Hyte Revolt 3 Review: Now This is Something Special

We are using the following system for today’s build:

With this build, we’re using the new ITX case test setup based on the 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K processor, paired with an Asus Z590 ITX motherboard and a large, RTX 3080 Ti graphics card. That’s a lot of hardware to throw at an ITX case, but most modern compact cases can handle it, at least when it comes to fitting the large graphics card. But we’re keeping our old RTX 2070 Super on call for when the large Zotac RTX 3080 Ti doesn’t fit. This new setup also allows us to test the claims of PCIe 4.0 riser cable support. But as the Revolt 3 doesn’t use a riser cable, that’s not something we need to worry about this time around.

Step 1: Motherboard Installation

Installing the motherboard into the Hyte Revolt 3 is a breeze. Once the chassis is open, simply bump the pre-routed SATA cables out of the way and slide the motherboard into place and secure it with four screws.

Of course, at this point we did have the memory, CPU, and SSD pre-installed onto the board, but because the back is easily accessible thanks to a large motherboard tray cutout, I did not worry about the AIO yet as I wanted the flexibility of placing the hoses right, and pre-installing it would limit my options.

Step 2: Cable Management

Next, I took care of most of the cable management. Later in the build, the AIO and GPU would be taking up a lot of space and get in the way, so I figured now would be the best time to do up all the connectors, or at least as many as I could.

Hold Your Horses, Am I Seeing This Right?

Okay, don’t laugh at me for being excited about this, but Hyte combined all the front panel connectors for power, HDD and power LEDs into a single connector. Yes, the layout is pretty much standardized across all motherboards. So…can somebody tell me why nobody else is doing this?

Step 3: AIO Installation

Next, I took to installing the liquid cooler, for which I grabbed a Phanteks Glacier One ML240 unit. I first installed the radiator with the hoses coming out at the bottom, and then played around a bit with the CPU block so that the hoses would end up placed nicely when it shut. And yes, I used a screwdriver as a hood lift for this photo because the hoses kept pulling the radiator shut.

At this point, I decided against installing the AIO’s RGB-illuminated CPU block cover, as it would occupy extra space, potentially blocking airflow – and you can’t see the RGB anyway because there is no glass, so why bother?

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With the AIO in place, we have a moment to enjoy the sights of a stuffed Mini-ITX case. There really isn’t a lot of space remaining in here, and I can really admire the internal layout. Of course, cable/hose management isn’t the prettiest thing here, but it’s all covered up with panels anyway, so does it really matter?

Step 4: GPU Installation

Lastly, it was time to install the graphics card. I was curious to see whether the large Zotac RTX 3080 Ti would fit, but after a few minutes of finagling, it was squeezed right into place. Being a thick graphics card, with the fans jammed straight against the front intake, I actually expect its thermals to hold up quite well, but more about that on the next page.

Build Complete:

To finish off, I quickly ran the system to see if everything was connected and working before slapping the side panels on. And of course, I couldn’t help but use the copper front filter. It makes the case look a bit like a vintage radio. We’d love to see the company offer up different color options, though, so you could change up the look to match your setup or room decor.

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