NZXT Source 210 Elite Review

[pcforumguy]

Hey Guys,
I have got NZXT Source 210 Elite as my cabinet couple of days back and to be honest it's my first BRANDED cabby. So, I was really excited about it and when it's in my hand ohh.... it's cool feeling for me.

Let me explain something first here, this is not a Typical Review as you see on various hardware sites; you can say it's a experience sharing review.
As this is my first ever pc build as well as first REVIEW too, plz pardon me for my mistakes!


Firstly few fresh pictures of it -

Spoiler

*i42.tinypic.com/2s0o9.jpg

*i42.tinypic.com/2pzirys.jpg

*i44.tinypic.com/wlc3mx.jpg

*i39.tinypic.com/14o7p94.jpg

*i41.tinypic.com/24lr537.jpg

*i44.tinypic.com/15uj3t.jpg

The Build -

Spoiler

*i50.tinypic.com/2zhf7nm.jpg

The overall design and space inside of the cabinet pretty satisfactory as per my need. The quality of the metal is also good but paint job is not up to the mark b'cause when you handle any screw or install HDD in the cage you can easily see few scratch marks on the metal if not handled carefully.
Cut-out holes were well positioned & very well in size for cable management.

Advice - Be careful when handling the metal parts.

*i48.tinypic.com/2lw8vfk.jpg

It has inbuilt 120mm fan as rear exhaust (which I exchange as front intake) and 140mm fan as top-rear exhaust.

The honeycomb type mesh has large distance in-between the holes and this can be both pros & cons -
*If you install fan as exhaust it will be very good as more air pass through it more quickly & quietly.
*If you install fan as intake it will suck more air and more dust too.
*And if you wish to not to install any fan, specially at the top, this can be a open door for dust.
NZXT has not provided any fan filter for the case.

Just below of the rear fan there is also honeycomb mesh for ventilation; But you have to be very specific here for filter installation - it will depend on what air pressure system you have/planned in the case. (more on that later)

Advice - Install fan filters on the intake positions and for empty positions either filtered it or block it with cello-tape (it's depend on air pressure and air flow layout).

*i49.tinypic.com/ed7k7.jpg

As you already should have notice about 8 pin cable, it's in the middle of the case. I tried to re-route the 8 pin cable from behind the mobo tray but NZXT has made a huge mistake in this regard.
Yes they have made cut-out hole at the top left corner BUT it's too small for 8 pin cable socket and more on that they installed 140mm fan on the top. I even tried with uninstall 140mm fan and then re-route the cable but no chance.
But it's not harmful for airflow in the case if you re-route it as I did.

Advice - If possible, At the beginning of the new rig build-up, install (or just put it in case) PSU> uninstall 140mm fan> re-route the cable behind the mobo tray> install fan > install mobo.

*i46.tinypic.com/2hey6xi.jpg

Hard drive bay is in single piece; so no worry for air flow from front intake fans. As you can see I don't have GPU so I can't guess how it will fit with regard of HDD position.
I have tested various position for my sole HDD from top to bottom in the HDD cage for good air flow for both HDD & chipset from front fan. And finally I have got the best position in the middle one but it will conflict with front panel cables so I forced to install it just below of the middle one.

Advice - Installing more than one HDD is bit trickier for airflow from front fans, so pre-plan it.

*i45.tinypic.com/2gxqvk3.jpg

There is very narrow the gap between mobo and top; you can't re-route any cable from there.
If you want to install another fan at top-front position, be careful with mobo components and fan cables. (as you can see on my mobo - P8Z68 V GEN3 - there is EPU & TPU buttons just below fan mesh.)

Advice - Pre-plan your fan setup (specially top) and fan connectors on the mobo.

*i46.tinypic.com/2w5kppz.jpg

As I mentioned earlier, NZXT had made huge mistake with some cut-out holes, it's the primary sample of it; No way anyone can re-route 8 pin cable from behind mobo tray while mobo and 140mm fan installed.

