NZXT H440 Mid-Tower Chassis Review - First case to score top marks

Introduction

It seems that after seeing the Ronin, and now the newest chassis from NZXT, where it used to take a guy who bought a generic chassis weeks if not months to change things. Removing bits, and adding covers over things we don't want to see anyways, it used to be a huge ordeal to get a custom chassis. As of late, it seems that trend may be soon to be over. Companies are now making moves that take something from the basic line, and totally rewording it. Some changes are plainly obvious, while others need deeper investigation to gain appreciation for these benefits. Either way, I hope this is just the beginning of a new trend in chassis design. It may in fact be a design that sets the bar so high that others are left to scramble about as they try their own hand at similar ideas.

So, what does a design like this bring forward that others have not been able to do? Keep in mind that this is merely a mid-tower chassis. After around a year of planning, designing, and working out the final concept of the chassis, NZXT and one specific designer have come up with their own version of what the best all-around chassis should be. Major changes are made in this design where not only have they entirely removed the optical drive bays, but in doing so, they have allowed for two other things.

One of them was the layout for a whole new storage drive system, and if that wasn't enough, they also made this chassis so that it can house a 360mm or a 280mm radiator, instead of these storage trays. Another huge addition is a metal PSU and wiring cover that is part of the chassis and not removable, but even here, things like the PSU installation and the PSU wiring have all been thought out and worked out to the finest detail.

If we don't have your attention at this point, you either have no interest in buying a new chassis, or you better check for a pulse. NZXT has brought their A-game this time, and considering how well we have liked some of their previous designs and new layouts, what you are about to see in the new H440 from NZXT may just blow your mind.

Until now, we had not thought it possible to do what NZXT has done with such craftsmanship and style; they deliver a very unique chassis that we all know will be cloned in some fashion very soon by all those sleepy manufacturers that are being blindsided with this mid-tower chassis.