NZXT Phantom 410: The Boutique Favorite Goes On a Diet
by Dustin Sklavos on December 2, 2011 11:15 AM EST- Posted in
- Cases/Cooling/PSUs
- mid-tower
- NZXT
Introducing the NZXT Phantom 410
If you browse custom builds across different boutiques, you'll find NZXT's name comes up an awful lot. One of their enclosures, in particular, tends to see a lot of action: the Phantom. Its unusual angular design for some people is the right mix of style and gaudy, resembling the kind of case an Imperial Stormtrooper might choose if they were planning on learning how to at least hit the broad side of a barn in their off-duty hours. Today we take the wraps off of the Phantom's new fun size version, the Phantom 410, offering all the style without the massive footprint.
Indeed, if you remember the original Phantom (we unfortunately never got a chance to review the case on its own, but the iBuyPower Paladin XLC we reviewed employed the enclosure), you'll be at least a little bit amused by the Phantom 410. It's still not exactly a "small" case, but it's definitely more fun-sized compared to its predecessor. Fan controls have been reduced from three individual ones to a single main controller that runs the entire enclosure, while the drive bay door is latched closed (press in, then it pops out) as opposed to just swinging open. Other than that, it's pretty close to its larger predecessor.
| NZXT Phantom 410 Specifications | ||
| Motherboard Form Factor | ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX | |
| Drive Bays | External | 3x 5.25" |
| Internal | 6x 3.5"/2.5" | |
| Cooling | Front | 1x 120mm intake fan, 1x 120mm fan mount, 1x adjustable 120mm/140mm intake fan mount behind the drive cage |
| Rear | 1x 120mm exhaust fan | |
| Top | 1x 140mm exhaust fan, 1x 120mm/140mm fan mount | |
| Side | 1x 120mm/140mm fan mount | |
| Bottom | 1x 120mm fan mount | |
| Expansion Slots | 7 | |
| Front I/O Port | - | |
| Top I/O Port | Power and reset buttons, 2x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0, mic and headphone jacks, three-speed fan controller | |
| Power Supply Size | ATX | |
| Clearance | 10.5" with removable drive bay, 16" without (Expansion Cards), 170mm (CPU HSF), 200mm (PSU) | |
| Weight | 20 lbs (9.1kg) | |
| Dimensions | 8.46" x 20.31" x 20.94" (215mm x 516mm x 532mm) | |
| Price | MSRP $99 | |
While I've gotten used to other enclosures in this market getting bigger or adding new features, NZXT plays it fairly cautiously (in some respects at least) with the Phantom 410. Internal clearance is actually at a little bit of a premium, and while the Phantom 410 happily supports a 240mm radiator, you'll lose four drive bays if you decide to go with a video card bigger than an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580. Massive tower-style coolers may also have trouble fitting due to the low clearance from the side panel.
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Tigashark - Sunday, December 4, 2011 - link
I tend to agree here... I just built a system in an Antec 300 illusion.. thats only a ~$70 case , comes with 4 variable speed fans.. AND had the standoffs fitted in the more common locations for a full size ATX board..Its just a nice touch for the manufacturer to at least have the more common standoffs pre-fitted its not make or break but it IS a nice touch...
Belard - Tuesday, December 6, 2011 - link
Also... with some motherboards - you'd only end up taking OFF some of the stand-offs if there isn't a mounting hole in the motherboard.This is a non issue. Out of the hundreds of computers I've built - only a few times do I have to deal with screw up loose stand-offs, usually caused by someone else not tightening them up correctly.
buzznut - Sunday, December 4, 2011 - link
Hello,As a phantom owner and enthusiast (yes that means I am voiding my warranty like crazy) I have found the phantom to be everything I wanted in a case--almost. It seems the wise folks at NZXT have listened to their fans and really updated the chassis.
The window has been requested so much that the full tower Phantom has a side panel that owners can now purchase at NZXT.com to add their own. The newer phantoms being sold now have USB 3.0 available.
The one thing I find lacking is they have no considerations for folks that have 3 1/2 inch bay devices. Of course I don't mean a floppy drive, but things like card readers. One can certainly buy a bay converter but it likely won't match the color or quality of the rest of the case. Cheap plastic being what I am primarily able to find, unless I want to pay $20.
I think NZXT has a winner here that could potentially outsell the original. Most folks don't want or need a full tower, and the mid tower is extremely popular.
HStanford1 - Wednesday, December 7, 2011 - link
Why don't you want a cheap plastic 3 1/2 bay converter?Half of your case is made of it.
atragorn - Monday, November 26, 2012 - link
I just bought this case (Good deal at Microcenter the only place to shop ) and I agree with some of what you said about this case but the standoffs ? Yes they do not come pre-installed, you also failed to mention they include a tool to make installing them easier(Not everyone has the proper nut drivers laying around) which I for one appreciated since I misplaced my nut driver a while ago.There are lots of tie down spots on the back, yes the wires for the fans are a bit of a pain but I just moved them to the side till I was done everything else then I hooked them up to the fans and I like to be able to turn all my fans down when I am just doing web stuff (So not wearing headphones) or watching a movie,
Nothing useful is completely painless in my experience.
Most people looking for a midsize case are going to be fine with this case, I have two ssds, 3 hdd , a xfx 6850 1gb card, asus m5a97 LE R2.0 (don't buy it no usb 3 internal headers!) and a FX6100 running off a Thermaltake tr2 rx 850 (modular 80+ cant go wrong).
No trouble building it up,
It definitely gets noticed when people come over though :/