Introductions Phanteks Eclipse G360A
Phanteks knows what makes a good PC case. Phanteks Eclipse G360A has been on our top list for the best budget ATX case for over a year. Now, the new Eclipse G360A aims to make things even better on a budget. It’s priced at $99.99, just a bit more than its predecessor.
The Eclipse G360A isn’t too different from the previous model. However, for about $10 extra, it comes with an additional aRGB fan, supports PWM for all three fans, and can fit 360mm radiators at the top and front. This helps in cooling high-quality components. With its mesh front panel that already had good airflow with two fans, now having three, the Eclipse G360A offers great value for its price.
But, there are some downsides. Cable management could be better, and it lacks a USB-C port. Despite this, it performs very well in cooling (especially if you place one of the three fans for exhaust or bring your own) and has appealing RGB lighting. Overall, it’s one of the finest cases available for about $100.
Specifications Phanteks Eclipse G360A
| Case Type | ATX Mid-Tower |
|---|---|
| Supported Motherboards | Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX |
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 18.3 x 7.87 x 17.9 inches |
| Maximum GPU Length | 15.74 inches |
| CPU Cooler Height | 6.3 inches |
| External Drive Bays | Not Applicable |
| Internal Drive Bays | 4x 2.5″ or 2x 3.5″ |
| Expansion Slots | 7 |
| Front I/O Ports | 2x USB 3.0 Type-A (5 Gbps), D-RGB Mode, D-RGB Color, Power button and 3.5mm headphone/audio jack |
| Additional Features | Tempered Glass Side Panel |
| Front Fans | 3x 120 mm |
| Rear Fans | None |
| Top Fans | None |
| Bottom Fans | None |
| Weight | 17.4 pounds |
| Warranty | Five years |
Pros And Cons Phanteks Eclipse G360A
| Advantages | Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| Excellent value for the features | Inadequate cable routing design |
| Includes three aRGB PWM fans | Lack of USB-C connectivity |
| Impressive thermal performance | Absence of a proper front intake filter |
Features Phanteks Eclipse G360A
Unboxing the G360A, the first thing I noticed was how much it resembled the Phanteks P350X, a case I previously had. This isn’t a negative because the P350X was an affordable case with solid build quality and decent airflow. The resemblances are apparent in the Eclipse G360A’s tempered glass side panel, PSU shroud, and the RGB strip positioned between the two.
The tempered glass side panel isn’t tinted, but it’s shaded around the edges, giving it a curved appearance reminiscent of an old-school tube TV or CRT monitor – although it’s flat. Between the PSU shroud and the glass side panel lies a subtle yet attractive thin RGB strip.
More RGB lighting can be found on the three included case fans, which are both PWM-controlled and aRGB-enabled – quite impressive for a case priced at just $100. A set of three PWM aRGB fans alone can cost as much as this case or even more depending on the brand or sale offers.
However, despite the flashy RGB fans, the G360A lacks attention to detail in some aspects. When I initially disassembled the case, I noticed that the tempered glass side panel had captive thumbscrews. However, our review unit had a rear side panel lacking a captive screw. Phanteks assured us that shipping models would have captive screws on both side panels.
PSU Corsair RM850X
The issues persisted when I tried to install a standard-sized PSU (Corsair RM850X). The hard drive cage was positioned too close to the PSU, making cable management uncomfortable, and moving the cage was a cumbersome task. Adjusting the drive cage requires disassembling it, involving the removal of multiple screws on top of the power supply shroud and underneath the case. Adding a simple thumb screw or two for easy cage removal would greatly simplify this process.
At the top of the case, there are two USB 3.0 Type-A ports (5Gbps), two buttons for adjusting RGB colors and modes, a power button, and a microphone/headphone jack. I would have preferred to see at least one USB Type-C port here. The power button is positioned at the front of the case, above the top fan.
Similar to its predecessor, the P360A, the G360A sports a large mesh front panel. However, Phanteks has added a stamped design that resembles a fusion between a U and a V, giving it some personality. This design might not appeal to everyone, but it definitely adds more character compared to the plain front of the P360A.
There’s still no proper front fan filter, which could be a drawback. Regularly removing the front panel to clean the mesh and fans and clearing out the case interior a few times a year should suffice. However, if you live in a dusty or pollen-heavy environment, investing more in a case with an easily removable dust filter might be wise.
Internal Layout of the Phanteks G360A
Although the G360A isn’t the largest ATX case, it offers more space than you might think – a good thing for today’s power-hungry computer parts. The G360A can handle up to three 120mm or two 140mm fans on the top, and it can support a radiator up to 360mm (unlike the previous P360A, which only supported 240mm). The front of the G360A also has support for radiators up to 280mm or 360mm. The back of the case remains the same but works fine with a 120mm fan or radiator.
Today’s best graphics cards are already quite big, and it seems like the next-gen GPUs will be even larger. But with 15.7 inches (400mm) of space for a GPU in the G360A, we didn’t face any problems installing our triple-fan Gigabyte RTX 3070 Ti Gaming OC, and most next-gen cards will probably fit here too. However, the G360A falls a bit short in supporting CPU tower coolers, with a maximum height of 6.3 inches (162mm). Larger coolers like the Noctua NH-D15 won’t fit, but most mid-sized coolers should work fine. The G360A supports motherboards up to 280mm, allowing some E-ATX motherboards to fit, but for full E-ATX support without blocking essential cable cutouts, choosing a larger full-tower case might be a better option.
