Collect spherical, kids, and I’ll inform you of one thing magical: the NZXT Supply 340 compact mid-tower PC case with aspect window, product code CA-S340W-B1. Good gravy, did I like that case. Tightly proportioned with out being too cramped for a full-size graphics card, maturely designed with out trying boring, and hewn from a few of most gorgeously textured matte metal I’ve seen on a bit of computing {hardware}. Don’t even get me began on the upgraded Supply 340 Elite. It’s been years since these instances disappeared from sale and ascended to Part Heaven, and though it’s taken a number of tries, there’s lastly a brand new chassis that’s worthy of the legacy: the NZXT H5 Stream.
Now, I ain’t saying NZXT absolutely misplaced their method. Circumstances just like the H500 and H510 are effective mid-towers; I even requested the latter to accommodate the principle RPS testing rig. However even with comparable specs, no airflow downgrade value mentioning, and the addition of tempered glass home windows, they’re simply not as good, y’know? The metalwork, particularly, is thinner and fewer tactile, one thing I’m at all times noticing whether or not I’m urgent the ability button or swapping out the elements inside.
The H5 Stream doesn’t strictly deal with this both, so it extra carefully resembles the H510 than it does a Supply 340 Elite. Nevertheless, it makes up for that with so many different considerate touches and outright upgrades that it seems like a far worthier successor. I’ve even rebuilt the RPS rig inside it, maybe completely.
As you may think about, the H5 Stream has air cooling on the mind. There have been higher-airflow variants of earlier NZXT instances, together with the H510, and this mannequin shares the identical mesh sample on the entrance panel. A twist on NZXT’s typical design language, however on no account an unpleasant one, say I. The H5 Stream then goes a lot additional in its pursuit of a superb draught, including a curious diagonally-angled entrance consumption fan that appears prefer it melted into the PSU shroud. It takes up the house that’s usually occupied by a tough drive cage, however now that SSDs are nearly as low cost, that’s onerous to contemplate a giant loss, and having a second preinstalled fan on the entrance sounds higher than having it within the roof. I desire mounting AIO liquid cooler radiators on the entrance and letting their followers double as the principle intakes, so on this format, the GPU will get some contemporary air that hasn’t already been dragged over a scorching radiator.
Talking of coolers, the H5 Stream’s barely wider form affords it room for AIO radiator-and-fan setups up high, in addition to on the entrance. The H510 and even my beloved Supply 340 didn’t have sufficient clearance from the motherboard for greater than a single fan, however the H5 Stream provides you the flexibleness to whack as much as 240mm of radiator within the roof. That’s along with the 280mm most on the entrance, if that angled fan isn’t sufficient for ya.
The added 17mm of width additionally does greater than you’d suppose for snug constructing. It’s primarily felt within the cable administration division, with extra space behind the fitting aspect panel to stuff and wrap unfastened cabling. Wire-wrangling stays a energy of NZXT chassis designs, and with deeper routing channels than the H510 mixed with helpfully reusable Velcro straps, the H5 Stream continues the custom. The additional house additionally means there’s room to vertically mount a 3.5in onerous drive, for those who actually do insist on holding mechanical storage round. There’s house for as much as two 2.5in SSDs right here as nicely, which along with an ideally M.2-form issue drive, is a lot sufficient for the common gaming PC.
My solely want is that NZXT made the H5 Stream a tad longer, in addition to thicker. The principle chassis is barely a few millimetres longer than the H510’s, however as a result of the entrance radiator mount sits barely additional again from the mesh entrance panel, the GPU clearance has shrunk barely from 381mm to 365mm. That seems like the wrong way is ought to be altering in, at a time when the lengths of Nvidia RTX playing cards particularly are getting uncontrolled. Most GPUs will nonetheless match, however beware for those who’re contemplating a pleasant new RTX 4090 to go together with your case improve.
Even so, the H5 Stream’s cooling cred makes it a superb match for high-end parts of a much less titanic nature. Earlier than swapping instances, I took some measurements on the take a look at PC’s watercooled Intel Core i5-11600K processor and GeForce RTX 3070 to see how heat they received whereas working video games: within the H510, the CPU hung round 46-49°c with peaks as much as 50°c, whereas the GPU barely strayed from 77°c. Of their new house, the H5 Stream, the CPU was often inside 43-46°c with a 46°c peak, and the GPU caught to 73°c.
Single-digit variations don’t appear like rather a lot, they usually in all probability gained’t in apply be for many setups – however for those who’re overclocking, then they could possibly be the distinction between stability and overheating. Both method, the H5 Stream makes for a measurable cooling enchancment on its predecessor, and regardless of the soundproofing drawbacks to punching a whole lot of holes within the chassis, its followers sound quieter than the H510’s as nicely.
Even at a steep £110 / $95, and even with out that pretty matte end I miss a lot, the H5 Stream earns its hold. The understated appears and straightforward constructing are worthy of the basic Supply 340, and it’s colder, quieter, and extra versatile than the H510. Will I converse of it with such reverence after it, too, is discontinued? You understand what, kids, I simply would possibly.
