Air Cooling, Dust Protection, And Noise Dampening
Air Cooling and Dust Protection
Those black accent panels on the front and top covers aren’t just there to look good; they also provide a way for air to enter (front cover) and exit (back cover). This means that there are only two places vulnerable to dust entering the case: the front cover with its three 12-cm fans and the PSU area. Both are protected by dust filters, though.
The filter covering the power supply air intake opening sits securely in place and can be pulled out toward the back.
Getting to the front filter is a bit more involved. If you need to clean it, you'll first have to remove the front cover. The filter is held in place by magnets and a retention rail, which keeps it from protruding and ruining the H440’s smooth looks. We can’t help but think that this could have been achieved with a simpler solution, though.
NZXT's H440 has space for three 12-cm case fans in the front, and comes with all three already installed from the factory. The fans are NZXT’s own FN V2s, spinning at up to 1200 RPM. They can optionally be replaced by two 14-cm models.
The lack of 5.25-inch drive bays give NZXT a big advantage: hard disks can be positioned farther apart than they usually are. In addition, the top fan is at the level of the CPU cooler, providing a much more direct route for air to reach its destination than you typically find in other PC cases.
All of this results in much more direct airflow from the front of the case to installed components. In addition, bays that aren’t needed can be removed, which effectively eliminates all obstruction.
The top of NZXT's H440 features the same fan options as the front, though none of the fans that fit are included.
The H440 comes with another NZXT FN V2 fan installed in the rear. This case fan is of the 14-cm variety, though, and runs at 1000 RPM.
The bundled FN V2s have a frame with a unique shape that reflects the basic design of the NZXT H440. They’re not decoupled with rubber pads though, which is different from the retail version.
A small board on the back of the motherboard tray provides a total of 10 three-pin fan power connectors, enabling plenty of connectivity for coolers you add in yourself. Of course, when you add or replace case fans, bear in mind that a maximum of 30 W is supported.
Sound Dampening
The sound dampening material is approximately 6 mm thick and covers all surfaces except for the case's side window, which is to say that it's on the front cover, top, right side panel, and those areas on the left not cut out for the window. An argument can be made that combining sound dampening and a side window doesn't take acoustic isolation seriously enough. However, for many enthusiasts, the H440 combines elements commonly requested together, and that includes sound dampening material and a window.
Water Cooling
The H440 can accommodate a small 12- or 14-cm radiator in place of the rear case fan, as well as two larger 28- and 36-cm radiators at the top and front of the case, respectively.
At the top, wider 28-cm radiators can be a tight fit, as they might collide with taller motherboard components. Fans can only be installed on the bottom of the radiator.
Since the H440 doesn’t have 5.25-inch drive bays, the entire front can be used for radiators up to 36 cm-long. The hard drive bays can be taken out completely by unscrewing them. Or, you can pull them out separately, giving you a choice in how much space to clear in the enclosure's front area.
After removing the hard drive bays, there’s enough room for radiators with fans on both sides. Naturally, though, you won't have room for 5.25-inch reservoirs, since there aren't any bays to drop them into.
