NZXT H500 and H500i Review

Conclusion

NZXT’s S340 chassis was always going to be a hard act to follow, launching with a low price tag of £55 while delivering everything that enthusiasts of the time could have asked for. There is a reason why the NZXT S340 is praised so much by PC enthusiasts the world over.  

The H500 and H500i are undoubtedly aimed at the same market as the S340, offering support for the ATX form factor while delivering several design improvements and refinements that have so far been exclusive to the company’s ultra-high-end enclosures. In that way the H500 and H500i can easily be considered upgrades to their predecessors, offering an updated aesthetic, enhanced cable management options and a wider range of colour options at launch. 

We loved the S340 when it launched, taking a bold step away from optical drive bays to explore the design options that are afforded by their absence. With the H500, NZXT has almost made surpassing the S340 look easy, upgrading the chassis to support 280mm radiators at the front, a large tempered glass side panel on the side and a range of user-friendly cable management options while offering a low price tag of $69.99. This price should translate to around £59.99 in the UK with VAT. 

The higher-end H500i chassis is where things get a little complicated, as on first glance many would think that it isn’t worth the extra $30 on it’s asking price.  The addition of a dedicated RGB/Fan control system and two HUE+ RGB LED strips will be more than worth this upgrade fee to many users, especially given the fact that they come pre-installed, though this will depend on whether or not the user wants to be part of NZXT’s CAM ecosystem.

Alongside these feature upgrades, NZXT has also added support for a vertical GPU mount to the H500i, allowing the user’s GPU to become a centrepiece for the system. We think that it is a shame that this feature has been denied to standard H500 users, though it is worth remembering that vertical GPUs is a niche option which most PC builders will ignore. 

We have decided to give NZXT’s H500 OC3D’s Value for Money Award, as the case’s low price tag and premium features will allow almost any PC builders to create a beautiful system with ease. We were honestly expecting this case to be more expensive then it arrived through our door, though I suppose that is where the H500i comes into the mix. 

Purchasing NZXT HUE+ and GRID+ controllers separately would easily surpass the $30 price increase of the H500i, nevermind the extra cost of the H500i’s pre-installed RGB LED strips and the vertical GPU mount. These additions allow the H500i to offer a lot of value by itself, but only if end users desire these additions.
 

You can discuss your thoughts about the NZXT H500 and H500i on the OC3D Forums

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