About a year ago, we had the Creator C1, the first case from the manufacturer APNX, which had many positive but also some negative features. The APNX brand only saw the light of day in Taipei in the summer of 2023 and so far has a case, several case fans and a CPU cooler in its portfolio. The name APNX is an abbreviation and stands for Advanced Performance Nexus. In November 2024, the manufacturer presented its second case, the APNX V1, which we are testing today.
With the APNX V1, a case was developed that follows several current trends in terms of structure and design. These include the division into a vertical two-chamber system, the optional use of optical elements made of wood and glass on the front and left side. The V1 also features an eye-catching edge at the front to improve the airflow. Read this test to find out whether the APNX V1 is convincing.
APNX offers the V1 in six variants. Black, white and black/white as well as three other versions with identical colors but wooden applications on the front panel. Today we are testing the white version with wooden panel for which you currently have to pay APNX V1 White, Glasfenster (APCM-VI01103.21)*.
APNX V1 test: Technical details
| Model: | APNX V1 |
| Case type: | Midi-Tower |
| Dimensions: | 290 mm (W) x 486 mm (H) x 500 mm (D) |
| Weight: approx: | Approx. 11.8 kg |
| Material: | Steel, plastic, tempered glass, wood |
| Color: | White |
| Front connections: | 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbit/s), 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbit/s), 1x headphones, 1x microphone |
| Drive bays: | 2x 3,5″/ 2,5″ 4x 2,5″ |
| Expansion slots: | 7x horizontal |
| Form factors: | ATX, µATX, ITX |
| Ventilation: | Front: 3x 120 mm or 2x 140 mm Rear: 1x 120 mm Top: 3x 120 mm or 2x 140 mm Bottom: 3x 120 mm or 2x 140 mm |
| Radiators: | Front: 1x 120/140/240/280/360 mm Rear: 1x 120 mm Top: 1x 120/140/240/280/360 mm Bottom: 1x 120/140/240/280/360 mm |
| Max. CPU cooler height: | 170 mm |
| Max. Graphics card length: | 395 mm |
| Max. Power supply length: | 220 mm |
| Space for cable management: | 90 mm |
| Price: | APNX V1 White, Glasfenster (APCM-VI01103.21)* |
| Special features: | Dust filter, cable management, tempered glass, wood |
APNX V1 test: The scope of delivery
In terms of the outer packaging, the manufacturer leaves it at a large but plain brown cardboard box, on which a table with the most important technical data is printed alongside black lettering and the manufacturer’s name. APNX also affixes a large label to the side of the packaging, which shows a picture of the color variant and also has a short product description.
Inside, APNX wraps the V1 in two blocks of soft foam and a plastic film to prevent scratches on the case. In addition, the glass elements are each covered with two protective films. The manufacturer has placed the mounting accessories and installation instructions in a small brown box, which has been placed in one of the foam blocks. This box contains all the necessary mounting screws as well as a screwdriver attachment, some cable ties and two spare parts for the push-pin brackets.
Exterior impression
Externally, the APNX V1 has a very striking appearance. The front panel, which is angled backwards by 45 degrees on the right-hand side, is particularly striking. This angled surface consists of a frame attached with push pins, which has a generous ventilation grille including a magnetic dust filter. Behind this, APNX places a modular mounting frame to which three 120 mm, two 140 mm or two 160 mm fans can be attached. Whether the wooden struts are located on the front depends on the version selected.
The second part of the front panel consists of a four millimeter thick tempered glass, which is painted on three sides in the housing color. There is no tinting on the white version of the APNX V1. In the unlikely event that you want to remove the glass panel, you have to remove two screws and can then lift the panel out of its anchoring.
APNX places a sturdy steel panel on the top and has a large ventilation grille cut into it. The grille starts behind the wooden struts in the front, bends 45 degrees on the other side of the lid and then runs to the rear. It therefore theoretically follows the planned airflow inside. The panel can be easily removed using push pins, revealing a mounting frame for three 120 mm or two 140 mm fans. A handle at the rear makes removal easier, but should not be used as a carrying handle!
APNX implements the I/O panel above the front panel. This consists of one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbit/s) and two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbit/s) sockets. There are also two sockets for headphones and a microphone as well as a centrally positioned, white illuminated power button and a non-illuminated reset button.
On the left side of the APNX V1 we also find a window made of four millimeter thick and non-tinted tempered glass, with the upper and lower edges painted in the same color as the housing. It is secured to the body using steel push pins and corresponding plastic holders. A small recessed grip at the rear also makes disassembly easier. The right-hand side panel is very stable, made of 0.8 mm thick steel and has a large, filtered ventilation grille with a modular filter frame. Here too, the connection to the body is made using push pins and there is also a recessed grip for this panel.
