Phanteks EVOLV SHIFT XT PC Case Review

Complete System

I strongly suggest removing the hinged top panel of this case, it really does make installing your hardware a lot easier. Plus, if you wanted to mount a cooler to that panel, you can do so off to one side, and that too would be much easier. Obviously, in its smallest configuration, the CPU can only rely on a CPU cool of up to 72mm tall. However, in the Air Boost configuration, 2 x 120mm fans can be added to the top of the case, which will improve airflow and cooling dramatically throughout your build.

Bumping it up to the maximum height configuration, a 240mm AIO cooler will fit into the top. I imagine it’ll be an absolute pain in the arse to do this, as it’s tight as hell in here. However, you only have to build it once, and the trade-off is a fantastically compact and stylish PC case to enjoy afterwards.

The PSU fits easily enough, but modular or hard-wired, it’s going to be a bit of a cramming fest to get them stored inside here. that behind said, push them into corners, cram them in balls, and it’s all good. Just make sure they’re out of the way of fans, as visually, you can’t see much inside this case from the exterior.

Installing the GPU was super easy with the top panel lifted out of the way.

Even small considerations like screwdriver cutaways, all helped make the process very user friendly.

The AORUS RTX 2080 is not a small card, but it fits well enough. Just be sure you have an SFX PSU capable of such powerful cards!

A lower profile CPU cooler is needed, unless you do opt for a 240mm AIO, of course. There’s good cable routing though, and airflow is unrestricted around the motherboard.

With all the panels restored, you’d hardly know I built a PC in here, it looks like it did when I took it out of the box.

At least, until you set it to full height, which provides 75mm height over the full length of the case, giving you even more airflow on the sides too and revealing more of that funky front panel mirror too.

Personally, I love this case, the toned-down RGB, the heavy-duty engineering, and while the larger size has some appeal, I find its most compact configuration very appealing for a mid-range CPU and a quiet GPU configuration. However, as you ramp up to higher-performance hardware, you’ll want to take advantage of the additional airflow and cooling configurations.