Pre-Installed Selds
Behind the motherboard tray, there are two pre-installed sleds for two 2.5-inch drives. If you plan to add other SATA drives, there’s a cage for two 2.5- or 3.5-inch drives under the PSU shroud. However, if you need more space for PSU cables and want to move or remove it, it’s a bit tricky because screws on top of the PSU shroud and underneath the case hold it together.
While I didn’t face any problems closing the rear side panel of the G360A after building, routing the PSU cables to the motherboard was a bit challenging. I had a tough time getting the 24-pin cable through, with very little slack on the wire. The cutout for routing the EPS 12V CPU cable could also be a potential issue.
If your CPU power cable doesn’t split in half and you have to push the whole eight-pin plug through the hole, try routing this cable before securing the motherboard. If not, you might need to remove the top of the case, as I did, to get the connector through with enough slack to plug in the cable. However, this was quite a hassle involving removing 13 screws. While it might not be expected at this price point, this case isn’t tool-free or particularly modular. This could have been avoided if Phanteks had made the cutout a bit larger.
Phanteks Eclipse G360A Cooling
The last Eclipse P360A was really good as a budget ATX gaming case because it had good airflow and colorful RGB lights. Now, the new G360A is taking its place. Instead of just putting in basic fans, Phanteks added special fans that have colorful lights and can be controlled for better performance.
This year, there have been interesting improvements in case fans. Different sizes and types of fans have been used in new cases like the Fractal Torrent Compact and Cooler Master HAF 700 Evo. In the G360A, there are new fans with special RGB lights. They might not be super innovative like some other fans, but for a $100 case that comes with three of them and cool lights, it’s a good deal.
The front of the G360A has a special mesh panel. This panel helps a lot of air come into the case while showing off the colorful lights of the fans. Phanteks didn’t try to completely change the great P360A with the new G360A, and that was a good idea. They made some improvements to cool things better and made space for bigger cooling systems. This makes the case better for now and for the future, even beyond 2022.
Testing Hardware
We changed our testing computer to use Intel’s new 12th Gen “Alder Lake” platform. This has made a big difference in how we test desktop computers (like the ones we recommend for gaming). Now, we’re using a Core i7-12700KF processor and keeping it cool with a Noctua U12s air cooler. For graphics, we’ve got a Gigabyte RTX 3070 Ti Gaming OC card.
Acoustic Results
Our sound test has three parts: First, we test the CPU when it’s working hard. Second, we test both the CPU and GPU when they’re under a lot of pressure. Lastly, we check a special setting that’s more efficient.
When we test the CPU at full load, we make it work really hard along with the case fans running at their fastest speed. In the CPU and GPU test, we push the Gigabyte RTX 3070 Ti Gaming OC to work hard too, but we set the fans to run at 75% speed. This is because during gaming, the fans don’t usually need to go at 100% speed as it gets too loud.
In the special mode, we make the GPU fan run at only 30% speed and set the CPU and included case fans to spin at their slowest speed.
For a case that focuses on good airflow, the noise levels with the G360A aren’t too bad. But when we made the fans on our Gigabyte RTX 3070 Ti Gaming OC run at 75% speed, the noise levels went up quite a bit. However, if you’re thinking of buying this case, you might not mind the noise so much. Also, it’s not nearly as loud as some more expensive cases, like the Corsair iCUE 5000T.
Thermal Results
For the thermal tests, we made sure all the fans in the case and the CPU were running at their highest speed, which is 100%. By setting the GPU’s fan speed at 75%, it could maintain its power target while also keeping a reasonable fan speed, allowing us to focus only on the temperature changes.
The Phanteks G360A includes three PWM aRGB fans, and they work as well as they look, especially when combined with the fine mesh front panel of this case.
Since the G360A comes with three fans, we tested the case in two setups: one with all three fans at the front (default configuration) and another with one fan placed at the rear for exhaust. Our results with the stock setup were impressive, almost on par with the Fractal Torrent Compact, which comes with two large 160mm fans.
However, when we moved one fan from the bottom to the back of the case, we saw a significant six-degree improvement in CPU temperatures (although the GPU temperature increased by one degree). So, while relocating a fan to the back can lower your CPU temperatures, the G360A manages good thermal performance in both setups. Your best bet might be to use an old 120mm fan from a previous build and install it at the back, keeping the attractive RGB fans at the front for better intake and aesthetics.
Bottom Line
The Eclipse P360A was our favorite budget ATX gaming case for over a year. But now, Phanteks has a new one called the Eclipse G360A which is even better.
The G360A costs $100, just a bit more than the older Eclipse. However, it comes with an extra RGB fan and supports larger 360 radiators at the top and front. Also, all three fans in the G360A have PWM, which means they work more efficiently and quietly.
If paying $10 more for these features sounds good to you, the G360A is a good choice. But if you prefer the older P360A, you might want to grab it before it’s not available anymore.
Even though the G360A has some design quirks, it’s a great case for gamers on a budget. It’s cool to have good airflow and nice RGB lighting without spending a lot. You could buy something more expensive, but the G360A shows that you don’t need to spend a ton of money to get a great PC case for your parts.
"The Phanteks Eclipse G360A offers impressive value with enhanced cooling features and attractive aesthetics, making it a top choice for budget-conscious gamers seeking quality performance in a PC case."
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