NZXT Alpha Case

[Darksaber]

The Alpha is NZXT's latest entry level case offering. While it does not cost a lot, it has enough space for an 8800 GTX or Ultra. This means that you can save a bit of money on the chassis and spend it on actual hardware, without having to worry about compatibility issues.

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[LiveOrDie]

I had this case for a week and then i got a new one this cases cooling sucks, and there is a space for a fan at the front, but good luck tring to fix it in , temps in this case was so high it killed my ram, and for the Nvidia 8800GTX compatible thats a load of crap the card only just fixs, my 8800Ultra i had to turn to the side to fit it in, it nice looking but its not for high end systems, paint is cheap scratches way to easy, this case shouldnt get 8.5/10 and hows this they didnt even give me the right screws to screw in the mother board

 

[Darksaber]

if you need to slightly turn the graphic card is no problem, I mentioned the fact that it is a tight fit. So how is that a load of crap? if you wish I can place my 8800 GTX in the case and snap a picture.

As for temps, I do not see how that could have been the case. The interior Layout is not designed by NZXT itself. You will find that exact layout for other cases as well (for example Apevia cases). The fan placements are standard. Yes it is missing the front fan, but that has nothing to do with your memory overheating.

I did not have any problems with the paint, other cases which cost more hat far worse paint jobs. (Silverstone TJ08)

The black screws in the back are used for mounting the mainboard.

cheers
ds

 

[OnBoard]

Nice looking case with that price. I'd switch out the red&yelow cables in molex connectors to turn them in to 5V silent versions. Move the back fan to front and the nice looking blue to the back. That brings more airflow to the case as well from front to back and there are still plenty of holes for GPU to breathe.

How's the HDD vibration in this case Darksaber? Seems like the only problem I see in it, as you can't fit any absortion material between the plastic slides and HDD cage seems like it's bolted on.

I'd like to move away form 80mm case fans, my current one has 2 intake and one custon outtake on top of them. Had also 80mm in back, but modified that to 92mm <: 120mm would just be so much cheaper and quieter as you need less. Also case would be wider and there would be more room for tall CPU coolers. There is 1mm space between my sidewindows and the 12cm CPU fan I had to string on, as the coolers own way of attaching would bring the fan through the side couple cm

 

[Darksaber]

How's the HDD vibration in this case Darksaber? Seems like the only problem I see in it, as you can't fit any absortion material between the plastic slides and HDD cage seems like it's bolted on.

About modding the Molex, sure that is a possibilty, but the LED fan may require more than 5V to start. As for the hard drive bays, I did not have any problems with vibrations using a single drive. Vibration is usually heard if something is loose on or in the case (like a side panel or front door), so you should be fine I imagine.

cheers
DS

 

[OnBoard]

My current case has only 5.25" places from top to bottom (and 3.5" adapters for HDD&stuff). With my 2 Samsungs bolted on it would make a low hum sound and placing hand on the case you'd feel the vibrations. The hum wasn't constant, so it bothered despite the sound was non existent (as I also had a lot of sound dampening material from nexus in case).

Now that my HDDs hang with zip ties, there is no vibrations from them. With this case there would be no room to do that, that's why I asked. Case layout is different and those many mounting holes for the plastic slides may make the HDD casing more rigid and kill a bit of vibration. You could always go for those 5.25" HDD silencer thingies, but they'd have to be very high in the case, as there is no such slots in bottom.

Price might just be a whole lot different when these come to Finland, current NZXT cases seem to be ~80€ and that's not cheap anymore :/

EDIT: "In addition to the four external 5¼" and two 3½" bays, there is a separate cage mounted at the bottom that can hold up to five internal 3½" drives. This is turned sideways for ease of installation, and the cage can be removed from the case in order to install another fan (not included) in the front intake position."

From another review in ocia.net. So if the HDD cage can be taken out, the it would be easy to hang couple HDDs in that space =) And that also answers Live OR Die doubts how to instal intake fan in the case

"The back side of the case has several places where wiring can be hidden or routed behind the motherboard tray or drive cages."

http://www.ocia.net/fullsize.php?filename=155_22.jpg

So there is 2 long holes right next to the motherboard edge you can route those front panel cables and possibly more stuff

EDIT2: http://www.ocia.net/fullsize.php?filename=155_18.jpg
Modding that front I/O panel to one of those 3.5" places (like my current one has) seems quite easy. Yes, 99% ain't going to do that, but I see possibilities in this case to make it better for my needs I'll have to keep this case in mind when (if) they get here.

