Best Enthusiast / High-End Gaming Cases of CES 2014 ($180+)īefore getting to the budget gaming PC cases, we'll look at some of this year's most powerful jaw-droppers. The front and top can support upwards of 2x200mm fans, the rear supports up to 140mm, and the bottom supports 2x120mm fans. If you're more of an air cooling person, fans can obviously be mounted to each of these above-listed radiator positions. If that's not enough, the full tower will also fit 1x120mm rear radiator and 1x240mm bottom-mounted radiator. The Core V71 supports liquid cooling radiators up to 420mm in size - some of the biggest on the consumer (and even enterprise) market - and will readily mount them in both the top and front positions. Up to 280mm bottom (watch out for PSU size) Thermaltake Core V71 Specs (same as Urban T81 specs) Form Factorįull Tower - ATX, Extended ATX, Micro-ATXĢx200mm front intake (600~800RPM 13~15dBA)ġx200mm top exhaust (600~800RPM 13~15dBA) With its mesh cover across all panels and massive radiator support (more on that in a moment), the Core V71 has positioned itself to be a dream enclosure for open loop liquid cooling. Thermaltake's Core V71 weighs in just above the H440 in terms of size and price, but bears a larger left panel window and more airflow-focused mesh paneling. The primary reason to select the Rise would be for ODD support, I suppose. The case is available in "black on white" and "red on black."Īlthough we liked the idea of Rosewill's new "Rise" case - a similarly-priced $120 enclosure - it just doesn't touch the engineering of the H440. Going into the new year, it's going to be an easy go-to suggestion for any mid-range and enthusiast system builders - especially those with a love of cable management. Hands-down, this is the case we're the most excited about from CES 2014. The H440 ships with 3x120mm front intake fans and 1x140mm rear exhaust fan.Ī fairly sizable side panel window gives some visibility into the case (and has discrete riveting), but doesn't show the ugly cabling/drive sections. No drive-mounted or bottom-mounted fan slots are present. Speaking of airflow, the front and top of the case both support up to 360mm cooling radiators (or just normal fans) and the rear supports up to a 140mm radiator, in some configurations. Rather than jam everything between the motherboard tray and the right side panel, we can obscure most of it within the PSU shroud without obstructing airflow significantly. NZXT's H440 has a somewhat non-linear cable management comparison to other cases. NZXT H440 Case Specs & Features Model Number The drive scaffolding has a clean sheet of metal plating concealing its inhabiting drives, continuing the theme of the PSU shroud up the side of the case. The lack of ODD bays means more room for breathing HDDs (read: HDDs that aren't so jammed together they suffocate the rest of the system for air) and overall improved cleanliness. Notably, removing the 5.25" bays eliminates the possibility of front-panel controllers (and might diminish open loop options), but the case makes up for it in enough ways to 'move on.' Our earlier preview & video showed what sets the case apart, namely the addition of a pre-installed PSU shroud (to hide the power supply and its cables) and the removal of 5.25" ODD bays. Like last year's RV-04, this year's NZXT H440 is our true innovator in the gaming case market. As Thermaltake representative Shannon Robb put it, the industry is trending away from "the case is your desk" and toward "the case fits under your desk." NZXT H440 Case - An Innovator (~$120) Unlike last year's "event of small innovations," this year saw several major overhauls and new trends within the industry of PC hardware for gaming cases, that largely meant a redoubled effort to shrink unused space within enclosures and remove pointless features. True mid-range cases are in a sort-of sweet spot between the ultra-budget, cheaply-made offerings and the overkill you'll find below (see: In-Win D-Frame). Best Mid-Range Gaming Cases of CES 2014 ($100-$170)
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