Introduction

I would like to thank Antec for supplying the review sample.

Antec's website has a very refreshing "About Us; page, with the following text:

The year was 1986. Starbucks had only a few stores. Don Johnson was actually cool. The average PC had less memory than today’s cellphones. And in Fremont, California, a little company named Antec was born. Antec’s first employees never imagined that their upstart firm would rise to the very top of the high-performance computer components industry. But rise it did. And rather swiftly, too.

So what can Antec do for you? That depends on who you are. If you’re a computer user, and you’d like to upgrade your existing computer or build a new one yourself, we’ve got the computer cases, power supplies, cooling fans, lighting components, and accessories that you need. If you’re a system builder or VAR, we’ll help you deliver reliable and cost-effective systems to your customers. And if you’re a retailer, we’ll help you reach an explosively growing market: namely, “do-it-yourself” computer users who enjoy building and upgrading their own computers.

How do we do all this? Our product lineup includes a wide variety of unique computer cases, such as the elegant Veris series of Media PC cases and accessories, ultra-powerful Performance One series, sturdy Server line, and the cost-effective New Solution Series. Our world-class power supplies – including the Neo Power, TruePower Trio and EarthWatts lines – have won countless international awards for their reliable performance. Our flexible rackmounts are ideally suited to the demanding ISP, telecom, and networking markets. And for those of you who’d like to add a little visual flair to your computers, we offer an eye-catching range of fans, lights, and other PC accessories.

We’re headquartered in Fremont, California, with additional offices in the Netherlands, Europe. We’ve also established distribution partnerships throughout Australia and Southeast Asia. So you’ll find Antec products in over 25 countries. But no matter how large we grow, we’ll never forget our mission: to give you the power you need to create the computer you really want. That’s the Antec way. That’s the Power of You.

What is the difference between Antec & Veris?
Antec is selling their their HTPC range of cases, as well as different accessories like the A/V rack cooler and the MX-1 HDD enclosure, under the Veris brand. The addition of the new name should give buyers a better overview as to what these items are geared toward. The Antec brand name is still placed on the device and package but the Veris brand let's you know what this device is aimed at. For further information on Antec's newest products, take a look at our CeBIT coverage here. The package of all Veris products looks similar to further aid in marketing of the new group of products.

Features

• Dual output interface - USB2.0 and eSATA (external Serial ATA) allows you to transfer data up to 480Mbps or 3Gbps respectively
• Support up to 750G SATA hard disk drive
• Unique HDD cooler brings fresh air in and around the HDD for maximum cooling to protect your valuable asset
• Two layer (plastic with aluminum) structure upper and lower covers to absorb HDD and fan noise
• Carbon-glass filled frame to reinforce the strength of the whole enclosure
• Built-in silicone pad to absorb HDD noise
• Included USB cable, eSATA cable, and eSATA bracket to convert internal SATA to eSATA
• Stand included
• Very quiet fan operation - under 22 dBA Noise Level: 20 dbA with the blower on inside the enclosure
• Supports Windows 2000 / XP / ME / VISTA
• Dimensions: 21.9 x 14.6 x 5.7 cm

Packaging

Antec has packaged their MX-1 into a black and purple box, which visually underlines the Veris group of products. The black covers the front of the package with an image of the enclosure itself. The rest of the package is purple. You can read up on the details of the HDD case on the back of the box - in German, English and French.


Antec includes a plastic handle, so you can easily carry it home from your place of purchase. Two clear stickers hold the cardboard box shut. Once these are cut, the clean inside packing method is the first thing you will notice. Antec has placed the enclosure itself in a thin foam bag, with foam spacers at either end. A thin cardboard sheet creates a second compartment in which all the extras are placed.