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I completed my test build with the new NZXT T120 RGB cooler. As expected with anything NZXT, this air cooler does an excellent job of matching the H5 Elite’s aesthetic. With more NZXT components making their way into PC builds, it’s becoming easier to make everything match for that perfectly clean and minimal aesthetic. At the bottom of NZXT’s H7 lineup is the standard H7, a model that features a plain front panel design that will be familiar to most NZXT users. When compared to the higher-end H7 Elite model, the only major differences are the H7 Elite’s tempered glass front panel, the Elite’s inclusion of additional fans, and its inclusion of a fan/RGB controller. With NZXT’s previous generation of cases, the company started off with more basic designs. For the H510 series, NZXT started off by launching their standard H510, later launching their enhanced H510i model, and later their H510 Elite. Last year, NZXT rounded off their H510 lineup with their H510 Flow, years after the release of their H510. That’s a long wait for those who wanted an H510 model with a more airflow-oriented design. Following the refresh of its H710 lineup that resulted in the new H7 series, NZXT has now taken aim at its H510 range of cases. Introducing the H5 series, which features both the airflow-focused H5 Flow and stylish H5 Elite. This review focuses on the latter, which made for an interesting build experience and, ultimately, proved to be a solid performer that looks great, too. Get building
H7 | Minimalist Gaming PC Case | Gaming PCs | NZXT H7 | Minimalist Gaming PC Case | Gaming PCs | NZXT
Obviously, the H7 Flow has a perforated front panel, allowing the case’s front fan (or fans) to intake air directly from the front. This maximises the H7 Flow’s air intake, making it the best performing H7 chassis in terms of cooling performance. Aesthetically, some users may prefer the H7 or H7 Elite, but for those who want the best cooling, the Flow will be the way to go. For testing, I turned to my trusty 3700X, 3070, and 32 GB RAM build combo, with two NVMe drives installed into the motherboard. Though I didn’t use any myself, the H5 Elite does provide enough room for up to two 2.5″ drives or, for those still using one, a 3.5″ drive. I think that should be enough room for most users, though if you’re still holding onto multiple 3.5″ drives, you may need to look elsewhere.Now that we have the differences out of the way, let’s talk about what’s common amongst these new H7 series cases. For starters, all of these cases are easy to build in. Side panels are easy to install/uninstall, fans and liquid cooling radiators are easy to mount, and cable management is a breeze. We expect these three cases to be incredibly popular within system integrators, and with PC builders who just want something that’s simple to use. In use, the H5 Elite performed remarkably similar to the H7 Elite case that I tested here. Under gaming and stress loads, the differences were within one degree of each other. Considering the difference in size (and price), I think the H5 Elite has performed fantastically well when compared to its bigger brother. That 120 mm fan situated in the bottom of the case must be doing more than I had initially assumed!
H7, H7 Flow, and H7 Elite Review - OC3D - Overclock3D NZXT H7, H7 Flow, and H7 Elite Review - OC3D - Overclock3D
Cooling-wise, NZXT’s H7 Flow is the clear highlight of the H7 lineup, offering cooling performance levels that are amongst some of the best PC cases that we have tested at low fan RPMs. Even with its four 140mm fans, the H7 Elite cannot best NZXT’s H7 Flow with its two 120mm fans. That said, the H7 Elite can barely best the standard H7 despite is upgraded fan setup. There’s a reason why NZXT created the H7 Flow, and that reason is airflow. The front panels of the H7 and H7 Elite restrict airflow, and that’s the price that you have to pay for that design aesthetic. NZXT looked at how the panels are attached to the mainframe and made changes so they're all easier to remove without the use of a screwdriver. There's plenty of volume inside the H7 Elite for installing even the largest graphics cards and motherboards. NZXT is often praised for its cable management and it was upgraded for the H7 Elite.Our starting point for this review of the H7 family starts in 2019 with the H510 and H710, which were interesting cases that leant heavily on looks and styling, and rather less on performance. The one major downside of the H5 Elite is how loud the fans are at default settings. I imagine most users will feel the need to lower the speeds for better acoustics. It’s not a deal-breaker, as it can be fixed with a few minutes of tweaking, but it’s not going to make the best first impression. H5 Elite vs H5 Flow Looking at the glass front panel of the NZXT H7 Elite, you will see a crystal-clear tempered glass sheet that spans the full height of the case, giving a full view of the three NZXT RGB 140mm fans. These large fans keep things whisper-quiet, as well as keep the air moving throughout your system. The fact NZXT went all out with the fans means you won’t need to worry about upgrading later on, with the fans being fully controlled by the NZXT CAM software, giving ample control of how they look and how they fit the rest of the system. Impressively, the NZXT H7 can contain not one but two 360mm radiators. This won't be needed as even the more power-hungry Core i9 and Ryzen 9 processors will only really require a single 240mm or 360mm radiator, making this case ideal for AIO liquid coolers. With up to seven fans to install, it's possible to offset the restricted airflow. Those changes to the panels are welcome, however they fix problems that should never have existed in the first place. When we dug in further and found the specification of the fans made little to no sense it felt like 2019 all over again.
H7 Review – Go with the Flow | KitGuru NZXT H7 Review – Go with the Flow | KitGuru
NZXT’s standard H7 is a classic monolith design, offering users traditional NZXT styling and a traditional NZXT airflow pattern. Love it or hate it, that design aesthetic is very popular, especially amongst OEM PC builders. NZXT has made further improvements to the H710 PC case, providing choices for those who want maximum airflow with the H7 Flow, a streamlined design with the H7, or an additional window and RGB lighting with the H7 Elite. This is the H7 to go for if you prefer creating quite the light show.
Though it comes in a big box, the H5 Elite retains the same compact mid-tower size of the outgoing H510 Elite. It’s similar in style, keeping the fan-favorite cable management bar and much of what made the H510 such a popular choice. With the H5, NZXT has focused on improving thermal performance and allowing for better cable management, without needlessly changing the overall look. I think this was the right move. There is a ton of information in these charts and the obvious takeaway is that the Flow front panel works best when combined with the 140mm fans running at high speeds. That will come as no surprise but when you refer to our video you will hear the huge changes in noise levels and there are times when the H7 can be very noisy indeed. In other words, the H7 can work well however you will need to strike a balance between noise and cooling. Closing Thoughts This mid-tower case is the premier choice for enthusiasts, featuring a tempered glass front panel to show off three pre-installed 140mm F Series RGB Fans, a built-in RGB & Fan Controller, widened channels, hooks, straps, and toolless entry. The NZXT H710i measured in at an average of 73 C for gaming on the aforementioned CPU. Stress testing through benchmarks saw temperatures approach 90 C at bursts before settling in the mid-80s. The NZXT H7 saw a reduction in the temperature of about 5% across the board. Gaming saw an average of 71 C, which is better than the outgoing case, but still short of the N7 Flow.
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