Review: NZXT Phantom 820

Final Thoughts and Rating

NZXT chassis seem to get better with each revision, but the company has a habit of leaving room for a couple of small improvements. The Phantom 820 is a continuation of that trend; it's arguably NZXT's most impressive full-tower solution to date, yet there are a few elements that could be enhanced.

The numerous pre-installed cables are messy, the drive trays are weak and can only be accessed from the rear side of the chassis, and, though this is one of NZXT's more subtle designs, the plastic exterior styling still has that teenage-gamer feel about it.

These are minor niggles, however, and if the space-age aesthetics are your cup of tea, the Phantom 820 has a lot to offer. For the £200 fee, you're getting a titanic enclosure that, in addition to housing just about any high-end build, has four large pre-installed fans and bags of cooling potential.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as NZXT's feature set is concerned. Factor in a quad-channel digital fan controller, an integrated HUE lighting system, a dedicated rear I/O panel light, half-a-dozen USB ports and an SD card reader, and you've got a chassis that's as well-stocked as they come. Better yet, these features aren't just an afterthought, they're all well-implemented and handy to have during everyday use.

The Good

Quad-channel digital fan controller
Integrated HUE lighting system
Dedicated rear I/O panel light
Six USB ports and an SD card reader
Room for at least two radiators
Lots of air-cooling potential
Capacious throughout

The Bad

Drive trays need work
Plastic accents look and feel cheap
Lots of out-the-box cable clutter

HEXUS Rating

NZXT Phantom 820

HEXUS Awards

NZXT Phantom 820

HEXUS Where2Buy

The NZXT Phantom 820 chassis is available to purchase from Scan Computers*.

HEXUS Right2Reply

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