Final Thoughts
The Evolv Shift X is simply a fantastic case. There are few on the market that offer this level of, shall we say, displayability. By that I mean not only will it fit nicely into even the most carefully crafted room designs, but it will actually add to them immensely. The build quality is excellent, we found no materials to be wanting in quality. While we installed an AiO and that went well this case is practically begging to be water cooled. It simply shows off so much of it’s interior space and the separation between the motherboard area and the cooling section is great. There are few cases that you can sit on you desk, take up such a small footprint and offer so much real estate. Hats off to the engineers at Phanteks for pulling of the design of this one.
While the overall aesthetic is great there are a few things that really hold the Shift X from being perfect. Installation can easily become a nightmare. You must choose components very carefully or they simply will not fit. It’s also crucial to do things is the correct order or you will find yourself doing things over again. It’s just a very specifically shaped case and things must follow those specifics. Phanteks goes to great lengths to give you lots of cable tie downs and some routing channels, but it just isn’t quite enough due to the exposed design. The PSU install was rather finicky with tolerances that were to tight to easily install even our SFX unit. Finally we are a bit surprised to find the tight clearance in the top of the case, but as with the rest of the design it’s just also very specific.
The Shift X can be had online for $164.99. For a SFF case this is kind of steep, but I would encourage you to consider what you have here. This is a boutique case of exceptional design. A person that carefully considers their build will end up with a beautiful end product that is well worth the cost.
Overall ThinkComputers.org would like to give the Phanteks Evolv Shift X an 8 out of 10 score!
Pros:
– One of the best case aesthetics you can find
– Perfect for an HTPC
– High quality fit and finish
– Lots of room for watercooling
Cons:
– Highly specific tolerances all around
– Parts must be carefully chosen, SFF parts recommended
– PSU extension cable interferes with plug