Introduction:

NZXT Tempest

Despite the wide variety of cases out there, from HTPC units to full towers, there's one quality that they should all possess in order to qualify as being worthwhile and that is having good airflow. It doesn't matter if a case looks like the next Mona Lisa if it doesn't keep your rig cool. With this in mind, NZXT has released the Tempest, a gaming-oriented case that claims to be the "Air Flow King".

With six fans included stock, two of which are huge 140mm units the Tempest certainly looks the part. Can this mid-tower live up to the hype?

Specifications:

The Tempest is a steel mid-tower with space for 3x5.25" bays and 8x3.5" HDDs. This is in the stock configuration; if you remove the HDD cages you can make room for more 5.25" devices. There is also one 5.25-3.5" external adapter included in case you have a 3.5" device. Being of steel-construction, the Tempest is no featherweight, but this also makes it quite sturdy.

• Full Specifications

And, of course, you get fans. Lots of fans. At the front are two 120mm Blue LED fans for intake; at the top are two 140mm exhaust fans. Finally, there is one rear 120mm exhaust and one side 120mm intake on the window. This makes the airflow almost balanced, with equal numbers of intake/exhaust fans. One other to note: When you see this case, you may do a double-take, as it's visibly similar to the Antec Nine Hundred; clearly both are appealing to the same gamer/enthusiast crowd.

The Tempest comes very well packaged, even compared to other cases. In addition to the regular foam, it was shrink wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap. This was somewhat annoying to remove but it did ensure a case that was in pristine condition. Empty, it weighs 11.2 kgs (just under 25 lbs) and the dimensions are 20.5" x 8.3" x 22.1" (HxWxD). This makes it slightly larger than most mid-towers but the extra space doesn't go to waste, as we'll see.

The NZXT Tempest.

Well-packaged.

Side window view.

As you can see a side-window with a 120mm blue-LED fan is present, fairly standard on gamer cases nowadays; the case is also completely black as well, a colour/shade that'll never go out of style. The front and top of the case both have plastic panels; the top panel houses the two 140mm top exhaust fans. The amount of exterior plastic isn't the greatest for quality, but it's not horrible either.

Looking at the front you can see that all of the drive covers are made of meshed metal; this improves airflow and makes the case look pretty damn cool. With all of the drive covers on the front, it makes it seem as if the case is composed entirely of 5.25" drive bays; while this is somewhat true the bottom six positions are occupied by two HDD cages and two 120mm fans in front of them. The two 120mm intake fans are towards the bottom of the case. The power LEDs/lights run up/down the sides of the front and the HDD LEDs are at the bottom.

Other side.

Front.

Side LED channels.

The power/reset switches are at the top of the case beside the external ports. Here, you'll find 2 USB, audio and an eSATA port. The panel where the ports are mounted is slightly angled forward. This is an ideal location for these ports, if, like me, you put your case on the floor. If your case is on your desk, the location might be a little out of the way. At the top, you'll also find the two huge 140mm exhaust fans; their location is ideal for removing heat from the CPU area, but you'll have to remember not to put anything on top of your case!

HDD LEDs.

Power/Reset and front ports.

Huge 140mm exhausts.

At the back is another 120mm exhaust fan. You'll also notice that the PSU placement is at the bottom of the case; this isn't a unique setup but it is non-traditional. The idea is that this placement takes the PSU away from the CPU area and pushes it closer to the top so that it can be better cooled by the exhaust fans up there. It should also reduce clutter somewhat. You'll also notice the pre-drilled water cooling tube holes, which are becoming a standard on enthusiast cases.

Rear.

Side window.

Bottom.

The side window's 120mm fan intake is covered by a mesh grill, but not a real filter. Nevertheless, this will prevent larger pieces of debris from getting into your case via this entrance, but you'll still have to clean it regularly to make sure it doesn't get clogged. Because the motherboard tray is shifted up to make room for the PSU at the bottom, this side intake fan doesn't sit over the CPU area but is instead closer to the videocard area. The bottom of the case features standard rubber feet; the gap in between the chassis and the front panel is a handle that makes it easy to remove the front panel.

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