Features & Specifications
The NZXT Tempest is called the Airflow King and it packs in a ton of fans to live up to that claim. The case ships with dual 120mm intake fans, dual 140mm exhaust fans, a single 120mm side fan and a 120mm rear fan for a total of 6 fans. For those that prefer liquid cooling for their gaming machines the case is pre-drilled on the top for a dual 120mm radiator.

NZXT says that compatible radiators currently include the Swiftech MCR220, Asetek Dual radiator and the Thermaltake TMG2. The case supports several mainboard styles up to E-ATX. Cable management ports are built-in to allow routing cables under the mainboard tray for better cooling and style. The case also puts the PSU at the bottom for better cooling.

The case has 9 drive bays total with 3 external 5.25” bays and up to six external bays if you give up some fans. Inside the case are 8 internal 3.5” bays for hard drives and 7 expansion slots. The case is made from steel with plastic trim. Overall dimensions are 211.5 x 521.5 x 562mm and it weighs 11.2 KG without a PSU.

Internal Layout and Use
The NZXT Tempest lacks a removable mainboard tray, but is sized so installing a standard ATX mainboard is easy to do. Internally there is enough room for large video cards like the 9800 GX2 without having clearance issues. Installing internal components is easy thanks to a screwless design.

Portions of the case inside have rolled edges so you don’t get cuts or nicks while installing components. However, the edges of the hard drive cages and internal drive bays are sharp and can scratch. It would have been nice to see rolled edges everywhere.

The bottom mounted PSU is fast becoming a common feature and works well in this case. The NZXT Tempest isn’t as physically large as the Cooler Master Cosmos S so it should be easier to get PSU cables long enough to fit easily.

Having the top of the case predrilled for a radiator makes finding a place to mount your liquid cooling system so much easier. While only three radiators are labeled as compatible, I bet several others will work as well.

The front of the case is attractive with Cooler Master looking mesh bay covers. The power and reset buttons are on top of the case in the same panel as the front audio and mic ports. Also located on the front is a pair of USB ports and a single eSATA port.

All the fans in the case make it louder than some you will find, but there is no denying the amount of air flow to keep your components cool. The case is also attractive with a clear side window with a blue LED fan. The case retails for around $100 making it less than half the price of my Cosmos S. While the NZXT Tempest lacks the polish of the Cosmos S, it is a very good case.