*i50.tinypic.com/68sxfp.jpg

HDD installation is very easy. Cut-outs for cable management at the right position where it needed most. The cut-out hole in the front of the PSU although is not enough for my PSU's cables (Corsair GS 600) as it's not modular one.
The honeycomb mesh for fan has filter hooks but from below the case; so you can install fan filter under the PSU and for extra fan in the front of PSU.

*i45.tinypic.com/21eq6ug.jpg

Behind the mobo tray it's well designed and decent gap for good cable management. There are several hooks for cable ties around the back of tray, it is very useful.
There is also big gap between the HDD cage and back side of the case. As you can see, I have hanged few unused cables to HDD cage pretty easily for better cable management.

*i46.tinypic.com/sw9xud.jpg

Overall it's a very good case for mid-high end rigs; as these types of rigs will need more HDD bays, better cable management, very good fan setup, decent gap between GPU & HDDs etc. where NZXT Source 210 Elite is fulfilling these requirements very easily.

Score - 7.5 out of 10

Hope this will useful for new users.
Thanks for reading.

Note :Stay tuned for fan setup, performance and analysis!

 

[ArjunKiller]

Great review! Awesome pics! Wrong section

BTW which camera?

 

[d6bmg]

The thing which I like most in the pictures is, the picture quality.
If I'm not wrong, you have used a very good DSLR and you are enthusiast photographer, or at least you have learned the art of photography very well.
Am I wrong?

 

[hsr]

thread moved to Reviews, redirect will expire in a day.

 

[pcforumguy]

Great review! Awesome pics! Wrong section

BTW which camera?

Thanks for appreciation !
It's Panasonic FZ-28.

The thing which I like most in the pictures is, the picture quality.
If I'm not wrong, you have used a very good DSLR and you are enthusiast photographer, or at least you have learned the art of photography very well.
Am I wrong?

Yeps ! it's awesome camera.The colors, light sensitivity and exposure are top in it's category.
No! I am not a enthusiast photographer.But I am a 3D architectural visualizer, so I have learned lots of things about camera handling and knowledge about light in deep from my profession more practically than teaching by someone else.

thread moved to Reviews, redirect will expire in a day.

I thought it's a PC Case Review, so I have posted it in the Power supply / Cabinets / Mods section.
Anyway your the mod ! Thanks for moved it out to right (?) section.

 

[hsr]

Yeah, all the reviews go in the Community > Reviews section. The PC components section if for queries and discussion...

btw, excellent pictures

 

[dashing.sujay]

Nice pictorial review.

Advice - If possible, At the begging of the new rig build-up,....

beginning ? Irony is though I didn't read most of it, but landed directly at the mistake.

 

[pcforumguy]

Opps ! Thanks for pointing out ! It's repaired now.

 

[topgear]

review looks great and the pic quality is superb .

is it possible to get a pic with the side panel closed and the pc in running state - just want to see how cool the LED lights of the fan looks.

 

[pcforumguy]

review looks great and the pic quality is superb .

is it possible to get a pic with the side panel closed and the pc in running state - just want to see how cool the LED lights of the fan looks.

Here we go -

*i50.tinypic.com/28bd4wn.jpg
Inside cabby while room lights is ON in the night.

*i47.tinypic.com/j7dp1l.jpg
Inside cabby while room lights is OFF in the night.

*i49.tinypic.com/2ue7g9e.jpg
Full cabby shot.

*i46.tinypic.com/o73ihu.jpg
Corsair GS 600 Blue light. I love it; And I know you also like it.

It's will look like off topic but I have to explain little bit here -
It's very difficult to take shot while side panel closed; b'cause my camera is not SLR, so manual focusing is painful job (it require steady hands and sometimes you have to hold your breathing also) and secondly there is very low light situation inside the cabby, so I have only two option for shot - increase ISO or slow down shutter speed for brighten the shot (again it's painful)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Hey Guys,

As I said earlier fan setup, performance and analysis, here you go -

[YOUTUBE]rSQxdLPmz6Q[/YOUTUBE]

Fan Setup -

Intakes | Front | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM + NZXT 120RB
Exhaust | Rear | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM
| Top Rear | NZXT 140RB

As a conclusion of the video -
1] Front bezel is closed, so air will suck in through vertical gap of front bezel, through side panel mesh and top front mesh.
2] But the problem is that the air also suck in through PCI slot's mesh.
3] Also from small gaps from 5.25" bay area.

