NZXT is one of the most recognizable names in PC gaming, likely best known for its range of minimalistic, RGB-friendly cases. NZXT’s range is small compared to some other manufacturers, but there are still enough variations that you might find it tricky to pick the best NZXT case for your new gaming PC build.

NZXT only has four main cases, with a small handful of variations available focusing on airflow, aesthetics, or something in between. It might seem like a limited selection, but what NZXT lacks in sheer quantity, they make up for with quality materials and smart designs. Let’s get started.

Our Favorite NZXT Cases

1. NZXT H7 Flow

NZXT H7 Flow PC Case

$123.99

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04/09/2024 12:32 pm GMT

The NZXT H7 Flow is one of the company’s newest cases, and it’s one of their best offerings if you’re as keen on airflow as we are. You get good thermals at a reasonable price, with the only downside being a total lack of RGB.

After many years of focusing on closed-off glass or plastic front panels, the H7 Flow sees NZXT embrace airflow-friendly design with perforated metal front and top panels. These potentially let more air through than the standard fine mesh you see on most airflow cases. That said, the included dust filters likely minimize any benefit you get from the wider openings. So the H7 Flow’s thermals are good, but not necessarily great.

The H7 Flow kept Gamers Nexus’ standard test setup of an overclocked Intel i7-6700K and GTX 1070 relatively cool, with CPU and GPU deltas of 23.6 and 51.9 degrees Celsius respectively. These numbers are significantly better than an older NZXT case such as the H500, making the H7 Flow the default NZXT case option for anyone seeking good thermals.

Source: Gamers Nexus

What’s impressive is that the H7 Flow manages its above-average cooling performance with only two 120 mm fans. This means that you’ll likely be able to bring temperatures down even more by installing some better PC fans. The H7 Flow is a relatively large mid-tower, so there’s also enough space inside for two 360 mm radiators if fans just aren’t enough for your PC build.

While cooling is undoubtedly the H7 Flow’s biggest selling point, its excellent cable management features are also worth pointing out. In addition to the signature NZXT cable management bar, the H7 Flow features two wide cable channels behind the motherboard tray, each positioned just right for all your I/O, drive, and power connections.

You also get ten pre-attached velcro straps, significantly more than most other manufacturers include. Between the velcro straps and cable management features, you’ll likely be able to get by without buying a separate cable routing kit with the H7 Flow.

Source: NZXT

Overall, the NZXT H7 Flow is easily one of the best NZXT cases ever, especially if you prioritize cooling over aesthetics. Build quality is solid, you get excellent cable management, and there’s room for heavy-duty liquid cooling if needed. Admittedly, its roughly $130 MSRP is a bit high compared to other excellent mid-tower PC cases from the likes of Phanteks. However, there’s no denying you get a lot of quality for your money here.

The biggest issue with the NZXT H7 Flow is availability: stock seems relatively limited as we’re writing this. So if you’re interested in it, don’t hesitate and snap one up the moment you find the color you want in stock.

The NZXT H7 Flow is available in black, white, and a two-tone black/white finish. Want more bling at the cost of higher temperatures? The H7 Elite, with its RGB fans and tempered glass front panel, might be up your alley.

2. NZXT H510 Flow

NZXT H510 Flow PC Case

$102.99

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04/09/2024 12:35 pm GMT

NZXT’s H510 Flow is the company’s most recent variation on the venerable H510, which has been around in some shape for form for at least three years. It retains the budget-friendly, compact mid-tower design loved by many but improves it with a perforated front panel, perfect for the cooling demands of modern hardware.

If you’re familiar with a modern airflow case, then the H510 Flow’s setup will be familiar. You get a perforated front panel with a dust filter and an obstruction-less interior layout to ensure maximum airflow to your components. Unlike the H7 Flow, the H510 only has a small 140 mm-sized top opening towards the rear, only really suitable for an exhaust fan.

The H510 flow comes with two 120 mm fans set up as intake and exhaust, which isn’t quite as generous a load-out as cases from other manufacturers. This likely leads to the H510 Flow’s somewhat mediocre thermals, especially for an airflow case:

Source: Gamers Nexus

To be clear, these numbers aren’t bad. But a 27.9-degree CPU delta and a 54.1-degree GPU delta puts it behind many competing airflow cases. Even Fractal’s closed-off Define 7 bests the H510 flow’s GPU temperatures, which isn’t necessarily a good look.

The upside, of course, is the H510 Flow’s affordable price, which is lower than most of its higher-performing competitors. For one, it makes the H510 a great choice if you’re on a tighter budget and can’t stretch to the $110 that better mid-tower cases usually cost. But the price also gives you room to upgrade the H510 Flow with an extra 120 mm intake fan for better temperatures if that’s how you want to roll.

Source: NZXT

Beyond the new front panel, the H510 Flow is essentially the same case as the H510 and H500 that most of you are likely familiar with. You get the same great cable management (including the cable management bar), (re)movable drive bays, and overall solid build quality. And the tempered glass is, of course, still there. It’s relatively basic, but that’s fine for the price.

Overall, the NZXT H510 Flow is a solid mid-tower case if you’re shopping in the sub-$100 range. It arguably needs an extra fan to excel, but it gets the airflow basics right. Budget an additional $10 or so for a second intake, and you’ll have a great mid-tower that ranks as one of the best NZXT cases ever in this price range.

The NZXT H510 Flow is available in black and white. More of an RGB fan? The H510i Elite has a tempered glass front panel, built-in RGB strips, and an NZXT Smart Device v2; the perfect compact mid-tower case for fulfilling your RGB dreams.

