Winner of the Damn Good Case Award
Budget builds. Everyone seems to start with a budget build. And what is the one area of a budget build that seems to get overlooked? Novices tend to overlook two areas: cases and power supplies. Today, Constant Reader, we are going to focus on one of those two areas: cases. To read the full review click here
Lets face it; the $50 and under crowd of computer cases leaves quite a bit to be desired. Hell, even if you scratch build, you are going to be spending nearly that much in raw materials alone, and never mind the man hours and possibly the cost of equipment to build said case.
Or perhaps you are wanting to build a screamer of a system but don't want to drop a C note on a case, even though cases in that range have all the amenities of home and then some. You are in luck, because the days of the sub par $50 “special” are now behind us. There is a case in the $50 range that is stylish, sleek, and made by a reputable company. Let me introduce you to the NZXT Gamma.
I have to say, I love the look of this case. Call me old school if you like, but the curves of the front bezel reminds me of the arcade games of my youth (Pac Man, Elevator Action, et al). That said, the bezel itself quickly became my first source of contention—it is, for lack of a better term, flimsy. Try to pick this case up fully loaded by the bezel, and you could end up breaking it (Editor's note: this is something you might do well to keep in mind if you make this your LAN party case). The curves of the front panel also help with airflow—simple physics, really: less surface space equals more airflow for your front fan.
Ok, lets open this baby up and see what makes her tick.
Specifications:- MODEL: GAMMA SERIES
- CASE TYPE: MID TOWER Black interior chassis
- FRONT PANEL MATERIAL: Steel
- DIMENSIONS (W x H x D): 190 X 449 X 508 mm
- COOLING SYSTEM:
- FRONT - 1 x 120mm
- SIDE - 2 x 120mm
- TOP - 2 x 140/120mm
- REAR - 1 x 120mm, 23db/42CFM (included)
- DRIVE BAYS: 11 DRIVE BAYS
- 4 EXTERNAL 5.25" DRIVE BAYS
- 7 INTERNAL 3.5" DRIVE BAYS
- MATERIAL(S): Steel Construction, Plastic front panel.
- PCI EXPANSION SLOTS: 7
- POWER SUPPLY: 500 WATT PS2 ATX 12V 2.0 ( OPTIONAL )
- WEIGHT: 6 KGS (W/O Power)
- MOTHERBOARD SUPPORT: ATX, MICRO-ATX, BABY AT
Overview:
Right off the bat, look at that material to weight ratio. Steel case, yet a weight that is lighter than some aluminum cases. Very impressive indeed. Six fans, with one included—with the proper fans, this thing could be extremely quiet, or with improper fans, it could be louder than an F-15. 11 drive bays, 7 of which are of the 3.5” variety? Very nice indeed. This case was designed with gamers in mind, but could also serve quite well in other areas as well, such as a very stylish home file server.
Lets look at those dimensions for a moment. This is one area that irks me: I have yet to find a computer case manufacturer who lists their product dimensions in the Imperial system. To our international readers, yes, I realize this a non point for all of you, as a large majority of you already use the metric system, but here in the United States, most of us have a hard time doing conversions without the help of a calculator. That said, a case with the dimensions of 190 X 449 X 508 mm translates roughly into 7 1/2” x 17 2/3” x 20”.
Moving on to the top of the case, we see that this case, like its' kindred the Lexa S, is built with water cooling in mind. Upon further investigation, Kayin informed me that this case is indeed the Lexa S with a different front panel. I think he summed it up quite nicely by saying:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Kayin
That is the same chassis as the Lexa S, which means that's a damn good case.
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According to NZXT's webpage for the Gamma, a dual 140 mm radiator will fit nicely.
I will be up front with you, Constant Reader; I have never watercooled a computer system before. However, that will change in the very near future, as I have been plotting and scheming for some time now to take the plunge into that particular pool, so to speak.
The back of the case continues on with the water cooling theme, as there are two grommets installed to allow for movement of fluid from the reservoir to the blocks and back. Also included with the case is one 120 mm fan installed in the back. Interestingly, there are predrilled holes for 92 and 80 mm fans. Personally, I do not understand the reasoning behind this, as smaller fans require more RPMs to move the same amount of air as a larger fan, thus resulting in more white noise coming from the computer case.
