NZXT Panzerbox Mid Tower Case Review

Conclusion

So there you have it!

From an aesthetic perspective, the Panzerbox is a nice and simple looking enclosure with some subtle “aggressive” hints, like the semi-transparent mesh top and front providing a view of the very large 190mm fans. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, but we think that NZXT was able to strike a nice balance, and create a case that just about anyone will like the look of. The aesthetic touches don’t just end at the exterior either. NZXT was thoughtful enough to provide some nice extras like a painted black interior and other “dark” components, like fan grilles and even case screws.

Although we think the Panzerbox is a good looking case, its absolute best feature is it’s excellent airflow characteristics. We’ve seen so many oversize fans pass through our labs, but they almost always seem to be tuned for low RPM and quiet operation. It’s nice to see a company finally break out of this mold and let these behemoths spin beyond 1000RPM. The result is well over 300CFM of combined air movement. Our performance results really speak for themselves with the Panzerbox topping our charts with ease in almost all of the tests we conducted. If cooling performance is high on your list of priorities, then we think you should definitely give the Panzerbox a serious look. When you combine this excellent cooling performance with some healthy watercooling options, like out-of-the-box dual 120mm radiator support, this is a very enthusiast friendly case. Now, although the Panzerbox is a real winner when it comes to cooling performance, we do need to make it clear that this is not a quiet case. Those interested in silent PC operation will need to look elsewhere. With that said though, we’re pleased to report that the 190mm fans let out a very bearable, lower pitched “rush” of air movement and that the rear 120mm fan is fairly quiet. Had that same amount of airflow been provided by smaller 120mm fans, the noise level would undoubtedly be much higher.

About the only negative thing we have to say about the Panzerbox is that it’s build quality could have been better. We encountered two minor manufacturing defects in our sample and we weren’t overly impressed by the case’s somewhat flimsy mesh panels and other light-weight aluminum components. We’d much rather have seen a pound added to the case and the price increased a tad if it meant strengthening the case up a bit and giving it a more sturdy feel.

We’re also a bit torn on the unique PSU mounting location in the Panzerbox. On the one side, we see that it allowed the Panzerbox’s height to be cut down pretty significantly while still allowing for some healthy radiator clearance up top. On the other side of that coin, it causes some real cable management challenges and creates some interesting thermal conditions due to the PSUs proximity to the expansion cards. If you’d be willing to sacrifice a hotter PSU for better video card temperatures, this may be considered a pro. None the less, we can’t help but feel that the pros do not outweigh the cons, and vice versa, so it really just comes down to personal preference.

We should also note that availability seems to be a bit of a problem right now with the Panzerbox. Although quite a few retailers carry NZXT products, the Panzerbox is surprisingly absent at many of the larger retailers like NCIX, Direct Canada, Tigerdirect and Newegg. We’re hoping that some of these retailers will add this case to their line-ups, as it’s certainly got quite a bit to offer in its price range.

Overall, we think that the Panzerbox is a good little case that provides excellent cooling potential, simple good looks at a very reasonable price of $129 Canadian. We’re pleased to offer the NZXT Panzerbox with Hardware Canucks’ “Damn Good Value” award.

Pros:

- Excellent cooling performance thanks to high-CFM 190mm fans.
- Very light at only 13 pounds thanks to all-aluminum construction.
- Very short and compact full-ATX design
- Good watercooling potential and included brackets for a dual 120mm radiator
- Removable motherboard tray
- PSUs with bottom mounted fans can further reduce GPU temperatures.
- Good price


Cons:

- Build quality and sturdiness could be better
- Cable management difficult due to PSU mounting location
- Not a quiet case
- Availability

Thank you to NZXT for sending us this sample