The Enthoo Pro 2 Server Edition offers extensive expansion capabilities with up to 11 PCI slots available allowing for the installation of multiple expansion cards, providing users with the freedom to customize their server setup to their liking. Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 Server Edition We will compare the system’s thermal capabilities with a liquid-cooled solution for both CPUs, using NZXT Kraken Z63 and Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 280mm AIOs. For bottom-mounted intake fans, there’s just under 3.5cm distance from the surface the case stands on to the floor of the case, with a few extra millimeters of clearance added by the removable fan/radiator tray. It’s a good tray, held in by a single captive thumbscrew which was torqued down so hard it warped the bottom of the case. The O11 XL has a similar amount of clearance, although the plastic trim along the bottom of the Enthoo Pro 2 makes it appear to be much less. Interference from the PSU shroud means that the tray can only fit a single 140mm fan, and there’s no room to spare on either side of 120mm fans. The section of the tray adjacent to the PSU shroud will not fit anything wider than 125mm at the very most. GN Case Testing Bench Aesthetically, the Phanteks Enthoo Pro 2 Closed has an impressive almost industrial design. New for this model is a mesh front panel that is made from an innovative High-Performance fabric. This fabric-based mesh front panel offers improved filtering and airflow characteristics over traditional plastic or metal. It also features an angular pattern, which complements the clean lines of the case itself. Extensive internal capacity for components

It is much of the same at the top of the case with a fine perforated metal mesh dust filter attached to the case via a flexible magnetic strip. Beneath the mesh is a mounting point for fans or radiators and a more open perforated metal vent, with a power button that combines a power LED towards the front of the top panel. Inside the top section of the case is enough space for the installation of E-ATX motherboard which is the form factor chosen for our primary system build. Manoeuvring the motherboard into position is easy since there is plenty of space to the right-hand side, at the top of the case and a healthy gap to the PSU shroud. Likewise, in the right-hand side of the case, cables are easy to manage. The main cable management channel down the centre allows almost all the front I/O panel and system power cables to be routed. The generous amount of pre-installed Velcro straps means only a few zip ties are required which makes the end product look very neat. Alternatively, the bottom of the case can be used to house a second system. The Power supply shroud doubles up as a motherboard tray where a mini-ITX motherboard can be installed and a separate rear panel with a rear I/O cutout and three PCIe slots is used. It's worth noting the Enthoo Pro 2 comes with no fans of its own. This is a reasonable choice given that the case’s size and price make it suited to those who enjoy meticulously planning their build; just be sure to factor this into your budgeting.

Overview

Another feature of the case that I was very impressed with is the extensive radiator support. With four positions for mounting large radiators, custom water-cooling enthusiasts should love this case. Alternatively, if custom water cooling is not your thing, then the radiator mounts can be populated with up to FIFTEEN 120mm fans, which should be more than enough to keep everyone happy. Cable cut-outs for the top system are also positioned just right to hide PCIe, 24-pin and EPS cables. Also, the two cut-outs on top of the power supply came in handy for routing front panel USB and Audio cables, However, rubber grommets on these cut-outs would be beneficial. That said, we didn’t have a problem with the cable management features of the case with the configuration of the system we installed. There are a generous amount of cable cut-outs, pre-installed Velcro straps and additional cable tie-down points to use with zip ties. Adding more hardware to the system would mean more cables, which could get a little tight with the space provided. Building a dual system inside the Phanteks Enthoo Pro II was an absolute breeze and went much better than I was expecting. Phanteks has thought of everything with the Enthoo Pro II. Users have so many options and the case can be utilised for different scenarios with the support for dual systems, dual power supplies or a storage configuration that offers huge capacity for SSDs and HDDs.

Support for multiple storage options up to eleven SSDs and four HDDs or up to three SSDs and twelve HDDs. For standardized fan testing, we used the same kit of Noctua fans we always do in the same configuration: two 140mm front intake and one 120mm rear exhaust. We chose the upper two slots for the intake fans. The average CPU temperature with this arrangement was 49 degrees Celsius over ambient, the first instance we’ve seen where the Pro 2’s thermal performance falters slightly. Taking one look at this fan arrangement makes the problem obvious: even though these 140mm fans would take up most of the front panel of a mid tower, they only cover a fraction of the cavernous interior of the Pro 2, and they’re far away from the CPU cooler. That said, performance isn’t that far behind the 46 degree baseline result, and it’s good-to-average relative to the rest of the standardized fan chart. The glass-fronted Corsair 465X RGB is tied at 49 Celsius, and the O11 XL is actually several degrees warmer at 54 Celsius thanks to the bottom-intake layout we had to use in that case. If going with an air cooler in this case, you’ll either want top intake or fans that can push a tunnel of air. There is so much going on inside the Enthoo Pro II, it is difficult deciding where to begin. The Interior of the Enthoo Pro II is based on the Phanteks Enthoo 719. It shares the same motherboard compartment which means that dual systems or dual power supplies can be installed inside, as well a vast amount of options for placement of storage devices and water cooling components. Load testing is conducted using Prime95 LFFTs and Kombustor “FurMark” stress testing simultaneously. Testing is completely automated using in-house scripting, and executes with perfect accuracy on every run. Behind the right-hand steel side panel is a standard looking layout with some handy additions such as a hinged flap to cover up unsightly cables coming from the rear of the power supply. The Cable cover is secured to the chassis via two thumbscrews and it can be completely removed during installation to provide extra space.The Enthoo Pro 2 however has some unique features to differentiate it from the others. For one thing, it features a ‘High-Performance Fabric’ mesh front panel. Building a powerful Gaming PC will of course generate a high thermal load. The fabric solution Phanteks offers not only looks great but enables superior airflow filtration over metal or plastic front panels. Extensive interal capacity for components With fan mounts in the front, rear, bottom, roof, and side, users can install up to 15 fans (or up to 14 if you prioritise 140mm). The massive cutout in the front panel gives ample space for air to enter, and it’s covered by Phanteks’ High-Performance Fabric mesh, said to offer superior airflow compared to typical metal mesh designs. With its exceptional performance capabilities, unmatched compatibility, and extensive storage options, we believe the Enthoo Pro 2 Server Edition will empower professionals and enthusiasts alike to create powerful server systems without compromise. A view from the rear gives away the non-traditional layout, and the vertical PSU is key to enabling dual-system and dual-PSU support. The high-end aspirations are reaffirmed by the eight PCIe slots and the three neighbouring vertical ones. At 240mm across, the Enthoo Pro 2 is wider than most but not bloated, and keeping both height and depth comfortably below 600mm is impressive given what can be housed inside, though it’s by no means small.