NZXT's decision to use four side-panel intake fans is in keeping with the ever increasing heat signature of today’s graphic cards. Graphic solutions are rapidly reaching and surpassing the modern CPU in thermal dissipation. Whether or not case manufacturers began installing side-panel fans years ago to specifically cool video cards or simply to increase CFM into the case, these fans now seem mandatory. Given the fact most cases fall short of adequate thermal management (case airflow) placing fans a few cm's from the graphic card and CPU has resulted in a noticeable improvement to those devices.

Unfortunately increasing CFM at this location disrupts a front to back flow and may even force air into the upper regions of the case. Where the ZERO is concerned this doesn't seem problematic since they aren't that concerned with front to back airflow as they are rear exhaust. I stated earlier there is a problem with the side-panel fans missing any sort or decent filtering per se which was somewhat disconcerting. Over a period of one month I found myself cleaning a large amount of dust from the CPU, graphic card, PSU sleeved cables and motherboard. The fan "cover' only serves as an ergonomic/protective measure.



In NZXT's manual they recommend periodically removing and cleaning the front and side-panel "dust filters." This is where the machine breaks down; "...and if the machine breaks down we all break down" since most consumers will think they are missing a part. Of course my definition of dust and yours may be different based on a few microns and we may both be correct since there's no scientific standard nor scale of what constitutes the size of a "dust particle" at least in the PC-world. Nevertheless the pseudo filter or screen covering the side-panel intake fans does little to prevent smaller dust particles from entering and adhering to the charged surfaces within. One could look on the bright side and proudly proclaim their ZERO housed system doubles as an ionizer, until it's time to clean your system which I recommend doing frequently. Taking a closer look below we see just how large the mesh is.



Moving to the front intake which lives behind illuminated air-vents and adjacent to the front HDD cage. This intake fan has a legitimate filter which traps smaller particles of dust. An additional fan stacked above would be a great improvement in airflow, yet very few case makers install more then one front intake fan? Removing the front panel/door section reveals a single 12cm intake fan.



Below is approximately two months of dust accumulation the benefits of a decent dust filter now becomes obvious. The fan blades are free of dust which is further proof the filter is doing its job. Concerning any drop in fan CFM given their low output from the start, this is best determined by HDD temps since this is the first device to benefit from this fan. As far as this case HDD overheating was never a problem.



Onto the rear of the ZERO where the twin 12cm exhaust fans are most definitely an agreeable feature since they probably remove most of the heat from both the VGA cards and CPU. As I have stated repeatedly over time, twin 120mm fans at this point should be required for any ATX Tower these days.



Onto the top of the case the 90mm fan is another problem area for the ZERO. The fan placed here could be much larger, however; even at its current size overlooking PSU dimensions didn't bode well here. I simply installed the PSU I needed and reversed the fan to the outside of the case to ensure airflow there was active.



Another aspect of the rear mounted fans which made this case more versatile then most was the ability to mount a twin 120mm radiator here. Installing an H20 system into the case made for some tight squeezes and I left the Danger Den pump outside, however; I took the easy way out, the pump could have found another home within the enclosure.



While the ZERO has it's flaws insofar as fan placement and compliment they really don't effect temps all that much and their low CFM has remarkable effects as your about to see. Even my large Kandalf case lacks twin fans at the rear and is also limited to a single intake fan on the front (without purchasing additional hardware). Insofar as H20 compatibility, this case does better then many since most H20 enthusiasts are constantly looking for adaptability where they can mount a dual 120mm radiator.

Onto the performance test ->