The best $99 case available: an NZXT Hades review

ThraxThrax 🐌Austin, TX Icrontian
edited May 2010 in Science & Tech

Comments

  • clifford_cooleyclifford_cooley Arkansas, USA Member
    edited May 2010
    I don't see the fact that the optical drive is mounted behind a door listed as a pro or con. I definitely see it as a con and would decide not to purchase.

    Who needs a box in a box? Or a door behind a door?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    To each their own.
  • clifford_cooleyclifford_cooley Arkansas, USA Member
    edited May 2010
    I'm simply saying to me it would be annoying when changing disk is all.

    Question though, is their anyone that would see it as a pro. Would anyone prefer to have their optical drive behind a hidden door? I suppose it would depend on how often you use the optical drive.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    It's a pro for me, personally. I prefer a clean aesthetic rather than an optical drive I access maybe, maybe, once per month hanging out and ruining the uniformity.
  • timuchantimuchan Fishers, IN Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    This guy uses disks... lol. (Only kidding bud, but how often do you really need to swap disks these days?)
  • timuchantimuchan Fishers, IN Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    @Thrax What do you think of this vs. the Panzerbox? I was seriously considering that one for my next build. Also... which do you feel is more portable? (i.e. for packing up and taking to a LAN party) Thanks for the great review!
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    I'd say it's a tossup. Here's why:
    The Hades is almost 2" more narrow from left to right.
    The Hades is 1" shorter.
    The hades is 2" longer from front to back.

    So, where you save on width and height, you lose out depth. I'd say neither case is particularly "portable" in the mATX sense, but I suppose the Panzerbox may be more portable given its "square" design. That is, there are no odd protrusions or funny angles to consider when transporting it.
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    I'd go with the Panzerbox for more portability on account that the shape packs more easily since it lacks protrusions and because all the panels are aluminum, making them both durable and incredibly light. You can't go wrong really. It just depends on your needs and aesthetics.
  • TurboPenguinTurboPenguin Orangevale, CA
    edited May 2010
    A few things I noticed when using the Hades...

    The side panel fan sits right over the CPU, the case to too narrow for good number of large heat-sink coolers. My i7's zalman would not fit with the fan in place. They need to add more room here.

    The fans, though are quiet and work well, are flimsy and break easily.

    For how long the case is, my GTX 480 should have fit easily. If you look at the case the front bezel is quite long. The inside lacks real space.

    Hard drives, though tool-less are NOT TOOL-LESS. You must screw on 3.5" to 5.25" adaptors, then it becomes tool less, well sorta at least.

    Cable Management is horrific, the space behind the motherboard tray wont fit the 24 pin power, and the stupid rubber grommets fall out of place non stop.

    Temperature sensors, are cool at first but become a real pain in the rear end. Two of my kept getting stuck in fans and utterly pissing me off.

    Power button, it in a strange place, and honestly it is very cheap. It sticks all the freakin time. If someone is going to spend $100 on a case make the freaking button actually work, OMFG!

    Reset button, yeah whoever thought it was a great idea to hide that behind the door should be sacked.

    If you have a long Power Supply like mine, PC Power & Cooling, the PSU is a VERY TIGHT fit. The cable management openings protrude. This makes fitting a long PSU in there extremely difficult.

    Now I know I'm picky when it comes to computer cases, but seriously with these problems I fail to understand how someone actually thinks this game is the best in it's class. The Cooler Master HAF 922; is the same price and extremely better in my opinion.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    1) What were you doing to break your fans? They feel no more or less sturdy than any other case fan I've ever touched.

    2) No comment. I've never installed one.

    3) Mentioned that in the article.

    4) I fit every cable the power supply has behind the motherboard tray, including the 24-pin power.

    5) I removed the thermistors as per the article, so I have no comment.

    6) I've never had this button stick.

    7) LOL, reset button.

    8) No comment. My test PSU uses standard ATX dimensions (750W).

    Now, I'm picky when it comes to computer cases, but seriously, with these problems I fail to understand how we are even talking about the same case.
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    They still put reset buttons on cases? I don't think my Antec 1200 even had a pin header for it in the case harness.
  • timuchantimuchan Fishers, IN Icrontian
    edited May 2010
    Thanks @Thrax and @Buddy J for the advice!
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