And this not good for Positive Air Pressure System.

[YOUTUBE]Ya9sKAMTK8Q[/YOUTUBE]

Fan Setup -

Intakes | Front | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM + NZXT 120RB
Exhaust | Rear | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM
|Top Rear |NZXT 140RB

As a conclusion of the video -
1] Front bezel is opened, so air will suck in through whole front bezel.
2] Side panel mesh is now helping as exhaust.
3] Top front mesh is playing a neutral role for airflow, when extra air needed it will suck it in through this mesh.
4] The PCI slot's now helping as exhaust.

And this is what Positive Air Pressure System require.

[YOUTUBE]S6nShwFG_Sk[/YOUTUBE]

Fan Setup -

Intakes | Front | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM
|Side | NZXT 120RB
Exhaust | Rear | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM
|Top Rear | NZXT 140RB

As a conclusion of the video -
1] Front bezel is closed, so air will suck in through vertical gap of front bezel, through side panel mesh.
2] Top front mesh is playing a neutral role for airflow, when extra air needed it will suck it in through this mesh.
3] But the problem is that the air also suck in through PCI slot's mesh.

And this not good for Positive Air Pressure System.

[YOUTUBE]WoLFU4ButNA[/YOUTUBE]

Fan Setup -

Intakes | Front | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM
|Side | NZXT 120RB
Exhaust | Rear | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM
|Top Rear | NZXT 140RB

As a conclusion of the video -
1] Front bezel is opened, so air will suck in through whole front bezel.
2] Side panel mesh is sucking the air.
3] Top front mesh and PCI Slot's are playing a neutral role for airflow, when extra air needed it will suck it in through these mesh.
4] But if you watch more carefully first 15 seconds of the clip, you can see that the air is actually exhausting through front top empty fan slot as well as through 5.25" bay.
5] In regard to # 5 point, at actual if you close the front panel then this hot/dirty air is actually re-entering in the case - there is no way to get out and bottom front fan sucking this hot/dirty air in.

And this is not good for Positive Air Pressure System require.

[YOUTUBE]Xs86xnLC00k[/YOUTUBE]

Fan Setup -

Intakes | Front | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM + NZXT 120RB
Exhaust | Rear | Cooler Master 120mm 90 CFM
|Top Rear | NZXT 140RB

I have modified NZXT 210 Elite a little bit - Front bezel cut out and installed home made fan filter (mosquito net) on it as well as on top front mesh.

Blocked with plastic wrapper : Bottom front mesh, side panel mesh.

As a conclusion of the video -
1] Front bezel is opened, so air will suck in through whole front bezel.
2] Side panel mesh is now blocked with plastic so it's not sucking the air. It is playing big role for front to back airflow.
3] Top front mesh is playing a neutral role for airflow, when extra air needed it will suck it in through this mesh.
4] The PCI slot's now helping as exhaust.

And this is what Positive Air Pressure System require.
This is my current setup.

Cheers !

 

[topgear]

thanks a lot for the effort of yours to take the pics asked by me - as usual the shots taken by you looks awesome.

BTW, youtube video linking done

 

[pcforumguy]

@topgear
At your service his excellency !!!
It's just an effort to let other know how I take these pictures, so in future anyone can shot quality pictures.

And thanks for link work.

 

[topgear]

^^ you are welcome .

BTW, consider me as an eternal learner only and I've actually saved the webpage and bookmarked it so that I can shot quality pics in future.

 

[pcforumguy]

^^ you are welcome .

BTW, consider me as an eternal learner only

Same here