 

[LiveOrDie]

if you need to slightly turn the graphic card is no problem, I mentioned the fact that it is a tight fit. So how is that a load of crap? if you wish I can place my 8800 GTX in the case and snap a picture.

As for temps, I do not see how that could have been the case. The interior Layout is not designed by NZXT itself. You will find that exact layout for other cases as well (for example Apevia cases). The fan placements are standard. Yes it is missing the front fan, but that has nothing to do with your memory overheating.

I did not have any problems with the paint, other cases which cost more hat far worse paint jobs. (Silverstone TJ08)

The black screws in the back are used for mounting the mainboard.

cheers
ds

man carm down, the case in cheep the side window is soft and the plasic it made of is to, the panit jobs nice, but they should of made it less scratchable, for people that move there systems alot and the air flow is bad, because the case had low speed fans so the hot air takes longer to escape the case, and i shore you wouldn't trusts 2 GTX,Ultras in there it would probably melt the side windows,temps in this case were the highest temp i have ever had, i not telling you that your wrong i'm just telling you from using the case for 2 weeks. and the black screws are for the hard drives

 

[Darksaber]

man carm down, the case in cheep the side window is soft and the plasic it made of is to, the panit jobs nice, but they should of made it less scratchable, for people that move there systems alot and the air flow is bad, because the case had low speed fans so the hot air takes longer to escape the case, and i shore you wouldn't trusts 2 GTX,Ultras in there it would probably melt the side windows,temps in this case were the highest temp i have ever had, i not telling you that your wrong i'm just telling you from using the case for 2 weeks. and the black screws are for the hard drives

Well I am totally calm I am just using your words "total load of crap". ^^ Which would mean that they do not fit, but they do. thus my question how this statement would such a "total load of crap?" - thats it.

Like I said before, the fans are not even that slow and do push noticable ammounts of air. as for 8800GTX/ultras, the cards get hot no matter what. Most of the air is expelled outward through the cards cooler anyways. But an Ultra SLI rig will get hot no matter how you look at it. I never said that it could not be possible that this case is "hotter" than others. All I am saying that it is a reference design interior, thus used by many manufacturers. All NZXT did was couple that with a great looking outside.

cheers
DS

 

[Skrabrug]

i bought this case and had to file down one of the rivets in it to be able to easily put my graphics card in lol

also you can bore out the rivets at the button of the case to take out the HDD bay area (or just pull it back a bit) to fit a 80mm or 120mm fan in the front to help cool the HDDs

the only thing i REALLY wasn't impressed with was the fact when i put my blue CCFLs in it they made certain flaws in the case stand out (wide panel doesn't run right along the top and the top of the case isn't 100% flush and was sort of on a angle) and this could just be a problem with the one i got because ehhh on the front the face is meant to have 2 sets of LEDS on each side.. only one set lights up for me (on the side closest to the side ports)

I actually have to say this case has its flaws but its worth its money and is ideal foe anyone who wants to make a few lil mods to a case to make it work for them. (cable management is a nightmare though)

edit: just noticed in the pic's you have shown of it set up and lit up that the same side of yours doesn't light up ether at the front where mine doesn't either

 

[eras3r]

i like a lot of this case and i also want to buy an asus p5e ix38 and i want to know if i will have the sabe problem with the connection of the front left/right power blue led.....

 

[Skrabrug]

i like a lot of this case and i also want to buy an asus p5e ix38 and i want to know if i will have the sabe problem with the connection of the front left/right power blue led.....

I think you will, it wasn't my end of the wiring that was the problem... i think it could just be the wiring the company did to the LED

 

[PatoriaN]

Anyone here know if it will support a 790 ultra mobo with support for 3 9800GTX cards?

Heat wont be an issue as I intend to have asetek water cooling in the case also.

Looks like it will all fit...I just love the look of this case - kinda of an issue seeing that it is a cheap case.

Thanks.

 

[savior02]

I'm still using this case lol. I built a PC with it back in 2007 painted it all gun metal black in the inside too! I just upgraded fans processor GPU and more memory just now with the corona virus thing and thinking of finally moving on from it. Although I'm going to remove the HDD cage as I just learned it can be removed to add a real fan and not a small slim one - wished I knew that back then. Anyways Im going to try and see if it helps with cooling cause now that i upgraded and overclocking I'm noticing high temps. I also noticed everyone here did not keep it very lonng lmaoooo