NZXT Switch 810

[Darksaber]

To read this review go to: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NZXT/Switch_810/

[erixx]

Very nice review Saber! And a nice case, with many clever details. Finally cases reach maturity and are more than a box more or less impressive but a box. This one a real swiss knife.

[Rowsol]

The radiator options are insane. Nice case.

[Soylent Joe]

Great review man.

It's worth noting that I had to break off the last plastic reinforcement piece on the HDD rail when the SSD was put on it. It is impossible to connect SATA power to the SSD with that bar attached.


Also, for people like myself whose motherboards do not support USB 3.0 half of the front ports are useless. I've contacted NZXT about getting a 3.0 to 2.0 connector adapter. Right now they don't even produce them.

[Sp33d Junki3]

NZXT knows about the mounting issue for SSD or 2.5" drives. I did cut mine, which help, but I used the 3.5" mount kit from my SSD and it worked well.
The top louver is useless and dont lower sound at all. Be better to have a filtered mesh instead.

In all, this is a great case for air cooling once all fans are in place. Watercooling, best I've seen so far for the price.

[XNine]

I would like to say that the review is pretty accurate. I also think that to really rail down the plastic/steel versus aluminum argument: There is no other chassis on the market right now that accommodates the amount of radiator options this case does at this price point. For those not looking to spend a lot but want to dabble in, or those experienced in watercooling, this case is built for that.

[N3M3515]

wow, i've seen, msi, nzxt and amd reps here! that's awesome!

[n-ster]

I have to say, NZXT is doing good lately. Ever since the original Phantom came out, then the Phantom 410, Tempest etc, they are just amazing cases, and this is one of them.

I used to only want Lian-Li or Silverstone, but now, NZXT makes me want these types of cases again. I was going to buy one, but I just couldn't turn away a special on a lian-li case, but next case, I'm going NZXT for sure!

Now if you could improve that Hot-swap bay, the ODD screw-less system, and add a screwless system à la Lian-Li for the PCI things, you'd have an even more incredible case

[Sasqui]

I think i found my NZXT (next) case lol. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the hot swap bay with screws... what's the point?

[Radical_Edward]

Trying to resist the urge to buy this and replace my Corsair 600T....

[Assimilator]

Originally Posted by XNine

I would like to say that the review is pretty accurate. I also think that to really rail down the plastic/steel versus aluminum argument: There is no other chassis on the market right now that accommodates the amount of radiator options this case does at this price point. For those not looking to spend a lot but want to dabble in, or those experienced in watercooling, this case is built for that.

Offer this chassis with a proper hotswap bay and a USB3-to-USB2 converter, and you guys will have a classic on your hands.

[HumanSmoke]

A couple of points I've found with the chassis.
Mounting a top rad with the ports at the rear of the chassis is the planned for option. Preferring to have the ports at the front of the chassis (not having the return hose draped across the board) takes a little modding since there is a plate across the 5.25" bays just below where the barbs would exit:

Adding a couple of holes/grommets or extenders+rotary fittings. I ended up going with the former since the fans leave little room for what amounts to a very sharp 90º bend

The second point is that the floor of the chassis doesn't leave a lot of options for a pump (which I prefer over having the pump mounted the the side of the chassis) since there is a cutout for a 140/120mm fan next to the PSU area. I ended up making a cruciform fitting with the pump footprint superimposed out of 4.5mm plexi:

Overall though the chassis has a lot of potential. It does feel a little flimsy, and the top cover/vent seems like an afterthought (I'm replacing mine with a hexmesh/aluminium CNC top), but you cant fault the options NZXT have built into the chassis- esp for the price.
As you can see, a triple rad and D5T/res still leave more space available than many standard chassis:

[XNine]

Originally Posted by n-ster

I have to say, NZXT is doing good lately. Ever since the original Phantom came out, then the Phantom 410, Tempest etc, they are just amazing cases, and this is one of them.

I used to only want Lian-Li or Silverstone, but now, NZXT makes me want these types of cases again. I was going to buy one, but I just couldn't turn away a special on a lian-li case, but next case, I'm going NZXT for sure!

