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Benchmark Results and Conclusion
We tested the NZXT H510 Elite with our Intel Core i9-7900X test platform. For comparison, we brought in NZXT's very own 510i, the DIYPC Trio-GT-RGB, the Fractal Design Define S2 Vision and the Corsair Carbide 678C with similar sizes and feature sets.
Despite the small size of the intake vents in the front and side of the case, the dual 140mm intake fans coupled with the 120mm exhaust fan provided enough airflow to keep the components in our test system cool. CPU temperatures leveled off at 60 degrees Celsius over ambient. These results were almost identical to that of the DIYPC Trio-GT-RGB and the Fractal Design Define S2 Vision and ahead of the Corsair Carbide 678C. GPU temperatures maxed out at 51 degrees Celsius over the ambient room temperature, putting the NZXT H510 Elite in second place.
As always, sound pressure level readings were taken with two off-the-shelf dB meters from two different angles. With the fan speed set at the maximum 1,200 rpm, our test system registered a just 29.6dBA at idle. With the test system under load, sound output reached a maximum of 31.9dBA, the best results of the test group.
Cooling efficiency and noise levels are both ways to measure performance. Determining acoustic efficiency, also referred to as cooling-to-noise ratio, is a matter of averaging all of our tests to determine a base value.
Bottom Line
When all is said and done, the NZXT H510 Elite is a great chassis with all the features you could want in a premium compact mid-tower ATX case:good thermal / acoustic performance, tempered glass, RGB lighting, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, and a stylish design. The only drawback, if you want to call it that, is that NZXT's very own H510i has the above features, minus the front glass panel, for significantly less money. We’d recommend either case, though we'd like to see a bit of a price reduction on the H510 Elite.
Image Credits: Tom's Hardware
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