Five Gaming Enclosures, Rounded Up

Features
By Joel Durham Jr
published

NZXT Panzerbox

Average Online Price: $120

This small, airy case has a number of unique features that compliment its stylishness. It's a short, deep enclosure that's mostly porous for improved airflow, and it's full of fans and more.

The interior of the case is almost free from any of the compartmentalization characterizing some of its competitors here. You mount the motherboard, the power supply, and just about everything else in the same, large opening. There are only three fans cooling the cavity, but they're big: on top and in front are 190mm speed-controllable monsters, and a 120mm fan is in the rear. The front ports include two USB ports, an eSATA port, and audio jacks.

Three external 5.25" bays and four internal 3.5" bays make up the enclosure's storage capacity. They're all easy to use and mount drives in. The motherboard tray slides out the rear with a minimum of screw turns.

The power supply mounts on its side near the motherboard. It's an interesting and different mounting position, and there's room for big PSUs.

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Building in the Panzerbox was fun and unusual. It's definitely a conversation piece. Using mostly thumb screws, it's nearly all tool-free.

Joel Durham Jr
87 Comments Comment from the forums
  • doomtomb
    That Lian Li PC-X1000 is my favorite
    Reply
  • CoryInJapan
    Haha I was thinking the same thing about the Lian Li PC-X1000
    Reply
  • CoryInJapan
    I dont think I would ever need to change my case for an extremely long tile with that Lian Li PC-X1000 case
    Reply
  • Proximon
    Thanks, good article. I have a comment and a request:
    You said, "The other complaint came in having to remove the bezel of our optical drive so that the case's own bezel could take over." this was on the Lian Li case.
    I would consider this a feature. Brushed aluminum cases look crappy with flat black optical drives and the only way normally to avoid that is a stealth mod, such as I have done with my TJ09.
    I would like to see a picture of each case with the motherboard in place. This helps provide perspective and gives the less experienced builders a clearer idea of what they are actually getting.
    Reply
  • mcbowler
    Awesome PanzerBox. Where do the hard drives go?
    Reply
  • redgarl
    400$ cases... WTH? I will never buy that! Where is the Raven one?
    Reply
  • CHRISTLUBAS
    Panzerbox.........I prefer a M1A1 ABRAMS BOX!!!!!!!
    Reply
  • neiroatopelcc
    How flimsy/sturdy is the plastic cover for the connectors, and the power button ? looks like they're using the same parts as on my PC-A70 ; and on mine the power button feels as if it isn't big enough for its socket, and the top lid broke off quite easily.
    Reply
  • Pailin
    "The best-performing case, both under load and idle, was the NZXT Panzerbox."

    err... not according to your own graphs its not.

    The P193 beats the Panzerbox at everything on idle! and the Panzer only beat the P193 on CPU temp by 1 deg.

    The 5870 "might" push me from my P182 to a P193 due to the extra length and me not wanting to loose HDD slots - but will prob just get a 5 and a qtr bay converter and hopefully only have to move one drive.
    Reply
  • WheelsOfConfusion
    Pailin"The best-performing case, both under load and idle, was the NZXT Panzerbox."err... not according to your own graphs its not.The P193 beats the Panzerbox at everything on idle! and the Panzer only beat the P193 on CPU temp by 1 deg.Yeah, what gives? I could understand if we're taking points off for the effort that goes into assembling it and wire routing versus the Panzer, but "performance" would, I think, be measured by how well it cools and how quiet it was. It cools better when idle, almost identically under load, and apparently was the quietest case in the roundup.
    Reply