NZXT Phantom 820 Case Review

1. Introduction2. NZXT Phantom 820: Packaging & Bundle3. NZXT Phantom 820: Exterior4. NZXT Phantom 820: Interior5. System Installation6. Testing Methodology and Thermal Performance7. Acoustic Performance8. Closing Thoughts9. View All Pages

The NZXT Phantom 820 uses a plastic drive tray which is capable of holding both 2.5″ and 3.5″ drives. 3.5″ variants can be installed using the tool-less method, although it would be advisable to use screws for extra security.

2.5″ devices are fastened to the plastic tray via four screws, but we could only get two screws to tighten. Thankfully, this isn't much of a problem with small 2.5″ drives.

While the installation method is simple and quick, although not tool-less for 2.5″ drives, the tray itself is built from a very flimsy plastic material that could easily snap when exposed to a moderate force. We would prefer a more secure method of drive installation which is brought about by sturdier trays.

Building a system into the Phantom 820 was a straightforward task. NZXT pre-installs the relevant stand-offs that are required for ATX motherboards, hence reducing installation time. The tool-less installation method for 5.25″ drives was simple, but not very secure. If you are going to be moving the case regularly, we would definitely recommend using screws to fully secure a 5.25″ optical drive.

Using ATX-sized hardware, the NZXT Phantom 820 is left with plenty of room to install additional graphics or expansion cards while still ensuring that cable management is effective and tidy. CPU cooler clearance is almost 200mm, meaning that the NZXT Phantom 820 won't run into problems when paired with one of the market's largest air coolers, such as the Phanteks PH-TC14PE.

Seasonic's excellent Platinum-1000 power supply is a very large unit, but the Phantom 820 had no problems securing it in a position which provides it with effective cable routing access.

The Phantom 820 has the ability to house graphics cards up to 370mm in length. With a fan installed in the interior swivel point and in the fully tilted orientation, the graphics card clearance will decrease to around 280mm at the most confined point; this is still enough room for a Radeon HD 7970 or GTX 680 to be housed.

Cable management is a very simple task, thanks to the NZXT Phantom 820's excellent routing options and conveniently positioned grommets. Two rubber grommets located beneath an ATX motherboard's bottom edge are positioned perfectly to allow them to hide front panel and USB cables.

22mm of cable clearance is allocated behind the motherboard tray, a figure which increases by up to 15mm in the case's lower segment, thanks to the protruding side panel design.

Data and power cables can be stored in 35mm of room which is present behind the HDD/SSD drive trays.

Each of the fan controller's four, 15W channels is supplied with plenty of headers, allowing users to install multiple units on a single speed-controllable input.

Combined with the braided 8-pin extension cable that NZXT supplies with the Phantom 820, a conveniently positioned hole makes routing and hiding the CPU power cable and fan connectors a simple task.

The easy-to-remove 5.25″ bay covers can make way for an optical drive installation procedure which doesn't require front panel removal.

Also located behind the Phantom 820's hinged door is; a SD card reader, an LED power button, an LED colour-control knob, and an IO lighting power button.

A lengthy LED strip spans a large proportion of the Phantom 820 front panel's left side, terminating in a location adjacent to the roof-mounted USB ports.

Recessed PCI slots and IO panel make it easy to connect long cables when the Phantom 820 is situated near to a wall or interference.

Lighting

A strip of LEDs located inside the case helps to create a subtle illumination which allows light to seep through the side panel window.

The LEDs are situated in a section of the case's roof, just above the side panel window's position. Utilising the front panel-mounted control knob, the LED colour can be changed to an individual's preference, or to fit a specific component theme.

Another colour-changeable strip is positioned adjacent to the power and fan control buttons. A further four light indicators are housed inside the strip so that their white colour which varies in brightness can be used to indicate the current fan speed level.

NZXT's rear IO light is a simple yet effective implementation which makes it easy to connect cables in low-light environments.

The Phantom 820 actually features an additional LED strip running down the front panel's left side (when looking head-on). Unfortunately, the strip on our sample didn't work. Hopefully this is an issue which is related to products of a sample, not retail, origin.

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