NZXT H2: Not Quite Quiet
by Dustin Sklavos on May 26, 2011 2:43 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- mid-tower
- NZXT
Noise and Thermal Testing, Stock
Our stock settings for the testbed should provide a reasonable thermal load without causing too much work for the NZXT H2. Here we'll get to see both how well the sound-proofing works out, and if we have to make any sacrifices in performance for it. We tested with the fan controller at each setting.
Already we run into some problems with the H2, and it seems odd when it competes with the In-Win BUC which has virtually no sound-proofing installed at all. NZXT's design should operate like a well-refined positive pressure design, but if you check out other reviews online you're going to see many of the other reviewers ran into the same problem I did and placed the blame squarely in one place, a place where it really needs to be: the intake fans are suffocating.
Without a steady supply of fresh, cool air, everything inside the H2 has to work harder. So while the sound-dampening does its job fine while the system is idling, the instant you crank things up, the Zalman CNPS9900 on the processor and the GeForce GTX 580's fan both have to work double-time and virtually negate the quiet fans and sound-dampening of the H2.
You'll see that while idle temperatures consistently go down as you raise the fan speed, under load the H2 just can't cope with the heat and temperatures largely level off. You're better off leaving the case fans at the lowest setting. Meanwhile, the In-Win BUC proves just how much smart thermal management can do for noise levels.
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Dustin Sklavos - Thursday, May 26, 2011 - link
Fret not! There are more on the way.Oh, so MANY more. ;)
geniekid - Thursday, May 26, 2011 - link
I just want to say I totally support your reviewing of cases, ESPECIALLY those that are designed to be quiet. This is an area of system building that is severely lacking in good information on the internet, second maybe to power supply testing (which you guys are also good at).After using my home built machine for the last 4 years, I've made up my mind that my next rig must be inaudible at idle and pretty quiet at load. It's gotten to the point where choosing the graphics card isn't just picking out the best card on the price/performance curve - it requires looking at noise at load. In that vein of thinking, I would like to suggest that you guys test GPUs that you've already tested just to generate some noise benchmarks for third party cooling solutions.
scott967a - Thursday, May 26, 2011 - link
I've also been looking at case reviews. Glad to see Anandtech might do more in this area. I had pretty much crossed off the H2 and this confirms it. Now looking at the Fractal Design R3, but most sites that review quiet (or quieter at least) cases aren't also looking at whether these quiet cases can handle an OC system. I'm looking at a Corsair H70 cooler so have to kind of guess how that radiator will work in these cases.Dustin Sklavos - Thursday, May 26, 2011 - link
We were supposed to get a Fractal Design R3 in house at one point but it didn't materialize and I haven't shaken their tree to get one sent in because I have such a backlog of other cases to review. ;)But I hear you about quiet, high performance cases because I'm in a similar boat. We have an Antec Sonata IV review that should be going up within the next month and then hopefully I'll be looking at SilverStone's Raven RV03 next month, too. Not going to lie, I'm pretty excited about that one.
Andreos - Thursday, May 26, 2011 - link
Suggest you guys update your photography skills and possibly equipment. Out-of-focus, motion-blurred, poorly exposed photos really don't do justice the content of your reviews, or the products being reviewed.tekeffect - Thursday, May 26, 2011 - link
I would like to see this some numbers for this with a liquid cooling setup...at least for the cpu.MMinNC - Tuesday, June 7, 2011 - link
Does anyone know if extra fans can be controlled by the integrated fan controller? This case has room for one 120mm fan at the bottom and one 140mm fan at the top.Thanks
kuzzia - Wednesday, June 8, 2011 - link
I'm almost positive that it can control an extra fan, bringing the total amount up to four.raytseng - Sunday, August 5, 2012 - link
if people still are looking at this article, apparently nzxt did make changes to H2 to address the concerns.I think they are stealth changes so no change in model number.
SilentPCReview was happier with an H2 build they received that had a later H2 over their initial review.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1274-page2.ht...