Antec Minuet 300 Slimline ATX Micro PC Case (Piano Black)

List Price: $89.95

Features:

• Slimline case has small footprint and supports micro ATX components making it ideal for media center PCs
• Includes 300 Watt power supply with a 80-millimeter fan
• Front panel features two audio jacks, USB 2.0 ports, and a FireWire port
• Elegant look with a piano black finish and chrome accents
• Includes 2 stands for both vertical and horizontal positioning

Customer Reviews:

great case [Posted on 2006-06-30]
Some problems with this case:
1. The slot for the DVD drive will have a gap around it. And tricky to install.
2. The hard drive IDE cable can get tangled in putting the drive frame.

Overall, it is a small and great case. It is best to use a SATA hard drive with this case (less cable mess).

Does what it claims, and does it well. [Posted on 2007-07-11]
There are all sorts of ways to knock this case in a review - it's pricey, it lack sn LCD display, etc. I dislike those reviews when the product comes as advertised, because you're reviewing it against something that it doesn't claim to be.

Antec makes great cases. They are rarely a bargain, and this one is no exception. Considering the lack of an LCD display and a small power supply, it's not inexpensive.

So let's focus on the positives - for starters, a metal case that is precision engineered. I assembled my latest HTPC in 25 minutes with two screaming kids alongside me (yes, they're mine I don't just round up kids to scream and watch as I put together machines). In that time, I read the docs to a newly purchased motherboard, slapped it in, added a hard drive adn DVD writer, wired up all the appropriate audio ports/jacks, changed the mounting plate on the back, and put it back together again.

I'm not bragging, this is no big deal, but the sign of a well made case is a boring installation with no surprises, and this was one. I replaced the cage, slipped the top of the box back on, and I was in business, ready to set up my OS.

Pros:
- It's an attractive case, well built, with no sharp edges and easy removal of the top cover and the drive cage
- Top cover slides off after the removal of a single thumbscrew. I don't know why this impresses me so much, since you can't do anything inside without a screwdriver anyway, but I love it
- The power supply is extremely quiet, and the same goes for the fan. I hear the stock CPU fan louder than anything else, and even that isn't very loud
- It runs cool - granted, I'm not OC'ing the heck out of it and there's no gamer video card in there, but it still runs cool, which is handy given my crowded, overpowered home theater center.

Cons:
- None that I can think of, aside from Antec being more expensive than similarly equipped cases, but again, you're paying for the extra quality.

Summary:
If you're looking for a HTPC case and power supply under $100, this is it. You're going to miss out on a couple of goofy, less-than-necessary features, but you'll get a great case in return.

Compact, Slimline and Good Looking mATX Case [Posted on 2007-07-27]
Compact, slimline and good looking case. I prefer it's smaller size over cubes.

Warning, my first case's power supply died after a few hours of use, probably due to static. Only one cut out for 5.25 drive and one cut out for 3.5. There's another 3.5 internal slot. No reset button. 4 low profile card slots.

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