Now that we have the differences out of the way, let’s talk about what’s common amongst these new H7 series cases. For starters, all of these cases are easy to build in. Side panels are easy to install/uninstall, fans and liquid cooling radiators are easy to mount, and cable management is a breeze. We expect these three cases to be incredibly popular within system integrators, and with PC builders who just want something that’s simple to use. As good as the H7 looks and as easy as it is to use, there is no getting around the fact that the H7 Flow exists and that it delivered much better thermals. Even if we added two more intake fans to the H7, its performance wouldn’t improve that much. How do we know this? Just look at our H7 Elite results. Even with more fans (that are also larger), the difference in thermal performance between the H7 and H7 Elite is minimal, and the H7 Flow outperforms both with ease. Even with additional, larger, fans, the H7 Elite could not best the H7 Flow’s thermal performance, and that fact alone makes us want to see an NZXT H7 Elite Flow model. If the H7 Flow bests the H7 Elite with fewer fans, just imagine what would happen if the H7 Flow was upgraded with the H7 Elite’s upgrades. Looking at the glass front panel of the NZXT H7 Elite, you will see a crystal-clear tempered glass sheet that spans the full height of the case, giving a full view of the three NZXT RGB 140mm fans. These large fans keep things whisper-quiet, as well as keep the air moving throughout your system. The fact NZXT went all out with the fans means you won’t need to worry about upgrading later on, with the fans being fully controlled by the NZXT CAM software, giving ample control of how they look and how they fit the rest of the system. The H7 Flow is a case that performs well, is easy to build in, and looks great. You couldn’t want much more than that. We love the H7 Flow, and the sad thing for NZXT is that the H7 Flow also clearly highlights where the standard H7 and H7 Elite fall short of greatness.

NZXT H7 Elite Black Mid Tower Tempered Glass PC Gaming Case

There are plenty of mid-tower cases out there, being one of the more popular form factors. I'm a huge fan of the Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB, which is a slightly larger mid-tower case than the H7 Elite, but has far better airflow, thanks to the front panel grill. It also has more internal volume to work with custom water cooling loops and larger motherboards. Simply put, the extra fans on the H7 Elite do not do much to boost the case’s thermal performance. Simply put, the case’s airflow is too restricted to allow the H7 Elite’s fans to breathe. With fewer fans, the H7 Flow delivers better thermal performance, leaving us to lament at the fact that NZXT has not launched an H7 Elite Flow variant of their H7 chassis. The H7 Elite is the premier choice for enthusiasts, featuring a tempered glass front panel to show off three pre-installed F140 RGB Core Fans, a built-in RGB Controller, widened channels, hooks, straps, and toolless entry. The H7 Elite also offers all the bays and expansion slot spaces you could ask for from a mid – tower case. There are seven expansion card spaces, giving you ample room to fit a range of PCI-E accessories and GPU’s. The case also boasts drive bays that allow for 4+2x 2.5″ drives, and 2x 3.5″ drives, making sure you can fit most of the stories you could need from a modern gaming build. Cooling-wise, NZXT’s H7 Flow is the clear highlight of the H7 lineup, offering cooling performance levels that are amongst some of the best PC cases that we have tested at low fan RPMs. Even with its four 140mm fans, the H7 Elite cannot best NZXT’s H7 Flow with its two 120mm fans. That said, the H7 Elite can barely best the standard H7 despite is upgraded fan setup. There’s a reason why NZXT created the H7 Flow, and that reason is airflow. The front panels of the H7 and H7 Elite restrict airflow, and that’s the price that you have to pay for that design aesthetic.The NZXT H7 Elite is the range-topping model that launched alongside the H7 Flow and H7. This case is special in that NZXT included an additional tempered glass panel for the front of the chassis. There are also three RGB-equipped fans installed on the front panel hooked up to an RGB and fan controller, only available with the H7 Elite.

H7 Elite - Full Review and Thermal Testing and comparison NZXT H7 Elite - Full Review and Thermal Testing and comparison

Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX, EATX (Up to 272mm or 10.7-inches) Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX, EATX (Up to 272mm or 10.7-inches) The top also allows for plenty of room to hook in a range of AIO liquid cooler designs of sizes up to 360mm. For the build we used NZXT’s own Kraken X cooler, but it should work for most options on the market. The air vents give enough room for most radiators, and the large internal space makes it trivial to have the needed cables, fans, and accessories without having the internals of the PC looking messy. The vents in the top also make it great for dispersing the heat when your PC is running under heavy load and included handy dust filters to keep the inside of your system looking clean behind the clear glass panels. If you are performance focused and don’t want the design aesthetic of the H7 or H7 Elite, the H7 Flow is the case for you. With a perforated front panel, the case offers PC builders a completely different look and feel, but with that comes increased airflow and better thermal performance. To say the least, it is our favourite case within NZXT’s H7 lineup.The flaws of NZXT’s standard H7 are the same as the flaws of the H7 Elite, though these fans are more pronounced with the H7 Elite. The extra money that NZXT has spent on fans has done little to improve the case’s thermals, making the H7 Elite a case that we cannot recommend. The question that you need to ask is whether or not the H7 Elite’s aesthetic is worth its compromised performance. To us, it isn’t, and that’s why we want to see the H7 Elite with the H7 Flow’s front panel.