NZXT H230 Review

NZXT H230 Review

Manufacturer: NZXT
UK price (as reviewed): £57.59 (inc VAT)
US price (as reviewed): $69.99 (ex Tax)

The H230 is the latest mid-tower chassis from NZXT, and although its name may share a few of the same letters and numbers as the large and premium NZXT H630, this is a markedly different beast. While maintaining the signature minimalist styling and silence oriented design, the H230 comes in at a far lower price - just £60 - and is in fact being touted as a more affordable version of the well received H2.

As is common for such chassis, the H230 maintains a fairly nondescript exterior, opting for a tried and tested minimalist black finish, with a white version also available. The plastic front door has a mirror like finish with an angled chrome trim, while the grainy black painted steel used elsewhere is also strongly reflective [all told, a devil to photograph - Ed.]. At 7.25kg, it has some weight to it, making it clear the steel is of a certain quality, but it's hardly the heaviest of cases, although you wouldn't expect it to be given the asking price.


The roof mounted front panel is the standard combination of USB 3.0 ports and audio jacks, and the power and reset buttons that flank it are solid with a very nice action. There's no fan control to be found, which is a shame for a case focussed on silence (even Cooltek's £60 Antiphon chassis features it). As with the Corsair Carbide 330R, this means NZXT will be relying solely on its fans to strike the appropriate balance between noise and airflow.

As with the H2, the H230's door feels a little light, but it's still sturdy and opens and closes smoothly, with a set of magnets holding it fast. Behind the door is the trio of plastic optical drive covers, each of which clips out with ease.


You won't find any fan mounts on the side or roof panels, as NZXT has ditched the roof blanking plates found on the H2 for its cheapest H-series chassis. The case is limited to just four 120mm fan mounts, therefore, so its water-cooling potential is severely limited. The front fan area is protected by a dust filter, and air can be drawn in through a small ventilated area on the left of the front panel, which is also covered by filtering material. Annoyingly, you'll have to remove the whole front panel in order to remove the front dust filter, which is nothing more fancy that a typical thin sheet of netting.


It's not often something we focus on, but for so cheap a case the feet are notably impressive. The chrome finish looks great and the thick rubber gives the case plenty of grip, and should also help keep vibrations down. Also underneath the H230 is the lower dust filter for the PSU and final fan mount. Again, though, it's just a thin, unsupported sheet of netting, and is thus fiddly to remove and replace.

Specifications

• Dimensions (mm) 195 x 502 x 447 (W x D x H)
  
• Material Steel, plastic
  
• Available colours Black (reviewed), white
  
• Weight 7.25kg
  
• Front panel Power, reset, 2 x USB 3, stereo, microphone
  
• Drive bays 3 x external 5.25in, 6 x internal 3.5in/2.5-in
  
• Form factor(s) ATX, micro-ATX, mini-ITX
  
• Cooling 2 x 120mm front fan mounts (1 fan included), 1 x 120mm rear fan mount (fan included), 1 x 120mm bottom fan mount (fan not included)
  
• CPU cooler clearance 158mm
  
• Maximum graphics card length 290mm (400mm without HDD cage)
  
• Extras Removable dust filters