[nextpage title=”The exterior of the H7 Flow White”]
With its new generation of products, NZXT offers an airflow oriented case with a very perforated front panel. On our side, we received the H7 Flow White, one of the three variations offered by the brand
The exterior of the H7 Flow White:
Let’s start by talking about dimensions and clearly, we find a reference more imposing than the H510 of the same brand. Here, the dimensions are 230 mm wide, 480 mm deep and 505 mm high. To get an idea, it adopts a template close to the Antec P120 Crystal for example. On the scale, the weight is 10.26 kg, which begins to make.
For the design part, NZXT remains true to itself by offering a case displaying a monolithic and very sober look. At the bottom, we will simply have the right to the logo of the brand. Moreover, it stands out from the rest by a slightly different shade of white. Just above, we can admire the very nice perforated grid acting as a front. Again, we are seduced by the purely visual aspect of the brand’s products.
We briefly finish with a little tour of materials … And here, it will be very fast since NZXT exploits a construction entirely in steel. We will find a touch of tempered glass with the side window.
The control panel:
The controller panel of this H7 Flow White takes place on top of the case. Compared to the H510 Flow tested previously, we consider it more functional since it embeds an additional USB type A. Despite this, the connectivity remains quite basic with :
- A power button
- Two USB type A 3.2 Gen1
- One USB type C 3.2 Gen1
- An audio jack for microphone/headset
The bottom:
The bottom part remains quite classic since we will find four rounded feet with a rubber coating. This coating offers an excellent grip on all surfaces on which it is placed. In our experience, when assembling the case, it quickly becomes complicated when you have to turn it around to access the back.
Nevertheless, we notice that there are two dust filters on the front and rear. The one at the back will be used for the power supply, classic, while the one at the front will filter the air from the front ventilation.
Rear:
At the rear, the layout is most classic with the presence of a perforated grille at the very top. This is already reassuring since we will have a rather large space for the watercooling radiator.
Just below, we have theI/O shield slot of the motherboard with a fan slot right next to it. Moving down further, we find our seven unopened expansion slots and a vertical slot right next to it. Finally, it is at the very bottom that the power supply slot is present.
The top:
On the top, the H7 Flow White has, again, a long perforated grille, similar to the one on the front. Clearly, the purpose of the maneuver is to let the configuration mounted inside breathe as much as possible, allowing maximum air circulation.
[nextpage title=”The interior of the H7 Flow White”]
The interior of the H7 Flow White:
The opening is very simple since the two side panels are held by a push-pin system. To remove them, you just have to push them apart, don’t hesitate to force a bit, the side panels are firmly held!
The chassis :
The interior presents a frankly classic layout since the motherboard will be placed from the top. The power supply, as we have seen, will be installed at the bottom of the case, in a dedicated cover. However, it is compatible with motherboards in mini-ITX, micro-ATX, ATX and E-ATX formats.
With this, we will find many openings to pass the cables as we wish. Already, on the right side of the motherboard, we have a long passage masked by a plate badged NZXT. On the top, same constant: a large passage is present. Finally, in the base, two openings are also part of the power supply cover. Moreover, the wiring promises to be a piece of cake in view of the numerous guidance aids, but we’ll come back to that a little later.
Storage slots:
The H7 Flow is not a case that will particularly emphasize storage… Let’s just say that it is in the average of cases on the market with its four storage slots.
In fact, we have the right to the same HDD cage of two 3.5″ slots present under the power tunnel. Finally, at the back, the brand graces us with two small boards for 2.5″ SSDs. Two other plates are available via the accessories section and can be placed on the power supply cover, the perforations of the latter acting as an anchoring point.
The power supply slot:
The location of the power supply is not extraordinary by its positioning in the box or vis a vis what it offers. We have a simple grid allowing the block to breathe as well as two rubberized strips to limit vibrations. Be aware that we could install fully fanless blocks if we wish, the cover being perforated, the heat will not stagnate inside.
