The NZXT S340 Case Review
by E. Fylladitakis on July 13, 2015 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- NZXT
- Case
- ODD-Free
Conclusion
We should start our conclusion stating the simple fact that the NZXT S340 lacks 5.25" device mounts and there are no options for any form of optical media devices, therefore those that do want to install an ODD should instantly look elsewhere or invest in a USB ODD drive. NZXT designed the S340 to be a competitively priced, compact and visually elegant solution for a home and a gaming PC. The retail price of just $81 including shipping definitely is appealing, yet there are several shortcomings that need to be considered first.
Aesthetics are a subjective topic. It is natural that some will love the appearance of the S340, while others will not. In our opinion, the design of the S340 is very simple and straightforward. Those driven by minimalism will love the plain design of the S340 and the contrast between the glossy white and matte black colors. On the other hand, the S340 is far too plain and the flat surfaces are cold and uninspiring, so it may look out of place in a modern environment or in a youth's room.
Although aesthetics are a subjective topic, quality is not. Mechanically, the NZXT S340 is a rather solid design, without significant apparent issues. Still, the quality of the paint job is concerning. In particular, the matte black paint is very susceptible to scratches and requires a lot of attention when working inside the case or when placing items on top of it. We did not face any issues with the white glossy paint during our short time with the S340, which is significantly better applied, yet we were worried that it could lose its luster and become damp, especially if cleaning chemicals were applied. We tested that theory by applying common household cleaning compounds and the glossy paint of the S340 remained unscathed. On the other hand, bleach and dipentene dampened the surface of the S340 almost instantly and irreversibly. It would be very wise to use only very soft chemicals or no chemicals at all while cleaning the S340.
Aside from the obvious inability to use a 5.25" device or even an external 3.5" device, the S340 is a relatively practical product but there still are some shortcomings. The user is limited to two 2.5" drives and three 3.5" drives. No 2.5" drives can be installed in the 3.5" bays and there are no other expansion options. Still, the number of drives should be more than enough for the majority of home and gaming PCs. It also lacks any "luxurious" features, such as rubber grommets to cover the cable holes, fan controllers or even a cover for the large opening and exposed screws of the expansion cards. On the other hand, the spacious rear of the motherboard tray and the concept of the cable management bar greatly aid the user to assemble a very clean system. The only issue here is that the cable ties on the management bar warrant that they will have to be cut each time that the bar needs to come off or when there are significant system changes.
From a purely practical point of view, the NZXT S340 is the perfect case for those that want to assemble a good home/gaming PC and keep it untouched for a relatively long time. It is spacious enough to hold powerful components, large coolers and liquid cooling options. On the other hand, the lack of ODD support and the relatively small number of drive slots are insignificant flaws for the majority of home PC users, and especially gamers. If the plain appearance and practical simplicity of the NZXT S340 are considered and found acceptable, its low retail price and compact design make it a very competitive product that should easily find its way among the top slots of a shopping shortlist.
Additional: Due to great timing, for those keeping track of our Build-A-Rig project, the NZXT S340 (black) was chosen by Zotac for their $1500 gaming build as part of the minimalist design and aesthetic. With Build-A-Rig, we invite companies to produce a parts list for a PC which we build, test and giveaway. Readers can enter the giveaway to win a PC, read about the machines being built and also interviews with the companies. Details to enter are here.
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HQQKrWithAPC - Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - link
with the smaller cases and mini boards, you will have problems with keeping her cool, in general - smaller the case - the hotter it runs. Full towers - are the standard for "balls to the wall" gamers, and for good reason....more space...more air - and cooler temps.romrunning - Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - link
@HQQKrWithAPCI'll disagree with the generalization that full towers = cooler temps.
If a case is designed with good *air flow*, then it will do well with cooling. A poorly designed case, even a full tower, will have problems no matter what internal volume it might have.
Impulses - Monday, July 13, 2015 - link
The biggest issue is case makers are always trying to cater the largest possible market and they end up straddling weird lines...This NZXT design would indeed work better for a M-ATX or ultra quiet build. I doubt anyone that's gonna use SLI/CF (much less water cooling) is gonna be very interested in this, so why bother catering to those markets.
I'm a CF, sound card, and ODD user myself, and I still struggle to find cases that meet my needs perfectly. I have little need for half a dozen 3.5" bays but all enthusiast cases seem built to house a server array of discs...
My Corasair Air 540 is working alright for now, specially for the price I paid, tho I still feel it wastes too much space on the right hand compartment.
Dorek - Wednesday, July 29, 2015 - link
"Do we really need a 36cm deep case to fit a 240mm radiator?"Yes, next question.
"I suppose the same question can be asked of why not a Mini ITX motherboard though; it's rare to see anyone actually needing more than one PCIe slot, as IMO it's usually better to just get a single card and upgrade it later, as multi-card setups are almost always disappointing."
Wrong.
"I do wish we'd get away from the longer cards actually, as there are too few good half-length offerings, though the 960 from Nvidia and the new Nano from AMD seem like good options."
Those are for small-form-factor builds only. If you want an SFF build, build one. This is an ATX case and isn't meant for that.
Samus - Monday, July 13, 2015 - link
I think the irony is the case is 36cm deep (long) yet the expansion slot design leaves that huge gap around the screws. This will invite bugs and rodents to live in the case. My rule of thumb is no openings greater than 1/4" in a PC case and that gap is nearly 3/4" all around. You might as well just leave all the expansion slot covers off!Considering the already lengthy depth, they could have just added 1/2" (a few centimeters) too the overall length, recessing the I/O plates, but the stamping was probably too expensive for the budget compared to using a "flat" back where the expansion slot "gap" was actually created by stamping out the lip. Definitely an economical solution, but at least include a cover?
Flunk - Monday, July 13, 2015 - link
I think that might be a location specific issue, with rodents and insects. I've never had problems like that.Samus - Monday, July 13, 2015 - link
When I used to service PC's in Chicago, I came across this a lot. Fortunately I never had to deal with a live infestation, usually just droppings. But I'd say it was more common in the 90's and early 00's than these days where custom built PC's are virtually non-existent outside of the enthusiast. But even still, someone often leaves a dust cover off and something gets in and takes a piss all over the back of the videocard.PC's offer a warm, dark, secluded space, very attractive to pests.
Impulses - Monday, July 13, 2015 - link
Can't say I've ever seen that after 10+ years of small business IT work in Puerto Rico (and a lot of places I've worked don't even have central AC etc)... I have seen a handful of old systems literally choke and overheat on dust sucked in from every pore tho.ES_Revenge - Monday, July 13, 2015 - link
Where were these people keeping their PCs? Outside? Or are they living in filth? LOL. The only thing I can think of possibly entering a computer case in my house is a spider, but even then I've never come across more than cobwebs in a PC case before.Dorek - Wednesday, July 29, 2015 - link
I've literally never had a bug enter any electronic device that I have owned in my entire life. Are you keeping your computer outdoors? Do you never clean your house?