Well, first off, I LOVE this case. There is tons of room inside and although I haven't intalled a water-cooling system in the predrilled top holes, I do plan on it with my next hardware refresh. The air this thing moves is amazing - my parts are all always cool. Dust filters do their job reasonably well - in a house with 3 cats I merely have to run a dust brush over the front and side intake to clear off any build up. I should also note that this case has pretty good positive pressure going because I hardly ever need to dust out the inside - in the year I've owned it I've only had to clean my GPU and CPU coolers twice and the rest of the case not at all.
As another poster mentioned, the PSU placement does make it a tad annoying to reach certain connections, but not unreasonably so. At worst, you could get extenders. Cable management is also nice with *somewhat* adequate room behind the motherboard tray to route the cables around. An extra 1/4 or 1/2 of an inch clearence would have been awesome. Another thing that this case is missing that I would have loved to have is access to the back of the CPU for custom cooler mounting. As it is now, your mobo has to come out completely to change your cooler - but hey- this thing is only 0, what can you expect?!
There are two con points that I knocked off a star for specifically. First of all - the front UI panel (USB, firewire, esata) is EXTREMELY flimsy. Both USB ports broke within 6 months. I don't really need em as I have a card reader in one of the bays that provides me with all the ports I need, but non-the-less, something that would forseeably have so much use should be a little sturdier. I'd have let this part go, but recently the POWER button has started to act up (it won't pop back up all the time, forcing the computer to immediatly shut down - can't be good for my electronics). So I cleaned the heck out of the spot behind the panel and the button itself and its a little better - doesn't shut my computer down anymore - but still won't pop back up nicely. I haven't yet sent NZXT an e-mail about it asking em to replace it, but I expect no trouble as others' reviews make it seem that the customer support won't be lacking.
Second - the two front fans are all but useless out of the box. The problem is that there is basically a dual filter on them and behind them are the hard drive cages. Each cage can hold 4 drives, I only have 3 and I set it up so that 2 drives are int he lower one and one in the top - with all of them positioned on the out edge rails so that the center is clear open to allow air to pass through from the fans. Well, even with this set-up, hardly ANY airflow can be felt from behind the drives. The filters are basically cutting the CFM down by, well I haven't measured it scientifically but I can imagine its at least 60-70%, if not more. This is fortunatly remediable - simply pop off the front panel and remove the second set of filters underneath the metal grille filter that is part of the panel. Frees up alot of air-flow and also allows you to actually see the LED fans from the front (like the picture). With the filters in, the fans are pretty much invisible (unlike the picture).
And thats it! For the price, this case cannot be beat. The fact that all the fans are included only adds to this. Just be careful with your UI USB ports so they don't snap pre-maturely and take out that second set of filters as soon as you get it. I'm also thinking of drilling some sort of cable pass through above the motherboard tray (don't know if this is going to be possible) to allow the 4 in connector cable to run that way instead of through my case (its not long enough to go behind the board, out the hole, and all the way over to the connector area).
Also, don't let my long rant and cons prevent you from getting this case. I guarentee you for th emoney you will NOT find anything better. Check some review websites - this thing cools as well as or better then cases 2-3x its cost.
Cheers!
Average Rating:
Brand: Nzxt
Color: Black/Blue
Model: TEMPEST
Product Description:
Tempest stakes its claim as Airflow King with breakthrough features in every category satisfying the high performance demands of PC Enthusiasts and Gamers worldwide. Tempest maximizes expandability with E-ATX support allowing for more compatibility with high end components including larger graphics cards. Cable routing is pre-drilled so users can hide cables behind the motherboard tray, allowing for a cleaner appearance and improved airflow.
Features:
- Airflow King: Dual 120mm intake, Dual 140mm Exhaust with an additional side 120mm fan and rear 120mm fan all included.
- Maximize Expandability: E-ATX support allows more compatibility with high end components including large graphics cards
- Easier accessibility & cable management: Cable routing is pre-drilled on the motherboard so users can hide cables behind the motherboard tray, allowing more a cleaning look and better airflow.
- Bottom mounted PSU: PSU mounting at the bottom allows for more security and separation of heat from the CPU
- Server-like HDD space: Dual 120mm fans cool cages that hold up to 8 HDDs allowing for large capacity systems while maintaining cool temperatures
Special Features: nv:Form Factor^ATX Mid-Tower|Compatible Motherboards^ATX|Compatible Motherboards^Micro ATX|Compatible Motherboards^Extended ATX|Bezel Type^Mesh|Side Panel Type^Clear|Material^Steel|Special Features^Vented Side Panel|External 5.25" Drive Bays^3|External 3.5" Drive Bays^1|Internal 3.5" Drive Bays^8|Expansion Slots^7|120mm Fan Ports^4|120mm Fans Included^4|140mm Fan Ports^2|140mm Fans Included^2|Depth^22.12"|Width^8.32"
Available at Amazon
List Price: USD 109.99
Lowest New Price: USD 99.99
Customer Reviews
Supreme Case
This was received on time, and the product is fully functional. The case is very nice looking and I would buy from Amazon again.
Great Product, but a little bigger than I needed
This case is on the large side with pretty room for expansion. I recommend a decent PSU to go with it.
Solid build ...etc. just like others have observed.
Great Case. Exceptional Cooling.
This case is really great. It's very big, which is nice for a desktop that you just store under your desk. It also comes with several fans, maybe 4 or 6, which saves you a ton of money at a pop. It is really heavy, but once it's set up, you don't move it anyway, so who cares.
I love it, and I've recommended it to several of my system builder friends.
Truly The Airflow King
It's called the Airflow King for a reason. This case is a must for all over clocker's rigs. It keeps your rig extremely cool with it's 6 fans. It's ready for water cooling. Bottom mounting your PSU in this case is a plus.