The possibilities of cooling :
Basically, the H7 Flow from NZXT arrives with only two 120mm fans. One is positioned at the front while the other takes place at the back. Moreover, the brand communicates on their technical characteristics. We know that they will operate up to 1200 RPM (±240 RPM) and that they will generate an airflow of 62.18 CFM and a static pressure of 1.05 mmH2O.
Of course, it will be possible to complete the ventilation by installing up to three mills in 120/140 mm in front. At the top, we have room for three more in 120 mm, but more than two in 140 mm. Finally, at the rear, a 120/140 mm slot is part of the game.
For watercooling, at the top, NZXT ensures compatibility with 360 mm radiators (30 mm thick). At the front, you can also opt for 360 mm radiator, but the total thickness increases to 60 mm according to the data sheet of the brand.
Finally, for air-cooling there is also room: 185 mm to be precise. You won’t have any trouble fitting a large NH-D15 Noctua (165 mm), a Assassin III from DeepCool (165 mm) or a R1 Ultimate signed Cryorig (168.3 mm).
The bundle:
As for the accessories part, what do we find?
- An assembly manual in the form of a leaflet
- Two 2.5″ storage unit boards
- Ten nylon collars
- All the necessary screws and bolts for the assembly
The accessory section is quite complete, especially thanks to the presence of a support for an additional storage unit. As for the rest, we notice that NZXT even provides the necessary screws for mounting the fans or the power supply. Believe us, this is not systematic.
The small details:
This new H7 Flow has many cabling aids, which is a feature found on the new NZXT production. Here, they take the form of two channels to guide the cables or velcro strips scattered in strategic places.
Otherwise, we are dealing with an enclosure that is fully filtered. We think of the power supply, but a long filter is present at the top, but also behind the front. At the same time, with all the openings available, it is as many places where dust can sneak in.
Finally, there is a removable front plate for mounting the fans. It is held in place by two cross-headed screws in the top.
In summary:
Well, we can say that the H7 Flow makes a good impression in its white color (which forced me to take out the black background ?)… Especially since it is rather well equipped by offering interesting features. One thinks especially of the many assists for wiring, integral filtration or the complete accessory part, up to the screws. Now we just have to see what it will do on the assembly side
[nextpage title=”Assembly”]
Assembly
We now move to the assembly stage of our configuration inside this H7 Flow from NZXT. Here are the components that will be used for the assembly:
- Motherboard: Asus Crosshair VI Hero
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X
- Graphics card: ASUS HD 7970
- Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 4
- Power supply: Corsair CS650M
Power Supply:
The installation of the power supply is done by simply sliding it through the side of the case. All that remains is to screw it in from the back where four screws are required. Once in place, the power supply rests quietly on the rubber strips just below.
Before we move on to storage, a quick word on compatibility. With an HDD cage at the closest, we measure 25 cm against 28 cm when it is the farthest from the power supply. Potentially, there is no limitation if you remove the cage completely.
Storage:
Unfortunately, NZXT continues to offer such a basic and impractical hard disk cage. Indeed, to install a hard disk, you will have to simply remove it. Then, we insert our disk, we screw it and we put the cage back in place. Clearly, a basket system would have been more practical.
On the other hand, for SSDs, it is the usual turntable system held in place by a single screw. Basically, all you have to do is remove the board, screw your SSD onto it and put it back in place.
Installation of the motherboard
We continue with the motherboard which does not oppose any resistance, far from it since it is enough to deposit it in its place. Then, eight strokes of a screwdriver and here it is installed and properly maintained.
The wiring :
The control panel
As usual, we start the wiring with the control panel and we have to admit that the guides are very practical. Indeed, the connectors are correctly directed by the first guide, at the front of the case… Except for the USB type C cable. For this one, we make him take the second guide, then a small loop to make it come out at the right place to be connected to the motherboard.
The rest of the cable goes along the bottom of the motherboard slot. To plug it in, we exploit the two openings at the power supply cover.
The motherboard :
We now move to the connection of the motherboard and we start with theEPS12V to the CPU. This cable is routed through the back of the H7 Flow and will come out of the top of the case. To properly attach it, just use the velcro strips on the way.
