
+ Compatibility with watercooling gear
+ Numerous spots for
fans |
+ Dust filters
+ BitFenix ICON Display |
+ Interior
space |
+ Good build quality |
+ Solid bundle |
| Cons |
- Front dust filter not easy to remove |
|
- Locking mechanism side panels |
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Preview
Specifications
| Model: |
Pandora ATX |
Pandora mATX |
| Case Type: |
Mid tower |
Mid tower |
| Dimensions: |
203 mm (W) x 510 mm (H) x 508 mm (D) |
160 mm (W) x 420 mm (H) x 465 mm (D), 9.9 Kg |
| Material: |
Steel |
Aluminum, Steel |
| Color: |
Black |
Black |
| Drive Bay: |
5.25": |
0 |
0 |
| 3.5": |
3 |
2 |
| 2.5": |
4 |
3 |
| Expansion
slots: |
7 |
5 |
| Form factors: |
ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX |
mATX, Mini-ITX |
| Cooling: |
Front: |
3x 120mm / 2x 140mm (1x 140mm included) |
2x 120mm (1x 120mm included) |
| Rear: |
1x 120mm (included) |
/ |
| Top: |
3x 120mm / 2x 140mm |
1x 120mm (included) |
| Link to the product: |
Bitfenix Pandora |
Bitfenix Pandora |
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Features
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Product overview
Overview |
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| The BitFenix Pandora ATX is a mid-tower case, which offers space for ATX motherboard and custom water cooling gear. Looking at the surfaces, we see that there are different materials being used. The entire upper part features a black mesh with a quick pressure release system that allows for easy access to the top of the case. The side panels are made of solid steel that goes well with the rounded shape. The left side panel also features a large plexiglass window, if you decide for the windowed version, of course, which shows almost all the internals of the Pandora ATX. The front panel doesn’t feature any I/O connectors or 5.25" slots. Instead BitFenix decided to equip this case with a 240x320 pixel display, which is powered by an internal USB header. As you can see from the following images, the front panel includes three elements, the external glossy black front panel, the dust filter with a magnetic retention system and the three slots for the 120 millimeter fans. The upper part is characterized by the presence of the I/O connectors, including two USB 3.0 ports, audio jacks and power on/reset buttons. The top part of the back panel features the usual opening for the motherboard I/O shield as well as seven PCI-Slots. At the bottom of the back panel, you get a standard opening for an ATX power supply. The BitFenix Pandora ATX case rests on four solid rubber feet with an aluminum finish. |
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Installation
Overview |
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| Inside the Pandora there is quite some space available although the case is not too large. The motherboard tray features pre-soldered standoffs and there is a large opening behind the socket, which helps making the installation of aftermarket cooling systems easy. Located on the motherboard tray there are a few openings for routing cables and there is a lot of space between the motherboard tray and the right side panel, which allows for neat cable management. We particularly appreciate that there are rubber grommets, which are extremely difficult to remove. As far as storage options on Pandora ATX are concerned, you get enough room to install up to three 3.5" HDD and four 2.5" SSD. In this case, unlike many other PC cases on the market, you do not get an area dedicated exclusively to storage systems but these are located in various areas of the case. Placing the HDDs and SSDs inside the BitFenix Pandora ATX is quite easy and simple, however we have to mention that the unit placed on the top part of the mid-plate close to the motherboard could collide with cards or graphics cards installed on your system.
For our test we used an ATX motherboard with 240mm radiator placed on top. Despite of using a motherboard without huge VRM heatsinks there is not enough space for a push-pull configuration. In addition using a Fractal Kelvin S24 radiator the fan mounting holes weren’t properly aligned. It looks like there is an issue with radiator alignment, but with a bit of brute force we finally got our radiator mounted. |
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Ventilation options
Overview |
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| From the cooling
point of view, the BitFenix Pandora ATX offers plenty of options. The bundle includes two fans with 3-pin headers, where one has been placed in the front and the other at the rear. Overall, the case is able to accommodate up to a maximum of three 120mm or two 140mm fans on the front, three 120mm or two 140mm fans at the top and one 120mm on the back. Given the small width of the Pandora ATX, you can install CPU coolers with a maximum height of 134 mm or, alternatively,
a custom liquid cooling system with several radiators. |
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Temperatures
Overview |
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For testing purposes we're using an ASUS P8Z77-I ITX motherboard, an Intel Core i5-2500K CPU, which receives cooling through a Fractal Kelvin S24 cooler as well as a Club3D R9 290X royalAce graphics card. To put the CPU under full load, we're running prime95 for 10 min and in the case of the GPU we use Furmark also for 10 minutes. After these ten minutes, we're going to write down the temperatures. The ambient temperature is close to 24°C. |
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All noise dampening panels installed |
Idle (°C) |
Full (°C) |
|
Intel Core i5-2500K |
35 / 36 / 38 / 37 |
59 / 62 / 62 / 58 |
| Club3D R9 290X royalAce |
38 |
74 |
|
Less is better |
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Conclusion
The BitFenix Pandora ATX is a mid-tower case for users who want a fresh and elegant case in the price range of about 100 Euro. This case offers plenty of space for any ATX motherboard and you can even equip it with a few radiators to realize custom water cooling. Also the space dedicated to the power supply is more than sufficient, which really helps with compatibility when it comes to high-end setups. Another aspect that we really appreciated is the compatibility with custom water cooling loops since there are lots of slots for fans. As we already mentioned you can install 360mm radiators and that itself is great already.
Unfortunately we also noticed a few flaws, which showed up during the mounting process. First of all we have to focus on the side panels since the release system is a bit impractical. One thing we don't understand is why there are thumb screws on the back if there is a quick release system at the front. We would have like to see the same system everywhere. In addition removing the front dust filter is rather circumstantial.
The BitFenix Pandora ATX is available in two different versions, with and without the BitFenix ICON Display. The more sophisticated version is available on Geizhails for about 110 euro while the Core one goes for 90 euro. In our opinion, the price is appropriate and it reflects the quality and the bundle of the product, since there are two fans and there are also quite a lot of features. A few months ago we had the chance to review also the first model designed for mATX motherboard and the work done from BitFenix is remarkable since they improved several aspects of the Pandora. Although there is no aluminum anymore we believe that the steel used on this model is pretty solid and well made. Overall this case is an excellent solution for those looking for a well-designed case with decent cable management. The BitFenix Pandora ATX receives
4 out of 5 stars.