3. NZXT H210i

NZXT H210i PC Case

$55.00

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04/09/2024 12:41 pm GMT

NZXT’s H210i is a classic Mini-ITX case that you’ve likely seen in countless builds. It’s a bit old compared to the other NZXT cases on our list, but it’s still a strong contender, especially if you want a Mini-ITX rig without the hassle of a full-on small form factor (SFF) build.

The H210i’s age means you don’t get the new airflow-friendly front panels of the H510 and H7 Flow. Instead, you’re stuck with the classic closed-off NZXT front panel here, with most of the airflow coming from the vents on the side. As you can imagine, this isn’t ideal for airflow. A quick Google search will throw up a ton of users seeking help on keeping components (especially higher-end GPUs) cool inside the H210i.

Gamers Nexus reviewed the mostly identical H200 and H200i, putting them through their paces vs. other Mini-ITX cases. They performed quite well, albeit with relatively modest hardware (an AMD Ryzen 5 2400G and GTX 1070 Mini):

Source: Gamers Nexus

The impressive performance compared to other Mini-ITX cases shouldn’t be much of a surprise: the H210i is huge for an mITX case, and the extra room helps with airflow and keeping temperatures down. However, it means that you won’t be building an ultra-compact mITX PC build in it, slightly defeating the purpose of buying a small Mini-ITX motherboard to begin with. It does mean you won’t have to buy SFF-specific PC components though, which can help keep costs down.

As it’s one of NZXT’s “i” cases, the H210i also comes with a healthy helping of RGB. You get two integrated RGB LED strips and a Smart Device V2 for RGB and fan control. The Smart Device lets you control two independent HUE 2 RGB lighting channels and three PWM fans, so you have some room for expansion for both cooling and lighting here. The lighting looks great through the tempered glass side panel, of course.

Unfortunately, the Aer F120 fans included aren’t the newer RGB versions, which is slightly disappointing given the RGB focus. You’re looking at an extra $30 per fan if you want the new AER RGB 2 120 mm fans. You can get cheaper RGB fans elsewhere, but then you’re missing out on the benefits of the Smart Device V2 and NZXT’s CAM software.

Pictured: Cavi’s PC Build

Fan disappointments aside, the NZXT H210i is overall a decent case. It’s well-built and looks good, with acceptable thermals provided you pair it with suitable hardware. It’s in a bit of a weird position due to its neither-here-nor-there sizing, but it’s a great choice if that works for your Mini-ITX build.

The NZXT H210i is available in an all-black finish and a couple of two-tone finishes: white/black and black/red. If you’re not interested in RGB, the NZXT H210 is a solid alternative that trads the RGB focus for a significantly lower price.

4. NZXT H1

NZXT H1 Version 2 PC Case

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The NZXT H1 Version 2 is NZXT’s small form factor (SFF) offering, coming in at 15.6 liters in volume but with enough room for a high-end graphics card. It comes with an SFX PSU and 140 mm AIO cooler as standard, making it a compelling option for those who want a nearly-complete package out of the box.

For the uninitiated, this current H1 is NZXT’s second stab at this form factor. The first version had a few issues, not least a much-publicized problematic PCIe riser that Gamers Nexus described as a “fire hazard.” Thankfully, the H1 V2 resolves this issue and brings with it some welcome improvements that make it an even better SFF case than its predecessor.

NZXT increased the H1 V2’s height by 20 mm (0.78 inches) and width by 8 mm (0.31 inches), which means it has improved room for PC components, particularly the GPU. NZXT matches the extra GPU room with a higher-power 750-watt SFX PSU and a 92 mm fan, perfect for keeping higher-end AMD and Nvidia cards running smoothly.

Source: KitGuru

KitGuru tested the H1 V2 with an AMD R7 5800X and Sapphire Radeon RX 6800 Nitro+, comparing it against its predecessor. The H1 V2 recorded an acceptable 56-degree Celsius delta on the GPU but a less-ideal 69-degree CPU delta.

However, they noticed that the H1 V2 ships with the AIO cooler fan set up as an exhaust, unlike the V1’s intake setup. So they flipped it and found that CPU temps dropped to a more reasonable 58-degree delta. We’re unsure why NZXT decided to make this change, but it’s definitely a negative one. Thankfully, it’s easily resolved during the build process: unscrew the fan, flip it around, and screw it back in.

Source: NZXT

The NZXT H1’s biggest appeal is the included power supply and AIO, making it relatively easy to build your own PC even if you’ve never worked in an SFF case. However, simplicity comes at the cost of flexibility; there’s only one way to build in the H1. NZXT doesn’t offer a bare chassis option either, so you’re either stuck with the NZXT PSU and AIO or wasting money on components you won’t use.

Overall, the NZXT H1 is still a good SFF PC case, but it’s no longer as appealing as it used to be. Mini-ITX PC cases like the Hyte Revolt 3 (one of our favorite Mini-ITX cases) have muscled into the H1’s territory, bringing improved component compatibility and better thermals. The NZXT H1 is still a good case, but we’d only recommend it if you need the included power supply and cooler.

The NZXT H1 is available in black and white.

Closing Thoughts

NZXT has been in the case game for quite a while, and it shows in their cases’ overall design features and build quality. Their small selection might seem restrictive, but their focused selection of products arguably makes choosing one of the best NZXT PC cases just that little bit easier.

If you have the budget, the NZXT H7 Flow is the best NZXT case for airflow right now. Above-average thermals, great materials, and clever cable management make it an excellent choice for a high-end rig. Those opting for a lower-power PC build will do fine with the H510 Flow, although you’ll ideally want to budget for an extra intake fan to help temperatures.

Unsure what to look out for in a case? Check out our guide to choosing a PC case for some helpful tips.