The 24 pin ATX will go up the motherboard through the first guide. Again, we use the velcro strips available for plating.
The graphics card
Like the H510 Flow, we have two choices:
- Either the cable guide
- Or the opening of the power supply cover
On our side, we chose the first option, which we consider to be more satisfactory. In fact, the PCIe cable simply runs along the motherboard alongside the 24-pinATX
Storage
For the storage part, we only used a single SATA strand. Our SSD slot and the drive slot are close enough that we didn’t have to pull a second cable. Finally, the surplus of SATA cable coming out of the motherboard is directly stored in the free space of the hard disk cage. Finally, we use some nylon collars to make a small cable bundle with the control panel connectors.
Installation of the cooler and the graphic card :
Finally, we finish the assembly by installing the CPU fan, here, a Dark Rock 4 from be quiet! Its installation was not complicated since we were able to maintain the backplate correctly thanks to the large access behind the motherboard.
As for the graphics card, same thing: we remove the annoying PCIe brackets and plug it into its slot. Of course, we must not forget to secure it by screwing it to the case. But before moving on, you should know that you will have 400 mm of space for it. In addition, it will be possible to install its GPU vertically with a support billed at $89.99 with a PCIe 4.0 riser.
Overall:
Finally, the criticism remains the same for the majority of the NZXT cases we test. Mounting and wiring is simple, just a shame to find such an impractical HDD cage. It will require a complete removal each time a storage medium is added/removed. In short, we want baskets!
[nextpage title=”Protocol”]We have updated our test protocol in order to test the qualities of our cases. Thus, we will evaluate the performances offered by the different models according to three criteria:
- Insulation
- Noise of the original ventilation
- Air flow
For the addition of the ventilation, we choose to integrate two Thermaltake Riin 14. They will take place in the top of the box in extraction and in front (high) in aspiration.
Configuration:
Configuration:
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X
- Motherboard: Asus Crosshair VI Hero
- Graphics card: ASUS HD 7970 reference
- Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 4
- SSD: Corsair Force GS180 Go
- Hard disk: Seagate Barracuda 2Tb
- Power supply: Corsair CS650M
[nextpage title=”Tests”]
Tests
Airflow:
The additional ventilation takes the form of two Riing 14 fans from Thermaltake, placed in the top of the case, in extraction and in front in suction.
CPU airflow, original ventilation then completed :
We start first with the temperature of our CPU. We keep the front and the top of our test case. Let’s see if the airflow is sufficient for the good cooling of the Ryzen 7 1700X.
So we start our series of readings with the temperature of the processor. On this subject, we notice that our Ryzen 7 1700X is well cooled in this H7 Flow. With a low speed fan, the CPU is close to 62°C, nothing dramatic considering the competition. Pushing the speed of the two fans makes it possible to gain quite a bit and the temperature drops to 53.7°C. Nevertheless, adding ventilation will not revolutionize the situation, since it is less than 2°C.
CPU airflow original ventilation without front panel or top :
In order to ascertain the limiting factor in the story (and how much), we remove the top as well as the front of the case. The goal here is to show the raw performance of the integrated fan.
By removing the front panel and the upper part of the case, we can observe temperature gains. However, these gains are quite limited, less than 1°C at full speed against 5.7°C at low speed. Clearly, the front and top panels allow good air circulation within this H7 Flow, unlike a H510 Elite for example.
GPU airflow, original ventilation then completed :
We repeat the operation, but with measurements made on the graphics card. Here, we test with original ventilation and completed ventilation.
As far as the graphics card is concerned, there is no need to worry about it. Our reference HD 7970 takes good advantage of the airflow generated by the basic ventilation. It must be said that the front fan is directly watering it. However, supplementing the ventilation is not a bad idea if you still want to pull down temperatures.
Airflow GPU original ventilation without front panel or top:
We do the same test again, but remove the front panel and top of the case. Let’s see how this will affect the temperatures of the card.
