News NZXT H1 is new SFF case that includes 650w SFX and 140mm AIO

Interesting new case from NZXT. The price is high at $350 but does come with bundled 650W SFX power supply and 140mm AIO. I don't think it's a fit for most of us here but in nice to see a "mass market" vendor deliver interesting, nicely designed SFF cases.

NZXT H1 Review: SFF Excellence, PSU and AIO Included

NZXT’s H1 is ready for powerful hardware inside its itty-bitty build space.

www.tomshardware.com

NZXT | Gaming PC products and services

Love your gaming PC | We meticulously design a curated suite of premium products to make extraordinary gaming experiences achievable and fun.

www.nzxt.com

 

[futurewau]

Somebody on reddit was able to put a 2.75 GPU in it ... wondering if that was easy

 

[tinyitx]

Somebody on reddit was able to put a 2.75 GPU in it ... wondering if that was easy

If the display card is right up against the side panel, the good thing is there is less space in between the card and the side panel for the hot exhaust air to get back into the card fans (as if there is a duct between the card and the side panel, preventing hot air recirculation and only allows fresh ambient air into the card). But the bad thing might be air turbulence/noise issue.

The main problem is that the main intake fan (to create a positive pressure environment) is that 140mm fan, which is not a case intake fan (high air volume and high air velocity) but a rad fan. And it does not help when all the intake fans are exhausting hot air into the case.
If we use Hardware Canucks' number as an estimate, perhaps having a vented front panel will bring down GPU temp by say, 7-8C. This is a very good improvement.

 

[Valantar]

From the NZXT H1 web page:

"The dual-chamber airflow is thermally designed to allow the CPU, GPU, and PSU to pull in fresh air, and exhaust hot air without affecting temperatures of neighboring components."

All fans (CPU AIO, GPU, PSU) are set as intake. Pure positive pressure out the back is the only exhaust.

That illustration and text is somewhat optimistic, though it's not wrong. Given that the GPU fans are spaced away from the side panel with no ducting (unless you are using a perfect thickness GPU) they will also inevitably recirculate some of their own exhaust air, as there will be the same or less resistance when pulling in air from the side of the fan opening compared to pulling it in through the mesh directly in front of the fan (though this depends on the spacing between the fan and mesh - the closer, the less recirculation). Also, there's no active exhaust, which means that dissipation will only happen where it's easy in terms of flow path - air moves along the path of least resistance, and turbulent movement in a small area is much easier than moving through a complex path to a vent, so pockets of hot air are somewhat likely. A GPU with fins arrayed vertically will exhaust some of its heat towards the front glass (likely around 50% of airflow, though this depends on the design of the fans, heatsink, shroud and onboard components), from where it doesn't really have any means of escape except being recirculated through the GPU fans again, mixing with cooler air from outside, and then partially being exhausted down the bottom. As long as overall thermals are within reason this isn't actually a problem, it's just not an ideal design.

That definately seems to be the case as I feel hot air leaking out the back.

Given that both other sides have intake fans placed alongside them anything else would be deeply worrying

 

[deadshot1982]

Even though the back panel doesn't like up completely, the glass can be removed and replaced with that. It fits good enough and you can just leave the back open, it can't be seen from the front anyway. There is about a 5C difference.

 

[deadshot1982]

I s

Somebody on reddit was able to put a 2.75 GPU in it ... wondering if that was easy
[/QUOT

I saw someone scratch an Aurous trying to fit it in.

 

[deadshot1982]

I s

Somebody on reddit was able to put a 2.75 GPU in it ... wondering if that was easy

I saw someone scratch an Aurous trying to fit it in.

 

[Boil]

I saw someone scratch an Aurous trying to fit it in.

Gear Seekers showed this in their follow-up video:

 

[deadshot1982]

Im going to attempt to mount a 40mm fan to the back panel over the gpu. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[tinyitx]

Im going to attempt to mount a 40mm fan to the back panel over the gpu. I'll keep you guys posted.

Why just only one?
I mean, the flow volume of only one 40mm fan is not going to make any thermal impact.
I would say, trying 3x 40mm fans is a minimum.

 

[deadshot1982]

Yeah I could fit at least four, but I would need an adapter. With one it's only 2 degrees hotter than no panel at all, so not bad.

 

[SSJ4]

Nice!

Would love some more photos and what 40mm fan youre using. Noctua has a 10x40mm from memory which is pretty thin.

Guess its dependant on what gpu you have also.

 

[Valantar]

Nice!

Would love some more photos and what 40mm fan youre using. Noctua has a 10x40mm from memory which is pretty thin.

Guess its dependant on what gpu you have also.

Judging by the color, that's a Noctua - nobody else makes beige and brown fans. The rounded blades means it's likely the 10mm, the 20mm has sharper angled, more swept-back blades.

 

[deadshot1982]

Nice!

Would love some more photos and what 40mm fan youre using. Noctua has a 10x40mm from memory which is pretty thin.

Guess its dependant on what gpu you have also.

Yes thats the one and they are. I have two more on the way.

 

[deadshot1982]

Nice!

Would love some more photos and what 40mm fan youre using. Noctua has a 10x40mm from memory which is pretty thin.

Guess its dependant on what gpu you have also.

If your GPU is a 2.5 slot there is room to run them down to at least 4 or 5 fans of this size.

 

[SSJ4]

That is awesome.

If you had fans run all the way up the case I get the thermals would be better than no panel at all since they'd be moving alot of air.

Just need to fabricate a bracket to hold them all.

 

[tinyitx]

That is awesome.

If you had fans run all the way up the case I get the thermals would be better than no panel at all since they'd be moving alot of air.

Just need to fabricate a bracket to hold them all.

Maybe the panel vent holes are lining up right to match the holes of the fan frame? If so, perhaps some silicone fan mounts or even zip ties could do the job, saving the need of a bracket. I prefer simplicity.

 

[SSJ4]

Maybe the panel vent holes are lining up right to match the holes of the fan frame? If so, perhaps some silicone fan mounts or even zip ties could do the job, saving the need of a bracket. I prefer simplicity.

You could just cable tie them together I guess. Although it would be pretty easy to cut a piece of metal or even plastic and secure them together cleanly. Something like below.

 

[deadshot1982]

Judging by the color, that's a Noctua - nobody else makes beige and brown fans. The rounded blades means it's likely the 10mm, the 20mm has sharper angled, more swept-back blades.

Then there were 3

 

[deadshot1982]

You could just cable tie them together I guess. Although it would be pretty easy to cut a piece of metal or even plastic and secure them together cleanly. Something like below

Naw I just used mounting tape and cut small squares and placed it in the middle and pressed firmly in the middle. I would say they knocked off 2 degrees. I must mentioned I'm running at actual clock of 1950Mhz set for 2000Mhz with max temp at 67-69 fan around 2200 RPM with a Sapphire 5700XT.

 

[SSJ4]

2c? damn was hoping it would be a bit more.

Still. Glad there is potential here.