NZXT Phantom 530 Review

Performance Analysis

The Phantom 530 has no issue keeping our hardware cool under load, as it posts CPU and GPU delta T results of 50°C and 45°C respectively when using full speed fans with the majority of the HDD cages removed. This CPU result is fairly mid-league, but for a case in this size category it's still good – both the Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 and the Corsair Obsidian 450D are only 1°C better. Meanwhile, all three are matched on the 45°C GPU result, which happens to be one of the best we've seen – that 200mm intake fan certainly does a good job of feeding air to the expansion card area. Even with all of the HDD cages back in place, the GPU temperature only climbs by 2°C and the CPU one remains static.


The Phantom 530 is also fairly quiet, even at full speed. That said, the medium speed setting proves to be the best compromise between noise output and thermal performance. Here, the CPU and GPU heat up to delta T results of 52°C and 48°C, while at the lowest speed they reach 55°C and 49°C. As you can see, the CPU is the component most affected by lower fan speeds, with the large intake still able to keep the GPU reasonably cool, even at its lowest speed where it's very difficult to hear.

Conclusion

The Phantom aesthetic may not be to everyone's taste with so bold a design, but that's true with any case, and there's no denying that functionally NZXT knows what it's doing. The Phantom 530 is crammed full of useful features, some which are common in the best chassis and some which are more unique to NZXT, such as the I/O LEDs and internal fan hub. Its cooling to noise ratio is also admirable, and the fan control gives users an easy way to choose between performance, low noise or a compromise of both. The glossy finish inside and out is again likely to be divisive, but the quality of the materials here is strong, and so for around £100 the NZXT Phantom 530 offers decent value for money too.


Competition is fierce from both Corsair and Fractal Design here, as the Obsidian 450D and Arc Midi R2 are both excellent alternatives that offer similar performance and features. The Arc Midi R2's price tag of around £70 makes it particularly strong in the value department, especially as it too is very flexible when it comes to internal storage and water-cooling options. Nonetheless, NZXT has done little wrong with the Phantom 530, so it's easy to recommend. Whether or not the 450D or Arc Midi R2 are better choices for you will come down to budget constraints and the specific feature set you require (as well as design preference), as all three are fine cases.