Now if you could improve that Hot-swap bay, the ODD screw-less system, and add a screwless system à la Lian-Li for the PCI things, you'd have an even more incredible case

I assure you, NZXT is listening to reviewers and the community. While I can't say what changes if any will be applied, I think if you look at the Phantom lineage you can see that NZXT takes to heart what people have to say and the designers genuinely care and try to improve upon the flaws.

I think it's just a matter of time and feedback and redesign before some of the kinks are worked out. As you said, NZXT is heading in a new direction and sometimes there's speedbumbs with doing so.

Originally Posted by Sasqui

I think i found my NZXT (next) case lol. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the hot swap bay with screws... what's the point?

Well you see...when you screw in... um... when you swap out...um.... I don't know.

Originally Posted by Assimilator

Offer this chassis with a proper hotswap bay and a USB3-to-USB2 converter, and you guys will have a classic on your hands.

I'll add this to the feedback.

[XNine]

So.... *ahem* Special Editions, anyone?
http://www.nzxt.com/new/products/cra...ies/switch_810

[nleksan]

Ok so I got myself a white one, with a HALE90 850W PSU in prep for new build. I also just got a brand new apogee HD CPU waterblock for $22 (!), so I am trying to figure out how best to fit liquid cooling in the case.
I plan on either 3930K + Rampage IV Extreme X79 or 3770K + Maximus V Formula/Extreme, and likely a 4GB GTX670.

Can I fit a 3x140 radiator in the top with push-pull fans and no cutting? I imagine that 50mm would be the max thickness, just to be on the safe side (90mm clearance would leave 15mm after 50mm rad and 25mm push fans with pull fans in the vent area).
I have been researching liquid cooling for months now, and I still feel like I know nothing.
I don't mind 1800rpm+ fans with a 25-30fpi rad up top, the cooling is more important than noise.

I would like to have a second rad, so can a 2x140mm fit in the bottom push-pull with no cutting?
Or should I just add a 140 in bottom and 140 in rear?
Seems like 420+280 would be the best possible way to go, as I intend to run res-pump-cpu-(parallel chipset, parallel to rad-vga)-rad-res... Or is that not possible? I also am trying to figure out the best way to mount a pump+ res as "stealth" as possible without resorting to an on-rad setup (mcr-drive) or dual-bay unless absolutely necessary as I want to have an optical drive plus NZXT Sentry 6x50w fan controller...
I appreciate the help, and I love this case!

[nleksan]

Ok, so after some hands on time with the case while planning out my build (the layout of components, including water cooling), and despite the fact that I am still trying to get Newegg to pay for the shipping to return the damaged/used case they sent me (I will not pay $60 just to get a non-broken item that I already paid for, it's a matter of principle), I would give the case a solid and well-earned 9.5/10.

My "Pros":
- Truly a beautiful case, pictures just don't do it justice (even my girlfriend, whose eyes glaze over the second I mention anything about computers, loves it!)
- It is incredibly modular, with a vast amount of options for setting up just about anything from a ten-fan air-cooled monster to a liquid-cooled beast with as many as 3 radiators (420mm top, 240/280 bottom, 140/120 rear) and possibly more if you can fit one to the inner hard drive bay fan(s)
- Wire management is almost too easy! Seriously, even a full system's worth of cables, an 8x fan controller, and 14 fans' cables can be made invisible!
- NZXT has been one of the best companies I have ever dealt with. They don't treat you like an idiot, rather it is like one enthusiast talking to another! 10/10!
- So many neat little touches, it's obvious that this was built by enthusiasts and not marketers or the like (I.e. The multi-fan port, Sleeved Extension Cable for CPU power is included, thumbscrews everywhere, matching interior/exterior, LEDs lighting rear I/O ports, integrated but removable dust filters, and so forth)
- NZXT makes it almost too easy to have a professional looking build with their own individually Sleeved Extension Cables in a multitude of colors, matching black&white fans in 120mm and 140mm with up to 110cfm of airflow, excellent fan controller options, and so forth
- The white HALE90 series of Power Supplies match the case perfectly and are themselves very solid units