Again it is confirmed, this H7 Flow is a very breathable case. Without the front panel, with low speed ventilation, there is no gain, perhaps the fan lacks punch in its lowest speeds. At full speed, there is a gain of 3°C, which is not much either.
Insulation:
Here we simply measure the noise emitted by our config when running the CPU cooling and GPU cooling very fast.
This H7 Flow is not really the best isolating case we have had in our hands. On the other hand, our sound meter doesn’t get too excited about the numerous openings on the top and front of the case. With 54.4 dB, it is in the average range of the models we tested.
Noise of the original ventilation:
This time we measure the noise emitted by the original ventilation of the case. To do this, the configuration runs in idle mode ( CPU and GPU fans at minimum) while the readings are taken successively at 5V, 8V and 12V on the case fan.
Nevertheless, the two fans inside this model can be audible when they are running at full speed. In these conditions, we note a nice 38.5 dB, positioning it among the noisiest cases of our comparison.
However, they will become inaudible if you reduce their speed even a little. And at low speeds, it’s impossible to know if it’s the configuration or the fans that you hear.
In summary:
As we could see, the H7 Flow offers a good basic cooling, especially helped by a front panel that does not undermine the airflow… Especially since the ventilation seems to be sufficient to cool our configuration. However, adding a fan may be a good idea if you want to gain a few more degrees on the graphics card.
As far as insulation is concerned, we are quite surprised by the sound level of the front panel and the upper part. Clearly, we expected worse.
However, be careful with the basic ventilation regime, since at full power, the two mills can be quite audible. Fortunately, by regulating them, you can make them inaudible.
[nextpage title=”Conclusion”]
We are now at the end of our test of the H7 Flow from NZXT. So, good box or not? We tell you everything!
A better airflow!
With this H7 Flow, NZXT renews the concept introduced with the H510 Flow. Thus, by proposing a perforated front and upper part, the brand signs a case that correctly cools our components. As we have seen, our graphics card or our CPU did not suffer from high temperatures. On the other hand, adding a second fan on the front would make it possible to pull down certain temperatures even further.
On the other hand, beware of the noise they generate, at full speed, since they can become audible. Fortunately, by reducing their speed, we do not hear them anymore. Finally, on the insulation side, considering what is proposed here, we expected worse.
An easy assembly!
The other strong point put forward by this reference is the mounting aspect and especially the wiring. Behind the motherboard tray, you’ll find everything you need to direct your cables properly with cable ducts or velcro strips.
However, the negative aspect still lies in the one-piece disc cage used by the brand. Once again, if you want to complete/remove a storage medium, you will have to remove everything to put it back… Things would be so much easier with a basket system.
The monolithic look is still very convincing!
Finally, a quick word on the design of the NZXT box which plays on the monolithic look. Nevertheless, it is a style that we appreciate very much, especially since the finishes are of a good level and the all-steel construction gives a feeling of solidity. Finally, inside, we’ll have full filtration and room for a muscular configuration and AIO watercooling in 360 mm.
A well studied price :
For the price, NZXT positions its case at a price of about $140, a well studied pricing according to us. Positioned as it is, it is in serious competition with the iCUE 4000X and 5000D from Corsair. Nevertheless, our model of the day has the advantage of its front panel but loses the vertical PCIe slots.
NZXT H7 Flow:
We liked:
- The very pleasant monolithic design
- The finish is just right
- The SSD decks in the bundle
- The integral filtration
- The easy opening of the side panels
- The numerous cabling aids..
- … Making assembly easy
- The front panel allows a good air flow
- Correct insulation for the type of front panel
- The well studied pricing
We liked less :
- The HDD cage still not very practical to use
- The only fan on the front panel… A second one would have been welcome
- Beware of the noise of the basic fan at full speed
We choose to award gold to this H7 Flow from NZXT. Indeed, the case looks good and offers many aids making assembly easy despite a perfectible HDD cage. Nevertheless, it distinguishes itself thermally thanks to a front panel that favors the air flow. Beware though, the basic ventilation (which could be added as standard) can be audible at full throttle. Nevertheless, the situation could be worse on the insulation side
Many thanks to NZXT !
