NZXT Hades.........Hands on.

[GregSG]

Review: NZXT Hades


HardwarezoneSG




The box, showing the full image of the Hades and its main features, although this time round quite toned down in the graphics side but nevertheless “futuristic”.





The specifications are listed on both sides of the box.
Do note handles are missing from the sides of the box, so one would have to “hug” the box back…:look:






The accessories included consist of a packet of black thumbscrews, a packet of installations screws, 3 pairs of 3.5” HDD brackets, some cable ties, a molex connector, a buzzer and some stickers for the temp probes.






It’s good to know that NZXT has included washers with the installation screws, possibly to prevent damage to the painted interiors while screwing. Thumbs up 






The installation guide is clear and straightforward, with 4 diff languages…strangely no Chinese.



External





Notice the side panels are similar to another of NZXT model, (the tempest EVO I think). Main difference would be that huge 200mm side intake fan, which has a meshed fan filter (not a removable one) over it, possibly to prevent dust from entering the chassis.
Both side panels appear similar, with its side meshed vent, possibly to allow more airflow.





Here’s the tip of the triangular shaped meshed door, notice that there’s a button beneath the 2 LED light? NZXT should have indicated this button clearly as at first glance most would miss it, only to realize it’s all along facing them. (A review site mentioned this button has no specific purpose, but I observed some cables linking to it….?)
A 200mm intake fan lies below, probably the same as the side intake fan.
The temp display lies above, denoted by a small strip of glossy plastic.





Opening the door, I observed a silver button, 2 knobs and 4 mesh 5.25” bay. The 2 knobs are the featured dual fan controllers, rated at 8w each. Do note that by default, the front 200mm intake fan is connected to one of the knob. Nothing impressive as most of NZXT chassis have this feature.
The silver button is possible the reset switch? As indicated by the marking next to it.






The meshed cover, protected by a foam backing







The I/O ports are located at the top of the chassis, making it more convenient to place the Hades on the floor. The ports included are 2 audio jacks, 2 USB 2.o ports and an e-SATA port. An ample configuration  The I/O port can be easily removed upon unscrewing the 3 screws found just above the top 5.25” bay.





Behind the I/O ports are 2 140mm ventilation holes. Unfortunately NZXT has included only 1 of the 2 140mm fan (not surprisingly but I don’t understand why). Given the odd color combination of NZXT stock fans, users are able to remove and fit in their own 140mm fans, or 120mm fans, as both have mounting holes for 120mm sizes.






Moving on to the back, there’s an included 120mm rear exhaust fan, 7 vented PCI slots and 2 pre-drilled water cooling holes at the side.


Internal






Moving both side panels, you can see that the black painted interiors, the various cable management holes, and…yet a couple more 5.25” bays? Yes, the drives bays extend down the front of the case, supporting up to 9 drives. The top 6 drives are preinstalled with tool-less mounting, whereas the bottom bay requires the help of thumbscrews to secure the drives.



Moving to the back of the chassis, its good to see that NZXT has yet again improve on their cable management system.





There are small anchors positioned instead of holes, where cable ties can be used to fasten cables together securely.
And cable management holes are available, of which are big enough for a 24pin, among others to go through.
A CPU hole is available for the convenient installation of coolers too.






At the bottom, another medium sized hole is seen with a rubber cover.
What I liked was the square hole next to the PSU position, as this would allow certain cables to route behind the psu.

Overall, the showcase a superb cable management system… although I find it annoying that the rubber covers come off easily and are difficult to put back in place

[GregSG]

Installation





Here’s the 2.5” to 5.25” drive adapter. It is made of metal and plastic, and supports 2x 2.5”drives. And is secured by 2 thumbscrews per side





With a single SSD installed





And here’s when its in the chassis, secured by the thumbscrews.







Here’s the tool less mounts, just a simple twist to remove them





And here’s a pic of a DVD drive installed in a matter of seconds



Here’s the bottom of the chassis. There’s a removable dust filter installed at the bottom for those whose psu fan is facing downwards.





And here’s a pic of a PSU installed. It fits tightly, and personally, I feel the psu mounting screws are not needed




Here’s the front 200mm intake fan in action,





And in the dark,





The highlight of the Hades,




These look great as they are neither too big nor too small. Whether the lights are on or off, the digits are very much visible.






Conclusion


At first glance, the Hades bore some familiar characteristic of most NZXT cases. It sports a unique design, had more than 2 bundled chassis fans, had the distinct temp knob, and a whole range of features, and is fully painted black. However, what sets the Hades apart was that it had a sturdy build, quality seems to have improved greatly, and more attention was given to the details.


The Hades had less “bling” then usual, coming only in a single LED fan at the front, and the LED temp display. It’s good that the Hades stayed true to its name by having Red LEDs instead of the usual Blue.


Cooling performance appears to be exceptional, with a single 200m intake at the front, mounts for dual 140mm or 120mm at the top, and a 200mm side intake. These ensure ample cooling for the components inside, and the additional vents do help too. Dust filters are provided for those worried about dusts.


As for noise, there is the dual 8W fan controller available that helps regulate the fan speed/noise. Although when I installed another NZXT 140mm fan at the top, and turned all the fans to maximum speeds, I personally find the noise level abit too loud for my liking.


The cable management system has improved. It’s definitely much easier to route the various cables with the help of cable ties and sorts without compromising the airflow. Again I like to stressed how annoying it is with the loose rubber covers, other than that, no complaints in this area.



Pros:

• Painted Black Interiors
• Red LED Fan
• Bright and Clear Red Temp Display
• 9 5.25” Drive Bays
• Dual SSD Adapter included
• Dual 200mm fan included, as with a 140mm top fan and 120mm rear
• Top mounts for dual 140mm or 120mm fans
• Dual 8W Fan controllers
• Great cable management system from NZXT
• PRICE

Cons:

• Fan noise when fans turned to maximum
• Cable management covers come off easily and is hard to put back
• Buttons are not indicated clearly and can be misleading
• Installation can be a little bit tight/cramped

Thanks to NZXT and DigitalHub (my local distro)

[trekie86]

That case is very cool looking!! Nice work.

[Frag Maniac]

...when I installed another NZXT 140mm fan at the top, and turned all the fans to maximum speeds, I personally find the noise level abit too loud for my liking.

That's not necessarily a good way to set it up though. Ideally you want a case like that which has open mesh on the back to be slightly positive in pressure to make sure no dust gets sucked in the non filtered openings.

According to OCers Club, the 200mm fans max at a whopping 140CFM, while the 120 and 140mm ones produce 42CFM. Since the side fan has dual filters, you could probably remove the inner one, run it and the front fan at low, the rear and top ones at med, and still be positive pressure, well ventilated, and pretty quiet.

The main problems I have with this case are cramped interior space limiting choice of parts, no reset button (inexcusable), PSU filter could be easier to remove (slide out), and the optical drive retention system is not that great. Of these, the main thing I find odd is their having crammed the cooling of a full tower into a mid design that somewhat negates it's purpose. An enthusiast gamer case with such cooling should have more room.