My "Cons":
- Would have liked to be able to fit a 3x140 radiator thicker than 30mm up top in push/pull without having to cut into the case
- It could really use just one more 5.25 bay (top is unusable with rad, fan controller takes up another, and one/two bay res takes up the rest; the only options for an ODD in this situation is either an external drive or one of the Silverstone 5.25 bay device that fits one slim slot type ODD and 4x 2.5 drives; the 2nd option is nice as it means that taking out bays for bottom rads will still leave storage space... But I would have liked to see such a thing come with the case)
- The top vents are kinda cheap feeling
- Limited options for mounting a water pump and reservoir if not using a bay unit; I have a Swiftech Micro Res v2 and I am struggling to figure out where it will fit, much less a pump (I want to have the bottom open for a single or dual rad)

Overall, the pros outweigh the cons by a significant margin, and I would buy the case again, and I would (and do) recommend it to anyone looking for a case. Two friends, one with a Cosmos II and the other with an 800D, both liquid cooled, think that they would have been able to make a better loop in a Switch 810 than their respective cases (Cosmos II has been significantly modded to fit 2x360mm rads, and the 800D has been altered significantly for inclusion of 1x420mm and 1x360mm rads).

I would really like to see NZXT provide even more support for the modding community by offering individual components of the case for sale. I personally would like to be able to buy a second top so that I can cut it up (add hex-mesh where the vents are), a second front panel (again, cut out space in front of fans for mesh), and a second set of 5.25 bays so that I can cut out room for a 60mm rad in push/pull. That way, I have all the original parts in pristine condition and my warranty is intact, and the resale value doesn't take a giant hit, but I am still able to modify the case.

Another option I would like to see is a Power Supply Cover, both plain and with mounting provisions for pump(s) and reservoirs. It would be very well received, I think, and eliminate the difficult choice in mounting options (as in there aren't many).

That is my perspective on the case.

[popswala]

Originally Posted by XNine

So.... *ahem* Special Editions, anyone?
http://www.nzxt.com/new/products/cra...ies/switch_810

That thing looks beautiful. I might just switch from the Phantom to the Switch 810. To me it looks like theres 3 colors (white, black, gun metal) is that right?

[XNine]

Originally Posted by nleksan

Ok, so after some hands on time with the case while planning out my build (the layout of components, including water cooling), and despite the fact that I am still trying to get Newegg to pay for the shipping to return the damaged/used case they sent me (I will not pay $60 just to get a non-broken item that I already paid for, it's a matter of principle), I would give the case a solid and well-earned 9.5/10.

My "Pros":
- Truly a beautiful case, pictures just don't do it justice (even my girlfriend, whose eyes glaze over the second I mention anything about computers, loves it!)
- It is incredibly modular, with a vast amount of options for setting up just about anything from a ten-fan air-cooled monster to a liquid-cooled beast with as many as 3 radiators (420mm top, 240/280 bottom, 140/120 rear) and possibly more if you can fit one to the inner hard drive bay fan(s)
- Wire management is almost too easy! Seriously, even a full system's worth of cables, an 8x fan controller, and 14 fans' cables can be made invisible!
- NZXT has been one of the best companies I have ever dealt with. They don't treat you like an idiot, rather it is like one enthusiast talking to another! 10/10!
- So many neat little touches, it's obvious that this was built by enthusiasts and not marketers or the like (I.e. The multi-fan port, Sleeved Extension Cable for CPU power is included, thumbscrews everywhere, matching interior/exterior, LEDs lighting rear I/O ports, integrated but removable dust filters, and so forth)
- NZXT makes it almost too easy to have a professional looking build with their own individually Sleeved Extension Cables in a multitude of colors, matching black&white fans in 120mm and 140mm with up to 110cfm of airflow, excellent fan controller options, and so forth
- The white HALE90 series of Power Supplies match the case perfectly and are themselves very solid units