Looking at the rear of the APNX V1, it should be clear that this midi tower uses a vertical two-chamber layout. We can see the mounting opening for the power supply unit on the left-hand side. The right-hand side is dominated by a ventilation grille, with the individual openings following the shape of the V1 (top view). An interesting design feature with attention to detail. At the rear, we also see a mounting point for an optional 120 mm fan and seven reusable PCI slot brackets that are screwed into the inside of the case.
Another striking feature on the rear of the APNX V1 is a movable element with the manufacturer’s lettering. To remove the steel strut, simply remove a knurled screw and place the strut in the other possible position. The purpose of this modular element is explained in the next chapter.
The underside of the APNX V1 is designed to ensure a very high airflow. Instead of a ventilation grille, there are only mounting rails for three 120 mm or two 140 mm fans and three large cut-outs. To prevent all the dust from simply being sucked in, the manufacturer has positioned a fine-mesh dust filter in front of the opening, which can be pulled out to the side. A large, right-angled stand at the rear and right-hand side as well as at the front ensures a secure stand. Both feet are made of plastic and are also fitted with rubber pads.
Interior impression
As already mentioned, the interior of the APNX V1 consists of two vertically separated chambers. The large main chamber offers space for an ATX mainboard, long graphics cards, large CPU coolers or numerous radiators or case fans.
The mainboard tray has a flat design, has a cut-out at the rear and has nine pre-installed spacers for the mainboard. On the right-hand side, the motherboard tray is angled backwards by 45 degrees and has two very large, rubberized cable grommets. Two similar openings have also been placed in the upper area and another below the tray. There is also plenty of space and mounting options for fans at the top and bottom of the case.
If you also take a closer look, you will see more holes in the mainboard tray than usual. The reason for this is that APNX has implemented the option of mounting the mainboard further up or down. This means that the buyer can decide whether they need more space above or below the mainboard, for example for a radiator. The aforementioned steel panel at the rear thus serves as a sliding bracket for the I/O panel.
In the front area of the interior, we find the glass panel and the angled ventilation opening including the fan or radiator frame. The airflow of optional fans is therefore directed unhindered to the graphics card or CPU cooler. APNX also provides the V1 with a GPU bracket. This is designed to prevent large graphics cards from hanging crookedly in the case. At the rear of the interior, APNX implements a mounting option for a 120 mm fan as well as numerous ventilation openings and seven reusable slot covers, which must be screwed into the interior.
Let us now turn to the second chamber. This offers space for a long ATX power supply in the upper area as well as numerous cable pockets with Velcro fasteners and generally just a lot of space for cables and other accessories such as an ARGB controller. Further down, we see an interestingly designed frame that APNX has provided for mounting data carriers.
This solid frame is made of steel and can be unfolded. It is held in place by two screws ex works, but also has magnets. If required, the frame can also be completely removed to mount the data carriers. It offers space for two 3.5″ or two 2.5″ hard disks and additional mounting options for four further 2.5″ SSDs. Installation always requires tools and there is no decoupling. Nevertheless, the way it is implemented is excellent.
Processing
With a volume of 70 liters and a weight of almost 12 kilograms, the APNX V1 is a large and heavy case. The high weight of the housing is not only due to the glass elements but also to the high material thickness in general. All steel surfaces are made of 0.8 millimeter thick steel and are therefore very stable. The steel panel in the lid alone weighs more than the ENDORFY Armis 100 Solid as a whole. We couldn’t find any flaws in the paintwork either. Everything fits, nothing rattles and there are no scratches, dents, sharp edges or other processing errors. Compared to the APNX C1, the manufacturer was therefore able to noticeably improve the production quality. However, there are also certain color differences between the white steel and plastic elements on the APNX V1.
APNX V1: Installation of the components
Now we come to the system installation for the APNX V1 test. As hardware, we use an AMD Ryzen 5 1400* on an ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-Plus* with 16GB Crucial Ballistix Sport LT gray DDR4-2666*. The Ryzen is cooled by an Alpenföhn Brocken 4* and is overclocked to 3.8 GHz (1.175 V). A Gigabyte AORUS GTX 1060 6GB is responsible for the image output. The power supply is provided by the fully modular LC-Power LC550 V2.31 Platinum*.
The generously dimensioned layout made the installation of our test system in the APNX V1 very easy and all steps could be completed quickly. The manufacturer has pre-installed all spacers for a full-size ATX mainboard and also includes a screwdriver attachment for repositioning the stand-offs in the accessories. The well thought-out design and the ingenious cable management system also make cabling and stowing away unnecessary cables much easier, so that a neat and tidy appearance can be achieved with ease. However, without additional fans or radiators, our test system in the APNX V1 does look a little lost.
