NZXT H710i Mid Tower ATX Case Review

The NZXT H710i is the most spacious and most expensive model in NZXT’s H series of PC enclosures. This case comes in two models. The H710i is equipped with software and hardware features which enable its owner to control system fans and backlighting, while the H710 lacks these features, and it’s just a raw piece of metal. Both versions come in three different colors: white, black and black/red combination. The white color is called matte white, but it also features black details, which provide certain color contrast. It is this model of H710i which we’re going to discuss in this article.

NZXT H710i Specs

Layout and design

Steel elements of NZXT H710i have matte finish, which prevents the formation of noticeable contaminants on the surface. Overall, the case looks very elegant, but at the same time utilitarian. There is no such feeling of spaciness as in the design of the H510 Elite, but also no clumsy elements and structures which would obstruct your view. This is primarily achieved by use of straight edges on all sides of the case, as well as minimizing the use of plastic parts in the exterior design.

The case weighs around 12.5 kg, which is reasonable since it utilizes high-quality steel and a 4 mm thick tempered glass wall. Structurally, the case is very stable, and there are no rattling sounds coming from it while the system is in operation. The left wall, which is made from glass, has a mounting frame and is fixed with one screw. The right wall is made entirely from steel.

Some parts of the case, like the front panel, are made from plastic. The front panel features only 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, a headset jack, and a power button. There is no reset button.

The NZXT H710i is a tower-type solution with a vertically placed E-ATX format board or ATX board, and a horizontal power supply unit at the bottom of the case. The housing has power supply casing. It closes the installation site of the power supply from side of the transparent wall, giving the internal appearance of the housing accuracy and completeness. Its main function is to hide power supply cables, because case has a large number of ventilation holes and open spaces.

The layout of NZXT H710i is determined by modern PC building industry standards. This case doesn’t feature 5.25″ device bay, and the usual 3.5″ bay is located under PSU casing near the front wall of the chassis, featuring space for only three hard drives. The 2.5″ drives can easily be installed in quick-detachable containers which are located on the back of the base for the motherboard. In total, you can install up to 9 drives, provided you have set your configuration properly.

RGB lightning

The NZXT H710i features two LED strips with individual addressing of LEDs, which are connected to the built-in controller using three-pin connector. In total, the controller has 3 ports for connecting light sources. One stripe is located on the upper panel along the glass wall, so that is not visible from the outside. The second stripe is placed on a steel plate inside the chassis between motherboard and chassis front wall.

Backlight is controlled only by software, using the NZXT Cam software, which you need to download form NZXT’s website. External controls, as well as backlight hardware controls are not provided. The NZXT’s Cam Software is extremely powerful as you can choose a wide variety of light effects with it, and you can even change case’s colors by typing in HEX color codes. You can even adjust color dependence on the number of FPS you have in your games. However, fan control is much more interesting feature, as it enables you to set individual rotation speed control curve of each system fan depending on the temperature of graphics card or CPU.

Additional cooling features

When speaking about additional mounting features, the NZXT H710i supports installation of additional 120 mm and 140 mm fans. The case itself comes with three 120 mm pre-installed fans at the front, and on 140 mm fan at the rear. The fans are made by NZXT itself, and belong to the Aer F series. The fans have no RGB lighting.

Up to three radiators can be installed in the case, two of which can be of standard size of 280 or 360 mm, and 140 mm. The best place to install radiator is on top. The places for installing additional fans on the walls are not fixed, and can be shifted lengthwise by 30-50 mm.

The NZX H710i features two air filters, which are all made by nylon mesh. The one located under power supply is quickly detachable, and can be replaced without much hassle.

Final thoughts

Overall, the NZXT H710i makes pleasant impressions from both inside and outside. This doesn’t happen very often with PC cases. The backlight system is very elegantly made, and it doesn’t look like a random set of Christmass tree lamps. Lack of hardware control of RGB lightning is a bit disappointing, however, NZXT’s software suit is amazing and provides a lot of customizing options. Especially impressive is the fan control system.

Besides looking elegant, NZXT H710i offers very user-friendly assembly solutions, so installing internal components isn’t unnecessarily complicated. In terms of system operation performance, the case provides solid acoustics suppression, which is ideal for building silent PC configurations. In our opinion, only major downside of this case is its somewhat rudimentary front panel, which features only two standard USB ports, and no restart button. Otherwise, the NZXT H710i is an attractive mid-budget chassis which might be appealing to many potential PC builders.

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