Like other cases in the NZXT line, the power supply mounts on the bottom of the case as opposed to the top of the case. Again, if this case is a candidate to be your LAN party case, this will be another godsend, since the power supply is usually the heaviest component in the case itself. By placing it on the bottom of the case as opposed to the top, one effectively changes the center of gravity of the case, which in turn makes the case less vulnerable to being tipped off balance and either falling out of your hands while getting to the LAN party or falling off the table at the LAN party. Don't laugh, it happens. And the end result is never pretty.
Inside the case itself, we have the usual suspects: wires and component parts (screws, standoff and the like). NZXT was kind enough to place all the component parts in a box, rather than just a plastic bag like other case manufacturers do. The box contains an instruction manual written in several different languages, motherboard standoffs, fan screws (presumably for a front fan), 16 thumb screws for optical drives, five pair of toolless optical drive rails, and a baggie with screws for the PSU and motherboard. Did I mention that the bags are all individually labeled? Not only is this case marketed at gamers, it is also marketed at first time system builders. Kudos to NZXT for going the extra mile in this department—other cases I have reviewed had everything in one bag, and the end user always seems to be left fending for him or herself.
Cable management within this case is nothing short of a breeze. There are knockouts on the motherboard tray for routing the 24 pin (along with the other cable arrays that are needed to make a system work), and again, like the Lexa S, the hard drives install backwards, cutting down on the clutter inside the case. Add a modular power supply to this case and you will be the envy of every other gamer on your block, I guarantee it.
And finally, the front panel. A beautiful design (although a bit flimsy), once again geared towards gamers. The front panel consists of front side audio, two USB ports and an e-SATA connector. Some people might complain about the lack of firewire or other frivolous (to a gamer, anyways) ports, but hey, this case is designed with a gamer in mind.
Included with the case are: Pack of 16 thumbscrews, 5 pair of hard drive racks, and the usual compliment of chassis and fan screws.
Conclusion:
At the price of roughly $50 USD, you cannot go wrong with this case. I only have two issues with this case: the flimsy front panel and the fact that even with rolled edges on the hard drive/optical drive bays, I managed to nick myself and draw blood. Perhaps QC just missed one minor area and I was unlucky enough to find it—these things happen, and I am fully aware of it.
That said, here is my breakdown:
Appearance: Absolutely stunning. A sleek no frills design geared towards gamers, which is what we have come to expect from NZXT. As an added bonus, the front bezel is reminiscent of an arcade machine, thus increasing its appeal to the over 30 crowd (which happens to include yours truly). 5/5
Price/Performance ratio: The fact that this case is tooled for watercooling, coupled with 11 drive bays, puts it over the top. Even in the $100 to $150 range, this case would be a bargain. Kudos to NZXT for being able to offer this at a MSRP of $50. 5/5
Quality: I came across two problems with the case: the flimsiness of the front bezel and the front side panel. The flimsiness of the bezel is of serious concern for this system builder—if it were to get hit hard enough, it could very easily break. As for the side panel, be prepared to put a little effort into getting it removed since there isn't a handhold built into it. Strangely enough, the back side panel does have a handhold in it. Everything else on the case, however, is ace. Caveat Emptor: rarely will a case get a 5/5 from me in this category—I tend to be quite anal when it comes to durability, as I can be quite rough on equipment. I build computers for a purpose, not for looks. 4/5
Modability: This case comes with a nearly blank slate in the form of the side panel. I say nearly, because it is perforated for airflow. However, NZXT perforated it in a place where a side window would go anyways. Or, if you were feeling a bit more adventurous, you could bust out the bondo and fill a few of those holes and then put a handhold of sorts in that area as well. 5/5
Final verdict: 4/5. If you are planning a build in the future and are looking to save a bit of hard earned cash in the case department, seriously consider the Gamma. You can thank me later.
You can purchase the NZXT Gamma from Newegg.com or from Amazon.com for under $50
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