Posted 11/19/09 at 12:00:58 PM by Paul Lilly

NZXT has been on a roll churning out affordable cases that, at least on paper, appear to belie their low price tag with features typically reserved for more expensive enclosures. The same can be said for NZXT's newest chassis, the Tempest EVO.

Constructed of all black steel, the EVO edition expands on the original Tempest's design with better cooling potential and more attention to cable management schemes. Cooling duties are provided by four 120mm fans (dual intake, one side, and one rear). NZXT said it even redesigned the fan blades to push more air at lower noise levels.

The mid tower Tempest EVO targets enthusiasts looking for server-level performance. The E-ATX form factor is now supported, and there are slots for up to 8 hard drives.

"The original Tempest is one of our most successful designs due to its optimal airflow capabilities," said Johnny Hou, Chief Designer at NZXT. "With the additional improvements the Tempest EVO brings to the equation, it's destined to be a top performer in its class."

The Tempest EVO is available now for with an MSRP set to $100.

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Posted 09/03/09 at 05:05:42 PM by Paul Lilly

In the past several months, NZXT has been aggressively targeting gamers looking to get a lot of case for a little scratch (see here, here, and here), and continuing that trend, the company has just announced the low-priced Lexa S.

Priced at a penny under $70 MSRP, the Lexa S purports to offer exceptional cooling performance with 5 case fans (2x120mm front intake, 140mm top, 120mm LED side, 120mm rear), in addition to a fan controller that gives users independent control over the dual intakes and exhausts.

"We really wanted to offer gamers a solution for under $70 that offers optimal performance without compromise," said Johnny Hou, chief designer at NZXT. "With Lexa S you get enhanced airflow, sleek aesthetics, superior cable management, and added features like an SSD bracket."

Other features include an all black interior. front-facing HDD cage, punched holes in the mobo tray to allow for easier cable management, and mounting holes at the top to accommodate a radiator.

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Posted 08/27/09 at 12:50:24 PM by Paul Lilly

Lian Li today launched its PC-B25F mid tower chassis. Constructed of brushed aluminum, the new case is based on an old model (PC-B25 "Blue Ring" Classic) with "a few more refinements," including a tool-less design.

The new mid-tower chassis makes room for three 5.25-inch optical drives and up to six side-facing 3.5-inch drives, each one supporting tool-less installation. Gaining access looks to be made simpler with a removable top panel, a surprisingly uncommon feature in modern case design.

Cooling duties are provided by dual top 140mm fans (1,000RPM), two front 120mm fans (1,200RPM), and a single rear 120mm fan (1,500RPM).

Lian Li says the PC-B25F will be available starting in September for around $200.

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Posted 08/05/09 at 09:36:13 AM by Paul Lilly

Less than a month ago, NZXT released the funky looking M59, a $60 chassis aimed at attention-seeking gamers. If the aesthetics weren't your style but the price point was, NZXT's latest case, the Beta EVO, might be more your style.

Part of NZXT's Classic Series, the Beta EVO mid-tower sports a more subdued look, but there is more here than meets the eye. The major focus is on airflow, and to that end, the Beta EVO accommodates up to six 120mm fans with the option of dual 140mm at the top.

Other amenities include support for 10.5-inch graphics cards, screwless installation for hard drives and external 5.25-inch drives, front-facing HDD rack, external dual radiator support, a sleek all-black internal finish, CPU cutout for easier third-party heatsink installation, and a handful of wire management cutouts.

That's a pretty robust feature-set for NZXT's $50 asking price. Look for the Beta EVO to be made available in September.

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Posted 07/27/09 at 09:09:05 AM by Paul Lilly

Silverstone this week launched the Raven RV02, a "smaller, lighter, and higher performing" chassis than the original Raven RV01, the company claims.

Like the original, the updated design also boasts a 90-degree motherboard mounting layout, however the new version no longer supports Extended-ATX motherboards and "server-level storage capacity." Silverstone says that by sacrificing these features, it was able to make the RV02 more compact and consumer-friendly.

Other features include three 180mm fans, support for liquid cooling radiator mounting, motherboard backplate opening behind CPU socket area for easier installation of third-party heastinks, eight expansion slots, and an updated hard drive suspension system to help reduce drive noise.

The Raven RV02 will come configurable with our without a window, though no word yet on price or availability.

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Posted 07/22/09 at 01:42:35 PM by Paul Lilly

Remember when computer cases were little more than boring beige rectangular boxes with a single fan? My how the landscape has changed since then, as evidenced by NZXT's newest chassis, the M59.

Aimed at gamers, the M59 sports a funky aesthetic even by today's standards, which will probably appeal to the target audience. But looking beyond the exterior facade, NZXT claims exceptional airflow by way of 5 "powerful" fans, however only two are included (side 120mm LED and rear 120mm).

In what's becoming an increasingly popular trend, the M59 boasts an all-black interior, as well the prerequisite side panel window. Other features include pre-drilled watercooling holes, punched holes in the motherboard tray for quick CPU bracket removal, space for two SSD drives, and "space that is especially designed to fit longer 10-inch cards."

The mid-tower chassis will be available in August at an MSRP of $60.

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Posted 05/12/09 at 07:00:00 AM by Nathan Edwards

Ah, spring: when a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of upgrading. But, alas! Your fancy new videocard is too big for your tiny case, and you’re running out of hard drive bays for your RAID. Fear not! A classy full-tower chassis can be just the solution.

In this roundup we’ve collected five full-tower cases—big and tall enclosures with all the bells and whistles: new looks, toolless expansion slots, intake filters, drive bays aplenty, and more. Space-saving isn’t a priority here: The focus is on features, with room for as much hardware as you need to cram in. If you want a portable rig or something to nestle under your desk, these aren’t the cases for you. But if you’re looking to make the most of your computer, portability be damned, one of these beauts could be your huckleberry.

In evaluating these cases, we focused on a few key points: overall build quality, aesthetics, ease of installation, cooling options, convenience, and features like front-panel connectors. We kept price in mind, too, but only to a degree: After all, we’re Maximum PC. We don’t mind paying for excellence; we just object when gear is offensively overpriced.

Let’s get on with it, then!

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Posted 05/06/09 at 09:00:12 AM by Paul Lilly

We don't typically expect much from a $50 case, but NZXT may change how we view budget enclosures if its Beta mid-tower chassis manages to look as good in person as it does in pictures. And it doesn't look to sacrifice a whole lot in terms of features, either.

As we're starting to see more of lately (and we couldn't be happier about it), the Beta comes with an all black interior rather than unfinished steel. From a feature standpoint, the budget enclosure includes four external 5.25-inch and five internal 3.5-inch drive bays, all of which support tool-less installation. Cooling duties are served by four 120mm fans (one each on the front and rear, and two and on the side), as well as what looks to be plenty of cut-outs for cable management.

"Given the current economic conditions, we wanted to offer gamers a sleek sturdy case built for performance and maximum expandability without breaking the bank," said Johhn Hou, Chief Designer at NZXT. "Beta provides the perfect solution for a sub $1,000 PC and will give gamers multiple options when configuring a rig with phenomenal value."

NZXT says the Beta will be available this month with an MSRP of $50.

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