Introduction:

NZXT Zero 2 Case

   Gaming is all about taking it to the extreme. In the pursuit of the best gaming experience, gamers have stopped at nothing to achieve this always-rising goal. Overclocking, adding another GPU/Videocard and upgrading are the typical paths and all of them have the downside of generating extra heat, which is potentially damaging to components and can impede performance.

To remedy this, a proper case with good airflow is needed. Usually, a full tower provides the best option, since the extra space not only permits more fans but also provides the proper clearance for airflow as well. NZXT was thinking exactly this with the Zero 2 case, a steel-chassis full-tower beast that boasts a capacity for an impressive seven 120mm fans. Let's see if it lives up to its specs.

Specifications:

The NZXT Zero 2 is a steel full-tower chassis, which means a couple of things: It's big and roomy, but it's also quite heavy. Empty, it tips the scales at 10.2 kg (22.5 lbs) - but having the strength of 1.0mm steel doesn't come cheap. The most noticeable features are the four side 120mm blowholes - which don't come with fans but certainly provide the capacity for serious airflow. NZXT opted for the fan spots here instead of a window. The case is a typical black colour, so no innovation there - but black is always a safe colour. The case's dimensions of 8.3"x20.9"x21.1" (WxHxD) make it about average (or a little smaller than average) for a full-tower chassis.

• Full Specifications

The case has space for five 5.25" drives, two external 3.5" drives and a total of six HDD bays. This should be more than enough for more users and the extra space of the full-tower setup should allow one to stagger drives for improved cooling/airflow. Besides the four side fan places, there is a front 120mm fan, two rear 120mm fans and room for a top 80mm fan. There's certainly no shortage of fan spots in this case! No PSU has is included.

As mentioned, one of the defining characteristics of this case is its sturdy construction and heavy weight - this is certainly not a case for a LAN party, unless you enjoy the experience of working in a stock room. Out of the box, you'll notice that the four side 120mm blowholes cover roughly the CPU and GPU area, the typical "hot zones" of a PC. Bringing in fresh air over these areas will certainly help, but is four fans overkill?

The NZXT Zero 2.

Packaged.

Out of the box.

The full tower case sports a very traditional drive layout, with the five 5.25" drives at the top, with two 3.5" drive bays below. This is more space than most will need, and certainly one will be hard pressed to find use for both external 3.5" drive bays nowadays. The six HDD bays are located at the bottom of the case, right behind a front 120mm intake fan. There are ample vents at the front of the case to ensure proper airflow here.

Other side of case.

Front.

Door open.

The front of the case is adorned with a plastic bezel and door that add considerable bulk to the case. The front is mostly plastic, though it's worthwhile to note that the hinges on the door are metal. The door itself only opens up about 135 degrees, so you'll want to be aware of this as the case will be better placed to your right. A door that opened fully would have been better here. The door uses a magnetic latch, which unfortunately causes it to slam shut with quite some force; be careful or pinched fingers are definitely possible here.

Front door open angle.

Top of case.

Front intake vents.

The top of the case features an 80mm fan placement - as if more fans were needed. Actually, having an exhaust fan here can be quite effective at removing hot air, provided you don't place stuff on top of your case like I do. The USB/Audio and eSATA ports are also located on top of the case. Looking at the top of the case also gives you an idea of how far the door will open.

Side fan spots.

Rear.

Bottom.

The side shot above shows just how much room four 120mm fans will take up, and gives you some sense of how much extra noise those fans will generate. At the back, we can see two of the included 120mm fans that are set to exhaust. They have been professionally mounted with proper fan grills. Here, you can also see that there are no water tube holes - strange considering most cases have them nowadays. The bottom of the case features standard feet, but also appears to have a placement for an 80mm fan. This is actually more like a set of ventilation holes, as we'll see later - but even then, the effectiveness is questionable since they're on the bottom of the case without much clearance.

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