NZXT Switch 810 Special Edition

Brian Ambrozy 13 May, 2012 at 11:57pm ET Article published in Tech

The NZXT Switch 810 Special Edition interior

The NZXT Switch 810 is one of the best cases out there for serious builders who want a rock-solid, feature-packed foundation for their advanced or custom PC build. The sheer scope of size, build quality, refinement, and detail puts it on the short list for people considering builds containing exotic cooling, extreme modification, or a large number of GPUs or hard drives. In our review, we awarded it our Silver “Outstanding Product” award, and we stand behind that.

One of the minor complaints our reviewer had about the Switch 810 was the glossy finish and its propensity to show fingerprints. The Switch 810 Special Edition solves that problem with a spectacularly matte finish.

The Switch 810 Special Edition is identical to their regular Switch 810 except for two new absolutely stunning, almost light-absorbing finishes—gunmetal and matte black. The devil is in the details, and if there’s one thing that NZXT excels at, it’s details. The Switch 810 SE comes with bags of screws, all black, and even motherboard standoffs in all black. Most people never even see the standoffs, and the fact that NZXT bothered to make them black as well just goes to show how far they’ll go to achieve uniqueness.

There are many details which make the Switch 810 special. Every design decision was made with the goal of achieving a clean look. For example, on the back of the motherboard tray, we find a single power module for all the case fans, powered by a single molex lead. The included case fans are already routed and wire-managed for you. All you need to do is run a single molex lead from your PSU to this board and voila, all the fans work.

There are removable dust filters on every single intake surface. Every panel removes with a satisfying push-button click release. The case is entirely tool-less, and the hard drive tray mechanisms are gorgeous. There are two interior fan mounts that tilt at up to a 15 degree angle on each hard drive bay, to direct airflow over the GPU and CPU if so desired.

Switch 810 SE review LED and fan power board

The centralized fan power module on the back of the NZXT Switch 810 SE

This case is definitely not for everybody, in the same way that a Lamborghini isn’t for everybody. It’s not practical in any way. It’s massive (it barely fits under my desk, it’s so tall), it’s heavy, it’s by no means portable, and it’s expensive. If you’re looking for an absolutely refined experience, however, none of that matters. It’s one of the most premiere cases for serious builders out there. The level of detail that has gone into the design and manufacture of this case is simply best in class.

Features that make the Switch 810 special include a massive cutout for the CPU backplate, enough room for quad-GPU setups, four watercooling cutouts, a bright rear LED for the back panel, and right-side access to the HD/SSD bays. There is enough room on top for a triple-fan radiator.

The bottom of the case includes six rubberized standoffs for power supplies; even huge power supplies will fit. The rubber standoffs serve the dual purpose of keeping the PSU up above the case floor, giving it airflow, and helping to silence the PSU by keep vibrations down.

There’s really not much more to say about the Switch 810 SE that hasn’t already been covered in our review. We’ll let the pictures speak for the rest of it.

The NZXT Switch 810 SE in Matte Black and Gunmetal will be available starting today.

Comments

14 May 2012 ~ 12:09am _k Yup, worth every penny.
15 May 2012 ~ 1:05am rothwir But will it come in white
15 May 2012 ~ 1:13am primesuspect The Switch 810 already comes in white.
23 May 2012 ~ 8:36pm Gino Paolo Cruz going for black matte
25 May 2012 ~ 8:31pm primesuspect
It's shit like this, NZXT...
You know, I want to take a minute to revisit this review.

Today, I went to install some new parts in the case because I'm setting up a review for a new all-in-one water cooling unit from Thermaltake. I noticed, in one of the little bags from the Switch 810 SE a tiny little black piece made of metal:

It has a Philips screw head on one side and is open on the other. At first glance I thought maybe it was a manufacturing defect, as it looks almost like one of the thumbscrews, but without an actual screw bit.

Then I realized: It's a driver for the standoffs. It fits perfectly over the motherboard standoffs, allowing you to easily crank them down tighter with your fingers, or really crank them down with a screwdriver if you wanted to. It also makes removing the standoffs far easier.

This is a tiny, almost insignificant part, but NZXT added it to the total package. This is the kind of attention to detail that, in my opinion, sets NZXT far apart from their competition. Every aspect of this case is highly engineered and pays spectacular attention to detail.

Here's my new build, with all cords. It's the cleanest PC I've ever built:
29 May 2012 ~ 2:13am primesuspect It's also shit like this. The rear LED changes everything. EVERY case should have this:
29 May 2012 ~ 9:01am _k ^ 100 times over. I knew that was on the case but the first time I went to switch something around on the I/O not in the middle of a bright day I couldn't believe no one had ever put that on a case before.
29 May 2012 ~ 9:54am Jokke I really like the look of the interior. The back light looks brilliant too. Not too much of a fan of the glass panel on the side. So many details, and it looks incredible. Might be too big for me, but def. worth a look if I decide to upgrade in the future.
9 Jun 2012 ~ 8:32pm chirs I wonder if the white will turn yellow ?
10 Jun 2012 ~ 11:44am mertesn If the paint and material from their Phantom case is any indication, no.