My "Cons":
- Would have liked to be able to fit a 3x140 radiator thicker than 30mm up top in push/pull without having to cut into the case
- It could really use just one more 5.25 bay (top is unusable with rad, fan controller takes up another, and one/two bay res takes up the rest; the only options for an ODD in this situation is either an external drive or one of the Silverstone 5.25 bay device that fits one slim slot type ODD and 4x 2.5 drives; the 2nd option is nice as it means that taking out bays for bottom rads will still leave storage space... But I would have liked to see such a thing come with the case)
- The top vents are kinda cheap feeling
- Limited options for mounting a water pump and reservoir if not using a bay unit; I have a Swiftech Micro Res v2 and I am struggling to figure out where it will fit, much less a pump (I want to have the bottom open for a single or dual rad)

Overall, the pros outweigh the cons by a significant margin, and I would buy the case again, and I would (and do) recommend it to anyone looking for a case. Two friends, one with a Cosmos II and the other with an 800D, both liquid cooled, think that they would have been able to make a better loop in a Switch 810 than their respective cases (Cosmos II has been significantly modded to fit 2x360mm rads, and the 800D has been altered significantly for inclusion of 1x420mm and 1x360mm rads).

I would really like to see NZXT provide even more support for the modding community by offering individual components of the case for sale. I personally would like to be able to buy a second top so that I can cut it up (add hex-mesh where the vents are), a second front panel (again, cut out space in front of fans for mesh), and a second set of 5.25 bays so that I can cut out room for a 60mm rad in push/pull. That way, I have all the original parts in pristine condition and my warranty is intact, and the resale value doesn't take a giant hit, but I am still able to modify the case.

Another option I would like to see is a Power Supply Cover, both plain and with mounting provisions for pump(s) and reservoirs. It would be very well received, I think, and eliminate the difficult choice in mounting options (as in there aren't many).

That is my perspective on the case.

Providing parts for sale can be a little difficult, because we have to supply our RMA should anyone need RMA's. Rest assured, this is something we're looking in to doing. It might just take a little while because we're still a pretty smal company.

As for the mesh, well, I added my own and removed the top vents altogether. Chicks dig it like that.

For your watercooling options, I mounted my 2 bitspower 60mm reservoirs between the 5.25 area and the motherboard. I then mounted the pump where the lower HDD cage was, and was able to fit a 120mm radiator with fan very nicely just in front of the PSU.

You could always mount your pump vertically as well. For the reservoir, you can mount it on the rear of the chassis by the watercooling grommets, up where the rear 120/140 exhaust fan would go, between the motherboard and 5.25 cages, on one of the HDD bays... There's lots of options if you want to be a little creative.

Originally Posted by popswala

That thing looks beautiful. I might just switch from the Phantom to the Switch 810. To me it looks like theres 3 colors (white, black, gun metal) is that right?

4, technically. There's Gloss Black, White, Matte Black, and Gunmetal.

[radrok]

I didn't like the Matte Black one, it's too hard to get the plastic match with the steel, got a straight white one, can't wait to build inside it Gonna mount a 3x140mm 60mm thick rad.

[popswala]

I'm trying to find good pics to see the diff in the colors. I like the sound of the gunmetal but the white one is hot. Anyone know of see good pics to actually tell the diff well between the black ones?

[HumanSmoke]

Originally Posted by nleksan

Would have liked to be able to fit a 3x140 radiator thicker than 30mm up top in push/pull without having to cut into the case

You should be able to fit push-pull. I used an Alphacool UT45 (45mm) + push pull fans -although the "pull" are mounted under the top cover. Without tearing the chassis apart, this is what I ended up with. It usually looks a little more congested but my PSU pitched a fit so I'm down to the backup (plenty of cable management options when you consider the TX750 isn't modular) and removed one of the 580's just to be on the safe side.

[radrok]

I mounted an Alphacool 140x3 UT60 only with top fans fitted, I had to drill the holes on the roof because they didn't align.

[nleksan]

Yeah, I am pretty sure that I am getting an EX420 for the top and the EX240 for the bottom, the Heatkiller block for my new GTX670 FTW (w the Heatkiller backplate), and the EK Multi-Option Res X2 150 - Advanced. And lots more fittings, lol. I think that should cool my 3930K +670FTW pretty well, even at high clocks. (will be using 6x Bgears Blasters 140mm fans for push pull up top, and 4x Koolance 120x25mm 2800rpm fans for push pull in the bottom).