It is hard to deny that NZXT knows how to make a striking PC case. From the clean lines, to the well laid out structure, they really do stand at the head of the pack in terms of quality and look. While this is true of the full range they offer, the H7 Elite is one of the best looking out of the bunch. With a slightly higher price tag, the NZXT H7 Elite is a gorgeous offering, featuring tempered glass panels, RGB lighting, and a layout that makes building a breeze.
At a price of $199.99, the NZXT H7 Elite comes at a premium price, but for that you will get fantastic build quality, great materials, and all the needed to build the gaming PC of your dreams. With a tempered glass front and side panel, the NZXT H7 Elite provides ample space for RGB lighting and some great airflow to keep even a high-end spec build will keep cool and quite under load.
Looking at the glass front panel of the NZXT H7 Elite, you will see a crystal-clear tempered glass sheet that spans the full height of the case, giving a full view of the three NZXT RGB 140 mm fans. These large fans keep things whisper-quiet, as well as keep the air moving throughout your system. The fact NZXT went all out with the fans means you won’t need to worry about upgrading later on, with the fans being fully controlled by the NZXT CAM software, giving ample control of how they look and how they fit the rest of the system.
With the White NZXT H7 Elite case, you will find a crystal-clear glass side panel that looks gorgeous for most modern PC builds. NZXT has mixed it up for the black case, offering a tinted side, allowing it to fit the more stealth-like aesthetic. While this all comes down to personal preference, the white offering does have a much cleaner look, made to put all the internal components on full display.
“With the White NZXT H7 Elite case, you will find a crystal-clear glass side panel that looks gorgeous for most modern PC builds.”
The rest of the NZXT H7 Elite feels very similar to what you would find with the H7 Flow or H7 cases, with a top that is made to look subtle while still allowing airflow, along with the iconic NZXT cable management bar, that makes building a clean, and well-organized system easy. The H7 Elite also provides a handy power supply shield, that keeps the internals of your new gaming PC looking as clean as possible. The top also is host to the dual USB 3.0 Type-A ports, and the single USB Type-C port, along with the subtle LED-surrounded power button.
The top also allows for plenty of room to hook in a range of AIO liquid cooler designs of sizes up to 360 mm. For the build we used NZXT’s own Kraken X cooler, but it should work for most options on the market. The air vents give enough room for most radiators, and the large internal space makes it trivial to have the needed cables, fans, and accessories without having the internals of the PC looking messy. The vents in the top also make it great for dispersing the heat when your PC is running under heavy load and included handy dust filters to keep the inside of your system looking clean behind the clear glass panels.
The fans and air vents also make the NZXT H7 Elite a champ when it comes to thermal performance. We saw some fantastic results on our 12th gen Intel Core i9 tests, with the CPU running up to 5 degrees cooler than most other cases in-office, beyond the H7 Flow. The large front fans beyond looking great all lit up, provide great airflow, second only to what we found in our testing of the NZXT H7 Flow, something I did not expect.
“The fans and air vents also make the NZXT H7 Elite a champ when it comes to thermal performance.”
For people that love RGB lighting, the NZXT H7 Elite also boasts a fan controller that will keep all fans all running together. Combined with the company’s CAM software, the controller gives a range of options, including the lighting, fan speed, and overall setting for all cooling that is hooked into the device. Located inside the metal rear side panel, the fan controller is built ready to keep all your cables and fans connected without adding to the clutter inside your new PC build or the noise level of the cooling.
On the motherboard tray front, the H7 Elite offers plenty of room for its mid-tower case size. Boasting space for boards from E-ATX boards up to 272 mm, there should be few boards you can’t make work in the case. The H7 Elite also provides plenty of room for even larger video cards, with even the larger GeForce RX 3070 and 3080 cards fitting with room to spare.
The H7 Elite also offers all the bays and expansion slot spaces you could ask for from a mid – tower case. There are seven expansion card spaces, giving you ample room to fit a range of PCI-E accessories and GPU’s. The case also boasts drive bays that allow for 4+2x 2.5″ drives, and 2x 3.5″ drives, making sure you can fit most of the stories you could need from a modern gaming build.
While not exclusive to the H7 Elite, the NZXT cable management is some of the best in the business. The channels, along with the ample locations for cable ties, make it easy to keep your many power cords and accessories looking clean and well-placed for upgradability and visual look. With a case so reliant on glass and the look of your PC, this is one area that could have easily ruined the experience, and thankfully, NZXT did not drop the ball when it mattered most.
With a clean, modern look, and some impressive features aimed at the performance PC builder, the NZXT H7 Elite case is a great choice for builders that want the best. From great air flow, to RGB and cable management, there is little to complain about with this case. While it does come at a premium, if you are looking for a case that shows off your new PC build in style, you can’t go wrong with the H7 Elite from NZXT.
