Building an NZXT PC in 2021!

NZXT sent me a stack of PC hardware consisting of a motherboard, AIO cooler, case and power supply. Was the hardware any good? Did I run into any problems? Have I got any views to express? That would be a triple ‘Yes', all wrapped up in 22 minutes of video entertainment.

Build specifications:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-10700K
• CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken Z53
• Motherboard: NZXT N7 Z490
• RAM: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Royal DDR4-4000MHz
• Graphics card: Sapphire Radeon RX 6800 XT
• SSD: 1TB WD Blue M.2 NVMe
• Case: NZXT H710i
• Power Supply: NZXT C750 Gold

NZXT N7 Z490 Motherboard

Clearly the NZXT N7 Z490 motherboard is due to be updated with a Z590 version in the near future but it is worth noting this board is based on an ASRock Z490 Steel Legend with the addition of cosmetic shrouds that completely change the look and feel of the board. These cosmetic covers do nothing for thermal performance and, as you will see in our video, they make installation of the N7 tricky. If you love the look of the N7 Z490 you might consider it an ideal match for the H710i case however we advise you to approach it with all due caution.

NZXT H710i Case

This case looks very smart but also packs in a number of interesting features. You get loads of storage bays (2x 2.5-inch/3.5-inch and five SSD mounts) along with some nifty cable management guides in the right hand side of the case. The key feature is the Smart Device which manages fan control and RGB lighting over USB. This adds to the cost of the H710i and also requires you to use NZXT's CAM software.

NZXT Kraken Z53 CPU Cooler

NZXT Kraken Z53 is based on a 7th Gen Asetek AIO cooler with the addition of a huge LCD display to the pump body that looks amazing. The display is driven by NZXT's CAM software which is ideal if you prefer to use a single management utility to handle every aspect of your PC. The downside is that Kraken Z53 costs a small fortune.

NZXT C750 Power Supply

We are confident the NZXT C750 power supply is based on Seasonic Focus Gold and sells for the same £110 here in the UK, and that makes us very happy.

Closing Thoughts

We chose to install the Kraken Z53 AIO cooler in the roof of the H710i case and, well, you saw the problems that caused. The main sticking point is the cosmetic shroud over the VRM heat sinks on the N7 Z490 motherboard which gets in the way to an annoying extent.]

We could have avoided those issues entirely by installing the Kraken in the front of the case where there is a huge amount of free space. Granted we would have had to move a few fans around but that is a minor matter.

The fact is, when we install a cooler in the front of the case (which is Leo's preferred approach) the comments go crazy saying the correct approach is to put the cooler in the roof. In future we shall keep our own counsel and do the right thing but this time you got your way and Leo suffered in the process.

On the plus side the finished PC looks rather smart and the CAM software held the whole thing together nicely. Six fans, a dash of LED lighting and that eye-catching display on the Kraken cooler combine to deliver a very pleasing result. Overall we found the expense of the hardware to be a bit uncomfortable but we are quite certain a section of our audience will be taken by the unified looks of this NZXT build.

NZXT N7 Z490

The NZXT N7 Z490 is available for £210.22 from CCL HERE.

NZXT H710i

The NZXT H710i is available for £169.99 from Overclockers UK HERE.

NZXT Kraken Z53

The NZXT Kraken Z53 is available for £174.48 from Amazon HERE.

KitGuru says: NZXT puts the emphasis firmly on the understated looks of the H710i case but the real gem here is the Kraken Z53 cooler.

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