The hardware compatibility offered by the APNX V1 should leave nothing to be desired. CPU coolers can be 170 millimetres high, graphics cards 395 millimetres and power supply units 220 millimetres long. In addition, up to ten case fans or three radiators can fit inside at the same time. This means that pretty much any commercially available component will fit into the APNX V1 and even a high-performance water cooling system could easily be accommodated in this midi tower. There are no pre-installed fans in the APNX V1.
Load test
Finally, we come to the temperatures that we measured in the APNX V1 test. Prime95 and FurMark were run for 30 minutes at a room temperature of 20 °C during the stress test. In addition, the stress test was carried out in the delivery state without a fan and with a case fan at three different speeds (minimum speed, 50% PWM and 100% PWM). The results are listed in the table below.
Scenario |
Temperature |
| CPU: 50% PWM (1100 rpm) GPU: 50% PWM (1650 rpm) Benchtable/ open setup |
CPU: 58.2 °C GPU: 63.4 °C |
| CPU: 50% PWM (1100 rpm) GPU: 50% PWM (1650 rpm) APNX V1 without fan (delivery status) |
CPU: 69.4 °C GPU: 68.9 °C |
| CPU: 50% PWM (1100 rpm) GPU: 50% PWM (1650 rpm) APNX V1 Rear: 1x 120 mm minimum speed (600 rpm) |
CPU: 64.4 °C GPU: 65.0 °C |
| CPU: 50% PWM (1100 rpm) GPU: 50% PWM (1650 rpm) APNX V1 Rear: 1x 120 mm minimum speed (950 rpm) |
CPU: 61.8 °C GPU: 63.6 °C |
| CPU: 50% PWM (1100 rpm) GPU: 50% PWM (1650 rpm) Rear: 1x 120 mm 50% PWM (1700 rpm) |
CPU: 56.7 °C GPU: 63.1 °C |
Unfortunately, the APNX V1 comes from the factory without a fan. On the one hand, this is a good thing if the buyer would have replaced all the fans anyway and the price can therefore be kept lower. On the other hand, our tests show that, as in any case without a fan, it does get a little warmer inside and you always have to mentally add the purchase price of new fans if you don’t have any. Because even in the APNX V1, you won’t be able to cool hotter components properly without a fan.
Even a single fan at the rear noticeably reduces the maximum temperatures of the components. Thanks to the large interior and the less restrictive mounting frame and ventilation openings, the airflow potential of the APNX V1 is also huge. Furthermore, the V1 is perfectly suited for the installation of a custom water cooling system, both in terms of space and appearance.
APNX V1 test: Conclusion
The APNX V1 convinced us almost across the board and it can be said that APNX has taken on board the feedback on the C1. It offers plenty of space inside for PC components of all types and sizes. Furthermore, the V1 has a perfectly implemented cable management system and very good and easy-to-clean dust filters. All important external panels also have a push-pin attachment and can therefore be removed without much effort. In addition, the APNX V1 offers a modern I/O panel, a very practical GPU support, two different mounting heights for the mainboard and generally excellent build quality.
Finally, there is the interesting design with the slanted front, which not only looks very attractive thanks to the wooden elements, but also significantly improves the airflow potential of the V1. Nevertheless, the APNX V1 does not have to do without two glass elements. This makes this case perfect as a show case and should attract everyone’s attention. Especially with a custom water cooling system and ARGB lighting, the V1 should look great and cool the components well at the same time.
There are only a few negative aspects to the APNX V1. It is a pity that there is no option for decoupling the large 3.5″ data carriers in the very sophisticated mounting frame for hard disks. In view of the purchase price, the complete absence of case fans is also a point that should be taken into account when buying and should generally be seen as a negative. Because unless there are fans in the basement, new fans always generate additional costs.
With a price of € 159.90 *, the APNX V1 is already one of the more expensive cases, but with the exception of the missing fans, it offers an excellent equipment package. The APNX V1 has therefore definitely earned a recommendation. If you like the look of the V1, but don’t need as much space for components or generally need a slightly smaller case, then the NZXT H6 would be a cheaper alternative, which even has three pre-installed fans. With the NZXT H6, however, you would have to do without the trendy wooden elements and two mounting points for radiators, among other things.
APNX V1
Processing
Structure
Equipment
Cooling
Price-performance ratio
95/100
The APNX V1 is an excellent show case with plenty of space for hardware, a well thought-out layout and extensive features. It also has a stylish look and high airflow potential. However, the complete absence of case fans in conjunction with the asking price remains a negative aspect of the V1.
