NZXT Phantom Computer Case Review

Today I am checking out the NZXT Phantom computer case. This enthusiast level case is aimed at gamers and computer geeks that want something looks good and has good cooling and other features. Read on for all the details on the NZXT Phantom.

Gallery

5 images

Specifications

The NZXT Phantom is a full tower steel chassis that measures 222mm W x 540mm H x 623mm D and weighs 11kgs without a power supply in it. The case has a robust cooling system with a rear 120mm fan, dual 120mm side fans, and a single 200mm fan on top. The top will hold an extra 200mm fan and a front 140mm fan is optional. The case comes in white, black, and red colors.

In Use

I have looked at all of the NZXT cases that have come to market over the last few years and they have all been very good. NZXT has gone from a company that was little known in the past to one of the better know companies for cool cases with quality builds. The NZXT Phantom I am checking out today is no different.

The case has plenty of space for your drives with five external 5.25" bays and seven internal 3.5" drive slots. All of the drive bays use screwless rails to mount the drives for convenience and a fast build. You can order the case with a 500W PSU if you want but that probably won’t be enough juice for many enthusiast level systems.

You can get the case in white, black, and red colors. Each case has the same color on the inside that it has on the outside. My review unit was black; I think the red case is the best looking one of them all. The white one reminds me of a Stormtrooper. The case has lots of ports with rubber grommets for passing wires behind the mainboard tray to keep things clean.

The case is also made to support water cooling with grommeted ports to pass cooling hoses for video cards and the CPU if you use external solutions. The fans are white and black no matter what color case you get. The top panel of the case has a five-channel fan controller and a pair of USB ports, power/reset switches, and an eSATA port. Audio ports are also included on the top of the chassis.

Supported motherboards include just about anything all the way up to monster E-ATX units. The inside of the case is roomy and has plenty of space for high-end video cards that are really long. The case has rolled edges to prevent nicks and cuts and the build quality is top notch. If you are the sort who likes LAN parties, the steel construction of the chassis makes the finished machine heavy. Another drawback that gamers will just need to live with is that all the fans in the cooling system do produce a noticeable hum when the machine is turned on. You can eliminate some of those fans and some of the noise by going liquid cooled thanks to the cases support for a radiator inside.

Verdict

Conclusion

The NZXT Phantom is a fantastic case that has just about everything a gamer could want including robust cooling and fantastic looks.

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